Ladakh. His dying request was that the birds part of the scientific results of the expedition be published by Allan Octavian Hume. This work was finally, however, completed by Richard Bowdler-Sharpe seventeen years later. Dr. H. W. Bellew did the post-mortem and confirmed "spinal meningitis deteriorated by over-exertion in strenuous endeavours after information, and the great height." Today this is generally believed to have been Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), a condition well known to Himalayan travellers. It manifests as pulmonary or cerebral oedema. Above this is fatal in about 40% of the cases. Conditions that aggravate it include exertion, fast ascent and alcohol, all of which were present in his case. In his report on the expedition, Thomas E. Gordon touched on the death of his "highly valued friend and talented companion." A granite obelisk is erected in his memory at the Moravian mission cemetery in Leh. An obituary was published in Nature on 9 July 1874 by W. T. Blanford. Ornithological contributions Stoliczka's interest in birds started only in 1864 when in the Himalayas and he was greatly encouraged by Allan Octavian Hume, the "father of Indian Ornithology". His first ornithological work was making large collections of birds from the Sutlej Valley. Arthur Viscount Walden recognized his contributions and welcomed the geologist Stoliczka to a high place among scientific ornithologists but disagreed with Stoliczka's idea of adding new species due to small differences in plumage. Hume however supported Stoliczka and wrote a note in the journal, Ibis, against the cabinet naturalists of London who knew nothing about the geography of India. Hume shortly afterwards started the journal Stray Feathers and persuaded ornithologists in India to publish there. Some of Stoliczka's new species were later found to have been already described by the Russian zoologist N. A. Severtzov. A week before his death, Stoliczka wrote to Valentine Ball... 'Please tell Waterhouse to order for the Asiatic, Severtzov's Turkestanskie Jevotnie immediately, if it is not at the Indian Museum. If they do not like ordering it, order it for myself through Truebner without delay. Do not forget, please.' A partial list of his publications on birds include Stoliczka, F. (1873): Letters to the Editor. Stray Feathers. 1(5):425-427. Stoliczka, F. (1874): Letters to the Editor. Stray Feathers. 2(4&5):461-463. Stoliczka, F. (1874): Letters to the Editor. Stray Feathers. 2(4&5):463-465. Stoliczka, F. (1875): The avifauna of Kashgar in winter. Stray Feathers. 3(1,2&3):215-220. Stoliczka, F.