SOMi: BIRDS OBSERVED AT FAGOO, NEAR SIMLA. 773 



30. The Blue-fronted Redstart — Fhcenicurus frontalis. Vigors. 



Three of these Redstarts, all females, were met with, in each 

 case frequenting small patches of bush with a few trees on fairly 

 open hillsides. They were very tame aud allowed a close 

 approach ; the conspicuously marked tail renders the species very 

 easy of identification in the field. 



31. The Blue -headed Redstart — Fhcenicurus ccendeocephala, Yigors. 



A female was found in company with one of those of the 

 last species. A male flew past me on a hillside just above Kufri 

 Bazaar (8,000 ft.) on the return journey. 



32. The Golden Bush Robin — Tarsiger chrysaus, ^oAgsou. 



I shot a small bird which was sitting in one of the terrace hedges 

 on a partly cultivated hedgeside under the impression that I was 

 firing at an accentor, but on picking it up was pleasantly surprised 

 to find that I had secured an adult female of this somewhat 

 scarce species. 



33. The Whistling Thrush — Myiophoneus temminckii temminckii, Vigors. 



This was one of the common birds of the hillsides occurring 

 in all the more open woods. Apart from its predilection for 

 mountain streams and the ravines through which they run, it is 

 a very arboreal species and trees rather than undergrowth are 

 essential for its comfort. 



34. Jerdon's Accentor — Frunella stropMatus jerdoni (Brooks). 



Very common but from its skulking and shy habits rather 

 difficult to secure without risk of damage to the skin. This 

 accentor was usually met with singly, threading the undergrowth 

 in any open locality whether close to thick jungle or amongst 

 cultivation. When flushed it would fly but a short way and then 

 abruptly settle again at the base of some patch of cover. The 

 note is loud and rather harsh, but reminiscent of that of the 

 English Hedge-Sparrow. 



35. The Black-throated Accentor — Frunella atrogularis (Brand). 



A small flock of these Accentors were frequenting a certain 

 patch of hillside where some small fields were packed in between 

 scrub jungle and a small but very thick Ilex wood. They were even 

 greater skulkers than the last species aud, in spite of several 

 attempts, I failed to get a shot, although on one or two occasions 

 I could see individuals in the open within 2 or 3 yards of me 

 which had to be spared. 



36. The Himalayan Green finch — Acanthis spinoides (Vigors). 



In the course of a hurried visit of one day to Kufri at the end 

 of August I had found the Himalayan Green finch extremely 

 common in the cultivated stretches of hillside that border the 

 roadside, but on this trip I found that the species had practically 

 vanished. There were one or two still about close to Fagoo 

 bazaar and these had probably been detained by late nesting. 



37. The Common House Sparrow — Fasser domesticus indica, Jard. and 



Selby. 



A few observed about the State Rest House at Fagoo. 



38. The Cinnamon Sparrow — Fasser rutilans debilis, Harteit. 



Not uncommon at Fagoo in a patch of light jungle close to the 

 Dak Bungalow. 



39. Stolickza's Mountain Finch — Montifringilla nemoricola altaica. 



(Eversm). 



On the return journey just above Kufri Bazaar I came across 

 a huge flock of some 50 to 80 flinches which were new to me. 



