NO TES ON THE BIRDS OF AMBAlk DISTRICT, PUN J A B. 07! • 



about tho beginning of March, when the approach of tho breeding 

 season made tho males nioro noisy and active. Jn my opinion 

 the species is strictly resident and non-migratory, but has the 

 habit of moving about locally rather more than most resident 

 species. It was not observed in Kaaauli but was found in tho 

 Nalahs about Kalka both at tho end of September and in March. 

 I found a nest with y hard set eggs on Sid April; as usual 

 the lining of tho nest contained small pieces of cast snake's 

 slough. 



662.* The Black-backed Indian Robin — Thamnobia fulicafa (L.) 



Occurs in Dr. Scott's list with the locality Ambala, but I 

 should view this record with suspicion until corroborated. 



663. The Magpie Robin — Copsi/cfius saularis (L.) 



Common, generally distributed, and probably resident. 



673. The Grey-headed Ouzel — Morula castanea, Gould. 

 One was seen at Kasauli on 10th March. 



676.* The Grey-winged Onzel—Merula boulboul (Lath.) 



A party of some 5 or 6 of these Ouzels was met on 13th 

 February in low hill jungle near Chandighar. 



677.* The Black-throated Thrush — Menda atrif/vlaria (Temm.) 



Beavan's note on this species is as follows : — "According to 

 information given to me by Dr. Scott, this species is tolerably 

 abundant about Ambala in the cold weather, and several were 

 procured by him, although it did not occur while I was there." 

 In the 'Ibis' for 1869, p. 124, a paper on the plumages of 

 Thrushes by Colonel Tytler includes descriptions of two males of 

 this species procured at Ambala. 



A few were met with about Ambala on November 16th, 

 January 11th, during February, and on March 15th. The real 

 stronghold however of this species as a winter visitor is in the 

 low jungle clad hills to the north of the district. I found it 

 most abundant in the bamboo jungle above Kalka during the 

 last week of December, and there were still a few about there 

 on March 10th, a flock of some 70 to 80 individuals was 

 disturbed in the jungle at Chandigarh on 13th February, 



693. The Western Blue Rockthrush — I'etrophila ci/ajim (L.^ 



Two were seen, apparently both males, in some broken ground 

 near Mani Majrah on 25th March, and a female was seen on a 

 building in Cantonments on J.Oth April. They were of course 

 on migration. 



716. The Black-throated Accentor — Tharrhaleus atngulans, (Brandt.) 

 A party of accentors seen close to the Patiala toU-gate on the 

 Kasauli Road above Kalka on 28th December were referred to 

 this species. 



719. Jerdon's Accentor — Tharrhaleus jerdnni (Brooks.) 



A male was shot in the Nalah above Kalka on the 30th 

 December and one or two others were ssen. 



720. Blyth's Baya — Ploceus bai/a, Blyth. 



Beavan records it as common near Ambala. 



This species is probably for the most part a summer visitor 

 as although I saw many old nests hanging on the trees about 

 Chandighar, the only birds that 1 observed were a small party 

 on 30th November on the road between Bilaspur and Jagadri. 



