605 

 NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF AMBALA DISTT., PUNJAB. 



BY 



H. Whistler, M.B.O.U., F./.S. 



Ambala Git}- and Cantonments form the headquarters of a 

 district of the same name, which is one of the most easterly in 

 position of all the districts of the Punjab. It lies between 30° 2' 

 and 30° 13' N. and 70° 19' and 77° 36' E., with an area of 1,851 

 square miles. It extends from the Sutlej river, which separates it 

 from the district of Hoshiarpur to the north, to the Jumna river, 

 which divides it from the district of Saharanpore in the United 

 Provinces on the south-west. On the north-east it is bounded by 

 the Submontane States of Nalagarh, Patiala Sirmur, and Khalsia ; 

 on the soiith by the district of Karnal ; on the west by Patiala 

 and the district of Ludhiana. The district is very irregular in 

 shape, and consists of two almost separate portions. The main 

 portion lies between the Ghaggar river and the Jumna river, 

 comprising the three tehsils of Ambala, Naraingai'h and Jagadri. 

 This is formed of the plain which descends from the Siwalik Hills 

 toward the south-west ; it is fertile, generally speaking a good 

 alluvial loam, but intersected by torrents, .which pour down from 

 the hills at intervals of a few miles ; and it is interspersed with 

 blocks of stiff clay soil, which in years of scanty rainfall are 

 improductive. In this part of the district lies the Morni hill tract i 

 which culminates in a height of 4,910 feet in the Karoh peak on 'r 

 the Su'moor border. 



, The second portion of the district is the Rupar Sub-division,' . 

 comprising the tehsils of Rupar and Kharar, which forms a submon- 

 tane plain of great fertility, highly cultivated, and well wooded^ 

 with numerous mango groves, between the Ghaggar and the Sutlej 

 rivers. 



The district also includes the detached tracts containing the 

 town of Kalka (2,400 feet), and the hill Cantonment of Kasauli* : 

 0,300 feet. 



As may be expected from the above description the district' 

 embraces ground suitable for several types of bird fauna. Un- 

 fortunately 1 was not in the district long enough to investigate 

 their distribution and composition thoroughly, as I only spent some 

 G months there, namely, the period from 23rd October 1915 to 20th 

 April 1916. But I have here placed on record the results of my 

 observations in order that tliey may perhaps afford a ground work 

 for future Ornithologists who have time and opportunity to. 



• These particulais have been extracted from the Imperial Gazetteer of India, 

 Provitjcial Series, Punjab, Vol. 1. 



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