AKT. 7 BIEDS FROM YUNNAN" AND SZECHWAN, CHINA RILEY 23 



70. PICUS CANUS SORDIDIOR (Rippon) 



Gecinns sordidior Ripfon, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 19, p. 32, 1906 (Yangtze 

 Big Bend). 



One male and one female, northwest Yunnan (Likiang Mountains, 

 September; forests of Lapo-laze, 10,000 feet, May); four males 

 and two females, southwest Szechwan (Yalung River Gorge, 11,000 

 feet, July; forests of Tyon-kong, Watogomba, 12,500 feet, Yalung 

 watershed, July ; Dshizhi, 13,500 feet, Muli, April ; Cliengize, 14,500- 

 15,900 feet, May). 



The greens in this species quickly fade, so that by the end of the 

 breeding season the green has mostly or entirely disappeared from 

 the iowerparts and the upperparts, except the wings. This makes 

 it necessary to compare specimens taken at approximately the same 

 time or in the same state of wear. The female taken at Likiang in 

 September almost matches a female taken south of Suifu in Feb- 

 ruary in color and size. Though the series from Yunnan and Szech- 

 wan at my command is quite large, the majority of the specimens 

 are in faded plumage and not good for comparison, but suitable for 

 measurement. Ten males from northwest Yunnan and southwest 

 Szechwan measure : Wing, 139-154 mm. (147.3) ; culmen, 33.5-40 

 (35.9). Six males from Suifu, Mount Omei, and north Szechwan, 

 measure: Wing, 139-158 (147) ; culmen, 36.5-41 (38.3). Wlien fresh 

 unworn material is collected from northern Yunnan and western 

 Szechwan and compared, I believe the supposed differences between 



the present race and Picus canus setschuanus Hesse -° will largely 

 disappear. 



Family ALAUDIDAE, Larks 



71. OTOCORIS ALPESTRIS KHAMENSIS Bianchi 



Otocori/s eJicesi khamensis Bianchi, Ibis, 1904, p. 372 (Kliam, southeastern 

 Thibet). 



Five males and two females, Yulonghsi Valley, 13,000-16,000 feet, 

 May; two males and one female, Jesilongba Valley, 14,500-16,000 

 feet. May; two females, Jesila, 15,600-16,300 feet, May; one male, 

 Konkalongba, Minya Mountains, 14,500 feet, no date; one male, 

 Yulinggong, 10 miles south of Tatsienlu, 11,000 feet, May. 



All the above localities are in Szechwan, to the south of Tatsienlu, 

 from three to four days' trip to within 10 miles of the town. 



I have no good material of the related forms with which to com- 

 pare this series, except one male of Otocoris alpestris przewalskii. 

 The latter is a paler and apparently smaller race with the black 

 frontal band much reduced. Otocoris alpestris khamensis is a rather 

 richly colored race above with the black frontal band and black 



2«0in. Monatsb., vol. 19, p. 193, 1911. 



