/I Himalaya)} f'ass. 135 



T managed to get them properly paired up. but they have made 

 ro attempt to settle down to nesting-. My trouble started 



with one hen dying early in the season — in trying to get another 

 in its place, no less than three times was I hopelessly " had " by 

 dealers, who persisted in sending" me birds in nestling" plumage, 

 all of which ultimately turned out to be cock birds, at the same 

 time always charging" me adult prices! At last, through the 

 kindness of one of our members (whose birds were really all in 

 pairs at the time). I was able to secure an adult breeding hen. 



Bexgalese Finxhks (Muiiia dunicstica) : My pair, which 

 live with the Zebra Finches, have been ridiculously amusing; 

 they have bttilt a very rough nest — at least it is just " piled up 

 hay " — in a Hartz travelling-cage, and they spend their days 

 there, sitting" side by side on the top of it — this has been going" 

 <v,; for months ! 



I fear this is a somewhat rambling account and of but 

 little interest, l^ut I wanted to do my " bit " in response to the 

 Kditor's appeal for copy. 



A Himalayan Pass. 



By Hucri Whisilkr. F.Z.S. 



One of the better known of the high passes in the Western 

 Himalayas is the Rhotang, which carries the Central Asiatic 

 trade road from Kulu over the Central Himalayan range into 

 T.ahul. and ultimately on to Leh and Yarkand. It was my 

 fortune to cross this pass on 12th July. 1923, for the fourth time, 

 and some account of the pass from an ornithological point of 

 view may be of interest to the members of the Foreign Bird Club. 



We had spent the night at the small rest-house of Rahla, 

 situated at 8.800 ft. altitude at the Kulu foot of the range, and 

 l,v 7-30 a.m. the whole camp and baggage mules were ready to 

 start. The day was not propitious — heavy clouds obscured the 

 sky. advance post of the monsoon, and, as we started, a light 

 drizzle conimenced. But time was important, so we gambled 

 on the fact that heavy rain was not likely at this season to start 

 before midday, and our temerity was rewarded by a safe and 



