Letters, Announcements, ^c. 137 



His dimensions of this species are as follows : — 



Long. tot. alae. caud. tars. rostr. a £r. 



IS^in. 12| 6| 2i 2\ 



A couple of fresh skins just sent in from the neigbourhood of 

 Kotgurh give 



A. 15|in. Ill 6f 1| 2 



B. 15 IH 6| 1| 2 

 According to Col. Gott, a very good observer, this species is 



found near Simla on the range called the Tullowrie Tote on the 

 further side of the Sutledge River; and the specimens I have just 

 received are most likely from that locality. 



The second species, Pijrrhocorax alpinus, Vieill., or Alpine 

 Chough, is apparently identical with the European bird. I am 

 not aware that Dr. Jerdon ever saw the Himalayan bird, at any 

 rate before the ' Birds of India ' was written, although perhaps 

 he has since ; but the description he gives seems applicable only 

 to the European bird. He describes the legs as bright red, 

 although the bill is yellow, and states that it feeds on the mul- 

 berry; but Col. Gott, who has shot several, thinks he is mis- 

 taken, and says his impression has always been that the legs 

 are also yellow ; and the testimony of his head man, a respect- 

 able native, who has seen numbers, is to the same effect. 

 Although in a matter of this kind recollection is very apt to be 

 deceitful, yet I think this is worth recording, so that it may be 

 left an open question to direct future investigation. 



Pyrrhocorax alpinus, Col. Gott states, is found near the snows, 

 in particular spots, at a very much higher elevation than Fregilus 

 himalayanus, and most certainly does not feed on the mulberry, , 

 since the tree does not occur in that part of the hills, nor could 

 it flourish at the elevation at which these birds are found. He 

 once only saw this species driven down by very severe weather 

 as low as 10,000 feet. I have examined a European specimen 

 of P. alpinus in Col, Tytler's collection, in which the bill has 

 apparently been light yellow and the legs dark red ; but I have 

 not been able yet to get hold of a specimen of the Himalayan 

 bird, although I hope to do so befoi'e leaving Simla. 



I have not done very much amongst the birds here yet. Simla 

 seems to bear no comparison to Darjeeliug in the number of 



