242 Col. N. Przewalski on the 



XXVIII.— Ow the Birds of Northern Tibet. 

 By Col. N. Przewalski^. 



In the class of Birds Northern Tibet is still poorer than in 

 mammals^ as among the former in no single case is the 

 poverty of species made up for by an unusual number of indi- 

 viduals. Altogether we met with only 51 species of birds in 

 Tibet, as shown in the following table : — 



« Residents. Passing migrants. Winter Tisitants. 



Accipitres 7 9 



Passeres 9 9 



Columbse 1 



Gallius? 2 



Grallatores 6 



Natatores 5 



19 29 3 



To this list we might be justified in adding 15 other species, 

 which we met with on the mountains of Burchan-Buba, 

 Goschili, Tolai, and Torai, in the ranges bordering upon 

 Zaidam. Of these last-mentioned 15, 6 were residents, 2 

 passing migrants, and 7 winter visitants. We pursued our 

 ornithological investigations in Northern Tibet only in 

 autumn and winter, and therefore cannot speak of the species 

 that arrive in the spring and breed there ; but in all pro- 

 bability the number of such species is insignificant. 



The most prominent representatives of the bird-fauna of 

 Northern Tibet are the Vultures {Gijpaetus harhatus, Vultur 

 monachus, Gyps himalayensis), Ravens {Corvus corax), 

 Choughs {Fregilus graculus), Tibetan Larks [Melanocorypha 

 maxima), Mountain-Finches [Onychospiza taczanowskii, 

 Pyrrhulauda ruficollis, P. barbata), and Podoces humilis. 

 Of the Pigeon family only one species — the Rock-Dove {Co- 



* [Translated from an article in Petermann's ' Mittbeilungen,' Heft i. 

 1884. It is much to be regretted tbat no English account has yet ap- 

 peared of Col. Przewalslii's third great journey in Central Asia (1879-80). 

 A chart of his route is given in Petermann's 'Mittbeilungen,' 1883, 

 Heft viii. As that of the only naturahst Avbo has penetrated into Tibet 

 from the north, his account of its bird-life cannot fail to be of interest to 

 our readers. — Edd.] 



