Birds of Southern Afghanistan. 115 



137. Carduelis canicepS; Vig. 



Kandahar, IS y 1^1,81- 



Observed at Quetta, and at Chaman also, though I never 

 got near enough to shoot any. The above bird I procured 

 alive. A very favourite cage-bird with the Afghans. Sings 

 well, a far superior note to that of C. elegans. I succeeded in 

 bringing three male birds alive to India. 



128. Metoponia pusilla (Pall.). 

 Kandahar, 1$, 10,4,81. 



This was also a caged bird ; it must have been fresh caught, 

 its ovary being well developed. I was informed by the bird- 

 catchers that it arrives in flocks in the middle of April and 

 leaves again in the middle of September. 



129. Frtngilla montifringilla, Linn. 



Col. St. John informed me he had obtained this bird in 

 the Kandahar district towards the Helmund. 



130. Ammomanes deserti (Licht.). 



Dubrai, 1 ? , 25,4,81 ; Melkarez, 1 ? , 24,4,81 ; Quetta, 

 1 cJ , 19,5,81 ; Pirchowky, 1 S , 19,5,81 ; Kandahar, \$ ,\% ^ 

 5,1,81. 



Common everywhere in suitable localities. When shooting 

 Sesse Partridges on the hills near the Moorcha Pass in the 

 early morning, I heard a peculiar low but shrill call from 

 thousands of birds on a low hill on the other side, being a 

 note I never heard before. I got down the hill and went over 

 to see what birds they were, and got a shot into a flock of 

 these Larks as they went away. 



131. Calandrella brachydactyla (Leisl.). 

 Kandahar, 1 not sexed, 1 ^^ , 1 ? , 7,3,81 ; Do., 1 ? , 9,3,81 ; 



Do., 1 ? , 12,3,81 ; Do., \$, 30,3,81. 



Passed through in enormous flocks in the month of March, 

 but did not remain. The Afghans, who are very clever bird- 

 catchers, caught them in large numbers in nets, and used to 

 hawk them for food in the city of Kandahar. 



132. Melanocorypha bimaculata (Menetr.). 

 Kandahar, 2 $ , 6,2,81 ; Do., 1 $ , 8,2,81. 



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