Major J. Biddulph on the Birds ofGilgit. 267 



My collector "who visited the bleak Deosai plain was also 

 unfortunate in having encountered weather so bad as to 

 make any prolonged stay impossible, even in July, at so great 

 an elevation. He bi'ought back fifty-seven specimens, repre- 

 senting twenty-four species, only one of which, Otocorys 

 longirostris, does not ajjpear in the Gilgit list. 



The man who visited the Shandur plateau was more fortu- 

 nate in being well received by the people of the country, and 

 remained there for over a fortnight. During this he collected 

 numerous specimens, which tend to show that the plateau is 

 a favourite breeding-ground for many of our Gilgit birds 

 that are forced to seek a considerable elevation for the 

 purpose. 



Further observation has tended to confirm my former 

 conjecture, that the Indus valley forms the chief route by 

 which migrants between Central Asia and Northern India 

 pass and repass. This is also borne out by the appearance 

 of several species of rare or previously unknown occurrence 

 in India having been recorded at Attock in the pages of 

 'Stray Feathers^ during the last few years. Punjab orni- 

 thologists will probably find themselves well repaid by a 

 careful collection of species during the months of October, 

 November, December, and January at Derbund, where the 

 Indus emerges from the Himalayas into the plains of the 

 Punjab. 



The Indian Government having decided against the further 

 retention of a British officer at Gilgit for the present, it will 

 probably be some time before any further continuous orni- 

 thological observations at that spot can be made, though 

 many sportsmen will, no doubt, find their way up to so good 

 a sporting-locality. Up to the time of my departure I con- 

 tinued to add new species to the list, which now comprises 

 265 species. Of this number only one, the Owl named after 

 me by Dr. Scully, is new to science. Five are of doubtful iden- 

 tification, no specimen having been secured, though in each 

 instance there is no doubt that a species not otherwise re- 

 corded in the list was observed. These are Vultur monachus, 

 Neophron percnopterus, Corvus umbrinus, Branta rnfina, and 



T 2 



