near Nyriee Tal and Almorah. 59 



687. Temenuchus pagodarum. A few seen at Almorah, 

 and one nest found in a hole in a tree. The eggs are pale blue^ 

 and smaller than those of the common Myna. 



688. Temenuchus malabaricus. Sometimes seen at Al- 

 morah. One procured. 



706. Passer iNDicus. Common at Nynee Tal and Almorah. 



724. Melophus melanicterus. Common in the open 

 country. The nest is placed in the broken terrace-walls, at the 

 foot of a small bush or tuft of grass. I found one in the middle 

 of May on a small bank about three feet and a half high, placed 

 about two feet from the ground, at the roots of a small scrubby 

 bush, and composed of roots, fibres, and grass, lined with hair. 

 There were four eggs ; another nest had three only ; they measure 

 •75 in. by '583 in., and are of a dull white with a greenish tinge, 

 thickly speckled and spotted with reddish-brown and purple- 

 grey. The egg is not marked with lines, like a Bunting's. I 

 shot the old birds in each instance. The song of the male is a 

 monotonous one, of two or three notes only, constantly repeated. 

 The dark chestnut plumage is not assumed till the second year ; 

 and young males breed in their first plumage, which exactly 

 resembles that of the female. 



738. Carpodacus erythrinus. This bird was common at 

 Almorah in the middle of April, when I arrived there; early in 

 May they all disappeared, having, I suppose, gone further north 

 to breed. Seeing the birds in pairs everywhere gave me great 

 hopes of obtaining the eggs, 



750. Chrysomitris spinoides. A few seen in June on the 

 top of a high well-wooded mountain near Nynee Tal. I shot a 

 mature male. In April this bird was common at Almorah, and 

 was then moulting ; in June they were not to be found there. 



767. Alauda gulgula. Common on open ground near 

 Almorah, and between that place and Binsur. It is a most 

 delightful songster, quite equal to the English Sky-Lark, I think; 

 and the song is sweeter ; but I do not think it soars for quite 

 so long a time. The nest is placed in any little hollow partly 

 overgrown with short grass ; and I saw one with a stone partly 

 overhanging it. It is composed of a small ([uatitity of tine 



