Trijj to Kashmir. 9 



and 31st May in lioles^ at various heights in trees, both dead 

 and growing; the eggs being generally from five to seven in 

 number, and deposited in the usual beds of hair and moss. 



9. Parus monticola Vig. 



This Tit was decidedly rare, and noticed by us only on a 

 few occasions in the neighbourhood of Crund, and then only 

 in the denser forests. The only nest we obtained was very 

 deep down in a hole in a small tree some dozen feet from 

 the ground, aud on the 29th May, when we found it, it 

 contained six well-grown young. 



10. LOPHOPHANES MELANOLOPHUS (Vig.). 



This was the common Tit at all elevations above 7000 feet. 

 It was in flocks at Sonamurg on the 5th May, but paired 

 ijamediately afterwards, as we saw a pair building on the 

 {^th. We took several nests between the 24th May and the 

 l^thJune; that taken on the 21th May containing seven 

 eggs just being hatched, while one of those taken on the 16th 

 June contained six fresh eggs. The nests were at various 

 heights, but most did not exceed four or five feet ; we found 

 one, however, over forty feet from the ground. All were in 

 holes in trees, but generally so near the entrance that it 

 was easy to get at the nests by merely breaking away the 

 rotten wood round the hole with a knife. They consisted 

 of a little moss, lined with a thick patch of hair. The 

 number of eggs was in all cases five, six, or seven. The eggs 

 are large for the size of the bird and very thickly spotted ; 

 they vary considerably in size, in one clutch being nearly as 

 large as those of Parus atriceps. 



11. TrOCHALOPTERUM LINEATUM (Vig.). 



This Babbler was very common all along the Jhelum 

 Valley from Kohala to Baramula, and in the neighbourhood 

 of Guud in the Siud Valley. We did not see it anywhere 

 above 7000 feet. We found many of its nests, containing 

 three or four eggs, either in the scrub at the foot of the hills 

 or in the lower branches of fir-trees in the forest close to 

 the base of the hills. 



