Dr. O. FinscVs Ornithological Letters. 53 



where birds abounded. Along the Kara or Black Irtisch we 

 observed many Eagles, especially Haliaetus albicilla, and still 

 more commonly H. leucorxjphus. This latter species fre- 

 quented the lake, where Milvus melanotis was also seen. A 

 species of Goose I was unable to determine. It had a black 

 bill, and might have been Anser grandis ; but the size was too 

 small. A large Gull I secured seems different from Larus 

 marinus ; and a Panurus which frequented the reed-beds may 

 be P. biarmicus. In addition to these species I secured 

 Emberiza pyrrhuloides and Motacilla cinej'eocapilla, with the 

 white eye-stripe. The Eagles unfortunately were moulting, 

 and did not make good skins. 



After crossing theNor-Saissan we had to traverse the desert- 

 like steppe of Tarik, mentioned above. There one travels for 

 hours without meeting with water, nevertheless we found 

 Alauda tartarica, A. brachydactyla, and a Lanius allied to 

 L. phmnicurus. This district also is one of the favourite 

 resorts of Equus onager, of which we observed many indivi- 

 duals and procured a young one, which had been caught by 

 a Cossack, Here we collected specimens of Syrrhaptes para- 

 doxus, Otis macqueeni, Pterocles exustus, Glareola melanopjtera, 

 and for the first time the female of the Emberiza like E. 

 j'utila, mentioned above. 



We reached Maiterek, a military fort in the southern Altai, 

 on the 4th of June, and then made, in company with General 

 Poltaratsky, the Governor of Semipalatinsk, an interesting 

 excursion through the Chinese high Altai, which was some- 

 what marred by the badness of the weather. We experienced 

 rain, snow, and very cold weather the whole time. We left 

 Maiterek on the 6th of June, reached the interesting lake 

 Marka-kul, 5000 feet above the sea^ on the 7th, and, descend- 

 ing from the high pass (9000 feet) of Buricat to the valley 

 of the Buchtarma, reached Altaiskesche Stanitzaonthe 11th, 

 being here again on Russian territory. The unfavourable 

 weather prevented our making the observations we should 

 otherwise have done, and we saw comparatively few species 

 of birds. In the more dangerous passes of the high moun- 

 tains we observed the Himalayan Linaria, an Antlms like 



