Mr. A. Hume on Indian Ornithology. 399 



XXVIII. — Stray Notes on Ornithjlogy in Indian. 

 By Allan Hume, C.B. 



>'o. V. Emberiza striolata (Lichtenstein). 



It was when travelling through Rajpootana in Marcli and April 

 1868, that I first met with and identified the Striolated Bunt- 

 ing, until that time unknown in India*. I procured a few 

 specimens both on the Taragurh Hill at Ajmere and at Mount 

 Aboo ; but I was travelling too rapidly to learn much, either of 

 the haunts or habits of the species. 



Later in the year my friend Mr. Brooks procured specimens 

 of the same species in the Etawah district ; and now recently, 

 while detained at Ajmere for the purpose of negociating a 

 treaty witii the Jodlipoor Government, I have obtained nume- 

 rous specimens and had ample opportunities of observing this 

 pretty little bird, not only on Taragurh, but on all the bare 

 rocky hills and ranges of the Aravallis (to which hill-system 

 Mount Aboo also belongs) that I have yet visited. 



First brought to the knowledge of naturalists by Riippell, 

 who found it in Nubia and figured it in his 'Atlas' (Vogel, 

 Taf. 10, a), it has subsequently been met with in many parts of 

 Northern Africa, Abyssinia, and Algeria, and is said to be not 

 uncommon in the south of Spain. 



Hitherto, so far as I am aware, no authentic account of its 

 nidificatiou and eggs or details of its habits has appeared ; and 

 some little interest may therefore attach to the observations on 

 these points that I have recently made. 



The Striolated Bunting is a permanent resident of the western 

 and central portions, at any rate (I have not yet observed it on 

 the northern), of that broad belt of bare rocky hills, mounds, 

 and parallel detached ranges which, under the names of the 

 Inewat and Aravalli Hills, run down from Delhi, and passing 

 through or near Ulwur, Bhurtpoor, Jaipoor, Ajmere, Pali, and 

 Serohie, culminate in Mount Aboo (the highest of the whole 

 series), which attains an elevation of 5500 feet above the level 

 of the sea. These hills, running through and being studded 

 about on an elevated sandy tract varying from 1000 to 1700 feet 

 • See Ibis, 1869, p. 355. 



N. S. VOL. VI. 2 F 



