52 Mr. N. A. Severtzow on the 



valleys above 14^000 feet, two months, one in late autumn 

 and the other in early spring. 



In most winters there is not a great quantity of snow, but 

 the frosts are very hard. The snow, however, on the southern 

 slopes melts by day in sunny places throughout the winter, 

 and in many places it is blown oif by winds, so that during 

 this season a considerable extent of uncovered pasture-land 

 is to be seen. It is here that the Kirghiz have their winter 

 camps, notwithstanding the severe frosts and tempests*. 



The greatest amount of snow falls on the Pamir in Febru- 

 ary, March, and April, and affords means for an abundant 

 watering of the flora when it thaws. The seasons are dis- 

 tributed in pretty much the same way on Bash-Alai, only 

 that the snow falls in much greater quantities in the late 

 autumn and winter, and in spring begins to melt earlier than 

 on the Pamir, because the Alai lies lower ; but, owing to fre- 

 quent falls of snow in June, it does not disappear any earlier 

 than on the Pamir. Rain is also frequent in summer. 



The time when the Kirghiz remove their camps to the 

 summer pasture-grounds on the Alai depends upon whether 

 the spring is early or late. It is generally about June ; but 

 in 1878 it was not before July. The lower Alai is decidedly 

 warmer. 



Such is a brief sketch of the conditions of animal life on 

 the Pamir and the Alai steppe ; and I now proceed to treat of 

 the birds of this district in systematic order. 



1. Gyps himalayensis, Hume. 



The Himalayan Vulture (G. nivicola, Sev.) is a rather rare 

 bird, but still it is found in all parts of the Pamir; I saw it 

 more frequently near the river Ak-baital. It is also found 

 in the North Alai mountains. 



2. Gypaetus barbatus (Linn.). 



The Lammergeyer lives in the same parts of the country 



* As to the summer and autumn, I speak from my own experience; 

 but my statements as to winter are derived from the accounts of Wood 

 and Mirza, and as regards the spring from Gordon. Besides these authori- 

 ties, I have the verbal statements of the Pamir Kirghiz. 



