568 Mr. J. Scully on the 



feet pale orange ; claws dusky or brown. The young are out 

 of the nest by the middle of May. In a young bird obtained 

 on the 19th of that month the stripe down the throat is pale 

 pinkish^ with dusky bases to the feathers ; the head is paler 

 than in the adult ; the wing-feathers are margined on the 

 outer webs with pale rufous, and the flanks and abdomen are 

 bufi*. In more advanced birds the throat-stripe is dusky. 



126. Parus melanolophus^ Vig. 



Confined to the pine forests from 7000 to 12000 feet. The 

 sexes are alike, the female only averaging slightly smaller 

 than the male. In fresh specimens the tarsi and toes are 

 always a bluish leaden colour. 



127. Parus rufonuchalis, Blyth. 



This Tit is also a denizen of the pine forests, where it 

 breeds ; but it is occasionally found low down in the main 

 valleys after heavy weather ; thus, I shot a specimen in Gilgit 

 itself (4900 feet) on the 21st April. A young bird, obtained 

 on the 20th July at an elevation of 9000 feet, has the parts 

 that are velvet-black in the adult replaced by dull sooty, the 

 back and abdomen are suffused with olive-colour, and the ax- 

 illaries and under tail-coverts are pale buff. 



128. Parus nipalensis, Hodgs. 



This is one of the most familiar birds in the Gilgit dis- 

 trict, where it abounds throughout the year in all the lower 

 valleys. In winter it is quite gregarious, and may be con- 

 stantly seen feeding on the ground after the manner of a 

 Sparrow. The young, which differs greatly from the adult, 

 has been fully described {antea, p. 73) . In five adult speci- 

 mens the wings measure 2*85 to 2"93 inches, tail 2*6 to 2*8, 

 tarsi 0-64 to 075. 



129. Accentor nipalensis, Hodgs. 



According to my experience this Accentor only occurs in 

 small numbers in the district in mild or ordinary winters. I 

 never saw it in such numbers as Major Biddulph records for 

 the exceptionally severe winter of 1877-78, Gilgit speci- 

 mens are decidedly paler above and less rufous than most 



