1 70 Lt.-Col. Sir O. B. St. John on the Birds 



south-east corner of the Caspian, whence it probably follows 

 the Elburz and Taurus ranges to its nesting-homes in tlie 

 Caucasus, Azarbaijan, and Asia Minor. 



In our province the first flocks begin to arrive from India 

 early in April, and the last do not leave it till the end of May. 

 Early in August at latest the return swarms begin to make 

 their appearance, and have not entirely passed till the begin- 

 ning of October. Its reason for taking this somewhat round- 

 about route is, no doubt, to avoid the wide desert-tracts and 

 low-lying plains which a direct flight would oblige it to cross. 

 By keeping to the highlands of Northern Baluchistan, 

 Southern and Western Afghanistan, and Persian Khorasan, 

 it is able to firul a cool climate and spring crops in the fields 

 all the way. 



139. Amadina malabarica (Linn.). 



Occasionally seen about Quetta and to the south, but not 

 observed in Kandahar. 



140. Passer domesticus (Linn.). 



The House- Sparrow breeds all over our region, but disap- 

 pears almost, if not entirely, during the winter, though not 

 so early as August, which Col. Swinhoe gives as the date of 

 its departure. Throughout September it gathers in large 

 flocks before migrating, probably to devastate the millet- 

 fields of Southern Baluchistan and Sind. 



141. Passer hispaniolensis (Temm.). 

 Common at Kandahar in summer. 



142. Passer montanus (Linn.). 



The common resident Sparrow of our region. 



143. Petronia stulta (Gmel.). 



Col. Swinhoe obtained three specimens in Kandahar. I 

 did not procure it there or in Quetta. 



144. Gymnoris flavicollis (Frankl.). 



I got a specimen in Kandahar in May, the only one ob- 

 tained, though this bird extends as far west as Shiraz. 



145. Emberiza leucocephala (S. G. Gmelin). 



Two specimens obtained by Colonel Swinhoe in January 

 near Kandahar, and one by Dr. Duke in February at Quetta. 



