190 Colonel Tytler on the Bifds obacrved during 



XVI. — Notes on the Birds observed during a march from Simla 

 to Mussoorie. By Robert C. Tytler, Colonel in Her 

 Majesty's Indian Array, C.M.Z.S. &c. 



Since the route I took (by Phagoo, Putturnulla, and Deobund) 

 is but little known, owing to the bad and difficult state of the 

 road, and more especially the very fatiguing ascents and descents 

 that have daily to be encountered, I will, before entering upon 

 the avifauna of the country passed through, copy from my 

 journal a list of the stages, with a brief description of each day's 

 march. This will enable the reader to form some idea of the 

 genera and species likely to be met with at each place. I left 

 Simla on the 12th of June, 1867, and arrived at Mussoorie, a 

 distance of 143 miles, on the 29th of the same month, which 

 gave me sixteen marches and two halts. My first march was 

 to 



Mahassoo (6500) ^ : — 7 miles. Along the new Thibet road, 

 which is broad, level, and good, through a well-wooded country. 

 Atmosphere cool and pleasant ; slight showers of rain during 

 the day. Wild flowers in great abundance. 



Phagoo (7000) : — 4 miles. A very short and easy march along 

 the same road, and the same kind of country. Abundance of 

 wild flowers and wild strawberries. I halted here one day. 



Synge (4500) : — 8 miles. For about a third of the way after 

 leaving Phagoo, there is a steep descent over a bad road, loose 

 stones and broken ground. The appearance of the country 

 here is barren and uninteresting, with a few scattered trees and 

 wild raspberry-bushes in fruic. After reaching this distance the 

 road becomes more level, and is greatly improved, passing 

 through and along fields all the way. The heat excessive, owing 

 to this valley being surrounded by rather high hills. Synge is 

 a village, with large fields attached to it; and the river Girri, in 

 which there is most excellent fly-fishing, runs about a mile 

 below it. 



Dea, Dia, or Dhar (5500) :■ — 7 miles. From Synge there is 

 a rather steep descent by a foot-path of a mile to the Girri, 



* The numbers following the names of the stations show roughly the 

 elevation above the sea in Enolish feet. 



