1922,] Birds of Jhang District. 265 



and specimens obtained by Dr. Ticeburst wbile be was witb 

 me have been incorporated in this account. 



In November 1871 Hume passed down the Jhelum and 

 Chenab rivers throujih Jhano- District on the commencement 

 oE his famous Sind tour, described in ' Stray Feathers ' 

 (vol. i.). Tlie few days thus spent b}- him on a boat with 

 occasional landings comprise the whole o£ the ornithological 

 work done in Jhang District before my arrival there, and 

 the probal)ilities are that many years will again elapse before 

 another naturalist works the locality. Hence I have thought 

 it desirable to give a somewhat detailed account of the birds 

 observed and their status ; and to tliis I am the more inclined 

 from a realization that the natural characteristics of the 

 Punjab are undoubtedly changing very rapidly in response 

 to the effects of the vast irrigation S3'stem which is converting 

 what was once almost a desert into one of the granaries of the 

 Empire. This change, with its resulting increase of population 

 and various minor reasons, such as the increase of firearms, 

 render it desirable to leave on record for the naturalist of the 

 future a fairly detailed [ticture of the ornithology of this part 

 of the world. 



Ornithologically, Jhang District is of considerable interest. 

 There is a period from the middle of IMay to the middle of 

 July when the number of species is at its poorest, both 

 in numbers and in interest. Such birds as there are, 

 being the breeding forms typical of the Indian subregion, 

 mostly common and widely spread. Then about the middle 

 of July the Roller and the Rosy Pastor arrive as the har- 

 bingers of the autumn migrations, which bring vast hordes 

 of birds through the district in August and September ; the 

 passage birds pass on, but leave in their wake the true winter 

 visitors who have come to spend the whole winter with us ; 

 these are numerous, both in species and individuals, and are 

 in the main of Paloearctic forms. Desert species arc strongly 

 represented. Throughout the winter there is a good deal 

 of movement, dependent doubtless on climatic conditions in 

 other areas, and aljout January in [)articular interesting strag- 

 glers may be expected. In February the influence of ilie 



