1922.] durimj the First Mt. Everest Expedition. 521 



Passer rutilans cinnamomeus (Gould). 



299 S 18.8.21 Khurta 12,500 ft. ; 332 ^ 31.8.21 Kharta 

 12,000 ft. 



This Tree-Sparrow is found from Chitral to Szechuan, 

 where it meets the typical form F. rutilans rutilans, in which 

 the underside is white and not yellow. Colonel Walton 

 records the Cinnamon Treo-Si)arrow as a resident and com- 

 mon species between Gyantse and Lhasa, and Colonel Bailey 

 found it breeding at an elevation of 13,000 ft. near the 

 former place, while farther west Stoliczka obtained specimens 

 at Gaora in western Tibet between 12,000 and 15,000 ft. 



Ur. Hartert in his Vog. pal. Faun, separates birds from 

 Kashmir and the western Himalaya as F. rutilans dehilis 

 on account of a difference in colour and smaller size, the 

 wings measuring 70—73 mm. as against 77—79 njm. in 

 cinnamomeus. 



After carefully comparing the large series in the Museum 

 I can find no constant colour-difference, and, as rt^gaids size, 

 thirty-two males from west of Nepal measure 69-74 mm., 

 while twenty from Nepal-Bhutan, including Tibet, have a 

 wing of 72-78 mm. This shows that the Nepal-Bhutan, 

 Tibet, birds are slightly larger ; but, on the other hand, 

 twenty-two skins from Assam and Burma measure G8-72 mm. 

 and seven from Yunnnn G9-75 mm., so that size is not a very 

 satisfactory character. 



Gould specified the type-locality as "apud montes Hima- 

 layenses," but Dr. Hartert, without giving any reason, has 

 restricted it to Bhutan, in spite of the fact that the wing 

 of the type was said to measure 2| ins. = 70 mm., which is 

 the minimum oiven for the dehilis race ! 



[Seen in flocks in barley-fields, Arun Valley, September. — 

 A.F.R.W.] 



Passer montana, subsp. ? 



173 S 30.6.2L 177 S 30.6.21, 194 S ^.7.21 Tingri 

 14,000 ft. 



All the specimens of the Tree-Sparrow are so worn 



