ORIOLUS. 145 



Length.-^- 16-5 inches; wings 1075 to II>2 5; tail 6'8 to 7; tarsus 1-9 to 

 2 ; culmen 1*4. 



ffab. Europe, ranging to the Himalayas, the N.-W. Provinces, the Pun- 

 jab, and Nepaul. )\\++, ^f(- Jr CM/ vf^Uu^^ J A*^ 



The Alpine Chough is plentiful between Simla and Mussoorie. It has also 

 been met with in Darjeeling and the higher parts of the N.-VV. Provinces, but 

 rarely in the plains of the Punjab. It is found in large flocks in the Himala- 

 yas, where it feeds chiefly on various fruits as the mulberry ; and breeds in 

 holes in rocks. Of the sub-family, FregilintK^ are three species of Podoces, 

 viz., Hendersoni, Hume, Ibis, 1871, p. 408; Hab. Yarkand ; Biddulphi 

 Hume, Sir. F. ii. pp. 503, 529, collected by Dr. Stolickza in Eastern Turkestan, 

 and humilis, Hume, Ibis, 1871, p. 408, obtained by Dr. G. Henderson in the 

 Sanju Pass, Yarkand. This last will probably be found to range to the 

 Himalayas. 



Pam. 



Bill long, strong, moderately broad at the base, hooked, and distinctly notch- 

 ed at the tip ; nostrils in front of the base of the bill and quite bare ; tail 

 rather short ; tarsi short ; feet small ; claws curved. 



Gen. Oriolus. Lin. 



Characters those of the family ; the culmen keeled ; wings with the 1st quill 

 very short, 2nd shorter than the third, which is the longest ; upper tail coverts 

 long. Lores feathered, but generally with a small bare space behind the eye. 

 Outer toe syndactyle. Nostrils lateral. 



149- Oriolus galbtlla, Linn. S. N. \. p. 160; Naum. vogt. Deutsch 

 ir, tab. 61 ; Me Gill. Br. B. ii. p. 69 ; Gould. B. Eur. ii. pi. 71 ; Gray, Gen. 

 B. i. p. 232; Layard, B. South Afr. p. 135; Shelley, B. Egypt, p. 156; 

 Sharpe, Ibis, 1870, p. 215; id. Cat. Afr. B. p. 53; Hume, Str. F., 1873, 

 p. 182; Murray, Hdbk. ZooL, &c., Sind, p. 143; Murray, Vert. Zool. Sind, 

 p. 136. The GOLDEN ORIOLE. 



