242 Capt. H. J. Walton on the 



These two skins both belong to the typical form, and not 

 to B. turcomanus. 



This fine bird occurred at Kharnba Jong up to the end of 

 October. There were a few individuals near Tuna during 

 the winter, and several pairs at Lhasa. The Tibetan name 

 is "Wook-pa." 



" 83. Athene bactriana. 



Athene bactriana Blyth; Blanf., Faun. Brit. Ind., Birds, 

 iii. p. 303. 



Carine bactriana Sharpe, Sci. Result. Yark. Miss., Aves, 

 p. 14. 



No. 154. <$ adult. Kharnba Jong, 15,200 feet, Oct. 24, 

 1903. Bill yellowish white ; soles of feet dull yellow, claws 

 black ; iris bright yellow. 



No. 1872. c? adult. Tuna, 15,000 feet, Feb. 7, 1904. 



In both of these specimens the wing-measurement is 

 7 inches : this is longer than that of the skins in the British 

 Museum by about half an inch. The Tibetan birds are also 

 in other respects somewhat larger than those procured 

 elsewhere. 



A few of these small Owls were observed at Kharnba Jong 

 and Tuna in the winter. They were quite diurnal in their 

 habits, being commonly seen in the daytime, sitting on rocks 

 and old ruins. One bird lived in a hole in the wall of a 

 Tibetan house near Tuna; I frequently saw it sunning 

 itself on the roof in February, when the weather was 

 extremely cold. 



81. Gyps himalayensis. 



Gyps himalayensis Hume ; Blanf., Faun. Brit. Ind., Birds, 

 iii. p. 321. 



Common along all the mountain-ranges. Many Vultures 

 frequented our camp at Tuna in winter and fed on the 

 carcases of mules and ponies ; the carcases were frozen so hard 

 that the Vultures had considerable difficulty in making any 

 impression upon them. They collected with startling rapidity 

 round the bodies of recently shot gazelles and other animals. 

 I did not preserve any specimens. 



