6/4 MR. H. J. ELWES ON THE GEOGRAPHICAL [June 17, 



Central India. 



Of Rajputana and Central India we know very little ; but a short 

 paper by Dr. King in J. A. S. B. 1868, gives an account of the birds 

 of Goona, which may be taken, in respect of climate and physical 

 features, as a type of the north-western part of Central India. 



The elevation is from 1400-2000 feet ; the rainfall from 40-50 

 inches ; the jungle is thin, and vegetation poor, with but little culti- 

 vated land. 



Dr. King observed at Goona only 179 species, of which 116 were 

 land-birds. No Hornbills occur but Mcniceros bicornis ; no Barbets 

 except Xantholcema indica ; only one Fruit-Pigeon, namely Crocopus 

 phcenicopterus, and altogether but 32 species, which belong to genera 

 characteristic of the Indo-Malay region generally *. 



OUDH. 



In Oudh the absence of many of the most wide-spread Indo- 

 Malay genera is equally remarkable ; for, though we cannot suppose 

 that Major Irby obtained nearly all the birds that occur there, his 

 list {vide 'Ibis,' 1861, p. 217) only includes 219 species, of which 

 34 are Raptores, and 101 Grallae and Anseres. If we also deduct 23 

 species which were only found in the hills of Kumaon, there remain 

 but 61 species observed during a space of nearly three years. The 

 Indo-African forms are in many cases unaccountably absent, no 

 species of Prinia, Pyrrhulauda, Saxicola, or Certhilauda being re- 

 corded. Perhaps this is only because they were less noticed by 

 Major Irby than the waterfowl and birds of prey, which, in the 

 plains about Etawah, between Agra and Cawnpoor, I can say, from 

 personal observation, are the most conspicuous and abundant birds. 

 Mr. Brooks has found a large number of Warblers in this district ; 

 but most of them are only there during the cold season, retiring to 

 the Himalaya to breed. 



Punjaub. 



I am sorry I can give no analysis of the birds of the Punjaub ; no 

 list has, as far as I know, ever been published. Dr. Jerdon knew 

 less of it than of any part of India ; and I hope that Mr. Hume will 

 ere long fill the blank which exists by giving us an account of his 

 extensive and unequalled collections in that province. In the far 

 north west, however, and especially on the other side of the Indus, 



* Since this was written an excellent list of the birds found in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the Sambhur lake by Mr. Adam has appeared in ' Stray Feathers,' 

 pt. 5. No less than 242 species are noticed, of which, however, few are rare or 

 in any way remarkable. Salpornis spilonota, a bird which seems to have a wide 

 range through the dry jungles of Central India, is noted; also some Wood- 

 peckers, such as Ckrysocolaptes and Tlrachypternns, and two species of Fruit- 

 Pigeons (Crocopvs). Kepresentatives of nearly all the common Indian genera 

 are here, as well as a proportion of Palaartic ones. On the whole the list fully 

 bears out the conclusions already arrived at, and shows that the Sambhur lake, 

 which is about 170 miles west of Agra, is near the western limit of the Indian 

 province proper. 



