288 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
head, and the cooing of Doves and the tapping of an occasional 
Woodpecker were not wanting. 
Riding up the last long and beautiful ascent to Simla, I came 
into the region of the Rhododendron arborewm, now rather an 
ugly tree. The last time I was there was in its flowering season, 
when the whole hill-side seemed on fire,—a blaze of splendid 
crimson blossoms; and many of the trees covered with the 
climbing wild white rose, R. Brunoni. Numerous birds of many 
species and much interest appeared on the scene, among which I 
identified, as I rode along, several species of Parus, Turdus 
castaneus and T’. atrigularis, a Sitta and a Certhia, a black and 
white Woodpecker, Picus Macei, and a large green one, Gecinus 
squamatus. The only raptorial birds I spotted in my ride were 
some Kites below the barracks at Subathoo, a Bearded Vulture 
or two sailing along the face of the hill at Keeree, several of the 
Great Himalayan Vulture, V. fulvus, and a pair of the Tawny 
Eagle, A. fulvescens; and I heard the scolding of a family of 
Owls, probably Athene radiata, as I rode down the Kussowlie Hill. 
I had nothing to do at Simla beyond the purchase of a few 
stores and my ammunition, so I set off directly after my late 
breakfast for Mahassoo, distant eight and a quarter miles. I 
noticed several desirable birds en route, but, as I had not my gun 
with me, they were safe. Hypsipetes psaroides, whose native 
name is Bun-Bukree, or Forest Goat (may be from its voice), is 
particularly at home héreabouts, and rather a wearisome bird 
from its incessant squawking. An allied species is found on the 
Nilgherries, also most vociferous. A small Falcon, I believe 
F’. subbuteo, alighted on a tree close to me, and several Kestrels 
scoured the valley or hovered above it. There was a Shrike, 
which I made out to be ZL. tephronotus, and now and then a 
Drongo Shrike, Dicrurus longicaudatus. I got another species, 
D. caerulescens, a few days on at 4000 ft., and I do not think it 
goes much higher. The pretty Ruticilla ceruleocephala, the only 
Redstart observed, and that sparingly, on bushes by the road- 
side. It is very common at Kussowlie in winter, but disappears 
for higher elevations the beginning of summer. Jays and 
Laughing Thrushes as usual, and Pari in the oak trees. Siva 
strigula in small parties, and Leiothrix luteus in larger. I saw a 
Wall Creeper, Tichodroma muraria, on a cliff above the road ; 
this pretty bird breeds on the hills, and visits the plains —the 
