18/6. j MR. F. DAY ON THE FISHES OF YARKAND. 781 



To Dr. Bonavia, of Lucknow, I am indebted for a third Oudh-killed 

 specimen of Erythropus pekinensis. Though an adult J, it has 

 a few minute specks on the sternum ; and in reference to the differ- 

 ence in the plumage of the two species of Lesser Kestrels, I may add 

 that Mr. Gurney agrees with me that the only constant difference 

 between Erythropus cenchris and E. pekinensis is the breadth of 

 grey on the wing. 



Athene radiata is, I find, very common in the districts north of 

 the Ganges ; though somewhat local, in many places it almost re- 

 places A. brama. I procured a fine series of the former at Shahje- 

 hanpore in November last, within a radius of two hundred yards of 

 my camp. These little Owlets have the habit of sitting in pairs, and 

 sunning themselves, frequently up to midday, before retiring to their 

 hiding-places. One shot generally kills both birds. They utter a 

 peculiar and, to me, a pleasant note, something of a chirp in several 

 keys, very different from the discordant noise made by A. brama. 

 The following dimensions and colours of soft parts are applicable to 

 a dozen specimens I have examined : — 



Wing from Tail from 



Length. carpal joint. vent. Tarsus, 



in. in. in. in. 



6 8-0 57 30 10 



$ 8-3 5-9 3-1 l'l 



I have also secured at Futtehgurh more examples of Aquila pennata, 

 Accipiter virgatus (only immature ones), and Ephialtes snnia, all 

 good birds for the locality. Of the last mentioned I have a live spe- 

 cimen in the grey phase of plumage, which swallows full-grown mice 

 whole — a feat not a little surprising for a bird weighing only two oz. 



2. Ou the Fishes of Yarkand. 

 By Francis Day, F.Z.S. 



[Received November 20, 1876.] 



In the year 1873 an expedition, under Mr. (now Sir) Douglas 

 Forsyth, was despatched by the Government of India to Yarkand, 

 having for one of its objects the collection of specimens of Natural 

 History. For this latter purpose my lamented friend Dr. Stoliczka 

 was attached to it as naturalist ; and after his death the collection of 

 fishes was conveyed to India, and subsequently forwarded to me in 

 this country for identification and description. 



The illness and subsequent death of Mr. Ford, the eminent artist, 

 has delayed the execution of the Plates, and, as a consequence, my 

 portion of the work. 



The following notes refer to the entire collection of fishes obtained 

 during the expedition (except, so far as I know, two specimens *). 



* Two specimens of Schizothorax ehrysochlorus, obtained during the expe- 

 dition, were presented to the British Museum. They were named after their 

 donor, Schizothorcuc biddulphi. 



