302 THE BIEDS OF GILGIT. 



the spots of cultivation, which are few and far between. 

 The cultivated spots themselves are thickly wooded. Higher 

 up the valley contracts, and the cultivated spots are nearer 

 tog-ether. The base of the mountains consists of precipitous 

 bare rock ; but above 7,000 feet deep glens, pine forests, 

 and grassy slopes meet the eye everywhere up to the snow- 

 line. The climate is dry, and subject to great extremes ; the 

 rain and snow, which fall abundantly at the higher eleva- 

 tions, seldom reach the main valley in any quantity. The 

 rainfall of the year is only about five inches. The winter 

 lasts about four months, during which there are six weeks of 

 intense dry cold, when the thermometer in the open air goes 

 down to zero. 



Owing to the great radiation from the rocks, the heat in 

 summer for about two months is very great ; but the nights 

 are cool, and the heat is never trying as in India. 



It will be observed that the greater proportion of birds in 

 the list are migratory, the constant residents being very few. 

 It is probable that many migrants still remain to be added 

 to the list ; for it is curious of how many species only single 

 specimens were secured. Abnormal weather is also likely 

 to bring in birds not seen at other times, and to detain birds 

 on passage that would not otherwise be noticed. The winter 

 of 1877-78 was remarkably severe ; snow began to fall 

 heavily in October, and continued without intermission till 

 the middle of J anuary, forming the heaviest snow-fall known 

 for fifty years. This brought in a number of species that 

 remained the whole winter, many of which were never seen 

 in the succeeding winter, and others only rarely. 



There can be little doubt that in such a mountainous 

 country the lines of migration are along the valleys ; and so 

 many northern species use this road on their way to and from 

 India, that further observations at this point might furnish 

 useful information on the migration of different birds. Some, 

 like the Bluethroat, stay for more than a month on their 

 way through in spring, before going on to their breeding- 

 grounds. Others " come like shadows, so depart," like 

 hasty travellers hurrying on to their journey's end. Of the 

 Saxicola the males of S. picata appear in great numbers 

 for over a fortnight before the females, after which the greater 

 number vanish, and only a few remain to breed. Notwith- 

 standing these eccentricities, the few dates of arrival and 

 departure, which I was enabled to note, seem very regular. 

 Passer indicus appeared each year on the same day ; so did 

 Fringilla montifringilla. Others were first noted within two 

 or three days of the same date in each year ; and the irregu- 

 larity was possibly as much clue to the observer as to the birds. 



