THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. 303 



In my list will be noticed a few species, the right of which 

 to be classed among our Indian avifauna has been questioned, 

 such as Fringilla montif ring ilia and Emberiza hortulana ; but 

 the seasons at which they were observed make it evident that 

 their migration was from the south.* Others such as Lep- 

 topcecile sophice and Leucosticte brandti, are, altogether new 

 to our lists of birds found south of the great watershed that 

 divides us from Central Asia. 



The neighbouring valley of Darel, which has not yet been 

 visited by any European, appears to possess a different vege- 

 tation and soil from all the surrounding valleys. It is doubt- 

 less owing to this that the occurrence of stragglers of the 

 stamp of Coccystes jacobinus, Orececetes cinclorhynchus and 

 Buchanga longicaudata is due. 



The autumn migration begins, apparently, as nearly as 

 possible on 15th August, the first birds to appear being the 

 Snippets and Sandpipers. In the last three days of August 

 1879 a heavy fall of snow took place in the mountains above 

 11,000 feet, and drove down a great number of Cuckoos, 

 Kites, Swifts, Crows, and Harriers of three kinds. 



In both years I was unavoidably absent during the latter 

 part of the autumn migration, and am indebted to Dr. Scully 

 for a notice of species procured by him after my departure, 

 which had not previously been recorded by me. I have also 

 to acknowledge my thanks to Dr. Scully for many interest- 

 ing remarks regarding other species, of some of which I had 

 failed to procure specimens, but which he had succeeded in 

 obtaining before my departure. It was only by the assis- 

 tance of a large series of S. picata, collected by him in addi- 

 tion to my own, that the curious facts regarding the change 

 of colour of this bird were determined beyond doubt. 



Specimens of every bird on the list have been obtained, 

 except in a few instances, which have been duly noted. The 

 list is confined to birds obtained in the Gilgit district itself, 

 that is to say, in the main valley for forty-three miles from 

 the Indus, and in the side valleys within that rise up to their 

 crests, except the great Hunza valley, of which only the lower 

 twenty miles belong to Gilgit. By going higher up the maiu 

 valley, and taking in a larger area, more species might be 

 recorded; but the list would lose in completeness without 

 gaining in interest. 



The large number of specimens brought away by me has been 

 carefully gone through by my friend Captain G. F. L. 

 Marshall, who has taken a large share in the preparation of this 



* [I believe this to be erroneous. Both these birds have occurred in Afghanistan, and 

 I believe that the Gilgit birds came thence and not from India,— A. O. il.j 



