304 THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. 



paper. In some cases he has added notes of his own, as 

 designated by his initials ; and I am indebted to him for the 

 identification of many species. 



1.— Vultur monachus, Lin. (1).* 



Not common. I saw a pair soaring over a dead ibex on 

 the 5th May, at about 12,000 feet elevation, among more than 

 a hundred Gyps himalayensis. The black colour and square 

 appearance made them very conspicuous. 



2.— Gyps fulvescens, Hume.f (3 bis). 



A summer visitor only. One, a female, shot in July, and 

 many others seen. On 5th May, out of over a hundred Vul- 

 tures observed closely over a dead ibex, not a single one of 

 this species was noticed. 



3.— Gyps himalayensis, Hume. (3 ter). 



Very common in summer at over 10,000 feet, in winter 

 at 6,000 feet. On one occasion I had a snap-shot at a 

 markhor going up the hill-side, and thought I had missed. 

 Immediately two of these birds came and perched close by. 

 This caused me to send a man up to look ; and he found the 

 wounded beast walking slowly along, shot through the brisket 

 which had not been enough to disable it. The big birds had 

 spotted it at once. 



4.— Neophron percnopterus, Lin. (6 Us). 



I saw a single Neophron on the 21st April 1879, which I 

 believe to have been N. percnopterus, from its appearing 

 larger than N. ginginianus, aud having darker bill and wings. 

 I had a good view of it at about twenty-five yards for some 

 minutes. Severtzoff mentions it in Central Asia, whence this 

 was, no doubt, a straggler, like Lanius homey eri and others. 

 I never saw another.^ 



5.— Gypaetus barbatus, Lin. (7). 



The Bearded Vulture is very common at all times of the 

 year. In summer it is generally seen at a mean eleva- 

 tion of about 8,000 feet ; in winter it comes low down, and 

 may often be seen seeking its food close to habitations. 



* [I have added in brackets the Indian Catalogue number of each species.— 



f This species is, I believe, entered here through an error, for which I am res- 

 ponsible. Major Biddulph's specimen seems to be an immature brown-coloured 

 example of G. himalayensis, Hume. — J. S. 



% [All the Neophrons received by me from Cabul, Kandahar, Quettah, &c, are 

 <percnopterus. — A. O. H.] 



