338 THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. 



Also Stray Feathers, Vol. I., p. 384, by Adam, from 

 Sambur lake — Wing, 2*6 inches. Sex not mentioned. 



Jerdou gives measurements as 28 inches. A male from 

 Murree measures (by my measuring) 29 ; and those procured 

 at Gilgit measure 297 in the males, and 2-7 in the females. 



The young birds are green on the back, the under surface 

 pale yellow ; the black markings are dull, with a brownish 

 tinge and no gloss whatever, similar in extent to those of the 

 adults on the upper surface, but beneath confined to a stripe 

 from the chin towards the abdomen, not coalescing with the 

 black on the upper surface, the sides of the face and neck 

 being also pale yellow. In the nestling just fledged (killed in 

 June) there is a well-defined pale yellow demicollar on the 

 nape, beneath the black. In a rather older bird (killed in 

 August) the back is still green, the black without gloss, and 

 the pale demicollar less marked, and the black of nape and 

 throat show no signs of coalescing ; but the yellow tint of the 

 under surface is disappearing, and the wings and tail (which 

 are fully developed) are coloured as in the adult. There is no 

 intermediate stage represented in the collection, but as the 

 green-backed bird is never found in winter, there can be no 

 doubt that it is the immature phase of P. nipalensis, which 

 is the commonest bird in Gilgit. 



This is the only bird that does not appear to make any 

 seasonal change in its habits (? habitat) in this locality. 



129.— Accentor nipalensis, Hodgs. (652). 



This Accentor was extremely common during the winter 

 of 1877-78. It was generally met with in scattered flocks of 

 fifteen or twenty, and seemed to prefer keeping to the vicinity 

 of water. It was very bold, allowing one to come quite close, 

 while it hopped unconcernedly about searching for worms, &c. 

 Occasional specimens seemed much lighter-coloured than the 

 generality. All the specimens obtained were shot in Decem- 

 ber, January, and February. 



The sexes are coloured alike. 



130.— Accentor altaicus, Brandt. (653). 



During the severe winter of 1877-78 several flocks of this 

 Accentor appeared ; but it was never very common. It was 

 generally in compact flocks of twenty or thirty, keeping to 

 the hill sides, and not very easy to approach. The flight is 

 very rapid ; and, like most of the Accentors, it appears very 

 Finch-like in its habits, approaching in this respect especially 

 to the genus Montifringilla. The measurements given by 

 Jerdon are apparently those of a female. In the adult male 

 the wing measures 3f inches, and the tail 2 \. Irides, cherry- 



