LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 463 



Kardung ridge, and next, morning when I went towards the pass 

 I found numbers of Montifringilla Adamsi, the Metoponia pusilla, 

 Linota brevirostris, and Calandrella brachydactyla. Alauda 

 gulgida is the common lark in the fields. The first Pipastes 

 agilis I shot only five days ago, and since yesterday they became 

 tolerably common. Casarca rutila, Teals and Snipes, are com- 

 ing down to the Indus valley, evidently a sign of the low 

 temperature at greater elevations. I was rather surprised to 

 see the other day a solitary Ardea cinerea along the Indus below 

 Leh. Altogether I shall have now about 600* birds, but I 

 do not expect much more than 150 or 160 species. However we 

 shall have a fair material for comparison. The fewer numbers, 

 but more interesting specimens, ought to begin now to appear, 

 when we leave this, which I hope will be on the 12th. People 

 who have returned from Changchemo speak of great cold and 

 early winter. There were already several falls of snow there- 

 about, and no doubt we shall have it fresh in goino- over 

 that high ground in Changchemo. The hands will be 

 rather stiff for geologising. — F. Stoliczka, Naturalist, 

 Yarkand Expedition. 



Camp Leh, 

 The 10th September 1873. 



} 



Sir, 



As there is an opportunity of sending letters vid 

 Kabul I drop you a line, for I am sure you will be not a 

 little surprised at my long silence. 



In my last notef I promised you a brief account of the 

 winter birds of Kashgar. It ought to have been on its way 

 by this time, but we were bundled out of Kashgar before the 

 close of the winter season, and had only a couple of days at 

 Yanjihissar in order to prepare for the Pamir trip. Since 

 then we had been constantly on the move, until we reached 

 this, where the ruinous state of our baggage animals directed 

 a halt for twelve days. We leave this to-morrow for the Great 

 Pamir, Sirikul, Yarkand, Kogyar and Korakoram, and so on to 

 beloved Calcutta. 



While here I took the opportunity of writing the note about 

 the winter Avifauna of Kashgar, but I like to look up a few 

 names before I send it to you, for reduction of baggage oblio-ed 

 me to leave even the Indian Ornithologist's Vade Mecum at 

 Sirikul. You shall have the note by the next mail. 



* Not a single one carbolized as yet. 

 t Not received. — Ed. 



