464 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 



When we left the Kashgar plain the only birds that I saw 

 had just arrived were Sturnus vulgaris, Saxicola deserti, Phyllos- 

 copus viridanus (solitary specimen), and a few others which 

 seemed to have removed during the winter to the warmer 

 desert country in a south-easterly direction ; they hardly could 

 have crossed the high mountains so early. In the hills between 

 Yanjihissar and Sirikul scarcely a single migratory bird, except 

 what really appears to be true Milvus guvinda, was to be 

 seen. 



In crossing by the Little Pamir I met near the Pamirkul 

 Hirundo rustica, Saxicola omanthe, and another Saxicola with 

 slatey grey back ; this was on 5th April. The birds looked very 

 miserable, for the cold was bitterly severe, the daily minimum 

 little above zero. On this side of the Pamir our route was 

 chiefly through snow, and the most unpleasant snow storms you 

 could fancy. Since we arrived here on the 13th the weather 

 improved, and spring is evidently approaching. Unfortunately 

 the valley is little better than a desert, cultivation limited, and 

 the jungle very low and scrubby. Swallows are coming and 

 going daily. The same applies to Saxicola cenantjie, deserti, leuco- 

 melanura, Kingi (rare), and the one with the grey back. Of 

 Pratincola indica I have seen but few. A little Phylloscopus, 

 apparently Brooks' subviridis, is passing up. Passer montanus 

 is not numerous here, and I got a female, of what appears to be 

 indicus, which certainly does not remain here during the winter. 

 JBudytes melanocephala, and if distinct, as it decidedly appears to 

 be also cinereocapilla, are on their way up ; also B. citreola, 

 which I have got already near Yanjihissar last month. 



I got a beautiful new Finch* here with rosy wings, something 

 like a Calacanthis. There were about twenty in a flock, evidently 

 travelling on to the Pamir. Ruticilla rufiventris is going up, 

 but another allied species with slatey head — apparently a new 

 one — is a permanent resident through the whole of Eastern 

 Turkistan. P,. erythrogastra you may see in every bush here, 

 all in pairs, but they had not begun breeding yet, though, no 

 doubt, they have on the Yarkand side. I shall get hold of these 

 going back. Parus cyanus, Metoponia pusilla, Linota breviros- 

 tris, a black-faced Accentor, Fregilus gracidus, Pica bactriana, 

 Corvus, ? intermedins, Otocoris lorigirostris, Corvus, f Laivrencei, 

 Columba rupicola, and a few others are permanent inhabitants. 

 Motacilla, ? alba and A lauda triborhyncha appears to make 

 themselves comfortable here ; some of them will no doubt breed 

 in this valley. 



* Probably B. sanguineus, Gould. — Ed. 



