LETTEKS TO THE EDITOR. 465 



Coturnix communis, Accipiter nisas, a solitary Buteo ferox and 

 Tinnunculus alaudariits, a large number of Querquedula crecca, 

 Spatula clypeata, few Anas boschas, many Casarca rutila, 

 Anser indicus and cinereus, Fulica atra, Gallinago scolopacinus , 

 Philomachus pugnax, Graculus carbo, a gigantic Larus, Podi- 

 ceps cristatus, Ardea cinerea, and some others are no doubt 

 awaiting the melting away of the ice on the Pamir Lakes. 



I trust we shall go leisurely on our way back and halt about 

 ten days near Yarkand. There are very large swamps north- 

 east of the city, with high grass, and I expect a great number 

 of our Indian birds will breed there. I would be excessively 

 sorry if I had to leave those swamps unexplored. — Ferd. 

 Stolxczka. 



Pan J a Wahhan, 25th March 1874. 



Sir, 



I see in your Contributions to the Ornithology of 

 India, Stray Feathers, Vol. II., page 285, that you say you 

 have never heard of the occurrence of Glareola orientalis or 

 large Swallow Plover in the Panjab, so I trouble you with 

 these few lines to say that I shot a specimen on the 19 th 

 November 1871 on a bank in a pool about a mile from Ludiana, 

 Panjab. It was a young bird I suppose, having lighter colored 

 tips to some of the feathers on the back of neck and back. Its 

 length was 9 inches, tail 3 inches, legs dark brownish purple. 

 I regret I did not stuff it, but made a drawing of it. I have 

 since lost the drawing, but I feel certain it was the bird described 

 by Dr. Jerdon. It is the only one I have ever seen up here. 

 — F. Field. 



Shahpur, Panjab. 



Sir, 



Since writing my additional note I find that the under- 

 mentioned bird has been shot at Sambhur : — 



910.— Ortygometra pygmaea, Naum. 



About a year ago I saw what I took to be a specimen of the 

 Pigmy Rail running about in a small cluster of trees, but as I 

 had not a gun with me at the time I could not make sure of my 

 surmise. 



