THE PUNJAB, AND SIND. 487 



be the same as the Seuchal bird ; so I went ag-aiu the next day 

 and spent most of the day in the wheat fields, gettinor one 

 more of the present species, and several more of blakistoni. 

 They were both very wary, and I had to shoot them flying. I 

 have no doubt but that this bird is to be found over a good part 

 of India, but most collectors are so fond of the shot at a large 

 bird in a tree, that they don't take the trouble they ought to do 

 with ground birds, especially with those that conceal themselves 

 in ground cover and low bushes. It is here that the best things, 

 and the overlooked things, are to be found ; but the shooting 

 and the recovering is very troublesome. Anthus ludovicianus is 

 a perfectly good species. I should have mentioned that the 

 axillaries are greyish white. It has none of the yellow and 

 warm tone of pratensis, and is very distinct indeed from rosaceus^ 

 which has primrose axillaries and unusually strong broad back 

 striation. 



The Pipits are a very interesting group, considered difficult 

 by some, but once understood, they are exceedingly easy to 

 distinguish. I wish the Larks were as easy. 



In Sikhim, I came across many of the Leiotrichincs, but shall 

 not say anything about them, except that Leiothrix luteus has 

 a pretty little song. These birds are all shy, and conceal them- 

 selves as quickly as possible. They all answered the owl-call 

 well, in fact kept everlastingly coming when I wanted sylvine 

 birds. Of the Tits, I procured four species only — monticolus, 

 beavani, erythrocepJialus and amodius. 



661.— Corvus intermedius, Adams, 



In his list Mr. Hume places this species as doubtful ; but I 

 think it is as good a species of Corvus as exists. It is certainly 

 not the Corvus sulminatus of the plains, for apart from its longer 

 tail, the voice is utterly different. I attach very great impor- 

 tance to the voice in determining a species, and if there were 

 no other difference,* I never could identify the hill crow with 

 that of the plains. 



682.— Sturnus humii,t Brooks, vide Ibis, 1876, page 

 500. 



A synonym of Sturnus vulgaris could not stand for this dis- 

 tinct little Starling, which was discovered and described by my 

 friend, Mr. Hume. I urged him to rename it, but he would 



* There is no other constant difference, and as the skins are silent, how are we to 

 distinguish specimens ? — A. O. H. 

 f Must stand as nitens, Hume, vide S. F., V., 328, 



