86 A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY 
to be so numerous as I expected. A hawk was flown at a 
cock-pheasant, but the latter took only a short flight and settled 
among the long reeds; whither the Goshawk followed, but of 
course did not manage to strike. A little beyond this in a small 
piece of open ground I saw a fine Golden Eagle (Aq. chrysaetus) 
I could not manage to get within shot, but I have no doubt 
whatever about the identification. On the way back we came 
upon a lot of ducks again. I had a shot at one flying past me 
at a corsiderable distance, and thought I had missed as the bird 
seemed to go straight on, however, as the duck settled not far 
off I walked up to the spot and found it quite dead. 
The Panjabashi, who has been indefatigable to-day, says he 
is desolé that he has not been able to show me better sport to- 
day : so I assured him that I was perfectly satisfied. My host 
the Sirkar has presented me with a young Sai kik (Antilope 
gutturosa ?); this Antilope is said to be common about three 
days journey from here. 
5th.— Yarkand.—After leaving Beshkant this morning we had 
some more hare and duck shooting, and got, in addition to 
yesterday’s birds, the common Teal (Querquedula crecca), and 
a specimen of the Smew (Mergellus albellus). Presents and 
robes were given to the Sirkar of Beshkant and his son and 
we bade them gosd shortly after crossing the Yarkand river. 
As we rode back to our quarters here, numbers of unfortunate 
Crows and Jackdaws were captured by the trained hawks; but 
I noticed that the Karchigha did not seem to be a match for 
tame pigeons, which doubled and dodged for too quickly for 
the Goshawk. Instead of passing through the city I skirted 
its south wall and so reached the Fort. A silk robe to the Pan- 
jabashi elicits a solemn ‘ Allahuakbar,’ and so my little expedi- 
tion is at an end. 
28th = February.—List of birds for the month.—Aquila chry- 
saetus (rare). Tvnnuneulus alaudarius, Circus cyaneus, Buteo 
feroz, Buteo vulgaris, Buteo japonicus, Otus vulgaris, Otus bra- 
chyotus and Athene bactriana (all common). bubo maximus 
(not numerous). 
Passer montanus, Galerita magna, Upupa epops, Merula 
vulgaris, Planesticus atrogularis, Anthus aquaticus, Corvus corone, 
C. culminatus, C. Cornia, C. frugilegus, Coleus monedula, Tro- 
glodytes pallidus, Emberiza schenicola, Emberiza pyrrhuloides, 
Erythrospiza obsoleta, Turtur Stoliczke and Phasianus Shawit 
(all more or less common. Sturnis vulgaris, pretty numerous 
towards the end of the month. Melanocorypha torquata, Picus 
leucopterus and Lanius Homeyeri appear to be rare. Otocoris 
penicillata and Alaudula pispoletta not numerous. Coturni« 
communis has been obtained; and Tetraogallus himalayensis and 
