112 A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY 
of dust. Birds to-day: Milvus melanotis, Ptionoprogne rupes- 
tris, Ruticilla erythrogastra, Montifringilla hematopygia, Car- 
podacus rubicilla and Columéa rupicola. 
22nd.—Toghrasu.—On leaving Kurgan Ali Nazar (or Mazar 
Ababakr) we went up along the Karakash river to a point 
where the deep stream runs close against the rocky hill-side. 
There we crawled along across the rocks, the baggage being 
earried by men the same way; but the horses had all to ford 
the stream and take up their loads further on. A ride of an 
hour and a half brought us to a place called Pilataghach, which 
is sometimes used as a camping ground. There, along the 
banks of the river there is a bush jungle of tamarisk and buck- 
thorn with a good deal of long tufty grass. In these bushes 
I first saw and obtained Leptopacile Sophie, which was numer- 
ous; and I also observed Parus cyanus and many Phylloscopi. 
Then going on up stream for about eight miles, we reached our 
camping ground here, where the grass called Chigh is abundant. 
Brushwood all the way along the banks of the river, and sides of 
valley formed by high bare hills. The birds observed to-day, in 
addition to those just mentioned, are :—The Crag Martin, Hoopoe, 
Raven (C. tibetanus,) Ruticilla erythrogastra, Columba rupicola, 
and Carpodacus rubicilla —the latter getting quit ecommon. 
23rd.— Toghrasu to Oibuk.—On leaving camp this morning 
we crossed the Tograsu stream, and then a short march along 
the bank of the Karakash, which winds about a good deal in 
this neighbourhood and is densely fringed with bushes all the 
way, brought us to our camp here, a little short of Shahid- 
ullah. The road to-day lay principally over a great number of 
‘alluvial fans’ which came down from the little side valley, 
their bases having been cut away by the stream. Weather 
fine; maximum temperature in the shade, 7J°; in the sun’s 
rays, 139°°5. All the following birds were common to-day : 
Ptionprogne rupestris, Ruticilla erythrogastra,  Leptopecile 
Sophie, Phylloscopus tristis, Phylloscopus viridanus, Accentor 
Julvescens, Corvus tibetanus and Columba rupicola. A few Ac- 
titis hypoleucus were seen near the edge of the stream. While 
riding along I saw a Savicola, about the size of S. deserti, but 
quite grey; it had the rump and tail white, the latter being 
terminated by a broad velvet-black bar*. I had a good look at 
the bird which was perched on a stone quite close to me, but 
before my servant could come up with my gun, it flew away to 
the other side of the river. 
25th.—Oibuk to Balakchi. Yesterday we halted at Oibuk, 
and to-day: we came on past Shahidullah, crossed the Karakash 
river, and then instead of turning up to the right by the Suget 
* Probably S, wnauthe, Lin, in breeding plumage,—A. O. H. 
