OF EASTERN TURKESTAN. WH AS 
valley to the pass of that name, by which we entered the 
country last year, we have kept along the Karakash valley, 
where we are now encamped ata place called Balakchi. All 
the birds mentioned on the 23rd have continued to be common, 
except the Grey Saxicola which has not been again seen, and I 
have in addition to note the following species as occurring in this 
locality: Tinnunculus alaudarius, Upupa epops, Saxicola 
deserti, Motacilla personata Carpodacus erythrinus, Calandrella 
brachydactyla, Caccabis pallidus, and Totanus calidris. 
26¢th.—Balakchi to Gulgun Shah Mazar.—Pleasant weather, 
now; maximum in the shade 75:5°; and minimum last night, 
50°. Road along Karakash valley—up stream—with numerous 
grassy plots and bits of bush jungle by the way. Birds: 
Kestrel, Hoopoe, Motacilla personata, Budytes citreola (a few 
only), Guldenstadt’s Redstart, Phylloscopus tristis, P. viridanus, 
Leptopacile Sophie, Accentor fulvescens, Corvus tibetanus (a par- 
ty of these Ravens seem to have attached themselves to our camp), 
Saxicola deserti, Carpodacus erythrinus (not numerous), 
Linota brevirostris (common), Calandrella brachydactyla, 
_ Cacabis pallidus, Ardea cinerea (one flock), Actitis hypoleucus, 
Totanus calidris. Plenty of blue-rumped hares on the road. 
We had to cross the river to reach our camp here, which is in a 
wide side valley, on perfectly flat ground covered with fine green 
grass. We halt here for three days, in order that the horses 
may feed up well before facing the barren Karakoram region. 
30¢h.—Gulgun Shah to Portash. Our three days halt had the 
usual effect of putting us out of proper marching trim: nearly 
all one’s thing seem somehow to get unpacked on these occa- 
sions, and the sudden change from the hard exercise of the 
march to the complete rest of a halt, at these high elevations, 
brings on a number of dyspeptic troublesin most people. The 
birds about our camp at Gulgun Shah Mazar were the following : 
Upupa epops, Monticola saxatilis, Motacilla personata, Ruticilla 
erythrogastra, Saxicola deserti, Corvus tibetanus, Fregilus 
graculus, Linota brevirostris, Montifringilla hematopygia Co- 
lumba rupicola, Agialitis fluviatilis and Actitis ochrophus. 
A few Terns (Sterna fluviatilis) were seen, and a specimen of 
Coracias garrula was found lying dead and quite dessicated 
among the stones of the hill side. 
On leaving Gulgun Shah we forded the Karakash River, and 
passed by some extensive swampy ground where igialites 
fluviatilis, Actis ochrophus and Totanus canescens were common. 
Then a long ride up the valley, passing many of the curious 
round salt pits which abound in this locality, and we forded the 
river again and turned up aside valley to the right, at the end of 
which we are encamped—elevation about 12,600 feet. The 
Pe 
