162 A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY 
closed wings fall short of tail, 1:05; weight, 1°550z. Biull, 
brownish black at tip ; greenish brown at base ; irides, blackish 
brown ; legs and feet, brownish black ; claw, black. 
6. Kichik Yailak, 19th August—Length, 6°35 ; expanse, 
11°83; wing, 3.73; tail, 2°75 ; tarsus, 1°25 ; bill from gape, 0°95 ; 
closed wings fall short of tail, 1:2; weight, 1:6oz. | Bill, black, 
with a greyish bloom at base; irides, darkish brown; legs and 
feet, black, with a greyish bloom in parts ; claws, black. 
This species was first observed and a specimen shot at Kewis 
(elevation 7,487 feet) on the 26th September 1874. The birds 
were running about in the fields and perching on twigs and 
bushes. At Kichik Yailak, in August 1875, they were numerous, 
and frequented the grassy hill sides which abound there; they 
would seldom fly but ran up hill very nimbly, making it rather 
difficult to bag them, considering that the elevation was about 
13,000 feet in the valleys. The Kirghiz say that this species, 
which they call Zungak, is a permanent resident near their 
encampment, and feeds on worms and insects, never on grain or 
seeds. hey add also that the bird makes its nest in holes about 
the hill sides, breeding in June or July, and that the young 
birds are able to fly about the end of September. 
680:—Pyrrhocorax alpinus, Vieid!. 
The Alpine Chough is common in the hills on the south side 
of Eastern Turkestan at elevations of from 8,000 to 16,000 
feet; often associated with the Common Chough, but descend- 
ing, I think, to lower elevations than that bird. A specimen 
was preserved at Tam (8,800 feet) in September 1874, and it 
was seen in great flocks near the Chuchu Pass in August. 1875, 
where it struck me at the time that the name of the Pass 
might have been given in imitation of the ery of these Choughs 
which is very like ‘chuchu.’ The Turki name of this species 
is Tagh karghasi, the Mountain Crow. 
g@. Tam, 26th September.—Length, 15°3; wing, 10:2; 
tail, 6°9 ; tarsus, 1°63; bill, from gape, 1°5; bill, from forehead 
straight to point, 1:35. Bill, yellow; irides, brown; legs, 
bright orange ; claws, black. 
681.—Sturnus vulgaris, Lin. 
Five mates, obtained at Yarkand in February, March and 
April.—Length, 8°75 to 9:2: expanse, 15:1 to 15:5; wing, 
5-0 to 5°35; tail, 2°65 to 2-9; tarsus, 1°2 to 1°25; bill, from 
gape, 1°3 to 1:5; weight, 2°350z. to 2°60z. 
Bill, yellow, dusky at base ; irides, dark brown; legs and feet, 
reddish brown; claws, black. 
Two females. Yarkand, 14th March.—Length, 8°75 to 8-9 ; 
expanse, 14°75 to 15°15; wing, 5-05 to 5°25; tail, 2°7 to 2:9; 
