164 A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY 
The Tarki name for the Starling is Kara Kuchkach, i.e., 
“black bird.’ 
690.—Pastor roseus, Lin. 
?. Shot at Sulaghz Langar, 30th September.—Length, 9-4; 
wing, 5°1; tail, 2°9; tarsus, 1-2; bill, from gape, 1°15. Billhorny, 
brown on culmen and at base of lower mandible ; irides, dark 
brown ; legs and feet, flesh color. 
A single specimen of the Rose-colored Starling was obtained 
in Eastern Turkestan in September ; it was flying about, perch- 
ing on the branches of Eleagnus trees, and was the only 
specimen ever seen in the country. It is said to be common 
in Khokand and Badakhshan where it feeds on mulberries ; and 
the Yarkandi bird catchers say it only oceurs as a mere 
strageler m Kashgharia, a few birds being occasionally seen 
in the summer after the prevalence of strong north-west or 
westerly winds. Its Turki name is Séch. | 
707.—Passer salicicolus, Vievll. 
Two males shot at Yarkand.—Length, 6°53 to 6°6.; expanse, 
10°2 to 10:4; wing, 3:2 to 3°3; tail, 2° to 2°6; tarsus, 0°8 to 
0°85 ; bill, from gape, 0°65 to 0°7; closed wings fall short of 
tail, 1:5 ; weight, loz. to l-loz. Bill, greyish black and dusky ; 
legs and feet, brownish or yellowish fleshy ; claws, dusky. 
?. Yarkand, 11th March.—Length, 6°3; expanse, 10-0; 
wing, 3:3; tail, 2°5; tarsus, 0°8; bill, from gape, 0°55; 
closed wings fall short of tail, 1:4; weight, 0°9 oz. Bill, 
dark fleshy, dusky above and at tip; irides, dirty brown ; legs 
and toes, dark flesh color ; claws, dusky. 
This species is tolerably common in the plains, and is, I 
believe, a permanent resident in Eastern Turkestan. It fre- 
quents reeds growing near marshes, poplar trees, and I shot 
one once near a corn field where it was flying about in 
the midst of a flock of the common Turkestan Sparrow— 
Passer montanus. The note of this bird is very distinct from 
that of P. montanus. It breeds in May and June, making its 
nest in trees and laying four or five eggs ; but I never heard of 
its breeding in colonies, nor did I ever see it frequenting willow 
trees. The Turki name for this species is Tarachi. 
Passer? Propasser ? 
Nestling from Terek Langar, 24th July.—Length, 5:2; ex- 
panse, 8°45; wing 2°6; tail, 1:95; tarsus, 0°8; bill, from gape, 
0°55 ; closed wings fall short of taille; weight, 0°7 oz. 
Bill, livid fleshy, light at the tip and yellow at gape; irides, 
very dark brown; legs and feet, fleshy ; claws, livid horny at 
bases, lighter in color at the points. 
