BIRDS IN BRITISH GARHWAL, 
Ruticilla rufiventris (644).—The Indian Redstart. 
In August I found this to be a not uncommon bird in the country north of 
Niti bordering Tibet where it frequents the Bhutia camping grounds and be- 
comes very tame. They appeared to have already completed breeding 
operations. 
Tarsiger chrysceus (653).—The Golden Bush-robin. 
Widely distributed, but not common. It certainly occurs up to 6,000’ eleva- 
tion, if not higher. 
Ianthia rufilata (654).—The Red-flanked Bush-robin. 
This is a fairly common resident species in Garhwal. During the cold weather 
months it is most frequently seen from 5,000’ to 6,000’ elevation whilst in the 
summer season it ascends to much higher altitudes, and I have then shot it at 
12,000’. The ultramarine eyebrow is mixed with a narrow streak of white fea- 
thers in all my specimens, and I am informed that white feathers are also present 
in most of the specimens at the British Museum, though the description in Blan- 
ford makes no mention of this, These birds frequent beds of streams, either dry 
or containing water, and they appear to prefer those bordered with dense bushes 
and shrubs, as they are of a retiring disposition and seldom expose themselves 
‘in the open for long. They have a habit of rapidly expanding and contracting 
the tail like a fan, but they do not move it vertically up and down. 
Merula albicincta (672).—The White-collared Ouzel. 
This fine ouzel is abundant all over the large forests of central and upper 
Garhwal above about 9,000’. When going to roost, and again at dawn, it utters 
a note closely resembling that made by the English blackbird under similar 
circumstances ; but the actual song, which is distinctly fine, is more like that of 
the English thrush. A nest which I found on 14th May contained 3 slightly 
incubated eggs. It was placed 5’ from the ground against the mossy stem of a 
karshu (Quercus semecarpijolia). The nest was constructed of masses of green 
moss and lined with a pad of fine dry grass mixed with a few rhizomorphs. 
Merula castanea (673).—The Grey-headed Ouzel. 
I have only seen this ouzel once. This was in Malla Nagpur on 31st January 
1919 on the day following a very heavy fall of snow which on this occasion actu- 
ally fell as low as 3,500’ elevation. The bird which I shot at 5,000’ elevation was, 
as far as I could discover, a solitary individual. 
Merula boulboul (676).—The Grey-winged Ouzel. 
This is a fairly common bird in some of the larger forests of central Garhwal, 
but it always keeps to dense forest and is also rather shy. Two nests found in 
May between 7,000’ and 8,000’ elevation were placed in trees at 7’ and 15’ from 
the ground respectively, The alarm note is a plaintive whistle usually repeated 
twice, but the cock has also a fine song of clear rich notes which are combined 
in most pleasing variations. 
Geocichla wardi (683).—The Pied Ground-Thrush. 
In these hills this bird is rather uncommon, On 15th June I found a nest 
with two eggs placed about 8’ from the ground in a small tree at 7,500’ elevation. 
The nest was constructed of green moss with a thick lining of roots. The eggs 
which are very pale greenish mottled all cover with pinkish brown and pale purple 
measure on the average 1:02” x °73”. 
Petrophila cyanus (693).—The Western Blue Rock-Thrush. 
This bird is never very common and appears to be rather local, frequenting 
steep rocky or boulder-strewn ground interspersed with grassy slopes. It occurs 
over the whole tract of hills even up to the borders of Tibet where I found it in 
August at 13,500’ elevation, The cock bird’s song is a soft melodious rather 
short whistle which at times reminded me of an English blackbird. During the 
latter half of June I found three nests with eggs between 5,500’ and 6,500’ in the 
vicinity of Pauri. They were placed in cavities or crevices in the rocks so as to 
be partly screened from view, and the sites selected are sometimes situated on 
