152 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST, SOCIETY, Vol. XXVIII: 
banks of streams. The nest is a deepish cup of herbaceous stems and dry coarse 
grass, followed by a layer of fine roots or grass, with a lining of hair or fine roots 
or both. In one case a little wool had been introduced. Six of the clutches 
which were complete contained four eggs each and one only contained three 
eggs. The eggs in the six complete clutches measured on the average!—- 81” x + 57”, 
*84” x. +56", °81” x * 60”, 82” x 58”, 83” x 60” and 80” x ‘56’. They are pale 
greenish blue lightly spotted round the larger end with dark sepia and pale 
brown madder. Three out of 4 eggs in one clutch are unspotted. When driven 
off her nest the hen bird almost invariably utters a canary-like wining ‘“‘twee-ee.” 
The cock bird’s song is composed of three loud shrill notes which may be written 
“ Ter-twee-you.” the middle note being pitched higher than the other two. 
This is also sometimes varied by the addition of a few more notes. But the cock. 
has also another quite different and distinct song composed of 4 high-pitched 
notes which may be rendered ‘“‘ Tee-diew-di-diew.” 
 Carduelis caniceps (767).—The Himalayan Goldfinch. 
During the months of June and July I found these finches not uncommon 
along the Dhauli valley from Joshimath right up to the borders of Tibet. The 
highest elevation at which I observed them was 13,500’. I could not discover 
where they were breeding, though from the enlarged testes of a male shot on 20th 
June I think this would be the nesting season. I have never met with these 
birds south of Joshimath though it seems probable that in winter they move 
down further south. 
Metoponia pusilla (771).—The Gold-fronted Finch. 
On 20th July I found a nest containing a clutch of 5 eggs at about 11,500’ ele- 
vation close to Niti village. The nest was placed about 4’ from the ground in 
a Rosa sericea bush. It was a deep cup composed of dead grass and bark fibre 
and lined with a thick pad of wool and a little hair. The eggs, which are white 
tinged with green and spotted round the larger end with pale pinkish brown, 
measure on the average *65” x :48”. These birds were common at this time round 
Niti, and were seen as high as 14,000’ near Rimkim in an adjoining valley, but 
I did not find any other nests. During the winter months they extend their 
range over a large part of north Garhwal and are found at least as low as 5,000’ 
elevation. 
Fringillauda sordida (787).—Stoliczka’s Mountain-Finch. 
This bird breeds in the tract of country lying north of Niti village on the borders 
of Tibet. They were seen here during the latter half of July and early in August 
frequenting the open grassy slopes between 13,000’ and 14,000’ elevation. On 
several occasions I came across them in small flocks the members of which did 
not appear to have commenced nesting operations, but on 3rd August I found 
two nests at 13,500’ elevation one of which contained 3 and the other 4 freshly 
hatched young ones. . The nests were placed within natural crevices which had 
formed beneath large stones half-buried in the ground surface on steep bare 
slopes.. As the nests were situated some 6” from the entrance they were practi- 
cally invisible from outside. They were shallow cups composed of dry grass 
stems and lined with a few feathers. In winter these birds congregate in large 
flocks composed of 50 to 100 individuals and are found down to 7,000’ elevation. 
_ Emberiza stracheyi (794).—The Eastern Meadow-Bunting. 
During the breeding season this bunting is very abundant on open grassy or, 
bush-clad slopes at elevations from 9,000’ to 11,000’. I have also found a nest as 
high as 13,500’ elevation in the dry interior hills bordering Tibet. Blanford 
says it breeds from 4,000’ to 9,000’, but in Garhwal I have never found a nest 
below 8,000’ which is certainly I think the lowest level at which it breeds at all 
commonly here. The nest is placed on sloping ground and is usually more or 
less concealed by some small shrub, but may be merely placed beneath a tuft of 
grass. It is a cup constructed of dry grass and lined with a little hair. 
