BIRDS OF THE EHAS1A HILLS. 961 



Family FRIN'GILLID^. 



Subfamily Frinsillinje. 



751. HzEMATOSPIZA sipahi. — The Scarlet Finch. 

 Not rare and resident. These handsome birds are often caught and. 

 caged by Khasias. They appear easy to tame, but somewhat delicate birds 

 to keep. 



761. Oaepodacds erythrinus. — The Common Rose-Finch. 

 A common visitor. 



776. Passer domesticus. — The House-Sparrow. 

 Only found near the plains, 



779. Passer montanus. — The Tree-Sparrow. 

 The common Shillong Sparrow. 



780. Passer cinnamomeus. — The Cinnamon Tree-Sparrow. 



Fairly common. Does not affect pine forests, but is seen about Shillong, 

 where it breeds freely in the thatch of the bungalows. At least three pairs 

 bred in my bungalow in April. 



Subfamily Emberizin^e. 



790. Bmberiza fdcata. — The Grey-headed Bunting. 

 All Buntings are visitors. 



791. Emberiza pusilla. — The Dwarf Bunting. 



797. Emberiza aureola. — The Yellow-breasted Bunting. 



798. Emberiza spodocephala. — The Black-faced Bunting. 



Family HIRUNDINID^. 



807. Chelidon nepalensis. — Hodgson's Martin. 

 Breeds in the Shillong station, and I saw a nest in one • of the bungalows. 

 The Khasias also tell me that it breeds in some of their villages in the houses ; 

 I expect it will also be found to breed on cliffs. 



»09. Cotile sinensis. — The Indian Sand Martin. 

 Common. I saw Sand Martins of some kind on the race-course at Shillong, 

 but could not say to what species they belonged. 



813. Hirundo rustica. — The Swallow. 



814. Hirdndo auTTORALis. — The Eastern Swallow. 

 Most birds are intermediate between these two forms. 



815. Hirundo tytleri. — Tytler's Swallow. 

 A common visitor. 



820. Hirundo stmolata. — The Japanese Striated Swallow. 



A single typical specimen of this species was obtained by one of my collectors 

 at Lyetkynsew where a colony breeds, and two or three immature birds were 

 also shot, and two clutches of eggs taken. 



821. Hirundo daurica. — The Daurian Striated Swallow. 



Breeds freely about Shillong, I believe in July, August and September, I 

 have seen several nests but all empty, the young having flown. 

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