A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF GILGIT. 101 
30.—Caprimulgus unwini, Hume. (111 dis.) 
This Goatsucker is only a summer visitor; it arrives early 
in May, and is common in the lower valleys at an elevation 
of about 5,000 feet. A specimen obtained by Mr. Blanford 
at Saigan, on the Persian plateau, and referred by him to 
C. europeus, is identical in colour, markings, and size with Gilgit 
examples. Caprimulgus unwini is closely allied to C. europeus ; 
but on comparison of my specimens with a large series of 
European birds, I find that they differ in being of a paler 
silvery-grey colour. It seems desirable to distinguish this 
eastern form, which is the C. europa@us, var. aralensis, of Severt- 
zoff, under the name of C. unwini. 
36.—Merops persicus, Pallas. (120.) 
This Bee-eater was only observed in Gilgit from the 20th to 
the 28th November 1879, when several flocks passed over the 
valley on migration southwards. I secured three immature 
specimens, two males and one female, with the uropygials 
only from 0:2 to 0°4 longer than the next pair of rectrices. 
These birds measured :—Length, 10°3 to 10°5 inches; wing, 
56 to 5°65; tail, 4 to 4:1; tarsus, 0°47 to 0°5; bill from 
gape, 2°05 to 2°15. The female has the bill more slender 
than the males: the chestnut-colour of the throat is paler ; 
and the rump and upper tail-coverts are not so blue. 
38.—Coracias garrulus, Lin. (125.) 
The Common Roller is plentiful in the hottest valleys of 
the Gilgit district throughout the summer, and there makes 
day hideous wilh its harsh grating cry; it does not appear 
to ascend above 6,000 feet. In 1880 it made its first appear- 
ance in Gilgit on the 30th April. Most of these birds leave 
us in October ; but I have observed stragglers as late as the 
11th November. Five specimens, measured in the flesh, gave 
the following results :—Length, 13:1 to 13-4 inches; wing, 7°7 
to 8:25; tail, 5-4 to 5°6; tarsus, 0°9; bill from gape, 1°85; a 
male weighed 42? oz. Gilgit specimens agree completely with 
examples from Asia Minor. 
39.—Picus himalayensis, Jard. & Selb. (154.) 
This Woodpecker is strictly confined to the pine-forests, 
and does not straggle down to the lower valleys. Half a dozen 
adult specimens have the wings 5:3 to 5-4 inches; tails, 3°35 to 
3°8; bill from gape, 1°3 to 1:45. The specimens described by 
Captain Marshall as having the underparts sullied, the lower 
tail-coverts very pale, and the bill short, are merely the 
