BIRD NOTE.S BY THE WAY IN KASHMIR. 551 



was Stolickzka's Mountain Finch (Frinijillauda sordida). The young of 

 this species are much handsomer than the adults, the head being dark 

 chestnut, the feathers of the mantle, scapulars, and wing coverts dark 

 centred and bordered by rich fulvous. The irrides are apparently a nut 

 brown or hazel not "carmine" as in the adult. This lark finch has a very 

 sparrow-like chirp. It was common from 9,000 to 13,000 feet. 



The White-Capped Redstart [C/iimarrhomis leucocephalus), as before 

 mentioned was noted as abundant, but more especially was this the case 

 along the Upper Sind and its tributaries around Sonemurg. The '* Fauna" 

 hardly lays enough stress on this handsome redstart's aquatic habits. As 

 Dresser puts it in his " Manual of Palaearctic Birds :" " The White-Capped 

 Redstart in its general habits has much in common with the waterousel ." 



Glaciers, Sonemurg'. 



The Brown Dipper {Cindus asiaticus) always afforded me intense pleasure 

 in watching its aquatic performances. The seething turmoil of water this 

 dipper will face, thrashing its way below the surface and appearing a foot 

 or two higher up than where it dived is truly marvellous. Even this 

 redoubtable diver is sometimes carried away by the stream. But it seems 

 to be able to cling like a limpet to the first boulder it is brought in contact 

 with, on to which it quickly scrambles out of harm's way, bobbing serenely, 

 and seeming to relish these little escapades. 



Returning to camp one evening a pair of Goldfinches {Carduelis caniceps) 

 tlew into a tree close by me and thence descended to drink at a stream 

 The only examples of this species seen in Sonemurg, though lower down 

 the Valley they were commoner. 



The loud " Treeka," ^' Treeka," note of the black and yellow Grosbeak 

 82 



