THE BIRDS OF KOHAT AND THE KURRAM VALLEY. 799 



621. tf. Kohat, 1,760 ft., 29th February. 



730, 731. 2 <5 ■ Kohat, 1,760 ft., 23rd March. 



Major Magrath shot an example of this species at Bannu in December 

 1907. It has now been found to occur in Kohat and is fairly common in 

 spring. 



[869.] Mirafra cantillans. The Singing Bush-Lark. 



266. c? ad. Kohat, 1,760 ft., 19th May. 



Fairly numerous from the middle of May till September about grassy 

 and bushy places. Not observed in the Kurram Valley, though fairly 

 common at Thall at the entrance. A most energetic songster : many of its 

 notes seem to be borrowed from Aryya caudata. 



[874.] Galerita cristata. The Crested Lark. 



Rattray, J. B. N. H. S. xii. p. 341 (very common at Thall) ; Marshall, op. 

 cit. xiv. p. 605 (Quetta : a very common resident) ; (Humming, op. cit. xvi. p, 

 689 (Seistan: abundant) ; Perreau, op. cit. xviii. p. 186 (Chitral). 



610. 2 • Lachi, 1,540 ft., 26th February. 



687. 2 • Kohat, 1,760 ft., 16th March. 



723. 2 • » » 2 lst March. 



754. cJ . „ „ 27th March. 



This species is abundant everywhere and resident up to 3,000 feet. In 

 the Kurram Valley it occurs up to 7,000 feet in summer. It is a great 

 mimic, as Major Magrath has noted, its rendering of the notes of Sarcogram- 

 mus indicus and Totanus calidris being particularly good. 



[878.] Ammomanes phcenicuroides. The Desert Finch-Lark. 



Rattray, J. B. N. H. S. xii. p. 341 (Thall: rather rare) ; Marshall, op. cit. 

 xiv. p. 605 (Quetta : common in the low hills) ; Cumming, op. cit. xvi. p. 689 

 (fairly common in Seistan) ; Ward, op. cit. xvii. p. 724 (Kashmir). 



609. c? • Lachi, 1,540 ft., 25th February. 



761. 2 • Kohat, 1,850 ft., 30th March. 



Resident and abundant on stony waste sand hill-sides up to 3000 feet. 



The song reminds one somewhat of that of Anthus similis, being often 

 uttered on the wing. 



[879.] Pyrrhulauda grisea. The Ashy- crowned Finch-Lark. 



196. 2 ad. Kohat, 1,760 ft., 8th April. 



The above example was one of the only pair met with. The male, a tine 

 black-breasted bird, I failed to secure. 



[895.] Arachnechthra asiatica. The purple Sun-bird. 



Rattray, J. B. N. H. S. xii. p. 341 (Thall: common in summer). 



A common summer visitor, arriving in the middle of March, the males 

 about a week ahead of females and disappearing towards the middle of 

 September. It occurs up to 5,000 feet on the Samana. 



( To be continued. ) 



