108 JOURNAL, B MB Al NATURAL KIST. SOCIETY, rol.^XXVlI. 



quite social in its habits and frequenting the fields in February 

 and March, leaving about the end of the latter month. 



In Gilgit (S. F. Vol. ix) Biddulph found some race of A. arvensis, 

 here also named dulcivox, to be a winter visitant only, first appear- 

 ing in November and leaving by the end of March ; he also clearly 

 states that although there is a breeding Skylark in Gilgit it 

 belongs to the form Alaucla guttata, Brooks ; it arrives at the end of 

 March and leaves about October. As he appears to have secured 

 a fair series of both birds, and critically notes on their peculiari- 

 ties these records are of considerably more value than niost of 

 those referring to the Himalayan Skylarks. 



The respective status of these two Skylarks in Gilgit is again 

 emphasised by Scully in the "Ibis" (as reprinted in S. F. x., 135). 



So far the published records which I have been able to consult 

 on the question. 



I have made a few enquiries by letter from which it appears that 

 ' no race of A. arvensis is known near Simla or Dharmsala, in the 

 Garhwals or Kumaon, or near Darjheeling. 



I have gone into this question at some length, in the hope that 

 members of our society who are suitably situated in the Himalayas 

 will endeavour to obtain a small series of whatever Skylark is 

 breeding in their vicinity, care being taken not to confuse the 

 problem by the inclusion in the breeding series of migrants or non- 

 breeding birds. At present i confess to being sceptical whether 

 any race of arvensis does breed in the Himalayas at all, but pos- 

 sibly there is evidence which I have overlooked and which T 

 should be most grateful to have brought to my notice. There are 

 of course many winter records of Skylarks in the plains, but it is 

 not worth collating these until the question of the supposed breed- 

 ing Himalayan race is settled one way or the other. 



The Long-billed Horned-'Ls.rk, Eremophila alpestvis longirostris, Moore. 



The greatest prize from my hill pond was however reserved for 

 November 18th. I had just secured a Missel-Thrush and was 

 sitting on the high bank above the pond packing it up and giving 

 directions to my orderly when a bird ran out from under the lee 

 of the bank -^nd along the dry hard margin of the pond quite 

 close to us. It ran like a small plover or sandpiper but I had no 

 difficulty in recognising it as some member of the genus of the 

 Horned Larks, which I had never seen in life before. Luckily my 

 •22 bore with dust shot was ready beside me and I at once shot at 

 the bird which rose and flew across the pond falling dead on the 

 other side. It proved to be a male in freshly moulted plumage. 

 The measurements are as follows : — bill from skull 19, wing 122-.'5, 

 tail 76, tarsus 26*5 mm. 



The West-Himalayau Scaly-bellied Green Wood-pecker, Picus squamalus 

 squamatus, Vig. 



Two odd ones were met by Ticehurst in Pine forest. 



The Brown-fronted Pied Wood-pecker, Dryohates auriceps, Vig. 

 Fairly common in and about Simla at 7,500 feet. 



The Himalayan Pied Wood-pecker, Dryohates himalayensis, Jard. & 

 Selby. 



An occasional odd bird was observed on the Kufri-Fagoo ridge. 



