NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF UPPER ASSAM. 235 



in a gi'eat increase of low-lying land brought under cultivation by 

 the time-expired immigrant labourer. * Vast tracts of grass, 

 " chopras, " reed, "cagri," " ekra," " nulni" and forest land, Govern- 

 ment timber reserve and otherw^ise fortunately yet remain, which in 

 many quarters might be utilized as sanctuaries for the preservation 

 of the fauna as well as botanical reserves ; and if safeguarded by an 

 adeqiiate and strict, impartial application of regulations would 

 prolong and possibly prevent the extermination of some of our 

 noblest mammalia, a result only too fi-eqiiently regarded as the 

 inevitable consequence of the advance of civilization. These 

 frequent notes are based on data commenced in 1901, made 

 during residence in the above two subdivisions, inclusive of a five 

 months' furlough in the cold season, 1905-6, when a visit was paid 

 to the Abor-Miri country on the right bank of the Subansiri with 

 particular reference to distribution, dates of arrival and departure 

 of migrants, the substantiation of the claims of rare and previously 

 unrecorded visitants. This list, although containing some 470 odd 

 species makes no pretence at completeness. The claims of strict 

 priority! have been followed out and trinomials used wherever 

 available, as some slight contribution to stability and uniformity in 

 nomenclature : — 



Breadth of valley 60 miles. 



Elevation of valley, average 430 feet. 



Eainfall, average 115 inches. 

 An average of 140" — 180" is general for localities at the base of the 

 hills on the north, the nearer approach to the hills the more 

 appreciable is the difference in rainfall. 



The photos have been chosen to illustrate the various physical 

 features of the countrj^ though not lacking in pictorial effect. 



1, Corvus macrorhynchos levaillantii, Less. [4]^Jungle Crow. 

 Corvus macrorhynclius (Oates), F.B.I. , Vol. i, p. 17. 



Resident, common throughout the whole valley, although occasionally is 

 found in solitary pairs in outlying localities, generally is sociable, congra- 

 gating in some numbers, especially during the cold weather months when 

 its curiosity attracts it alike to the camp of the shikari or the flimsy dwell- 

 ing of the ryot, anywhere, in fact, wherever it can find sufficient support 

 in refuse and garbage as nothing comes amiss to its depraved taste. 



Dejoo, North Lakhimpur, 29-4-10. A jungle crow seen flying overhead 

 carrying an egg in its gape. There must be a considerable amount of 

 destruction done to nesting birds attributable to this marauder, ffhe 

 pendent nests of the Bayas (Ploceus onegarhynchus, Hume, Ploceus manyar 



* No apology is surely required for referring to this all-important matter of 

 special interest to Zoologists, even in a paper of this description. See Mature, 

 Thursday, September 9, 1909, p. 317. II Organising Zoology, Opening address by 

 Prof. A. E. Shipley, President, Zoological Section. The British Association at 

 Winnipeg, " On the Appalling Waste of Animal Life with its one only result. 



t The original gender of all specific names which appear as adjectives has been 

 preserved and are treated as names only not as adjectives in connection with the 

 genera as substantives. 



