478 



leaves before the end of March. Its migrations, I think, are west- 

 ward. I never saw it in Cashmere in summer ; unless a winter vi- 

 sitor, it is not found on the ranges eastward of Peshawur. 



63. Corvtjs monedtjla, Linnaeus. 



Confined to certain places ; nowhere more abundant than in the 

 Valley of Cashmere. The imperial palace of His Highness Goulab 

 Sing, with its crumbling walls, and the ruins in the Shalimar and 

 Neshat gardens on the lake, offer excellent retreats for this species. 

 During the breeding-seasons they congregate in vast numbers, and 

 cover the adjacent country. I have seen them with rooks in the 

 neighbourhood of Rawul Pindee and Peshawar, but only during the 

 cold months ; with this exception, it appears the species is confined 

 to the locality above-mentioned. 



64. Corvus corone, Linn. 

 Lesser Carrion Crow. 



Closely allied to the Indian Crow (Cortms culminatus), hutvexy much. 

 smaller, and not larger than the Indian Jackdaw, is a black crow 

 which frequents the lower Himalayan ranges from Peshawur to Simla. 

 I can find no reference to this species anywhere. In habits it closely 

 resembles the jackdaw; but its appearance is very like the Carrion 

 Crow (C. cuhninatus). " Nostrils covered with bristles ; colour me- 

 tallic black like the rook ; tail wedge-shaped ; the feathers of the 

 tail and secondary quills of the wings are mucronated at their tips. 

 It feeds on offal and carrion, is gregarious ; flight strong and rapid. 

 Is often seen tormenting Govind Kites and birds much larger than 

 itself." 



65. NUCIFRAGA HEMISPILA, Vig. 



Frequents the great forests on the W. range of the Himalayas, 

 Cashmere pine forests, pretty common ; and on the wooded ranges 

 near Simla. A wandering bird, and not common anywhere. Gene- 

 rally seen at high elevations ; they live among the topmost branches 

 of the pine trees. Its harsh discordant cry is like that of the 

 Mapgie. 



66. Fregilus graculus (Linnaeus). 



The Chough is often met with in the W. Himalayas, and during 

 winter migrates with jackdaws to the N.W. frontier of the Pun- 

 jab. Abounds on the Cashmere mountains, and may be seen in 

 small flocks around the margin of melting snow, where the insects 

 and roots it feeds on are obtained. Its wild excited flight, and still 

 wilder cry, attract the sportsman's attention. 



67. Pyrrhocorax alpinus, Vieill. 



Very distinct from the last, and frequents the high ranges in the 

 interior of the Himalayas : pretty common in Ladakh. The food 

 consists of insects and fruit ; of the latter, mulberries constitute the 

 chief portion. 



