482 



quents the wooded copses, and is common around the hamlets in the 

 Valley of Cashmere. More shy and wary than the last, with which 

 it does not associate : its cry is very different. 



93. MONTIFRINGILLA NEMORICOLA (HodgSOll). 



Strictly a Himalayan bird ; is plentiful at high elevations at all 

 seasons, and feeds around the margin of melting snow. Generally 

 seen in large flocks, flitting from place to place like Snow Buntings. 

 As winter advances, they migrate southwards, and are found on the 

 lower ranges. The chirp is like the Snow Flake (Nanee), and flight 

 exactly similar. 



94. MONTIFRINGILLA H^MATOPYGIA, Gould, P. Z. S. 1851, 



p. 115. 



Found in Ladakh, common on the mountains around the Chou- 

 meraree Lake ; I did not see it on the ranges southward. Its flight 

 is strong and rapid. Feeds on the seeds of a species of wormwood, 

 which grows plentifully around the lake. 



95. Montifringilla adamsi, Moore, MS.* 



Mountain Finch. 



Common on the bare and barren mountains of Ladakh and Little 

 Tibet, and feeds on the seeds of the few plants found in these deso- 

 late and dreary-looking mountains. Its cry is like that of a Lark ; 

 and its habits on the ground are very similar. The nest is composed 

 of grass, and generally placed in the long dykes built by the Tartars 

 over their dead, so frequently to be seen in that country. General 

 texture of the plumage lax and soft. Size of the Chaffinch. Iris 

 hazel. Bill perfectly conic, the commissures considerably sinuated 

 and lobed in the middle. Nostrils basal. Head and back greyish- 

 ashy ; three first wing-quills nearly equal ; quills black, having the 

 secondary quills broadly tipped with white. Wing- coverts white, 

 tipped with black ; last feather of the wing-quills like the head and 

 back. Tail moderate and rounded, having the upper feathers black, 

 and the under white tipped with black. Lower parts greyish-white, 

 with an obscure black mark on the neck. Lower extremities black ; 

 hind toe and claw much longer than the lateral toes, which are 

 about equal. 



96. Carpodacus erythrinus (Pallas). 



Scinde, not common ; lower ranges of the Himalayas ; Cashmere ; 

 cultivated districts of Ladakh. Pretty common ; seen generally 

 solitary or in small flocks. Habits resemble Linnets. 



Note. — On the Peer Pinjal ranges of Cashmere I saw a species 

 of Finch larger than the above, with the red on the body more bril- 

 liant, particularly on the throat and breast. I was inclined to think 

 it was the Carp, rhodochrous, Gould. 



* Sir William Jardine considers this a new species allied to M. gebleri. 



