AVES. 7 



Eamsay, Ibis, 1880, p. 47; Severtz. Ibis, 1883, p. 52; Zamdn. Ois. Transcasp. p. 30 (1885) ; Scully, 

 Str. F. iv. p. 116 (1876); Eadde, Ornis, iii. p. 467 (1887) ; Menzbier, Orn. Turkest. p. 22 (1888). 



Dr. Henderson says that tlie Laemmergeier was " seen eyery day from Jamu to the plains 

 of Tarkand and Sanju. It was the only large raptorial bird noticed beyond Leh, and on 

 the Lingzi-tlmng plateau almost the only living creature except a species of antelope, of 



which no specimens were obtained There is usually a pair to be seen near every 



village in Ladak. Prom Leh to Sanju the whole route is strewn with dead horses in various 

 stages of desiccation, the climate being too cold and dry to admit of putrefaction : but the 

 Laemmergeier was never observed feeding on these, except on one occasion ; this was at 

 Dras, on the 25th of October." His note on the species contains many items of interest. 



According to Dr. Scully, 'Hhe Laemmergeier was often noticed on the journey through 

 Ladak ; but I only saw it once in Eastern Turkestan, viz. on the Sanju Pass and between 

 the Pass and Kichik Yailak, on the 24tli September, 1874^. The Sanju Pass, though only 

 16,000 feet above sea-level, is perhaps the most difficult on the road from India to Yarkand, 

 and is strewn on both sides with the carcases of dead horses. Marmots abound to above 

 Kichik Yailak, and the Bearded Vulture is said to prey on them, besides feeding on carrion. 

 The Turki name of this species is ' Ghiji.' " 



Genus AQUILA. 



10. Aquila chrysaetus. 



Aquila chrysaetus (L.) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. i. p. 235 (1874) ; Scully, Str. F. iv. p. 123 (1876) ; 

 Prjev. in Rowley's Orn. Misc. ii. p. 143 (1877) ; Homeyer & Tancre, MT. orn. Ver. Wien, 1883, 

 p. 82; Radde, Ornis, iii. p. 469 (1887); Menzbier, Orn. Turkest. p. 55 (1888) ; id. N. Mem. Soc. 

 Imp. Nat. Moscou, tom. xv. livr. v. p. 148 (1888). 



Aquila fulva, var. nohilis, Severtz. Turkest. Jevotn. p. 63 (1873) ; Dresser, Ibis, 1875, p. 99. 



Aquila nohilis and A. dajphanea, Menzbier, Orn. Turkest. pp. 61, 72 (1888). 



Dr. Scully writes : — '^ This species is the celebrated * Birkut ' — the name by which the 

 Golden Eagle is known in Khokand and Western Turkestan generally; in Kashgharia, 

 however, it is called ' Kara-Kush,' i. e. black bird. The trained bird is very common in 

 Eastern Turkestan, every governor of a district or town usually having several. It is said 

 to live and breed in the hills south of Yarkand and near Khoten, where the young birds are 

 caught, to be trained for purposes of falconry. A few stragglers occasionally visit the 

 plains in winter. I saw one a few miles from Yarkand in January, and another near 

 Beshkant in Eebruary. In the wild state the Eagle's prey is said to consist of the stag, the 

 'Kik' {Antilope subgutturosa), the wild cat^ the fox, and the wolf." 



A very fine specimen of the Golden Eagle was sent by Br. Lansdell from the Thian Shan 

 mountains during his recent journey through Central Asia. 



Genus NISAETUS. 



11. NiSAETUS PENNATUS. 



Nisaetus pennatus (Gm.) ; Sliarpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. i. p. 253 (1874) ; Bidd. Ibis, 1881, p. 41 ; Scully, 



ibid. p. 420. 

 Aquila pennata, Severtz. Turkest. Jevotn. p. 63 (1873) ; Dresser, Ibis, 1875, p. 101 j Blanf. East, 



Persia, ii. p. 112 (1876); Zarudn. Ois. Transcasp. p. 28 (1885). 

 Uieraetus pennatm, C. Swinli. Ibis, 1882, p. 99. 



A young specimen in the uniform brown plumage ; but the label with the particulars 

 of capture has been lost. 



Colonel Biddulph procured this species in the Nubra Valley in June. 



