182 THE BIRDS OF MONGOLIA ETC. 



coverts yellowish. The two central tail-feathers dark ohve-colour ; the 

 others black, with a white spot on the end, but without a white base; only 

 small white spots are perceivable on the base of the second and third quills. 



This species, called by me after my travelling companion, was found by 

 us only in the Kan-su mountains, and is much rarer than C. kamtschatkensis ; 

 it most probably inhabits only the bushes of the alpine region, and there 

 principally the neighbourhood of brooks and rivulets. We did not succeed 

 in finding a nest ; but in the latter part of May I killed a female bird 

 in which I found a completely developed greenish egg, which, however, was 

 broken by the shot and could not be measured correctly. In its habits it 

 very much resembles the preceding species, and does not occur north of 

 Kan-su. 



73. Grandala ccelicolor, Hodgs. 



Grandala ccelicolor, Gould^ Birds of Asia_, part xiv. pi. 



This beautiful bird, inhabiting the highest rocks of the Himalayas, was 

 met with by me only in the alpine region of the Kan-su mountains, not below 

 12,000 feet above the sea-level. I noticed it for the first time on the 

 enormous rocks and clifi^s of Mount Sodi-soruksum, about the end of July : 

 there was a small flock, consisting of old moulting birds as well as young, 

 which somewhat resembled the females in their plumage and were flying about 

 from one rock to another uttering now and then a pecuhar and rather feeble 

 whistle ; I never heard them sing. Not being pursued by man, these birds 

 are very tame, and even when shot at they do not go away any considerable 

 distance. In August we noticed several flocks, some of them fifty in number, 

 flying about Mount Gadjur, and ahghting now and then on the rocks and 

 cliffs. The first spring arrival of them we observed on the 20th of April, in 

 the alpine regions about Tetung-gol ; but having left the high mountains 

 about that time, we could not watch their breeding-habits. Grandala coelicolor 

 also does not appear to occur north of Kan-su. 



