THE BIRDS OF MONGOLIA ETC. 293 



pairs ; and at that time the male can almost always be seen either running or 

 flying after the female. 



The nest is constructed on the ground^ in holes about three or four feet 

 deep, the empty holes of Lagomys ogotono being at times used for that 

 purpose, the birds digging them out themselves — in which case they are 

 narrower, not deeper than from two to three feet, and not straight but curved. 

 The bottom of the hole is wide ; and here the white eggs with a yellow tint, 

 usually six or seven in number, lie on a lining of dry grass, hair, and down, 

 measuring 0"77-0"-84 and 0"-53-0"-59 respectively. 



In the Shara-had we found, on the 20th of May, several nests of this 

 species. Most of the eggs were incubated, and some already hatched. On 

 the 12th of the same month one of my companions took a nest with quite 

 fresh eggs ; and on the 7th of June we, for the first time, met with fledged 

 young. 



The northern limit of its distribution is about Urgey — L e. where Mon- 

 golia attains a mountainous aspect. The southern, and perhaps also the 

 eastern boundary is formed by the northern bend of the Khanghor. 



149. Pyrgila*uda ruficollis, Blanf. (Plate LIV. in. fig. 2.) 



This species has been described by Blanford in the ' Proceedings ' of the 

 Asiatic Society of Bengal (1871, p. 227), and was placed under the generic 

 name of Montifringilla ; but since J. Verreaux has lately estabhshed the new 

 genus Pyrgilauda, this bird must referred to the same. Its measurements 

 are— length 6"-6"-2, width 10''-5~10"-7, wing 3'^-57-3"-8, tail 2'^-12-2'-5, 

 tarsus 8"*3-8'''5, gape 0"*5-0"*53. The female does not difi^er from the male 

 in colour and size. In its habits it is similar to the preceding species, and 

 has the same w^avy flight, quick running, and shivering of wdngs when sitting 

 quietly. The voice, however, is difi'erent, and somewhat resembles that of 

 our Tree-Sparrow. 



