76 W. E. Brooks — Cashmir Birds. [No. 1, 



I am very strongly of opinion that there are two species closely allied, 

 both being found in Nepal ; the larger one ranging from thence to the 

 extreme West and North, even to Siberia, and the shorter winged one extend- 

 ing eastwards. I am borne out in this conviction by both Dr. Jerdon and 

 Mr. Hume. On Mr. Hume shewing Dr. Jerdon his specimens of II. 

 fuliginosa, the latter said they were not fuliginosa, and that he did not 

 know the bird ! In proof of this statement, Dr. Jerdon after a hunt among 

 his box of skins produced at last a singularly broad billed little sooty fly- 

 catcher, labelled H. fuliginosa in Mr. Blyth's handwriting. This bird I 

 saw. It is smaller ; agreeing with Hodgson's measurements, and has an 

 entirely different bill ; broader and more convex on the outline, as looked 

 upon from above. The bill is so thoroughly different in shape, that it could 

 not be easily confused with the larger bird. I, therefore, conclude that our 

 bird is not the original fuliginosa, as described by Mr. Hodgson. The 

 dimensions on the back of the drawing of the nest above referred to, are 

 in native character only ; not by Mr. Hodgson himself, and there is no evid- 

 ence to show that he confused the two birds. If Mr. Gray is correct hi Ms 

 identifications, our North- West bird should probably stand as H. Siberica, 

 Gml., being distinct from II. fuliginosa, Hodgson. 



Captain Cock found a nest of our bird with three eggs at Sonamurg up 

 the Scind river. It was placed against the side of a tree trunk, and the 

 eggs were of a pale greenish ground cokrar minutely mottled with pale reddish 

 brown, especially towards the larger end ; size of eggs "65 by '46 inch. 



Siphia LETJCOMELAircrEA. — Not uncommon in Cashmir wherever there 

 are pine woods. As in the' case of Ianthia rufilata, many pahs of these 

 birds which were breeding had the male hi the plumage of the female ! Only 

 two pahs which I shot had blue males. 



The nest is a neat little cup, placed in a hollow in the side of a tree 

 trunk. The eggs 4 in number are of a pale buff color, clouded with dull 

 pale rufous towards the larger end. Size, '62 by "48 inch. 



Erythro sterna parya. — Breeds sparingly in Cashmir at from 6 to 

 7,000 feet elevation. The males in breeding plumage have the red of the 

 breast bordered on each side by a stripe of velvet black. This is not shewn 

 in Dr. Bree's illustration. In winter the black border disappears, nor is it 

 regained before the birds leave the plains of India in March and April. The 

 song is sweet, loud and Robin-like, but short. I failed to find a nest. 



Pratzn t cola Ikdica. — The small black Indian species is the stonechat 

 of Cashmh. It is not an abundant bird anywhere, as it is in Kumaon. 

 The first place in Cashmh* where I met with it was at Thunna Mundi, south 

 of the Bultun Pir mountain, at about 4,000 feet elevation. Up to this point 

 Pratincola caprata is the very abundant stonechat ; extending through all 

 the lower ranges, but not beyond Thunna Mundi 7 nor did I see it at all 



