Birds of the Indian Hills 



Scientific ornithologists recognise this great 

 difference between the two faunas, and include 

 the Himalayas in the Palaearctic region, while 

 the plains form part of the Oriental region. 



The chief things which affect the distribu- 

 tion of birds appear to be food-supply and 

 temperature. Hence it is evident that in the 

 Himalayas the avifauna along the snow-line 

 differs greatly from that of the low, warm 

 valleys. The range of temperature in all 

 parts of the hills varies greatly with the season. 

 At the ordinary hill stations the minimum 

 temperature in the summer is sometimes as 

 high as 70°, while in the winter it may drop to 

 23° F. Thus in midwinter many of the birds 

 which normally live near the snow-line at 1 2,000 

 feet descend to 7000 or 6000 feet, and not a 

 few hill birds leave the Himalayas for a time 

 and tarry in the plains until the severity of the 

 winter has passed away. 



28 



