114 WANDEEINGS OF A 



9000 feet, flitting among the pine-tops and frolicking with 

 each other, or sporting about in quest of insects, the deep red 

 of the males contrasting with the like brilliant yellow of the 

 females. Their call is loud. 



In oak-forests, feeding on the fallen acorns, were flocks of 

 missel-thrushes {Twdus viscivorus). This species performs an 

 up-and-down migration on the western ranges, being found at 

 high elevations in summer, and in the more sheltered situa- 

 tions of the valleys during winter. My specimens, procured 

 on the Chor, and subsequently in Cashmere and Ladakh, 

 agreed in every particular with the bird of Britain, being only 

 a little larger. The black-throated thrush {Twrdus atrogularis) 

 is generally distributed over the woods and cultivated tracts 

 of these ranges ; both in habits and haunts it bears a close re- 

 semblance to the last species. It is subject to great variety — 

 so much so, that unless we are familiar with these changes, 

 nothing would be easier than to mistake different individuals 

 for distinct species. The changes appear to me to affect 

 young birds chiefly, whereas situation doubtless has much 

 to do, inasmuch as the species is found on the plains of India 

 and the alpine regions of the Himalayas. The black-throat 

 is wanting in some varieties, and there are several well- 

 marked similarities to what has been called the red-necked 

 thrush {Twrdus ruficollis), which Mr. Hodgson considers a 

 distinct species ; the latter I have not seen. 



We were startled one night by the unpleasant laugh of the 

 fish-owl {Ketvpa ceylonemis) ; no sound grates harsher on the 

 ear, or is more calculated to bring back recollections of hob- 

 goblins, than the loud hollow voice of this fine bird, nor is it 

 less startling to creep through the bush and come suddenly on 

 an individual moping at mid-day on a branch overhead, flash- 

 ing his large orange eyes full on your face, as with outstretched 



