134 WAKDERINGS OF A 



flitting swallow-like after their winged prey. It is extremely 

 common all over India and westward to north-western Africa. 

 The Indian specimens show some variety which I have not 

 noticed in those of Egypt. Numbers of a small white-rumped 

 martin were often noticed. No specimens, however, were 

 procured ; and although I then supposed the species to be 

 identical with the European martin, I hesitate now in coming 

 to that conclusion, in consequence of skins procured by me 

 on the frontier of Cashmere having been considered to be 

 different from the Chelidon v/rhica. Around the villages — ^for 

 what native village would be complete without them ? — were 

 govind kites, Indian jackdaws, and the noisy mina birds. 

 In the fields and sandy wastes were numbers "of a pipit, 

 usually gregarious in the cold months, and often seen associ- 

 ating with the crested lark previously named. This species 

 is larger than the Anthus agilis, Sykes, to which its plumage 

 bears a resemblance. Its total length is 7J inches ; the 

 markings on the throat and breast are more numerous, with a 

 slight tinge of rufous on the latter ; inner surface of the wings 

 dirty white. 



March 23. — To Bone, fifteen nules. In order to escape 

 the heat of mid-day, we started very early, and marched the 

 first few miles by moonlight. The route led by narrow foot- 

 paths through stony ravines and cotton-fields. When day 

 dawned, we found ourselves toiling up a rather broad valley, 

 and soon had the mortification of discovering that the guides 

 had lost their way, and our three hours' travelling had been 

 to no purpose ; we soon, however, got on the right track, and 

 entered on a fine open district, thickly covered with fields of 

 green wheat, and by noon arrived at the town of Chtikkowal, 

 during a Sikh festival, and just as one of their priests (goroo) 

 was about to address a large assembly in a tent pitched under 



