152 WANDERINGS OF A 



appear, is confined to the higher and more northern chains. 

 The geographical range of these two varieties has not, how- 

 ever, been definitely settled. This species is a cosmopolite 

 in so far as it is widely distributed over the warmer parts of 

 Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and, like the generality of 

 birds with an exjiensive geographical distribution, is subject 

 to variety. The rock-thrush is everywhere a wild and wary 

 bird, and not easily approached. 



The pale-chested harrier, and moor buzzard, were often 

 noticed to pounce on our dead and wounded quail ; their chief 

 food, however, appeared to consist of lizards and a short- 

 tailed field-mouse (Arvicola), which is very common in 

 cultivated districts. 



Several flocks of the black-breasted sand-grouse were 

 observed at daybreak and dusk, drinking at ponds and tanks. 

 The rufous-rumped or Daurian swallow, and the wire-tailed 

 species, were plentiful in the ravines. The "tooty," or 

 roseate finch (Carjpodacus erythrinus), was seen in flocks feed- 

 ing on the unripe Midberries ; also the Malabar grosbeak 

 {Munia maldbdrica) frequented the hedges, where its sweet, 

 plaintive twitter was often heard. This little creature is so 

 tame that you may approach a flock within a few yards ; 

 numbers are caught in nets and kept in confinement. 



Although many of the birds of the Kuller Kahar Lake had, 

 by the 12th April, taken their departure for the cooler regions 

 of Tartary to breed, a large number still remained, and 

 afforded us two days of uninterrupted excitement in procur- 

 ing specimens. For several days previous to our arrival the 

 weather had been very hot, and the day haze denser than 

 usual. The latter may in part be owing to exhalations from 



taken, indeed it requires to be proved that what he names P. affinis {J. A. S. 

 xii. 177) is not another variety of this widely-distributed species. 



