280 WANDEEINGS OF A 



fell in quantity sufficient to cover the surrounding mountains 

 several inches in thickness. These sudden changes of tem- 

 perature are of frequent occurrence during the sultry heat of 

 midsummer, and are doubtless owing to the different states of 

 the atmosphere of the plains and valleys, compared with the 

 mountain-tops, both as to temperature and electrical condi- 

 tion. 



The Tibetan sand-grouse {Syrrhaptes tibetetniis) repairs in 

 large flocks to drink at the fresh-water springs ; two were 

 killed by a party of Englishmen at our encamping-ground on 

 the day previous to our arrival. The plumage of both sexes is 

 much alike, but the long tail of the male is distinctive. A 

 fine eagle, with white head and neck, black body, and long 

 wedge-shaped tail, was seen on a cliff near our tents. 

 The tailless rat* (Lagomys hodgsonii) is plentiful, but I did 

 not see the other species {Lagomys roylu) so common on the 

 Cashmere ranges. One or both may be the Pharaoh's mouse 

 mentioned by Marco Polo. The lagomys is said to be eaten 

 by certain tribes in Tartary. Some persons have supposed 

 the marmot to be the animal referred to by the above traveller, 

 but I have not been able to discover that it is ever used as 

 food by the natives. 



The alpine hare (Zepus owstolus) was common among the 

 fallen boulders, and along the stony bottoms and sides of the 

 valleys leading towards Poogah Lake. This species very 

 much resembles the alpine hare of Europe. It makes forms 

 under rocks, and is said to burrow in banks, where we saw 

 several holes partially filled up with soil, after the manner of 

 rabbit-burrows. like its congener just mentioned, this species 

 changes colour with the seasons. It is said to be almost 

 white in winter. In midsummer it is a light-brown, ex- 



' Waterhousc's Rodents, vol. ii. p. 20. 



