298 WANDERINGS OF A 



appreciable degree. It is common at high altitudes aU over 

 the Cashmere ranges. A flock of snow-pheasants were seen, 

 together with the quoir monal or snow-partridge (Lerva 

 nivicola), which at a distance resembles the other, but it is 

 very much smaller. This handsome bird is not uncommon 

 in certain localities and at high altitudes on Cashmere, 

 Ladakh, and northwards. Mr. Wilson of Mussouree, whose 

 long and intimate acquaintance with the habits and haunts of 

 the larger animals and game birds of the Western Himalayas, 

 entitle him to be considered a good authority, says : " The 

 snow-partridge breeds near the limits of vegetation, and lays 

 from six to seven eggs."* Its wild plaintive whistle very 

 much resembles that of the snow-pheasant, to which bird it 

 assimilates likewise in habits. Both it and the other Te- 

 traogalli of these regions are hardy, and I imagine would 

 stand the climate of Northern Europe. We saw flocks of a 

 starKng-iike bird flitting from one bare patch to another on the 

 confines of the snow ; they ran with much celerity, but no 

 specimen could be procured. What appeared to be the male 

 had long pointed wings, was a fine glossy black above, less so 

 on the lower parts ; the others, possibly females or young of 

 the year, were less brilliant, and of a sombre blackish-brown, 

 like that of the Asiatic water-ousel. There are light and 

 dark coloured varieties of the latter to be seen both in Ladakh 

 and on the lesser ranges near the plains of India.. As usual 

 at such elevations, flocks of the brown mountain-finch {M. 

 nemoricola) were plentiful. 



The scenery of this day's march, taking it all in all, from 

 the snow-clad mountain-top to the grassy hill-sides and 



* Calcutta Sporting Renew for December 1848 contains an excellent de- 

 scription of the habits of many Himalayan game-bii-ds by Mr. Wilson (" Moun- 

 taineer"). 



