178 



Professor Menzbier informs me that it is, according to Mr. Zaruclny, an occasional visitor to 

 the Orenburg district late in September and early in October. Dr. Radde found it common 

 throughout the Transcaspian region wherever there were bushes or reeds, and it is also found high 

 up in the mountains. Zarudny also observed it in large numbers between the 2nd and 14th May 

 in the gardens in the Ahal-Teke oasis, and amongst the tamarisk-bushes on the banks of the 

 Douchak ; it was also tolerably numerous in the gardens of Merv, from whence it extends to the 

 tamarisks on the sandy plains bordering the Alikhanow canal. Mr. Blanford did not meet with 

 it in Persia, where he only observed C. elegans; but Sir O. St. John states (Ibis, 1889, p. 172) 

 that it was very common in Kandahar in winter, but less so in Quetta ; and Col. Swinhoe (Ibis, 

 1882, p. 115) records it from Quetta and Chaman in Afghanistan. Col. Biddulph, who met with 

 it in Gilgit, says (Ibis, 1881, p. 85) that small flocks appeared from time to time during the 

 season of extreme cold, but never seemed to remain more than two or three days at a time. 

 They breed at about 9000 feet, and are common in Cashmere in summer as well as in winter; 

 and Mr. Scully, writing also on the ornithology of Gilgit, states that it is very common at an 

 elevation of about 5000 feet from the first week in November to the first week in March, and in 

 summer is only found in the district at higher elevations, where it breeds. In India, according 

 to Mr. Oates (Faun, of Brit. Ind., Birds, ii. p. 226), its range extends in the Himalayas from the 

 Hazara country and Gilgit to Kumaun at altitudes of from 5000 to 9000 or 10,000 feet, according 

 to season. 



In Turkestan, Severtzoff found it common ; and Mr. Pleske says (Eev. Turk. Orn. p. 17) 

 that Ptussoff observed it at Tschinas, and in the Western Tian-shan at Baisim and Dscham, and 

 found it breeding on the Iskander-kul ; and the brothers Grum-Grzimailo obtained specimens in 

 the Bogdo-ola Mountains, in the Eastern Tian-shan. In Siberia it is recorded by Mr. Seebohm 

 (I. c.) as occurring at Krasnoyarsk, from whence he obtained eleven specimens, all exhibiting a 

 gradation between the present species and the eastern form of our common Goldfinch (Carduelis 

 major), and it has been obtained as far east in Siberia as Kultuk, on the Baikal. According to 

 Taczanowski (Faun. Orn. Sib. Orient, p. 636), Godlewski states that he only once met with it in 

 the Baikal district, where it is of accidental occurrence. Four specimens were seen, all of which 

 he obtained. 



In habits the Himalayan Goldfinch is said to agree closely with our European bird, and, 

 like it, affects open country, feeding chiefly on the seeds of the thistle. It breeds in the 

 Himalayas at considerable altitudes, as also in Turkestan, but there is nothing on record 

 respecting its nidification. 



When the present species and the eastern form of the European Goldfinch meet, they appear 

 to interbreed freely, as pointed out by Mr. Seebohm (I. c.) and other authors. 



The specimens figured and described are in my own collection. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined, besides the series in the British 

 Museum, the following specimens : — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a, 6 ad. January 19th ; b, $ . January 26th ; c, ? . January 28th, Ugam River, E. Tian-shan ; d,6 . Tashkend, 

 November 30th {Severtzoff) . e, ? . Relete, Tschinas, Transcaspia, February 21st (Dr. Radde). 



