188 



in the Great Caucasus, for at Achalkalaki and Alexandropol it winters at an altitude of 5000 feet. 

 In the Great Caucasus Kadde met with it in November and December at Gudaur, on the 

 Kreuzberg, and as far as the station Kasbek ; on the range southwards to Mleti and northwards 

 to Lars it was much rarer in the winter and is not found there in the summer. On ascending 

 the Sawalan he observed it above 10,000 feet altitude; and early in November 1879, near the 

 village of Slawjanka, on the road to Kedabeg, he met with it in company with Shore-Larks at an 

 altitude of about 4500 feet. 



In Persia, according to Blanford (E. Persia, ii. p. 248), it is a " permanent inhabitant of the 

 Elburz. The specimens obtained were shot in the snow by a collector whom Major St. John 

 sent into the mountains in February. In summer it keeps to a considerable elevation. De Filippi 

 found it at the base of Demavend, and 1 saw one flock, near the crest of the Elburz, on the road 

 from the Lura Valley to Anan, at an elevation of between 9000 and 10,000 feet above the sea. 

 The birds were on very steep rocky ground, and I shot one, which rolled down some precipitous 

 rocks, and despite a long search, and much climbing on difficult ground, I was unable to find it." 

 According to Horsfield and Moore (Cat. ii. p. 491), Griffith obtained it in Afghanistan, near 

 Gurdan Dewar, on the Helmund, at an elevation of 11,500 feet; and Dr. Sharpe states (2nd 

 Yark. Miss. p. 31) that specimens were sent from Kaskasu, and that Dr. Stoliczka observed it on 

 the Turgat Pass, north of Chakmak. 



In Turkestan it is, according to Severtzoff, resident, and appears to be common in suitable 

 localities, and many were obtained by the brothers Grum-Grzimailo in the mountains of Bei-schan 

 (Schin-schin-scha and Ssa-tschinsa) between the 17th and 20th of February. 



In habits and mode of nidification the present species does not appear to differ from its 

 western congener Montifringilla nivalis. 



According to Dr. Radde it frequents the rocky treeless and bare portions of the mountains, 

 and is never seen in the wooded districts or the valleys. It is usually found in small flocks of 

 six to ten individuals, and is extremely tame and even phlegmatic. It breeds numerously in the 

 clefts of the rocks near the post-station of Kobi, and consorts with Sparrows, Accentor alpinus, 

 Linota cannabina, and Rock-Thrushes. All do not breed, as in passing the Kreuzberg small 

 parties were seen during May and June. 



I have not been able to procure the nest and eggs of this Snow-Finch, which doubtless 

 resemble those of Montifringilla nivalis. 



The specimen figured is the male in breeding-dress above described, and is in my own 

 collection ; and I have likewise figured on the same Plate, for comparison, a male of Montifringilla 

 nivalis, also in summer plumage. 



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, <J. Erzeroom (Zohrab). b, <$ . February 9th; c, 6. August; d, J. November, Turkestan (Severtzoff). 

 e, ? . Tochta-chou, E. Turkestan, June 1889 (Pevtzoff). f, <5 , g, $ . Schin-schin-scha, February 18th, 

 1890 (Grum-Grzimailo). h, S ■ Kobi, Caucasus, December 189 -1; i, ?. Gudaur, Caucasus, December 

 1894 (Dr. G. Radde). 



