198 



The range of the present species extends from Transcaspia eastward through Afghanistan, 

 Turkestan, and the Himalayas to North-western China. Neither Dr. Radde nor Mr. Zarudny 

 include it in their lists of the birds inhabiting Transcaspia ; but Mr. Pleske writes to me that the 

 latter explorer found it very common in that district in 1893, and obtained many specimens. 

 Sir Oliver St. John states (Ibis, 1889, p. 171) that two specimens were sent from Chamam, in 

 Afghanistan, which were obtained there in April 1880. 



In Gilgit it is, Col. Biddulph writes (Str. Feath. ix. p. 347), "a constant resident, but 

 seldom comes below 6000 feet, except in severe weather. I found it at about 10,000 feet in the 

 Astor Valley in June, when it was no doubt breeding. I have seldom seen it except in large 

 flocks of twenty or thirty. On the 29th April I shot seven out of a flock, which all proved 

 to be males." 



According to Prof. Menzbier, Mr. Majev obtained specimens at Kyzil-bulak and at Egin, on 

 the confines of the desert on the Upper Tarim River, in Kashgharia. 



Mr. Scully (Stray Feath. iv. p. 169) says that it is "only a winter visitant to Eastern 

 Turkestan, and is even then not common; it is said to migrate eastwards towards China in the 

 spring. Near Yarkand it frequents a sort of desert-bush called Kamglialc, on the seeds of which 

 it appears to feed. It is rather a favourite cage-bird with the Yarkandis on account of its 

 sweet song." 



Col. Biddulph writes (2nd Yark. Miss. p. 37) that he "first obtained one or two specimens 

 of this species at Tanksi (13,000 feet) in September. Again in the Karakash Valley in October 

 several specimens were procured on our arrival at Sanju in the beginning of November; they 

 were settling in immense flocks in short grass in the morning. A few specimens were obtained 

 during the winter in Kashghar, and in Wakhan in April we found it very common. They are 

 chiefly ground-birds." Dr. Stoliczka also found it common near Sanju in October. Dr. Severtzoff 

 states (Turk. Jevotnie, p. 117) that in Turkestan it is " a resident, and is found after the breeding- 

 season in flocks of from 50 to 100 individuals. It was killed at the end of September on the 

 Issik-kul, in August and October on the Upper Narin, at an elevation of from 9000 to 10,000 

 feet ; in October and in the winter, however, it is not found higher than 2000 feet ; in the 

 steppes, everywhere in summer as well as in autumn and winter, we found this bird only near 

 stony or clayey places. In autumn and spring it moves about very much, feeding on small 

 seeds, and avoids the woods and even the bushes. It runs very fast, although it has such short 

 legs ; and it flies swiftly and well." 



Prjevalsky met with this species in Halka, Ordos, and Ala-shan, and, though it was not 

 observed in Kan-su, it inhabits Koko-nor and Tsaidam, in which latter place he frequently 

 observed it in November on the clayey plains. In the localities he explored, the Hurka 

 Mountains form, he remarks, the northern boundary of its range. 



The brothers Grum-Grzimailo obtained it in the Eastern Tian-schan (Kitschik-ulan-ussu), in 

 the Njan-schan (Babo-cho), and in the mountains around Ssi-ning (Tschan-chu) ; and Pere Armand 

 David records it (Ois. de la Chine, p. 350) as " common at all seasons in the bare mountains in the 

 N.W. of China, especially in the districts bordering Mongolia." 



In general habits this Finch resembles its congener Bucanetes obsoletus, but inhabits the 

 sterile mountains, whereas that species frequents the plains; and Mr. Scully remarks that the 



