1849.] On the Physical Geography of the Himalaya. 777 



and dirt birds (Malococercus). Thrushes proper with rock thrushes, 

 Ousels, Myophones, Zootheres, Tesias and Hypispetes are as abundant 

 in the central and upper region as Bulbuls, Orioles, Pittas, are in the 

 central and lower. 



In the Finch family the Haw-finches, Bull-finches, Gold-finches and 

 Cross-bills (Loxia) are as strictly confined to the upper region, as are 

 the corvine Conostomes, Nut-crackers, Choughs and Ravens. The for- 

 mer are replaced in the central region by the Buntings, Wood-finches 

 (Montifringilla), and Siskins ; and in the lower region, by the Weavers 

 and Munias. The Raptorial birds are, in general, too cosmopolitan to 

 subserve the purposes of Geographic distribution. Still it may be 

 remarked that the true eagles belong, quoad breeding at least, to the 

 upper region ; the crested eagles (Circseetus), the Neopuses and Hawk 

 eagles (Spizaetus) to the central ; and the Pernes (Halisetus et Pan- 

 dion) and Haliasturs to the lower. Among the vultures the distinction 

 is more marked : for, the eagle vultures (Gypaetus) belong exclusively 

 to the upper region ; the large European vultures (Fulvus et Cinereus) 

 to the central ; and the Neophrons, and the small Indian vultures 

 (Bengalensis et Tenuirostris) to the lower. The Himalaya abounds in 

 Falconidse, all the occidental types and species being found there and 

 many more, peculiar and oriental ones ; and it deserves special remark 

 that whereas the former (Imperialis, Chryssetos, Lanarius, Peregrinus, 

 Palumbarius, Nisus, &c.) affect the upper and central regions, the 

 oriental types (Hypotriorchis, Haliastar, Jerax, Hyptiopus, Eianus, 

 Poliornis) are quite confined to the lower region. 



Those perfect cosmopolitants the waders and swimmers, migrate 

 regularly in April and October, between the plains of India and 

 Tibet, and, in general, may be said to be wanting in the mountains 

 though most abundant in the Tarai. The great Herons (Nobilis 

 et Cinereus) the great Storks (Nigra et Purpurea) and great Cranes 

 (the Cyrus and Damoiselle) of the Tarai are never seen in the 

 mountains where the Egrets alone represent the first group. But the 

 soft-billed smaller waders (scolopacidse) are sufficiently common in the 

 mountains, in which the woodcock abounds, breeding in the upper 

 region and frequenting the central, and rarely the lower, region, from 



the lower region, this sufficiently proves they are not native to the central tract 

 though common in the great valley of Nepal. 



5 H 



