3G0 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [No. 4. 



Pallas, and E, alblda, nobis), previously obtained by Capt. Hutton in 

 the Tyne range between Masuri and Simla. The European Jackdaw 

 (Coevus monedula), as well as the Hook, occurs at Peshawur ; and the 

 former of these is very common in Kashmir.* 



3. Babu Hajendra Mallika. A dead Monkey, Macaco's cynomolgos. 



4. J. Uvedale, Esq. A small snake, which fell down from a cocoa- 

 nut tree in the neighbourhood. The species appears to be undescribed, and 

 may rank as 



Dipsas hexagonotus, nobis. Specimen evidently quite young ; but 

 well distinguished from the common D. teigonata by a series of broad 

 hexagonal scales, commencing at the occiput and continued along the whole 

 back. The lateral scales (towards the abdominal plates) are distinctly 

 grooved. Head as in D. teigonata and various affined species. Colour of 

 specimen bright ruddy-ferruginous, inclining to coral-red ; paler below, and 

 mottled with black bordering some of the scales of the upper-parts. Head 

 green, the throat white, and the labial plates posterior to the eye yellow : 

 a slight blackish occipital streak. Scutae 247 : scutellse 126 pairs. Rows 

 of scales 21. Length of specimen 18 in., of which tail 4 in. It proba- 

 bly grows to a large size, and may become wholly green. 



We take this opportunity to remark, that we are at present in tempo- 

 rary possession of a fine living specimen of the Geus austealasiana, 

 Gould (or i Native Companion' of the Australian colonists) ; which, until 

 recently, was supposed to be identical with Ge. antigone, (L.), or the 

 Indian Saras or Surhuns. Mr. Gould's figure of it, in the * Birds of 

 Australia,' is far from being one of his best. The Australian Crane has 

 much more of the aspect of Ge. vulgaeis, Pallas ; but is considerably 

 larger, with the head bare and papillose to just below the conspicuous patch 

 of grey ear-coverts, and a dewlap-like throat-wattle or pendulous lappet 

 of skin (of a black colour with red or carneous anterior edge), which is 



* In a letter dated April 22nd, Lt. Trotter remarks — " I observe that those 

 flights of Passer salicicolus have begun again this month ; and I am afraid 

 that their appearance is a sign of the approaching hot weather. They fly in large 

 flocks towards sunset, in every direction, and turn about all at one time." Again, 

 after a visit to Kohat, he writes — " I saw immense flocks of Passer salicico- 

 lus at Kohat, where it is called the ' Kabul Sparrow.' They roost in thousands 

 on the trees there, and we fired once or twice at them, and knocked over upwards 

 of 50 at one shot. I even heard that 1 17 had been brought down at a single shot." 

 Lt. H. M. Drtimmond, of H. M. 42nd Regt., notices the highly gregarious cha- 

 racter of this species in Barbary, where it is the common House Sparrow of the 

 country. Vide Ann. May. N. H. XVI, 107. 



