18 ^ 8 -] N. TV. Himalaya. 7 



far as Shalkhar, on the Spiti river, and then travelling a few marches through 

 the present Chinese province ' Qto-tsM along another tributary, the Para river 

 wo come upon the elevated plains of the Tibetan province Kupshu s cross the 

 Turghoo-la (or Jaborscesa.pass,-only about 17,000 foot high) to the hot spring 

 of Puga, and thus reach the upper Indus valley, without any such difficulties as 

 snow beds, glaciers and avalanches &c, which usually are experienced in travers- 

 mg high passes. The ascent of the Turghoo-la is, on the whole, scarcely two 

 thousand feet, and the incline is so gradual, that even a cart-road, if required 

 could bo made with little expense and no difficulty. It is, however, not my 

 object here, to point out a new route to Central Asia, but it is necessary to 

 draw attention to the great facilities, which, at the same time, this routo 

 affords to the migration of birds, because these and other favorable oironms- 

 tances must bo consulted, when an explanation of many of the peculiarities in 

 the character of the avi-fauna of the valley has to be given. 



Viewing the general physical construction of °the valley within the 

 central chain of tho N. W. Himalaya, the greatest peculiarity consists in its 

 small width, while the neighbouring hills rise to a very considerable elevation, 

 and thus exhibit very different conditions of climate within a compar- 

 atrvcly small geographical area. These apparently anomalous conditions 

 are best exemplified from the occurrence of a few characteristic Indian 

 plants. Tims for instance, in some places, Euphorbia aniu.ua, Ficus relijiosa, 

 Musa and other more or less tropical plants are found on the base of a 

 1 lll ' Wlie ^ hlgher P° rti0US of A- same declivity are adorned with 

 the finest cedar and pine forests and, above the limit of these trees with 

 numerous glacial or Alpine plants, the summits being crowned with eternal 

 snow and ice. 



It no doubt greatly depends upon the extent both of the arboreal vegetation 

 and of tho brushwood, whether the slopes of the mountains at different 

 elevations always shew equally marked distinctions in the fauna, as they 

 do m the flora. But, when tho different climatal conditions are placed within 

 such narrow geographical limits, it will easily be understood that their 

 approximation is particularly favorable for the migration ef species, which 

 in time become used to a somewhat different climate, if the respective 

 looaht.es are suitable to allow an easy passage. I shall subsequently 

 note several instances, which appear to be the result of such a o-radual 

 acclimatization. ° 



The province Kunawar, in which many of the ornithological observations 

 here recorded were made, extends from Shipki to Wangtu bridge (N lat 31° 

 27', ; E. long 78°, 3'). A large portion of this province is situated on the N 

 eastern declivity of the central Himalayan range, and has much Tibetan admix-' 

 tare m its fauna and flora. Travelling from the Chinese frontier -to the west we 

 won see the Tibetan Caraycena and the Jwmperus squamosa replaced by tho 

 larger Jump, cxcclsa, Finns cxcclsa and a few others ; fine specimens of apricot 



