12 Ornithological Observations in the Sutlej valley, [No. 1, 



1. Gyps eulvtts, G m e I, (I. 8), which is the common European 



species, and 



2. Gyps indicus, S c o p., (I. 9), which is very rare in the interior 



of the hills. 



3. Neophron Ginginianus, Lath., (Ibis 1866. II. p. 233— 

 Neoph. percnopterus apud J e r d o n, 1. 12) is often seen in summer on 

 the lower ranges about Belaspoor and Suket, but is almost never to be 

 observed further in the interior. 



4. Gypaetus barbatits, L i n, (I. 13) is common all through the 

 Sutlej valley and through W. Tibet ; it generally retires in winter from 

 the Northern parts of W. Tibet to the more Southern hills, but 

 permanently resides about Chini. The Chukor, Oaccabis chukor, and 

 other partridges are his favourite meal. It is, however, well known, 

 that this bearded eagle often accepts any other refuse of bones and 

 meat being very often seen near the houses of hill stations. 



When marching through Lahul in 1865, the people assured me that 

 it very often carries off lambs and kids and is very bold at the time of 

 breeding. The natives of Kulu, about Plash and the eastern districts, 

 prize the meat very highly, which is not only eaten by the low 

 class, the Kolies, but rather more by the higher class, the Kauits. 

 They generally tie a chukor on a short string, and stick four or five 

 sharpened spears in the ground crossing each other, so as partially at 

 least to cover the bird and at the same time to radiate with their points 

 in different directions. The eagle is watched from some distance and, 

 as soon as it throws itself with its usual great force and velocity 

 upon the prey, it is overpowered with large clubs before it can 

 extricate the spears from its body. 



The Himalayan Gyp. barbatus is, as regards the deep yellow and 

 reddish hue of its plumage, identical with the African variety, while the 

 Alpine specimens,— which are becoming very rare— generally have a 

 much paler plumage. 



II. Fam. FALCONIDJE. 



5. Falco peregrinus, Gmel, (I. 21) is often seen in the spring 

 about Kotegurh, but I have not observed it between May and the 

 middle of September anywhere else in the Sutlej valley. 



A male specimen, shot near Kotegurh in March, has the lower 



