SOME OF THE FAMILIAR BIRDS OF INDIA. 461 
most limit of the Asiatic continent, and it is therefore the winter 
: _ residence of a vast number of species which migrate from the colder 
_ regions of central Asia, and even from Europe. The Himalayan 
_ Tange forms no impassable barrier to them in their journeyings 
north and south; but, taking advantage of favoring valleys and 
_ mountain gorges, they have chosen for themselves great highways, 
_ over which they pass and repass as the changing seasons require. 
_ Dr. Stoliczka has recently discovered one of these highways in the 
valley of the Sutlej in the northwest Himalayas. This valley forms 
- almost direct passage through the lofty mountain ranges, from 
E the plains of India to the elevated table-lands of Central Asia. 
E In a distance of one hundred and ten miles it ascends from one 
_ thousand to thirteen hundred feet, and Dr. Stoliczka found there 
_ many species of birds which one would not expect to find in such 
elevated mountainous region. 
= Rahouri is situated on the bank of the Mala river, in the broad 
_ Valley of the Godavery, twenty-three miles northwest from Ahmed- 
Muggur. The country round about is open plain, and the land for 
: the most part is fertile. Immediately around the village are a 
large number of gardens which are more highly cultivated and irri- 
Sted by water drawn from wells by bullocks. There are a great 
_ ‘many trees, of various kinds, in these gardens, and it is therefore 
© favorable locality for many of our familiar birds. Without 
‘Attempting to include in this list all the birds found here, I propose 
_ lorestrict myself to those which I have seen from my study window, 
adin my own garden. In front of my window, one hundred feet 
- dlistant, is a thick hedge of Milkbush (Euphorbia tirucalli) fifteen 
feet high, and upon either side of the intervening space are a 
_ Munber of acacias and other trees. The garden is a much larger 
e, surrounded by the same hedge and containing many 
"ees of different kinds. With limits thus circumscribed, our list 
- will, of Course, include only a few of the most familiar birds.* i 
= Neophron Ginginianus. The white scavenger vulture. This 
_™s formerly supposed to be N. percnopterus, the “Pharaoh's 
ken” of Egypt, but is now acknowledged as a distinct race. 
i  Hieraëtus pennatus, The dwarf, or booted eagle. Often Sei 
among the common kites, and it so much resembles them in size 
OP) ae Facey TE OY E ae ee RN RI TS, ee A ae ee Se ee ery eg al a ay Ee AR e E ey ye eee eS Me 
y E 
Tilin, Aak or three exceptions all the birds included in this list, and no fone 
hc may be seen in the Museum of the City Library Association in Sp 
