170 
OnmTROLOGY— continued. 
n. DETAILED LIST OF THE BIRDS OBSERVED BY THE YARKAND 
EXPEDITION. 
Bt G. Henderson and A. 0. Hume. 
The numbers prefixed are those of Dr. Jerdon^s work on 
the Birds of India, or, where the species is not included in 
this latter, of Hume^s Catalogue. Each author is respon- 
sible for the observations to which his initials are appended. 
7. Gypaetus barbatus (Linn.). 
This bird was seen every day from Jamu to the plains of 
Yarkand and Sanju. It was the only large raptorial bird 
noticed beyond Le, and on the Lingzi Thang plateau almost 
the only living creature except a species of Antelope, of 
which no specimens were obtained. It was usually observed 
at sunrise, perched on some precipitous clifi* until the sun 
was well up and the air grew warm, when it commenced 
sailing along the faces of the clifiPs, passing and repassing the 
same spot; generally, however, they were in pairs, keeping 
near to each other. There is usually a pair to be seen near 
every village in Ladak. From Le to Sanju the whole route 
is strewn with dead horses in various stages of desiccation, 
the climate being too cold and dry to admit of putrefaction, 
but the Laemmergeier was never observed feeding on these, 
except on one occasion. This was at Dras on the 25th October, 
and here, after a male bird of the year (expanse 96 inches, 
length 4.2 25) had been shot on a carcase, the old birds 
returned to it several times, perching on large stones near 
at hand, even after they had been repeatedly fired at. As 
a rule they were not so bold ; they seldom came near the 
camp, but commonly perched on some neighbouring rock, 
apparently waiting for any oflFal that might be left when the 
camp moved on. [G. H.] 
