244 
ORNITHOLOGY. 
Sind valley, througli Ladak, to near the Pangong Lake ; 
Red-billed Choughs, doubtless this same species, (no speci- 
men was obtained), were common on the Karakash. On 
the upward journey through Ladak, they were usually seen 
feeding, morning and evening, in larger or smaller flocks 
in cultivated ground; in October, on the return journey they 
were feeding in enormous flocks on the berry of the 
Hippophae rhamnoides. This bird was known in Ladak, as the 
Chunka. A young bird of this species had the legs and 
feet blackish red, the bill nearly black above and dark 
orange on the lower mandible. [G. H.'] 
679 {Ms), Podoces Hendersoni, Hume. (PI. xxii.) 
This species was found in the desert ground after leaving 
Sanju, en route to Koshtak, and also near Oi-Tograk. 
They always kept in pairs, and moved about from one sand- 
hill to another, seemingly searching for insects in the 
sand. The stomachs, however, were filled with grain, 
picked out of the horse-dung, found in the road. 
They habitually fluttered and flapped about in the sand, 
laving their feathers in it after the manner of fowls, or 
like some of our Babblers [Malacocerci), commonly called in 
India Dust-birds.^^ The Turki name Kum-tuche is 
said to mean sand bird.^'' There was hardly a trace of 
vegetation in the localities in which they occurred, and 
they were always seen on bare hillocks of drift sand. 
They were met with on several occasions, and always in 
similar localities. Mr. Shaw, who had seen them on his 
previous journey to Yarkand, said that they were good 
eating. [G. H.^, 
In its external form this bird unquestionably most nearly 
resembles the Choughs. Of its internal structure we have 
at present no materials for judging. Following Bonaparte, 
I have placed this genus with the Choughs, and not with 
the J ays or Magpies ; but I cannot avoid the suspicion that 
these birds may constitute a very aberrant form of the great 
Timaline group. 
