O f nocturnal birds of prey are found 9 species of
Owls. Corvine birds prevail to the number of about 13.
species, including the Cornish and Alpine Choughs
that are interesting. More particularly they are the
Raven and Brown-necked Raven, Carrion and Hooded
Crows, Jackdaw, Rook, the Bactrian and Whitewinged
Magpies, the Nutcracker, Pander’s Podoces,
Rose-coloured, Common, and Purple Starlings.
The Finch family comprises no less than 40 species,
with one new species of sparrow {Passer Ammodendri),
named by Severtsoff, and found in the salt plains o f
north-west Turkistan. Then follow the White-winged
Grossbeak,Greenfinch, Brambling, Chaffinch, Snowfinch,
and Gray-crowned Finch; two kinds of Linnet; the
Twite, Mealy Redpoll, the Himalayan and European
Goldfinch, Red-fronted Finch, the Eastern Bullfinch,
and eight species of Grossbeak ; White-browed and
Meadow Buntings, the Ortolan, and 11 other kinds
of Bunting, two of them being found throughout the
country and in the loftiest districts below the perpetual
snow-line. The Yellow and White-capped Buntings
have not apparently been found so high.
The Thrush family is represented in Turkistan by the
Blackbird, Black-throated and Mistletoe' Thrushes,
Fieldfare, Redwing, and some two or three more
besides the Common and Blue Thrush. Some 9 or
10 species of Wheatear, including that so well-known
in England, the Whinchat and Stonechat, of which
last there is also a local race, begin the family of
Warblers, of which more than 40 others are found in
the country. Many of these are well known in Western
Europe, as the Greater Nightingale, the Bluethroat,
Redstart, Redbreast, Barred and Orphean Warblers,
both Whitethroats, both Reed-Warblers, Savi’s, and
the Grasshopper-Warbler, besides the Golden-crested
Wren and the Yellow-browed Warbler, which last
occasionally strays to this country. The Hedge-
Sparrow does not occur, apparently, in Turkistan, but
3 or 4 allied species are found there.
Six species of the Titmouse family are found in
Turkistan, only one of which, the well-known Oxeye,
is common to England, but the Bearded Reedling’
often referred to this group of birds, occurs there as
well. Two species of Dipper are found throughout
the country. Other small birds are the Nepalese and
European Wrens, the. Syrian Nuthatch, Wall- and Tree-
Creepers, and no less than 10 forms of Wagtails. O f
Pipits there are 7 species, and 14 of Larks. There
are also 10 kinds of Shrikes; the Golden-Oriole and
Waxwing; the Spotted and Red-breasted Flycatcher;
the Swallow and Red-rumped Swallow; Siberian, Sand,
and Crag Martins; White-rumped, Alpine, and Common
Sw ifts; the Goatsucker and Egyptian Goatsucker, and
the Hoopoe. This last I saw in the north of Semire-
-chia and in the streets of Vierny. It is common in
Turkistan, and breeds up to an altitude of 8,000 feet.
Other Turkistan. birds are the Roller, the Common
and Persian Bee-eaters, the Common and Indian Kingfisher,
of which the latter seems to be plentiful, but the
former ra re ; the Pied and Three-toed Woodpecker,
the Wryneck, and the ubiquitous Cuckoo, which lays
its eggs as high as the apple and ash groves of the
Lower Thian Shan. To these must be added the
Darjeeling Wood-Pigeon, and the Stock and Rock
Doves, with the Collared and Egyptian Turtle-Doves,
also the Black-bellied, Pin-tailed, and the wonderful
Pallas’ s Sandgrouse, which last, some twenty years
ago, invaded Europe in such an astonishing way.