scarcely disturbed the kites in the least, and the latter successfully
reared their young.
Of the smaller Falconidce, sparrowhawks (Accipiter nisus),
hobbies (Falco subbuteo) and kestrels (F. tinnunculus) * were all
fairly common ; a few kestrels spent the winter at Tuna, but
their numbers were largely reinforced by migrants in the spring.
Three species of owls occurred, among them, the large eagle-owl
(Bubo ignavus), which is rather common at Lhasa. In the spring
hosts of migratory birds appeared. Thrushes were represented
by the red-throated ouzel (Merula ruficollis)f, on its way to
breeding grounds in higher latitudes, but most of the following
birds remained with us until the cold weather set in : Redstarts
(Ruticilla rufiventris and R. hodgsoni) were particularly
numerous, as were also hoopoes (Upupa epops), willow-warblers
(Phylloscopus affinis), rosefinches (Propasser pulcherrimus and
Carpodacus severtzovi), cinnamon sparrows (Passer cinnamo-
meus), and several species of wagtails. The resident sparrow
of Southern Tibet is the common European tree-sparrow
(Passer montanus). This bird abounds even in places which,
from the total absence of trees, would apparently prove quite
unsuitable ; however, the bird accommodates itself to circumstances
and occurs in all the Tibetan villages.
The horned lark (Otocorys elwesi) is another common resident
species, but is only met with in the bare, treeless tracts of
country, and retires to the mountains and higher passes to
breed. The same applies to the large calandra lark (.Melano-
corypha maxima), whose melodious call-note became very f a m i l i a r
to us.
Skylarks (Alauda arvensis) abound from Gyantse to Lhasa ;
swifts (Cypselus apus) J and sand-martins (Cotile riparia) §
occur along the well-watered valleys, and swallows (Hirundo
rufula) and crag-martins (Ptyonoprogne rupestris) everywhere.
Flocks of red-billed choughs (Pyrrhocorax graculus) frequented
the whole of the country that we visited. This is the same bird
as the Cornish chough, but it differs from the British species in
being of a larger size. As they do not feed on carrion, it is difficult
to imagineAwhat food such large numbers find in winter in
the bare frozen country round Tuna. Magpies (Pica bottanensis)
* Cerchneis tinnunculus.
\ Cypselus pekinensis.
t Turdus ruficollis.
§ Clivicola riparia.
are very common at Gyantse and Lhasa. They very closely
resemble the British magpie (P. rustica), but are distinguishable
from the latter by having the rump entirely black ; they are
also somewhat larger birds.
As might be expected snow-finches (mountain-finches) are
well represented in Tibet. Three species (Montifringilla blan-
fordi, M. ruficollis and M. adamsi) spent the winter with us at
Tuna. Though there was literally nothing for them to eat there,
-except the scanty seeds of coarse grasses, they kept in excellent
condition, even during the severest weather.
The Tibetan twite (Acanthis brevirostris) is also very common
and very similar in appearance and habits to the European bird.
No cuckoos were met with ; this is rather strange since
several species, including the familiar Cuculus canorus, are
common in summer up to high altitudes in the Himalayas. The
wryneck (lynx torquillu), known in many parts of England as the
“ cuckoo’s mate,” occurred in small numbers at Lhasa, early in
September. It was no doubt migrating then, as it is a regular
winter visitor to the plains of India.
The blue-hill pigeon (Columba rupestris), the differences between
which and our own blue rock (C. livia) are very trivial,
is the common pigeon of South Tibet. Although the Tibetans
are not pigeon fanciers, this bird lives in a semi-domesticated
state in all the villages. Oddly enough, the, “ snow ” pigeon
(C. leuconota), a handsome pied bird, was only seen at comparatively
low altitudes in the Chumbi Valley.
There is a good stock of game birds. In the Chumbi Valley
monals (Lophophorus refulgens) and blood pheasants (Ithagenes
cruentus) were very numerous, and on the mountains and high
table-lands the fine Tibetan snow cock (Tetraogallus tibetanus)
was.almost equally common. Snow partridges (Lerwa nivicola)
were decidedly local in their distribution, but the Tibetan partridge
(Perdix hodgsonice) was plentiful almost everywhere. It is
an excellent bird for the table, but is too confirmed a “ runner ”
to afford much sport. From the sportsman’s point of view, one
of the best birds is the sand-grouse (Syrrhaptes tibetanus), which
also occurred in considerable numbers.
The Hram or Bam tso and Kala tso, lakes on the road
between Tuna and Gyantse, were covered in the spring with innumerable
geese and ducks, resting, for the most part, on their