Page:Mongolia, the Tangut country, and the solitudes of northern Tibet vol 2 (1876).djvu/112

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BIRDS OF THE UPPER ZONES.

mergeier (Gypaëtos barbatus), the latter an inhabitant of Europe, the two former exclusively belonging to Asia. The Snow-Vulture is an immense tawny-coloured bird, measuring ten feet between the tips of the wings. These are the chief representatives of the birds of prey.

Among the Scansores (climbers) no very remarkable kinds can be mentioned. Swifts (Cypselus leucopyga) build their nests in the rocks below; cuckoos (Cuculus sp.) and woodpeckers (Picus sp. Picus Martius) are heard in the woods; but the Japanese goatsucker (Caprimulgus Jotaca), so common in Eastern Asia, is not met with west of the Munni-ula.

We now come to the most numerous class, viz. the Warblers, comprising the large white-headed redstart (Phœnicura leuсосерhala), only seen on the banks of streams in company with the active dipper (Cinclus Kashmirensis), the Kamchatka ruby-throat (Calliope Kamtschatkensis), the small yellow-breasted bullfinch (Pyrrhula sp.), scarlet bullfinch (Pyrrhula erythrina), the rose-finch (Carpodacus sp.), the tiny wren (Troglodytes Nipalensis), several kinds of Phyllopneuste, and the blue magpie (Pica cyana). The Pterorhinus Davidii and Trochalopteron sp., nearly allied to the thrush family, sing very sweetly on the banks of the streams.

Three kinds of thrush (two I believe to be new species) inhabit the tall forests, all excellent songsters; here, too, we saw four kinds of titmouse (Parus sp.) hedge-sparrow (Accentor multistriatus), and great