MIGRATION of birds to and from Southern Asia, says Mr. Hodgson, seems to take place across the mountains of Nepal. The wading and natatorial birds, generally, make a mere stage of the valley on their way to and from the vast plains of India and Tibet, the valley being too small, dry, open, and populous for their taste,— especially that of the larger ones. Some, how ever, stay for a longer or shorter time in their vernal and autumnal migrations ; and some, again, remain throughout that large portion of the year in which the climate is congenial to their habits. Of all of them, the seasons of arrival both from the north and from the south are marked with precision. They all arrive in the valley of Nepal, from the north, towards and at the close of the rains ; and all as regularly reappear from the south upon, or soon after, the cessation of the hot weather. • The jackdaw, Corvus monedula, of Europe, Siberia, Barbary, West Asia, Peshawur valley, and Kashmir, may be seen in flocks in winter in the northern frontier of the Panjab, associated with the Cornish though and the rook. The first two come from Kashmir, where they are found in great abundance during the summer ; but the rook, if ever seen in Kashmir, is only a cold weather visitor, and seems to come from the west, inasmuch as it is said to be common in Afghan istan. It appears at Rawal Pindi in flocks about the beginning of September; it is found in winter as far south as Lahore, and disappears entirely in March. The hooded crow has been brought from Northern Afghanistan, and is mentioned by Lieu-; tenant Wood in his travels as common in Kunduz, but it is not found in Kashmir or in the Panjab. The chimney swallow makes its appearance in October, and leaves again for the straw-built sheds of Kashmir, where it breeds and spends the summer months. The white-ramped martin and sand martin are both likewise migratory, and repair to Kashmir and Ladakh in summer. The black and alpine swifts remain longer, and may be seen careering about during the summer evenings, especially after a shower of rain. The ringdove is a resident on the Sub-Himalaya. The common starling is plentiful in the north as else where in Hindustan. The lapwing, Vanellus cristatus, arrives in flocks in the beginning of November, and departs for the west early in spring ; its summer residence has not been found out, but it must be common in certain parts of Persia and Afghanistan. The common and jack
snipe, with a few painted snipe, appear in the Rawal Pindi district in February and March. • Nearly all the water-fowl met with in the rivers and marshes of the north-west come from the Tartarian lakes, where they breed.
The numerous wild-fowl of Tibet, swimmers and waders, migrate from India in March and April, and return in October and November. They all breed on the lakes and rivers of the country, and are very numerous; the eggs are found in great quantities ; the people who live by gathering and selling these eggs never rob a nest of all its contents, but take about half the number.
After a sultry day it is usual to see the wire tailed swallow skimming over the plains, and by the side of pools and streams a solitary green sandpiper, Totanus ochropus, is not rare. The brown-backed heron, Ardeola leucoptem, also occurs in such situations. The black ibis (G. papillosus), with its red crown, is seen during the cold months flying along with the rooks and European jackdaws ; and besides, on the marshes about, the great and little bitterns, with the spotted tail, are not uncommon. Of the other European birds may be noticed the short-eared owl, moor buzzard, the pale harrier, Circus Swain sonii, the cormorant, ruff, and sinew, all coming and departing with the winter months.
Migration of Fishes. — The fishes inhabiting the fresh waters of India, Burma, and Ceylon may be divided into those which enter from the sea for breeding or predaceous purposes, and such as more or less pass their lives without descending to the salt water. Of the spiny-rayed or Acanthopterygian order, we have nineteen genera, the members of which are most numerous in the maritime districts and deltas of large rivers, while their numbers decrease as we proceed inland. Few are of much economic importance, if we except the common goby, spined-eels (Mas the snake-headed walking-fishes (Ophiocephalidm), and the labyrinthiciform climb ing-perch and its allies.