NOTES ON BIRDS COLLECTED BY DOCTOR W. L. ABBOTT IN CEETKAL ASIA. By Harry C. Oberholsek, Assistant Biologist, Department of Agriculture. Dr. Abbott's earliest collections of birds from Cashmere aud Ladak Lave already been fully treated by Dr. C. W. Richmond.^ Upon leav-ing Madagascar, in 1895, Dr. Abbott proceeded again to Cashmere, where he spent tbe remainder of the year — some four months — mostly in places previously visited. Again, in 1897, he was there for a month or so from about the middle of October, having come from Ladak, in wbich latter region, at various localities, he had been collecting since the middle of June. As the ornithological results of these later visits to Central Asia, the United States National Museum has duly received two consignuients of specimens; and at the request of the curator of the division of birds a list of them is here presented. Although these collections number together only 142 specimens, representing 62 species, they comprise several birds of considerable interest and a number not previously obtained by Dr. Abbott. All matter within quotation marks is to be credited to the collector. The writer is under obligation to Dr. Richmond for his uniform courtesy during the preparation of this paper, as well as for permission to make use of his notes upon several of the larger species. Family LARID^. LARUS BRUNNEICEPHALUS Jerdon. Larus irunneicephalus Jerdon, Madras Journ., XII, 1840, p. 25. Two adult females in somewhat worn breeding plumage, from Tsokr Cliumo Lake, Ladak, at 15,000 feet altitude, July 13, 1897. "Iris pale greenish 5 orbital skin red; feet red ; bill dark red. Length, 16§ inches. A colony of 15 or 20 individuals at this lake. Nests not found." ' Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XVIII, 1896, pp. 451-503. Proceedings U. S. National Museum, Vol. XXII— No. 1 1 95. 205
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