27th.—­Another new bird has come in.  A Fringillina, with curious Flycatcher habits, I have only seen two individuals, they perch towards the top of trees, and thence sally out after winged insects.  I examined the contents of its stomach, and found only seeds, gravel, and soft insects.

The sun is increasing wonderfully in power, but the trees are not as yet budded.  Shrubby Polygoneae, with flagellate branches and leaves, in which the petiole is as much developed as the lamina, form a curious feature of Affghan Flora; Euphorbia linifolia common, the herbaceous one in profusion.

28th.—­Spring coming on rapidly, snow not within 2,000 feet of where it was twenty days back, and the sun oppressively hot; winged ants in abundance:  whenever this happens it proves the perfection of the crows, which are on all such occasions to be seen acting the part of flycatchers in addition to their various other callings, soaring and sweeping round after these insects, but not returning as Merops or real flycatchers to a fixed station.  I have hitherto seen only the jackdaws at this spot in Calcutta, but here the real crow mingles in it.

In Calcutta, the common kite often acts a similar part, but catches only with its feet.

A small kingfisher is to be found here rarely, it is much like the Indian blue and reddish one, the white and black kingfisher is not seen here, although found at Jallalabad.

The species of sub-wader, with a stout upturned beak, is a true Grallator, yet is not always about water, but often in the driest places; the genus has a flight strongly resembling that of certain Anatidae.

A Monaul pheasant, or some similar splendid bird is found in the snows of Kaffiristan, all I have seen of it are a few feathers.

Merula more common, Anthus, Timalia, observed.

To-day one good specimen of a splendid pinus, allied to P. longifolia, was brought from the mountains, where it is found among snow:  this makes the third species; one cultivated at Candahar near a mosque; the short-leaved Julghozeh, from Tazeen; and this one which has as fine a cone as can be wished.

Where did the profusion of Justicia Adhatoda which I find here come from, is it not a distinct species?

March 2nd.—­Proceeded to Chugur Serai, started from the other side of the ferry at 11.30 A.M., and reached at 4 P.M.  No halt of any consequence on the road.  Passed Nachung at 12.50:  the first rocky ground occurred at the narrow part of the north side of the valley 2.25.

15th.—­And thence to Chugur 4 P.M., distance certainly thirteen miles.

Road decent, good about half-way, where it extends over cultivation on firm ground, then over rocky, stony, raviny ground.  From the 12.50 station, the valley becomes much narrower, and the river confined to one bed:  cultivation scanty, between this and Chugur, where, about 400 yards of excessively difficult ground occurred, commanded by the precipice under which the path, which is execrable, runs.  It is quite impassable for guns.