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SUMMARY:
Sherriff went up to the Chayul Valley, working around the Kashong La and Lung area, while the diarist collected Himalayan Crossbill specimens feeding on larch cones. Notes indicate a return to Tsona and travel to Sakden via Tawang, then to Dewangiri.

CONTENT:
Sherriff went up to the Chayul Valley to work round Ludlow Sherriff
the Kashong La, the Lung neighbourhood. Separate
I got lovely specimens of a bird I have been on the look out for
years - the Himalayan Crossbill, Loxia curvirostra himalayensis.
A number of them in mixed birch, silver fir & larch forest. They were
feeding almost entirely on the cones of the larch.
See Ibis. 348. T Aug. 6.

L. D. return to Tsona & from there to Sakden via Tawang - then
to Dewangiri.

SUMMARY:
The party crossed the snow-bound Lo La at night, then traversed the Nyug La and Kargong La to reach Shalong by April 27, describing the Shalong plain and listing notable birds collected. On returning to Molo they secured Sclater's Monal on the south face of Lo La and, during May 17–24, recorded additional species, with marginal notes on pheasants and Picea spinulosa.

CONTENT:
17a. (from 16a).
'33 April 14 - May 24

At Molo we took immediate steps to cross the Lo La, a feat which the local people assured us was impossible so early in the year. But we were of a different opinion. Experience has taught us that most knife-edge passes over the main range can be crossed with ease at night when the snow is frozen. The Lo La proved no exception. Though snow still lay breast high for several miles on the northern slopes of the pass, we had scampered over this by dawn, and by sunrise were well down the southern slopes within the conifer zone. (April 24.)

Sclater's Monal was seen in rhododendron and fir forest just below the snow line, and Temminck's Tragopan in deciduous and Tsuga forest at a somewhat lower level.

We crossed the Nyug La (11,000) and the Kargong La (13,800) and pressed onwards through the densest rain forest along a most atrocious track to Shalong (6,300) which we reached on April 27.

Shalong is situated in the middle of an extensive plain about 8 miles long by a mile wide. At its northern end three streams unite to form the Siyom River, which flows quietly down the centre of the valley. On either side of the river are large areas covered with bracken and pasture land which have been cleared of forest. Excellent cattle graze on these open downs, which are hemmed in on all sides by luxuriant, almost impenetrable, rain forest.

We spent 10 days at Shalong (See p. 22-28) — a hopelessly inadequate period in which to study its avifauna. The most interesting birds procured were:

No. 78 Grammatoptila striata austeni
No. 70 Suthora fulvifrons chayulensis
No. 83 Leioptila pulchella nigroaurita
No. 84 Sibia (Actinodura?) nipalensis daflaensis
No. 197 Tribura luteoventris
No. 372 Hirundapus caudacutus nudipes
No. 379 Tragopan temminckii

[Marginal note: Large numbers of Crossoptilon or Blood Pheasants in the wood. Molo. R. vellereum 3623, R. hirtipes 3624]

On our return to Molo we halted for a day on the south face of the Lo La, where, at last, we succeeded in obtaining a good series of No. 376-377 Lophophorus sclateri (Sclater's Monal).

[Marginal note: Picea spinulosa 3627 very common]

During stay at Molo — May 17-24 came across:
No. 356-8 Spinus thibetanus Himalayan Siskin — 1st time L. D. had seen it.
No. 348-9 Loxia curvirostra himalayensis Himalayan Crossbill — also obtained in 1936.

Other interesting birds at Molo were:
No. 71. Sitta europaea tibetosinensis
No. 368. Picus canus kogo
No. 74. Ianthocincla maxima
No. 81. Fulvetta striaticollis striaticollis
No. 371. Psittacula derbyana Lord Derby's Paroquet.
No. 372. Paroquet

To 28a

SUMMARY:
The party left Sanga Chöling, crossed the Traessen La, traversed high dry country to the Tsari valley, visited Tsobermang, and descended the Tsari Chu to Migyitun, unsuccessfully seeking Sclater's Monal. With flowering largely over by late September, they separated for seed collecting, sending two collectors to Pachakshiri, while returning via Kyimpu where Himalayan Crossbills were abundant. Sherriff collected seed on the main range above Lung, and later L. and the narrator went via Tsana and Tawang to Sakden, where Shanth rejoined at Dewangiri.

CONTENT:
Route

L. Iris H. We left Sanga Chöling again on Aug. 6 and ascended the Char Chu to Shing. We then crossed the Traessen La (16,900) and worked eastwards through unexplored country to the head of the Tsari valley. The country traversed on this part of our journey was very elevated, and lay entirely within the dry zone. The birds met with were mainly those of the plateau, and of no particular interest.

We paid another visit to Tsobermang and then descended the Tsari Chu to Migyitun where we made another effort to obtain specimens of Sclater's Monal, but without success.

It was now the end of Sept., and except for Gentians and a few other plants, the flowering season was over, so we decided to separate again for the seed harvest.

Having sent 2 of our collectors to Pachakshiri, we returned to Sanga Chöling to pick up the remainder of our baggage, and descended the Cha Chu to Kyimpu. Kyimpu lies at the foot of the Le La at an altitude of 13,500 ft. Here in the conifer woods I encountered a bird I have sought in vain for many years. This was the Himalayan Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra himalayensis), another rarity according to the textbooks. Here at Kyimpu however it was very common, feeding in large flocks in larch trees. (Nos 348)

From Kyimpu Sherriff returned to the passes on the main range above Lung and spent a month collecting seed.

L. and I. returned to Tsana and from thence to Sakden via Tawang. From Sakden to Dewangiri where Shanth rejoined them on Nov. 24.