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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:
After a snowfall delay, the party crossed the Lo La on April 24 and descended the steep south side into the Rhododendron–Abies forest. Along the Chudi Chu they observed numerous Rhododendron and Primula species, including the new Primula P. chionogenes and another unnamed Primula on an inaccessible cliff.

CONTENT:
were in bud, and a few Rhododendrons - e.g. R. hirtipes, and R. cinnabarinum var. roylei were just in bloom. But we did not expect very much on the North side. Owing to fresh soft snow falling, we had to wait one day before crossing the Lo La, but early on April 24th we crossed while the snow was still frozen with no difficulty. The ascent up the North side is easy and gradual, but the descent on the South is almost precipitous. Except in the valley bed, there was little snow on the South face, and we came upon our first flower - P. atrodentata - almost at once, covering ledges of a cliff. A short way down we reached the Rhododendron - Abies forest. We were still a little too early for the majority of Rhododendrons, but found R. exasperatum, R. lopsangianum, R. forrestii, R. hodgsonii, and R. commodum in full bloom. The earlier Primulas too were showing. Where the snow had just melted, and even where it had not quite gone, there were many plants of P. vernicosa. Close beside it was Bryocarpum himalaicum. On the left bank of the Chudi Chu, down which valley we now made our way, there is an inaccessible cliff which was most annoying. Had we been able to scale this our bag would have been much greater. However, avalanches swept over this in the early spring and brought with them seeds or roots of plants from much higher up. Among these was a new Primula - P. chionogenes - which showed itself as a compact little golden clump of almost precocious flowers, growing on a bank just uncovered by avalanche snow. On the cliff was another new Primula (not yet named - like P. clutterbuckii) which we had great difficulty in reaching.

Next day we continued down the Chudi Chu through dense and very wet forest. More Rhodos were taken, including R. uvariifolium, R. neriiflorum, R. hookeri and R. ciliatum. At the lowest point reached, about 8500', R. lindleyi was very common in flower.