‘ifm ih absiie ph y Te petra Ho ” i) one ert NC a8 Ta sicaiscn ene re A bape Beebe, Make ee) Pepe Bien ar} res DU i +8 yey we elegy ‘be ht . = 8 Paehoty Moruieeassraes ye iehese ieee veararehepeats a Sooty Go prep Rt ats Ms nei bee y if: D-we@eiahe Dept tlsge fogry. SAN) ras pran 199 hn darn Segtibetty ’ Dire quintet PUREE. JeDA bor yn) Shit} Wnnppenshtts uke A ta beptirita fife re nen Webine fs pe HS Gey. De Pade Hs ripe ripeness aarobae rt Moy i itt MAY dey int Pom teiw Wy ‘agullages. oats is: vit eat ape Tbe ree ee 4398 bo. ya {66 bre tony Angad ieiaboet 4 deb Suljabepenntons, jialiadedepnduaezesen gents liitinbi@easngohee cee, Oboe. ea /iDis: j i sw wae Renbednorsesente? sah i Aobety ge! MEPS 7: ip NaF fh Whe std f we NWoipeeseivaion yoigrays Mae tote bet edd AG) slr n fobs Og Oo vite Mea Ie Peoftern sp 1 Aon Mir She Se: badlics habe bale pe iy ht Oe B88 yea parte tae Bp: nny A tS po 0 Bais sb pe 2s Mysies Abas Antes hr) Ds hoi Dp ober: ep: ey) 43 79s Repos ina ty Meador Tt ot Sede lhepetit Ute dp ge Lua thr trerec sey ptenegtet Sor aa argede prota: Yelamaaan ed ‘1 MHS DADs pe prt can cer PR hyd? Ie hob: Sas so eras idee ran 2 Br; aT IB eye F<9t eer p oe bap ota betel: es fou iearaaros Tiikitesseqacpre ie Oss Mahe Satay M5 he 2 hea cn 1-95 Ribot: Sthknbomadencmee co ne 0989 hed Rage sais ea. % " 4 Mon anantpde Pceatelilrdse Orbe Peer sper aet Tt re O3Ha)sa2U rem Momanen: oars om anita. rye potions eejeisarheae prelate t fb Bade mth Or Bebra bs, sania "noes ede bi Ss Arprie iN RROD Sess Tees ee ten LSet hates oe pagieen tate mateo haven hs Anbonsdaas hegremepeta trea 22 Hele g Neastnantd bh “ ictal seu hee Crees Hm ve x NAS hag : dentin vanes 3 peti nae ie Ses bw desi bap rie satp ha + Otay, Cem deet Ad ASG toes Pe beebOReg: Wed a(ht aca Ra 99 gx a De abe neds aed aual tone ee Nee) ed oH 8 Ab te deen SHOE) (ivy 99 OFT tee * tentittyeteters Broth isos iestasiey? ve Fone: . Adan Kar oanaorgehiats 185 Y. eibs het) 3 Dolbe Both he Ar oad fats eats Beeeore te jail ORs Forge he Spe ent snasdege A #24t Bape ihc yo . fies 4 G sit sea aeimnren arrears a z pate pag 9°42 otha ihe jc) Bi dehT Mi oaer: PGBs 8s hatha he Aa shey Aen pve denal Herts Go lbepons ke HAY NRA are oie Oye PGahin» Hh 99s +0 Geb Die Hoatiias gay NOG OV Aa ha Sh pnepaabeaibl niin, Wav ha eaanng ea te Pyare boty me ak Fos Hepa obo g: miiitherishresHareten Dtiva00s fa aede Wie Graapayaife D Wyre jag YEP Pdr canny. 9:9 aeNN Ba 179) oka a boat by Lips ohare bs we isl be ibe iga Da epate Go: ot (kOh bh Heine olde ipo dn bois rr Mldhod i Cet iy oe 108 het che 1D) ois mh 0 thy de Arts he@ Hebi 2/2 Dok brs ibe Hy An (RS O40 Mhodhe Be an |e avon (reBB Br o> Any the Wai 0 trsth fh. ety beth ry nae x Prasad. Loree bal bind Ss MDS neti s Gi ft Om Rede tge 4) bade ie Goorbipuerdunenscpeseeets Bn dvieeasoporacans robots nana aaa oie: eee: verbs rial eee ricecssacaencant tn Si rebate sey) eno str mynirubaehrbtonel Nba Apeccotar tsbrernpnal iy dy Lpipeeol a pi Fe ehaisinpeaeniant rr an | rT 3 dihi Bibathr ite riper ry Ireoreiean ve Lopasheos rapa Prehterted hetetal Wrietbene ihe ipetusipe Ar Baile th Ie r esa pahehssauen Neoete abe Wh low iba Ma iV fe Nana ‘be Nehenntona tes HHS ihe | tee MAUL SL ie ry i ei epee | serbtbsteshslebuisin drach eabenoah nth Th ha oes eS Priows ieasoegh se: ha Hy eae boing ws oth Bed: Reena tof Meda ba ———— pa hetedtiemn nts) ee 297A nde idobeuteseesrecenas rig feehy rats HAP i ty Buea’ fOURNADL vC~ DERE OE? fie Bompay Narourat Hisrory Socrery, EDITED BY W.-S. MILLARD, R. A. SPENCE and N. 8. KINNEAR. VOL. XXIII. Conszsting of Frve Parts and containing Twelve Coloured Plates, Fifty-nine Lithographed Plates, Diagrams and Maps and Fifty-four Blocks, Part I(Pages 1 to 181) 2 ,» V Cadezx, Sc.) IT (Pages 183 to 384) ... '», LIT (Pages 395 to 592)... » LV (Pages 593 to 802)... Dates of Publication. Hombay: wen bE D AT THE seLM ES PRESS. 30th June, 1914. 20th Now., 1914. 2nd Feb., 1915. 25th May, 1015. 30th Sept., 1915. ona fistity o~ *hye BS 2 mw YW | 2 | BTR CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER. Wo. lL. PAGE Ture GAME Brrps oF InpIA, BURMA AND CEYLON. Part XIII. (With Plate XIII.) The Large Pin-tailed Sand- Grouse and the Common Sand-Grouse. By E. C. Simamielsad Ker i /S.,, FNZAGU.e MBsO.Way Dhindaeisice SMa eed a an 1 SCIENTIFIC RESULTS OF THE MamMaL Survey No. VII. By CONGUE) ro MA MavonanaIes DORR SSH Shain Sane sued? nese ys ee en aemee 23 DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF GoRAL (Nemorhodus) SHOm BY. CARRE. Me BA: ) By ik de Pocock, rR.S. 32 A Poputark TREATISE ON THE Common INDIAN SNAKES. Part XXII. (With Plate XXII, Diagrams and Maps.) The Fasciolated Rat-snake and Gray’s Rat-snake. By Major sh eNVallt teMeS:, ACSMeZeS 4 2.05... wl aebivre cine seis oes 34 Nores oN THE INDIAN TIMELIIDES AND THEIR ALLIES. By Wteyoirdale Wale, Soleyamalerior Macy tos neoand Ash onePaacnonechebar 44, THE ComMoN BUTTERFLIES OF THE PLAINS OF INpIA. Part XS Ali garebaiyg Ml eekunplo clean ESPON cS ae Ieuan. Siecle 79 SomE NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF THE KaGHAN VALLEY, Haz- ARA District, N.-W. Frontier Province. By Capt. Copy Abe WN ehnatelneacly. Sune Peels’ A a Mem ie tenet lst toA UNL Sen 104. A List or GRASSES FROM AHMEDABAD AND Surat. By L. pa Sedionwelas TCs A ited. la che SANG Staite en aoa PEKO DeEscRIPTIONS OF INDIAN Micro-LeEepipoprErRA. Part XVIII. JByy dag: Wilenraeriel ew isGk ee JORINeSig AAS) Or Be ged AAaor mele cane ore 118 ROGRHSS OF) THE MAMMAL, SURVEY $..s...cacchocdeoses. sc. 00 131 A PRELIMINARY ACCOUNT OF THE COCCIDZ OF WESTERN ini) By Ramrao iS. Kasargode, 2002 ..5-0....0-.------ 133 Reviews.—A Text-Book of Medical Entomology. ‘“ My Somali Book,” a record of two shooting trips. Wild Life Across the World........ PSA MS ohh LON 3 Stas 138 MISCELLANEOUS NoTEs :— I. Notes on some Mammals of Sikkim. By H. dl! MIDIS ieisyiay UEISES > Aa ee neyo an sia 1435 Il. A Record Tiger. By Maharaja Scindia ...... 144. JON, WAU JUG 2SUDE XIV. OV VEL, CONTENTS. The use of a Hyzena’s (Hyena hycena) tongue By N. V. Ringrow. A Brown variety of the Sloth Bear (Melursus and fat as medicine. CSU), Iie (Ce SENUDOCIGresy (aes Senne se Mere Striped Weasel in Arakan. By N. B. Kin- TBYSUD | SU ae a Mee Cerra erie AER oreo Notes on the smaller Kashmir Flying Squir- Welle IB Mileyore Jalay ANS. JOOS Sos cao cae codec Varieties of Markhor Horns. By Capt. J. F. AMON OVS Te 9 tio S aN Raa RN Metin, Cierra 2 A few notes on the Wild Goats and Fere naturce of Northern Arakan, Burma Notes on the Domestic Yak of the Taghdum- By Capt. R. W. G. Hing- SEOM OT MiG oid chee vite obeel S- tw atinaene eee bash Pamir. Interesting Birds from Jhelum District, Pun- By H. Whistler, M.B.0.U. “aes The Nilgiri Babler (Alcippe phceocephala) in ae By HE. jab. Bastar State, Central Provinces. Jo ADI Oe ALS) The Yellow-breasted Babbler (Mixornis rubrica- -pillus) in the Bastar State, Central Provin- By tea. WD Abren, n2Z.s: An abnormally coloured Shama (Kiittocinela eee eee eer eee ces eee ees oes eee ces. macrura). By Capt. F. HE. W. Venning, AVE OULD, | tere taa vaMiee tiie diss albany mea arr oe cea The Breeding habits of the Brown-backed In- dian Robin (Thamnobia cambarensis). By H. Whistler, M.B.0.U. The occurrence of The Bank Myna (Acridotheres By B. Sundara eee eee ese tee ste eee eee ginginianus) near Madras. TEVA UNA eels ee plot inate aslo yete chin arene nee TOMO A New Swift from Burma. Swift (Micropus pacificus cook). H. H. Harington The Burmese By Major Pa ee ee ey XV: XVIII. XIX. XX. XXI. XXII. XXIII. DOXIVE XXV. XOXO: XXVII. XXVIII. NOZOD XXX. XXXI. SOOM: CONTENTS, Notes on Doves in the Punjab. By H. Whis- {HIGIRS IBA OnUU gic BeemeOe Bbepbou doc cudcounae sosoor Doves in Bombay. By N. B. Kinnear......... The Snow Pigeon (Columba lewconota) at a low By Major H. F. Fulton......... Imperial Sandgrouse (Pterocles arenarius) in Chitral. By Capt. H. F. D. Stirling...... Note on the habits of the Kali) pheasant. TEL Wie Ae ENES Citi od ocoosh bogecesus uadeagedaee: Bewick’s Swan shot near Quetta. By Capt. R. Meinertzhagen elevation. Pe ee Bronze-Capped Teal (Hunetta falcata) at Roor- kee. By Lieut. R. G. Bignell ............ Late stay of Snipe. By Col. G. H. Evans ... White Snipe. By Col. G. H. Evans Egret Farming in Sind. By George Birch... By Col. A curious habit of Kites and Crows. G. H. Evans Simotes splendidus, Giinth., in Burma. Capt. F. EH. W. Venning ...........--.+-+++ Occurrence of Cantor’s Watersnake (Cantoria By Major F. Wall, c.M.Z.S., F.L.S., LM.S. 00... ses esses ees eee eee eee ese ese ese ese ees see eee see violacea) in the Andamans. A new snake of the Genus Tropidonotus from the Eastern Himalayas (J'ropidonotus firthi). By Major F, Wall, C.M.Z.S., F.LS., TARE MIE On A Piceee eer). Sanat glace edn ee A newsnake from Baluchistan (Dipsadomor- phus jollyt). By Major F. Wall, C.M.z.S., ATi Sep WME RW bee esudac ace soa ge Ono ROA eoecenecen show that the snake hitherto has been Remarks to known as Zamenis mucosus misplaced, and should be included in the Genus Zaocys. By Major F. Wall, C.M.z.5., FFU Si, BCS peep antiduanmebeerom a eabebacnicecc 166 166 167 168 v1 CONTENTS. XXXIII. Are the snakes Oligodon travancoricus (Bed- dome) and O. venustus (Jerdon) entitled to specific distinction ? By Major F. Wall, CIBC MRIS SPA VIR Se neers hn Oy Hee ae XXXIV. Are not the snakes Simotes theobaldi (Giinther) and Simotes beddomiu (Boulenger) one and the same species? By Major F. Wall, GEMAZASS pi LSio ile MiSet 3cf: sleds fina. Ween scan XXXV_ Siamese Fighting Fish (Betta puguax). By Col Gy ably Hiv anise ways cat Al ob B onl eeeeae XXXVI. New Species of Indian Grasshoppers belonging to the Genus HMieroglyphus (Krauss) and the Genus Hieroceryx (Bol). By Leslie C. Wolenaanr y..ste oc ..cete avs Wel en Sohne ae eee XXXVII. Notes on Butterflies. By W. M. Crawford ... XXXVIII. Notes on Cutch Ammonites. By J. H. Smith. HEA CIABIDIIN GS ci.) ait! hos feivesna sicerore di a sotepuets lekop operas ae ocleta ese No. Z. THE GAME Birps or Inp1a, BurMA AND CEYLON. Part XIV. (With Plates XIV and XV.) The Spotted Sand- Grouse and the Tibetan Sand-Grouse. By H. C. SiHTIaIGG IBEN REIS UMIbES EV AdC RIMINI NISHOMURM Canhossooconousanaoas SCIENTIFIC RESULTS OF THE MamMMaL SurvEY No. VIII. Bya@ildiveldiilinomas: HaRiSi os .c)..4.:). «bebe cee eee eee A PopuLaR TREATISE ON THE CoMMON INDIAN SNAKES. Part XXIII. (With Plate XXIII, Diagram and Map.) Coluber radiatus (The Copper-headed Rat-Snake) and Zamenis diadema (The Royal Snake). By Major F. AYU TONES: OLIN VANS ets ons Ae eR ER eo int NOTES ON SOME NEW AND INTERESTING BUTTERFLIES FROM Manipur AND THE NaGa Hiuis. Part I. By Lt.-Col. ELAC: Tytler ayer petri cere aen Sokiayldiia csi bawtete ae coate ON SMALL MAMMALS COLLECTED IN TIBET AND THE MISHMI Hints spy Capt. F. M. Battey. By Oldfield Thomas. PAGE 169 170 yal 172 176 176 180 183 197 206 216 230 CONTENTS, Notes on THE Birps or Upper Assam. Part I. By H. Stevens, M.B.0.U. (With a Map and Plates I and IZ.).. Tue PatMS oF BririsH INDIA AND CEYLON, INDIGENOUS AND INTRODUCED. Part XI. With Plates DXIV- [ES WIGHID) Sede yre Vi) 18ers 21 tie) Sade edadine top eAnaesaccaudacur os Bompay Naturat History Socirty’s MamMMaL SURVEY OF Inpia, Burma anp CEYLON. Report No. 15, Kumaon. iBiygekve ©) Wiromolatom (3: 6icceaeses se dict se ces mn eeee se nase Notes on Inpian BuTtTerFLies. By Capt. W. H. Evans, MISS Pa aeWta ee wee tale away Aum Rear UM AAG Oe dialtie cdlihes wa'e Nores oN THE INDIAN TIMELIIDES AND THEIR ALLIES. Part 1i> By Major’ H. Hl Mlaringtom, 1A. 2.22...+..... IBROGRESS OF ShHE MIANMINAT: SURVEY 02.1) UO os elec MisceLLangeous Notes :— I. Black Tigers (felis tigris). By Major A. Stewarts Campeuasemes 0 smear eretib vias datrer II. Panther kept from kill by Pariah Dogs. By Ds Rete Bowmlke cnn Stace AG ene Meco I1I. A Record Panther. By D. R. H. Browne ... IV. The attitudes and movements of the Large red Flying-Squirrel (Petaurista inornatus). By R. W. G. Hingston, 1.M.s. (With a Plate) V. Altitude to which Elephants ascend. By Capi. Awe MemMioleswortlin a-hole VI. Commensalism between Monkeys and Tsaing einol [esr ayy VN \iVelisi” cose eenacgs maar. VII. The Barking Deer or Muntjac (Muntiacus vaginalis). By Dr. M. F. Suter ..........+. VIII. Breeding of Wild Pig (Sus cristatus). By Rileyjere (0). eV. (Siaauilsla Geb she nou socverseeucoe fcc IX. Wild Pig (Sus cristatus) crossing water. By . Iie \fere (O),, EV Sram) os Bsa eeReddenaiice sopeoorenb oc X. Shan name for Mammals found in the Nor- thern Shan States. By F.S. Grose ... .. Vii PAGE 234: 269 282 Vill XI. XII. XIII. XIV. XV. XVI. XVII. XVIII. JOD. XX. XXI. XXII. OOO XXIV. XXV. XVI. CONTENTS. PAGE Female Black Buck with Horns. By Lt. A. A. MINS Byers eect Sat be cic cay Sr, wlesee an eis vies aye 303 Tsaing (Bibos sondaicus) found with Village Cattle By lO Wo Worsterige.: x. Ne Svan ie eadee cactus cos cen ccoeer Remarks on the sea-snakes in our Society’s collections. (With 2 Plates.) By Major AS NN Gaal eles EeSioct OSMEZOurnaa.c saree nears cacites Occurrence of the Snake Melanophidium punctatum in the Western Ghats. By Wileyore 1a NEIL, TENSE ORM YAISE co ncdotuigue con Notes on a gravid Hehis carinata. By Major AN alll ale MRS RCP MAG sc atau ce ets cee arc ees Recovery from bite of Hehis carinata. By R. IBUNUBUOTEC|) Nope coriedece eer OeRO Cee monn oneGr ono oT oe A gravid Lachesis gramineus. By Major F. WAV GUI TE ASS CENT VAAS ENR bere oes SAOOU ner E Seneen Habits of the Mason-Wasp. By F. Field...... Note on Tiger-Beetles from Coorg. By T. Bainbrigge Pletcher .........-..-2----202+++++ Note on Cicadas. By C. H. Dracott, C.E....... The Ramified roots of Trapa bispinosa, Roxb. (Water-Chestnut). By H. M. Chibber ... On Leaf-Fall. (With a Plate.) By H. M. Wit ne EE ase ge eee 0 veo ee cle ee eee eee ees eee sen ser eee eas ees eeesese ses eesees eee sees es eum 372 372 373 373 ov 4 4 CONTENTS. No. 3. THE GAME Birps or India, BuRMA AND CEYLON. Part XV. (With Plate XVI.) The Tibetan Sand-Grouse. By IDG LOS oils: Ieee, RUS, TAWANSey UNIO ble des aneeseees acs ScIENTIFIC RESULTS OF THE MammaL Survey No. IX. Syn O Cline) Ciao mash IIR ESs, Miers.) ccc spel -c ea eein suis eect NoTES ON THE INDIAN TIMELIIDES AND THEIR ALLIES. Part ely, Micron Heeb. velarimg tons IcAN. vecee asen/ ect pee A Review oF THE InpIAN Swans. By H. C. Stuart Baker, F.Z.S., F.L.S., M.B.0.U. (With a Plate)...... aa gee eee eee Bompay NatruraL History Socirety’s MamMMAL SURVEY OF Inpia, BurMA anD CEYLON. Report No. 16, Dry Zone, Central Burma and Mt. Popa. By R. C. Wroughton... THE CoMMON BUTTERFLIES OF THE PLarins oF Inpr4. Part XVII (Wath, Plate G.) By, INR. Belli iris Skea Nores oN FERNS COLLECTED AT Pacumarul, C. P. By Reads Ds Graham, Heonomic Bovamist, (Csika eee NOTES ON SOME NEW AND INTERESTING BUTTERFLIES FROM Manipur aND THE NaGa Hiuus. Part II. By Lt.-Col. lls (Ctdlcieees Sane ER AMAR EROMARRAR ERE 65550550800 THE Patms or British INDIA AND CEYLON. Part XII. Eyam leaps lasie EES ich Jis's 4.0 soles ssn c0 cases hace eee eae A List or BUTTERFLIES CAUGHT BY CapT. F. M. BAiLey in S. H. Trper purine 19138. (With a Plate anda Map.) Biv (Clayoite Vie Jak, Ibhvalais iS ddeeposee cose bareseoscoac 0a sco co nae Notes oN THE Birps oF Upper Assam. Part Il. (With a Fetlaayy, Tey Jels SWeGIIS, MUSEO gonccnssob0a vec erase ace abe PROGRESS OF THE MAMMAL SURVEY............-000:0sseeeeeeeeee FUBSVITENYVAAs Sener aR GRRE kee let i abt. Soh USAR RM DR PN ce MisceLLangous Notes :— I.—Vitality of Indian Wolf (Canis pallipes). By WOE Os AV. Srammdns Gass Soe onsuocmouiace obocd: I1.—Effect of Castration on Black Buck. By C. R. PEA Lae ERIE, eC te RR ERR REN e PAGE 579 CONTENTS. I{1.—Further Notes on Wild Pigs. By Major O. A. Slrondii)iy Lat eer ne eames nie, Aerie leben eae Coane TV.—Note on a stranded Great Indian Fin Whale (Baleenoptera indica) at Ratnagiri (With GPlato ye Brash eaters cll.) et. V.—An unidentified animal in South Malabar. iy: Eh OS Wroue bon) ek Yok jeeee te. oa VI.—The White-browed Bush Robin (lanthia indica) in the N. W. Himalayas. A cor- rechion. Svby Ne wb. Kammeat i) setae. s. VIT.—Occurrence ofthe Martin (Chelidon urbica, L.) in the Punjab. By H. Whistler, m.B,0.U. VIlil.—Vultures feeding after sundown. By Major Oy A Simla aa ee a be, Jaci lke So IX.—Nesting of the Hobby (Falco subbuteo, Lin- neeus) near Simla, N. W. Himalayas, with some general remarks on the Genus Falco and allied species. By A. H. Jones. ...... X.—The Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) in the Central Provinees::’ By Ha:A, D Abreu, mz:s..... XI.—The Red Turtle Dove (Hinopopelia t. tranque- bagied) ae Biya Ca ukugs- bsltunataces 4 seas. ee fan : XII.—The Lesser Florican (Sypheotis aurita, Lath.) in the Punjab. By H. Whistler, M.x.0.v.. XITI.—Habits of the Kalij Pheasant. By H. W. A. AVN ets Oumar pep sciees Siar auestcraiees Cine UN hae PE Soca ia XIV.—KEegret farming in Sind. By Major J. Lind- Sanya SUM MEy ME BAOLU, Sele Almenaneen dee 4c a. ya XV.—Cotton Teal (Nettopus coromandelianus) in Wasnmin. By Ws jy Matehell cs ea: XVI.—Mallard breeding in the Karachi Zoo. By Ie cll meee ete. ek TS! EA MR XVJJ.—Marbled Teal on the N. W. Frontier. By Capito Wo MM. Woean Eionres).:. 244. ieee XVIIT.—New Game Birds from the N. E. Frontier..... PAGE xi CONTENTS. X1IX.—Occurrence of a Naia bungarus (Schleg.) in the Eunyjabarebyelsaint (Parshall: 2) 2. .....0 eee XX.—A New Penthema from Burma. (With a alah) praeioy Wis Ni. GRIMS SeCBIS a. ccelaes Jee XXI.—A Note on Argynnis castetsi. By T. C. F. ieee TNA SpE UES” Sate eatiec trae «Se tiedie sere XXII.—The Beda Weed (Nile Lily) Hichhornia SPCCLOSH SOMMISIN: Newetree tae eae eens eee RRC LEI NOCITIIOING St Shae Earan see APO Me ERB MO EL Aan te koh AMA. oI Abe 2 No. 4 THE GAME Birps OF InpIA, BURMA AND CEYLON. Part XVII. (With Plate XVII.) The Indian Button Quail. By Hace stuart Baker; Kus... F228. MiB .OWUe ase eee Cee SCIENTIFIC RESULTS OF THE Mamma Survey. No. X. ByaOlditeld “Whontass ARGS. 4 yasn=c co TZliustrations. PAGE Abisara attenuata, Pl. 502 Actinorhytis calapparia, Pl 737 Alexandra Palm, Pl. 743 Alpheraky’s Swan, Pl. 545 Ancistrodon rhodostoma, Fig. 787 Antilope cervicapra, Fig. 354 Apatura florencie, Pl. 502 -——_-- — manipurtensis, Pl. 502 ——--— sordida naga, Pl. 218 Aphantopus hyperanthus luti, Pl. 540 Aphnacus vulcanus, Pl. .. 482 Archontophema alecandie, Pl... 748 -——--- cunninghami,P). 744 Argynnis castelsi, Fig. 587 ——-—- eugenia rhea, Pl. 540 ——--— gemmata genia, Pl. 540 ——--— hyperbius, Fig. 587 tzadirachta indica, Pl. .. 381 Balenoptera indica, Pl., p. 577; Mie, an 08 Bewick’s Swan, PI. 545 Black-buck, Fig. 354 Broadbill, Long-tailed, Fig. 360 Butterflies, Common, of the Plains of India, Pl. G. 482 Button-Quail, Indian, PI. 593 Calappa Palm, PI. 737 Calinaga aborica, Pl. Vol. XXIV. Callerebia suroia, Pl. 218 Capricornis sumatraensis rubidus, Fig. 357 Castalins decidia, P|. 482 —— rosimon, Pl. 482 Catachrysops cnejus, Pl... 482 —- strabo, Pl... 482 Colas cocandica, P1. 540 Colotis amata, Fig. 75 Pace Colotis dane, Fig. oe ese) ——-- eucharis, Fig... ccm yeond ——-- fausta, Fig. se 82,83 Coluber radiatus, P\. p. 34; Fig. 207, 210 — -- map shewing distribution of ae 5 AQIS) Common Sand-Grouse, Pl. 2 hs Cunningham’s Seaforthia, Pl... 744 Cyaniris morsheadi, Pl... .. 540 Cygnus bewicki, Pl. 51 .. 545 — cygnus, Pl. We .. O45 moi, 5 5 SS ——— olor, Pl... Ae .. 545 Daphla Hills, Clearance in Forest at, Pl.. ie 721 Diagrams of ine) Habye Hills, Figs. 794, 795 of ground Hast of Wher) aiGealiem Dictyosperma album aureum, Pl.. 741 Dophla curvifascia, Pl. .. +002 Egret Farming in Sind, Pl. .. 162 Linhydrina valakadyn, P1. ono Enhydrus curtus, Pl... Soe KS) Lrebia phyllis gyala, Pl. .. 540 ——-- pomena, Pl. a .. 540 ——.-- ——— shuana, Pl. .. d40 -- tsirava, Pl. Bi .. 540 Iiulepis lissainet, Pl... .. 2s Euthalia japroa, Pl. oa VOL) smaxiy Flying-Squirrel, Large Red, Pl. 344 Game Birds of India, Burma and Ceylon. Pls. XIJI-XVII .. 1, 183, 190, 385, 593 INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE Genneus, Maps shewing distribu- tion of species and sub-species of.. 568, 662 — horsfieldi, Pl... 665, 680 cuviert, Pl... 672 oe el feat i wilhamsi, Pl.. 672 saa lineatus, Pls. .. 665, 680 a eee IES, IP (OTD — — - Sharpe, Els. 672, ; 680 oe nycthemerus, PI. :. Of ——— nyctheme- rus, Pl... 680 rufipes, Pls. 672, 680 swinher, Pl. .. Je GSO Great Indian Fin Whale, Pl. . 577 Grebe, Eared, Fig. ae .. 362 Gurrung Jan, Forest stream of, KeDibru, Pl... a .. 548 Habye Hills, Diagrams of the Figs. 794,795 Hebomoia glaucippe, Fig. yo XO = Herodias garzetta, Pl. .. ae Se) Heterospatha elata, Pl. .. . 274 Hieroceryx colemani, Pl. oo le Mieroglyphus ngro-repletus, Pl.. 172 Hydrophis cyanocinctus, Pl. .. 374 ——- mamillaris, Pl. .. 374 Hydrus platurus, Pl... i) Lambix tytlerr, Pl. ae .. 540 Indian Button-Quail, PI. .. 593 Janudes bochus, Pl. ae ae, 282 -— celeno, Pl. as .. 482 Lakhimpur District, Assam, Map of.. 234 Large Pin-tailed Sand-Grouse, Jelooam ol Ler, Diagrams of ground Kast of 176, Wan - Lethe kabrua, Pl. fe so 2S XXV11 PAGE Lethe kanjupkula, Pl... as Lizard, Thorny-tailed, Figs.781, 782 Lycena luana, Pi. ae .. 540 Mammal Survey, Map shewing districts worked, or being worked we vel .. 342 Maps, lLakhimpur District, Assam .. 234 Capt. Bailey’s journey through 8.-E. Tibet .. 532 ——- shewing distribution of Coluber radiatus .. 208 ——- shewing distribution of species of Genneus .. 568 —- to the distribution of sub- species of Genneus in Burma and adjoining districts .. 662 - shewing distribution of Zamens diadema .. 212 - shewiug distribution of Zamenis fasciolatus .. 36 —-shewing distribuion of Zamenis ventrumaculatus. 40 Micropus pacificus cookt Pl. .. 156 —-- pacificus Pl... 156 Mute Swan, Pl... Be .. 04d Mycalesis albofasciata, Pl. .. 502 Cranst Ply 4s sa Zale} Nacaduba atrata, Pl. Nephrosperma Van IPlls ue ae os 5 2s Neptis kirbariensis, Pl. .. Houtteana, vol. xXiv -- namba, Pl. vol. xxiv -- nemorum phesimensis, Pl. Nim Tree, Pl... ye bo Glalll Palms of British India. © Pls. LXIV—LXXIX ..274, 276, 278, 280, 737, 739, 741, 743, 744 Pamphila howangty shoka, Pl. .. 540 The, Daphla Foot . 260 Panchnol, Hills, Pl. XXVIl1 PaGE Pararge gafurn, Pi. es Pareronia pingasa, Figs.. 101, 102 Penthema darlisa, Pl. . 586 lisarda, Pl. 586 yoma, Pl. 586 Petaurista inornatus, Pl. 344 Plastingia tytler, Pl. 540 Podicipes nigricollis, Fig. 362 Psarisomus dathousie, Fig. 360 Pteroclurus alchata, Pl... i —-- CLUSEUS, Melee . 183 -- senegallus, Pl, . 190 Ptychoraphis augusta, P|. 3 9 Rahinda paona, Pl. vol. XxXiv Roscheria melanochetes, Pl. 216 Runganuddie Gorge, Pl. = 260 Rusa unicolor, Fig. . 306 Sambhar, Fig. . 356 Sand-Grouse, Common, PI. . 183 Large Pin-tailed, PE ey ab —__—_-_—__-—+— Spotted. Pl. noo —_——— Tibetan, Pl. . 385 Sea-Snakes in the Society’s Col- lection, Pls. A-B 374, 376 serow, Red, Fig. cap GD Snakes, Common Indian, Pls. XXII-XXTII .. 34, 206 Spotted Sand-Grouse, Pl. pe) Squirrel, Large Red Flying, Pl. 344 Stevensonia (Phenicophorium se- chellarum), Pls. ». 280 Subansiri “‘churs”, Hessamara, Pls. 548,721 INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS. Pace Subansiri Gorge, Pl. 248 Swans, Indian, Pl. 454 Syrrhaptes tibetanus, Pl. 385 Taheada nyseus, Pl. 482 Tarucas plinus, P1. 482 - theophrastes, Pl. 482 Thorny-tailed Lizard, Figs. 781, 782 Tibet, S.-E., Map of 532 Tibetan Butterflies, Pl. 540 —- Sand-Grouse, Pl. 385 Tiger, Fig. 144 Turnix tankt, Pl. 593 Uromastix harawickei, Figs. 781, Whale, Great Indian Fin, Pl. Ott Bis, Whooper, Pl. Yak, Domestic, Pl. Zamenis diadema, Fig. . —-- Map shewing distribution of. ——_—- ——__--- atriceps, Pl... —-- typica, Pl... ———- fasciolatus, Pl. 34; Figs. Map shewing distribution of . rentiimaculatus, Pl. 34; Figs. Maps shewing distribution of. 782 776 . 046 206 42 36 42 40 ansonlant rishi Suh %, ‘NOV 12 wat 4 JOURNAL OF THE %, THE ye Bowpay Navrurat History Socrery. EDITED BY w. S. MILLARD, R. A. SPENCE and N. B. KINNEAR. nm NAR ARR Ree te VOL. X= Tit., NO. 1. Date of publication, 80th June 1914. Price to Non-Members ap Ga weg dbSe LO ae or £ 0-13-4. LONDON AGENT: - DULAU & Co., Ltd., 37, Soho Square, W. PRINTED AT THE TIMES PRESS, BOMBAY, ' ‘ CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER. THE GAME Birps oF Inp1a, uae AND CEYLON. Part XIII. (With Plate UE: 1.) The Large Pin-tailed Sand- Grouse ana the Com: 1-Grouse. By EH. C. Stuart -d@eeccceceeesersereceereesee eee cee aCIES OF Gora (Nemorhcedus) BAILEY. By R. I. Pocock, F.R.8. OFULAR TRBA JN THE COMMON INDIAN'SNAKES. Part x “i, Plate XXIT, Diagrams and Maps.) The _ itat-snake and Gray’s Rat-snake. By Major DAM .S3, CxMOZA Sl 0.4).5 Uns Mew ees See olen ot ‘op THE InpIaN TIMELIIDES AND THEIR ALLIES. By Major, H. WH. Harington, LA. 2... ice th eee oe ore lees onees & Common BUTTERFLIES OF THE PLAINS OF INDIA. Part BCLS 5 i Med efead bie) San Orch. re aa eaen ease Sauber moor aGisH a Somr Notes ON THE BIRDS OF THE KAGHAN VALLEY, HAZARA District, N.-W. FRONTIER PROVINCE. By Capt. (Ge te Wahnitehead ts jko ak 3S. AM ate ee We ae _ A Last oF Grasses FROM AHMEDABAD AND SURAT. ea) Pie Sedgwick 11.0388, (tn seen cae. ea aes smite cle ie eel DESCRIPTIONS OF INDIAN Micro-LEPIDOPTERA. Part XVIII. By ok Meyrick, B.A. FORiS..%6 2.8.) Che c.s ee eo ngmeraee PROGRESS OF THE Manni. edie: LTS gar 1 ee SS Bs A PreuimrmnaRy ACCOUNT OF THE COCCIDZ OF AW esTeun Inpia. By Ramrao 8. Kasargode.................00c000 Reviews.—A Text-Book of Medical Entomology. ‘“ My Somali Book,” a record of two shooting oe Wild Life Across LHS WOtld, ec eas ee a a MISCELLANEOUS NOTES :-— I.—Notes on some Mammals of Sikkim. By H. J. Elwes, REE ee yo meet eae aah eget Noah eat char aati alates oialfel eeandesea aes II.—A Record Tiger. By M. Scindia.............000.. IlI.—The use of a Hyzna’s (Hyena hyena) tongue and fat as medicine. By N. V. Ringrow ..........6. IV.—A Brown variety of the Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus). By C. Saunders ............ Sore taela a Solo c eed Gib ena PAGE 23 110 131 133 138 145 JOURNAL OF THE Bombay Natural History Society. JuNnE 1914. Nowa xOxuia: | No. 1. THE GAME BIRDS OF INDIA,.BURMA AND CEYLON. BY HE. C. Stuart Baxer, F.L.S., F.Z.S., M.B.O.U. Part XIII. With Plate XIII, (Continued from page 657 of Volume XXII.) Genus PTHROCLURUS. The Genus Pieroclurus is, as I have already said, scarcely worthy of division from Pterocles, the only difference being that the central tail feathers of the former genus are produced in long filaments beyond the other rectrices, whilst those of the latter are normal. . There are altogether four species in this genus of which the first, P. alchata, is divided into two sub-species. Three species are found in India, of which one, exustus, is a permanent resident, one, alchata is, practically, if not wholly, migratory, and the third, senegallus very rarely breeds within Indian limits. KEY TO THE SPECIES. A. Lower plumage from breast pure white ... alchata. B. Lower plumage marked with black. a’. Middle of abdomen barred black and rufous ace es ar ewustus. 2 b’. Middle of abdomen black. a’. Black gorget across breast Sen | CHULISHMISS G b’. No black gorget across breast ... senegallus. 2 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST, SOCIETY,. Vol. XXIII, PTEROCLURUS ALCHATA. (Sub-species—CAUDACUTA.) The Large Pin-tailed Sand-Grouse. Tetrao alchata.—Linn. Syst. Nat.i, p. 276 (1766), xii, Edit. Tetrao caudacutus.—S. G. Gmel Reise, ii, p. 93 (1774). Pterocles alchata.—Blyth, Cat. B. As. Soc., p. 249; Jerdon, B. of Ind, ii, .p..500; Hume Str. Feath,i, p. 221; Blewitt, ibid, ii, p: 268; Hume, Cat. No. 801; Blanford, E. Persia, ii, p. 271; Hume, Str. Heath. vi, p. 161; Hume and Marsh. Game B. i, p. 77 Butler, Cat. B. of Sind, p. 53; Barnes, B. of Bom., p. 297; ad. Str. Feath. ix, p. 458. Le Mess, Game-B., p. 58; Oates, Game B. i, p. 23; Bogle, Jour. Bs N. H. 8S. xii, p. 629; Nurse, «bid, xiv, p. 388. Pteroclurus alchata.—Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. M. xxii, p.7; Blan- ford, Avi. India,-iv, p..58. © Pterochidurus alchata. —Sharpe, Hand-l. i, p. 50; ‘Ones Cat. Egos IBA INES So Os Aan Vernacular names.—None recorded. Description, Adult male.—Centre of crown and nape grey, more or less tinged with ochreous, forehead, lores, sides of head rich rufous buff shading into ochreous on the neck all round. Chin and throat black and a narrow line of the same- running from behind the eye nearly as far as the nape. On the back the ochre of the neck merges into olive ochre, a few of the feathers here and most of the scapulars with a yellow subterminal spot and all margined with grey; lower back and rump yellow buff barred with black, upper tail coverts even more yellow and the bars forming arrow heads on the longest. Tail barred blackish and buff at the base, becoming dark olive oeitre at the tip and almost black on the prolonged portion, the outer tail feathers are tipped yellow and subtipped dark blackish. Lesser median and secondary coverts white with. broad bands of bright chestnut chocolate near the tips and with black edges; shoulder of wing, bastard wing, primary coverts and primaries grey, the last named darker on the inner webs and margined white, the outer web of the first primary and all the shafts black; outer secondaries blackish brown, and bases white and edged with same ; innermost secondaries like the scapulars ; secondary coverts, where visible, yellow-ochre with blackish chocolate terminal bands. Breast pale pinkish rufous divided from the yellow ochre of the neck and the white of the lower breast and abdomen by. narrow black bands; flanks axillaries, lesser and median under wing coverts, and under tail coverts white; under shoulder and edge of wing dark grey, greater under wing coverts pale grey. . When once fully adult the males do not vary much in tone of colouration but the number and size of the yellow spots on the THE GAME BIRDS OF INDIA, BURMA AND CEYLON. 3 scapulars and adjoining parts do vary to a considerable degree and when these are unusually numerous they give a very bright boldly coloured appearance to these parts and, on the contrary, give a dull rather dark appearance when they are few and small. Below, the rufous breast band varies a little in intensity and in the amount of pink, otherwise the lower parts are very constant. Measurements.— Wing 7:98" (213:6mm.) to 8:40" (224:2mm.) with an average of 8:25" (220-8mm.); tarsus 1:00" to 1:12" (25: to 28-5mm.) and averaging over 1:06" (26°:75mm.); bill at front -50" to 58" (12-5 to 14-6mm.) and averaging rather over -53 (13-5mm.); the tail varies from about 5:50'' (140mm.) to 7°50" (190°5 mm.). These measurements are taken from a series of over a hundred skins, the very great majority of these being birds shot in India. They include the series in the British Museum and in the Tring Museum. ; expanse 24 to 26; 7-96 to 8-5; tail from vent 5 to 7; tarsus 1:0 to 1:18; weight 10 to 12 ozs.” (Hume.) “The feet are dirty or dusky green, in one specimen yellowish ; the irides are brown; the bill varies in colour somewhat and I have recorded it in different specimens, as dusky green, greenish brown, brown, dark brown, slate colour.” (Hume.) Adult jemale. Whole upper parts from forehead to tail buff barred black, on the shoulders and interscapulary region the tint is often somewhat rufous and that on the upper tail coverts brighter and more yellow. On the interscapulary feathers a few of the broadest bars of black have their centres grey. A short supercilium, lores and edge of forehead, sides of head and the neck rufous like those parts in the male but paler and duller; chin and throat white in the centre; a fairly well defined black line from behind the eye. Scapulars and innermost secondaries like the back, but the bars wider and bolder and with more grey and with the ends yellow ochre narrowly edge with black. Primaries and their coverts like those of the male. Secondary, greater and median coverts white with rufous subterminal bands and black edges, the bases, where covered, barred rufous and black; outer secondary covers and median pri- mary coverts with broad white terminal bars edged black. Below the rufous of the fore neck there is a wide collar of black followed . by a narrow fringe of the same colour as the neck, which merges into grey and is then followed by another narrow bend of black. From this band the colours are as in the male, a broad band of rufous, a narrow band of black or very deep chocolate and the rest white. The females, when adult, differ to much the same extent as the male underneath, but above the range of variations is considerably greater, some bids being much more boldly and richly marked than others and the amount of yellow markings and the extent to which 4. JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXI1I, the slate grey bars take the place of the black on the scapulars and the dorsal region is variable. Measurements.— Wing 7°65" (184 mm. to 8:30") ( 200-6 mm.) with an average of 7:99" (196-3mm.); tarsus about -97"' (24-5 mm.) and bill at front about -49'°( 12:6). The tail averages a good deal shorter than the male, the longest I have seen being 6:2" (157-2) whilst many are well under 5: (127 mm. ). « Females.— Length 13°5 to 15; expanse 24 to 25;-wings 7:5 to 8:15; tail from vent 3°75 to 6; tarsus 0°97 to 1:12. Weight 8:25 to 11:25 ozs.” (Hume.) The colours of the soft parts are the same as in the male. Immature male.—In males not yet fully adult much of the bar- ring of the upper parts as in the female is still retained, the head is wholly barred, the chin and throat white and the fore neck dull olive buff with large black spots. The black of the throat is ac- quired in patches, and finally the well marked crown, etc. of the adult male, though birds, otherwise fully adult, may be found with a few barred feathers on the upper head. Plumage of young female.—Chin and throat white; whole upper surface barred buff and blackish; duller on the dorsal parts, brighter on rump and tail; wings with the white on the coverts replaced with grey, the slate grey bands replaced by black, and the whole tone duller and greyer. The sides of the head, neck and breast are dull earthy buff with bars of black, these bars are rather denser on the base of the throat and above the white of the abdomen, giving slight indications of the bands on these parts ; the under tail coverts are white with afew brown bars and the rest of the under parts white as in the adult, but with obsolete brown bars here and there, especially in the centre of the abdomen. First plumage of both male and female.—Whole upper parts, head, neck and breast dull buff, barred with blackish and brownish black above and dull brown below. Chin and throat white as in the older female. The bars on the head and lower parts are narrower and more numerous than in the older bird and are more crescentic in shape. The quills are paler and the inner primaries freckled with rufous towards the tip. The wing of the bird of this description measures 7°02". The nestling of this extremely common and widespread species does not, curiously enough, appear to have been yet described. Mr. Meade Waldo was the first to discover that the male of this Sand-Grouse assumes a post nuptial plumage after the young are hatched, much in the same manner as many ducks do. He says ‘Roughly there is the first nestling plumage which is assumed from the down. ‘This is moulted in the autumn into the winter plu- mage. In the very early spring this again is changed into the breeding plumage, and the cock in late summer putson an eclipse THE GAME BIRDS OF INDIA, BURMA AND CEYLON. 5 dress resembling the hen, except the slate blue bars on the back are missing. As far as I can ascertain these changes are brought about by a complete renewal of feather and all are complete, but the eclipse plumage is only perfect in adult and vigorous birds, otherwise the feathers that are first shed partake of the character of breeding plumage and eclipse and those last moulted of eclipse and winter plumage.”’ There are two sub-species of this Sand-Grouse which are very closely allied, viz., those referred to in the Catalogue of Birds as Pieroclurus alchata and Pteroclurus »yrenaica, and before dealing with the distribution of these two forms, which will have to be considerably revised, it will be first necessary to dispose of the question of the names under which these two forms should be known. The name pyrenaica was first given in 1760 by Brisson, to a bird from the Pyrenees, which in his “‘ Ornithology” I, p. 195, he called Bonasa pyrenaica. Brisson’s names are not, however, ac- cepted in Ornithology unless adopted by Linnaeus, and in this particular case Linnaeus discards the name pyrenaica and renames the bird alchata. This is in the 12th edition of his System Naturae, the first in which he mentions this species, though he refers to the genus Bona- sa in the 10th edition. In the 12th edition he refers to this spe- cies as Bonasa alchata and states that its habitat is ‘“ Monspelir in Pyrenoeis, Syria, Arabia,” the bird, therefore, is undoubtedly the same as that named pyrenaica by Brisson, which is the Spanish bird and Linnaeus merely adds Arabia and Syria to its habitat. Gessner, it should be noted (Avi. 311-307) describes his bird alchata as Huropean, giving Italian, German and French names for it, he could not, therefore, have been referring either to Asiatic or Afri- can specimens, any more than Brisson did. Under these circumstances the sub-species referred to as pyre- naica in the “ Catalogue of Birds "’ cannot bear that name and will have to stand as Pterocluwrus alchuta alchata (Linn.) and another name must be found for the Asiatic sub-species. The one having priority and, therefore applicable, seems to be cauwdacutus given by Gmelin, in 1774, to the form found in Southern Russia (S. G. Gme- lin, Reisa, iii, p. 93, pl. xviii, 1774) for the South Russian bird is the same as that found in Asia Minor, Palestine, etc., and these again are the same as our Indian birds. 2 Accordingly, the two forms will stand as follows: Pteroclurus al- chata alchata for that sub-species found in Spain, etc. and Pt. al- chata caudacuta (Gmelin) for the sub-species found in Asia, etc. Russian ornithologists have divided this Sand Grouse into two further sub-species, naming the bird from South Persia, Afghani- stan and Baluchistan (and of course India) Pteroclurus alchata 6 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII. bogdanowi and that from Northern Persia Pt. a. severtzows but I cannot myself see that the birds from these areas vary in any way. It would certainly be easy to select 10 birds from: South Persia and adjoining countries, 10 others from Trans Caucasia and Trans Caspia, and yet 10 others from South Russia and shew each series to be quite separate; but it would then be equally easy to take 10 birds from each area and to shew in each series specimens of every type. Distribution.—For a long time, possibly owing to the paucity of material available for comparison, it was considered that the form of this Sand-Grouse found in Northern Africa was the same as that found in South-Western Europe; but Whitaker, in his “ Birds of Tunisia” pointed out that, strange to say, the bird in Northern Africa was not the same as his cousin just across the water in Southern West Europe, but was the same as that found to the Hast in Western Asia. The British Museum has a magnificent series of both Asiatic and Spanish birds, but is very badly off for African specimens, This link is supplied by the collection in the Tring museum, where we have 7 specimens from Tunis and 2 from Morocco, with other speci- mens from Palestine, Lenkoran (Trans Caucasia), Merv (Trans Caspia), Bokhara and Hast Persia and South Russian Steppes. These are all, obviously, the same sub-species and they are, equally obviously, different from birds taken in Spain and France, which are brighter above, owing to the large amount of yellow marking, and are also more richly and darkly coloured below. The area of distribution of our Indian bird, therefore, extends from the North-West of India, through Baluchistan, Afghanistan and Persia, across the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus Mountains into the South Russian Steppes and throughout Eastern Asia Minor and again, due West through Southern Persia and Arabia into Northern Africa, through Abyssinia, Nubia, Egypt, the Sahara and as far West as Morocco. The Spanish form, on the other hand, is confined to Portugal, Spain and France, where it is common, and straggles into Italy, Germany and Greece. Whether the bird which has been obtained in Cyprus and Malta belongs tu the African or West European form there is nothing on record to shew. I have seen but few French skins, but Paul Paris in his “ Oiseaux de France” records that this is a common resident, nesting regularly in that country. Within Indian limits the Large Pin-tailed Sand-Grouse occurs in enormous numbers in the North West and Sind in the Trans indus country ; in great numbers also, in the Punjab, between the Indus and the Chenab, after which it becomes less common towards the Gara and the Beas, though still constantly and regularly met with, THE GAME BIRDS OF INDIA, BURMA AND CEYLON. Z from here it extends throughout the Punjab, having been found in Ludhiana, and Delhi in the extreme East. To the South, Hume obtained it as far South as Sambhar in Rajputana, and I have notices of its occurrence from Jodhpur and Bikanir, and Major C. G. Nurse, in 1902, recorded it from Deesa. still further South than it had been previously obtained. This last bird was shot by Captain L. Oldfield, R. F. A., who obtained one specimen out of a flock of 20 or 25 birds. When in India it assembles in enormous flocks, literally in thousands, and-in the more Eastern portion of its habitat this seems to be generally the case, indeed some people consider this Sand-Grouse to have been the Quail provided for the Israelites; further West, however, it does not seem to collect in nearly such large flocks. Hume is the only writer who has given us an account of this bird’s habits in India and. his remarks are to the following effect. “T have seen very little of this species myself, and only on a vast plain some miles from Hoti Mardan, where during the winter, they were in tens of thousands. This plain is partly barren, partly fallow, and partly cultivated with .wheat, mustard, and the like. It was only on the barren and fallow land that I saw them. They are extremely wary, and it was only by creeping up a nala or small ravine that it was possible to get within even a long shot at them. Their flight is extremely rapid and powerful, to me it seemed more so than of any of their congeners... “They, are very noisy birds, and whether seated or flying, continually utter their peculiar cry, which, though somewhat of the same character-as that of arenarius, is unmistakably distinct from the call note of any of the other species. “Those I shot, and, according to their account, most of the lar ae series previously shot by my collectors, had fed entirely on green leaves, seeds, small pulse, and grain of different kinds. The gizzards contained quantities of small stones. There were several pools and places where the rain floods had not quite dried up, on the plain I have referred to, and the birds seemed to sit about much in their immediate neighbourhood. “One or two of my birds were very fat, so much so that it was difficult to skin them, but as a rule, when cooked they were as dry and tasteless as the rest of the Sand-Grouse. “i was told that they were occasionally hawked with Sinams. but their flight is so rapid and powerful that I should doubt much sport being obtained this way. I was also told that they could be shot by working a couple of Peregrines over them, when they allow a very close approach and almost refuse to rise.”’ This account agrees well with Whitaker’s account of these birds in Tunis as seen by him at one of their favourite watering places. 8 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST, SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII, He says “In many of its habits the Pin-tailed Sand-Grouse resem- bles the preceding species (P. arenarius) though differing in others. Tt is, as a rule, found in much larger flocks than P. wrenarius and is said never to approach the sea-coast. Like that bird, however, it is very wild and shy and when disturbed, generally flies for a great distance before settling down again, although should it be its hour for drinking, and its thirst not yet be appeased, it will often make one or two attempts to return to the water before finally leaving the spot. “Such of the Oweds as may still have some water in them in spring, or even the holes scooped out of the river beds by the Arabs for the purpose of providing themselves and their flocks with water are sure to be visited by Sand-Grouse for drinking, and it was once my good fortune to see no less than three alternative species of these birds frequenting one of these spots at the same time, and to witness flock after flock of each come down to the water during the hour or two the flight lasted. “ P. arenarius and P. alchata were well represented on this occasion and about equally numerous, as shewn by specimens obtained of both, but a third species was also present, of which I failed to secure an example, but which judging from its appearance, on the wing, appeared to be P. coronatus. “The morning flight of Sand-Grouse for the purpose of drinking commences soon after sunrise, and is generally continued for an hour or two, or until the sun is- well up when it entirely ceases. During the time the flight lasts the spot visited by the birds, particularly should it be one where water is abundant, presents a most animated scene, the air being full of small flocks hurrying to and from and the sandy banks, and the sandy parts of theriver hed being in some places thickly covered with them, while the chorus formed of many hundreds of clamourous bird voices creates quite a babel of sound. ‘¢ The food of this species consists chiefly of the seeds and tender parts of various desert plants. Its note is a ringing catarr or guettarr.”” In the Zoologist of 1896, p. 299, and the “ Field’ of August 1896 Mr. Meade Waldo first gave an account of the breeding of Pteroclurus alchatw in confinement and described how the male, after the young were hatched, would “rub the breast violently up and down on the ground, a motion quite distinct from dusting, and when all awry would get into his drinking water and saturate the feathers of his under parts. When soaked he would go through the motions of flying away, nodding his head, etc. Then, remem- bering his family was close by, would run up to the hen, make a demonstration, when the young would run out, get under him and suck the water from his breast.”’ THE GAME BIRDS OF INDIA, BURMA AND CEYLON. 9 In alonger account in the Avicultural Magazine for 1906, aR | Mr. Meade Waldo eave yet further esis of this curious habit, as well as other most interesting details. He writes ‘“ In- cubation lasts from twenty-one to sven aes days: the hen sits by day, the cock taking her place by night, usually going on the eggs about 5 p. m. ; three eggs are a full clutch. The young when hatched quickly become independent, and about the 10th day separate at night, roosting away from their parents, andas far as possible from each other, not settlng down to their final roosting place until it is almost dark. Both parents brood the young when they are very small.” * The extraordinary method employed by the parent male Sond. Grouse of conveying water to their young by saturating the feathers of their breasts, was first described by me in 1896, and since by Mr. St. Quentin in his interesting account of the successful rearing of the Lesser Pin-tailed Sand-Grouse, P. exustus. I have had the good fortune to see the males of Pterocles arenarius, the Black-breasted Sand-Grouse and Pteroclurus alchata, the Greater Pin-tailed Sand-Grouse get- ting water for their young in a wild state, but, had I not seen it administered in confinement, would have considered them to have been demented birds trying to dust in mud and water, when unlimited dusting ground surrounded them on every side. “In very waterless districts, where the only water procurable was from deep wells situated at great distances from one another, this method of procuring water ate be most precarious, for I saw P. arenarius waiting by the wells and going to the muddy spot where the skins used to be laid before being loaded on to the camels, and where the water was slopped over from the troughs where the ani- mals drank. TI also saw them fly over the prickly Zareba surrounding the tent-villages and go to where there was a soft spot for the same purpose. I did ‘“(not?)”’ see P. alchatus actually soaking them- selves, they were much wilder, and also in less arid places, but 1 repeatedly saw cocks pass over, their white breasts soaked in mud and water.’ A further interesting note in the Avicultural Magazine for Feb- bruary 1910 by the same writer describes how he kept a female bird of this species in confinement for 17 years, so that she must have been at least 18 years old at the time of her death. She bred regularly year after year from 1893 to 1906, and generally succeeded in bringing up her young. Mr. Meade Waldo tells us that with other food, he gave her as much hemp seed and maw seed as she liked, and that the latter was her favourite seed. Peaches alchata does not regularly breed with us in India, though it has done so on rare occasions and may, quite possibly, be often found to do so; otherwise it breeds in suitable localities throughout its range. 2 10 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST, SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII, The first egg of this species taken in India is one now in the British Museum, which was found at Jhimpir in Sind on the 10th July, 1878. After this, nothing else was recorded until Mr. Bogle wrote the following interesting note to the B. N. H. S. Journal, which I quote in extenso, merely noting that it was written from Mardan in the Punjab. : “I cannot see, either in Oates, Jerdon, or Hume and Marshall any. record of the Eastern Pin-tailed Sand-Grouse, Pterocles alchatus breeding in India, which I think I may claim to have proved breeds in the Peshawar Valley. Two days ago, eggs were brought to me by a man, who declared one was that of the Common and the other that of the Pin-tailed Sand-Grouse. Doubting his word I made arrangements to go out this morning, 10th June 1900, with him, and see if I could gather any information myself. I first went to the place where these Sand-Grouse water, where 1 found, close to a small village called ‘‘ Kasim” the Common’ Sand- Grouse flighting in packs and a very few pairs, while to my surprise the Pin-tails all came in pairs (I saw five or six pairs). I shot one pair of the latter and then proceeded to search a few miles further on in a vast open plain for nests. I found only two nests, each contain- ing three egos of the Common Sand-Grouse. In each case I approached so close to the bird in the nest that there was no necessity to shoot it in order to identify it. On my return I dissected the female Pin-tailed Sand-Grouse and found an-egg inside quite ready for _ laying, and I have no doubt that it would have been laid to-day in the same plain I was searching in had the bird lived.”’ ‘“‘T regret to say the egg was broken badly, first pierced by shot and again broken in extraction.” According to Canon Tristram, writing of this bird’s habits in North Africa. “Its breeding habits are exactly like those of P. arenarius, but its egg is of a much richer fawn coloured tint, covered and sometimes zoned, with large maroon red blotches, while that of the other is of a paler hue, with obsolete pale brown blotches.” Salvin describes these birds as breeding in the Atlas, and says ‘The extensive sandy plains termed the Harakta, of which KEI. Korarf is one of the largest, are the only localities in which we met with the Sand-Grouse. It makes no nest but scrapes a slight hollow in the sand, in which it deposits its three eggs. These are laid in May, the young being hatched about the second week in June.” The eggs of this Sand-Grouse and of the other sub-species Pt. alchata typica differ from all other Sand-Grouse eggs in the richness of their colouration. Normally the ground colour isa rich clear buff, though in a few eggs it is a paler and more cream or bright stone- yellow in colour. The superior markings consist of well defined blotches and spots with a few specks of rich vandyke brown, here and there being one or two with a chocolate or deep maroon tint, THE GAME BIRDS OF INDIA, BURMA AND CEYLON, 11 the secondary are similar in size and shape, but are lavender grey and neutral tint in colour, some quite dark. The surface is fine and smooth with a strong gloss and the shape is the normal elliptical one of all Sand-Grouse. They vary very greatly in size, more so I think than the eggs of any other Sand- Grouse do. The eggs recorded in the British Museum Catalogue taken from Northern Africa and included under the species Ptero- clidurus belong, as I have already said, to the Indian form. These egos vary from 1:65" to 1:96" in length and from 1:15''to 1:3" in breadth. I have no egg which does not come between the extremes of length given here, but I have one which is only 1:11" (28°3 mm.) in breadth. The average of 28 eggs in my collection ieee 6x18" (26-5 x 30-0.mm.). PTEROCLURUS EXUSTUS. The Common Sand-Grouse. Pterocles exustus.—Temm. Pl. Col. v, Nos. 354 and 360 (1825) ; Blyth. Cat. B. As. Soc., p. 249; Gould, B.of Asia, vi; Jerdon, B. of Ind. i, p. 502; Blanford, Geol. and Faun. Abyss, p. 419; id. ieeeeo: &., XxxXvill, pt. i, p.. 189; McMaster, shid, xl., pt: i, p. 214; Stoliczka, zbid, xli, pt. ii, p. 249; Hume, Str. Feath. 1, p. 225; Adam, ibid, p. 392; Hume, Nests and Eggs, p. 513; King, Str. Feath. 11, p.458 ; Butler, zbid, iv., p. 4; Fairbank, «hid, _ p. 262; Hume and Marsh., Game-B. i, p. 69; Hume, Str. Feath. wip. 161, Ball, sid, p. 225; Doig, ibid, viii, p. 371; Me Inroy, ibid, p. 492; Hume, Cat., No. 802; Butler, Cat. B. of Sind, etc., p. 53; id. Cat. B.S. Bombay, p. 67; id, Str. Feath. ix, p. 421; Reid, id, x, p. 61; Davidson, ibid, p. 316; Barnes, B. of Bombay, p. 300; id. Jour. B. N. H. Soc.i., p. 55; id. ibid, v., p- 336; Oates, Humes Nests and Eggs, 2nd Edit., p. 8361; Newn- ham, Jour. B. N. H. Soc. vi, p. 94; Nurse, ibid, xiv, p. 172. Pieroclurus exustus.—Ball, Str. Feath. ii, p. 426; Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. M., xxii, p. 12; Oates, Game B. of Ind. i., p. 26; Blanford, Avifauna, Ind., iv., p. 60; Ogilvie-Grant, Game-B. i., p. 12; Le Mess., Game-B., 4th Edit., p. 58. Pierocidurus exustus.—Sharpe, Hand-Bl. i, p. 50; Oates, Cat. HKges, B. M. I, p. 77. Vernacular names.—Bhat-titur, Bakht-titur, Kumar-tit Kakar, Dangar Rowrie (H.) ; Butabur, Batibun (Sind); Popandi (Bhil); Pakorade (Mahr); Jam polanka (Tel); Kal-Gorjal-Haki; (Can. Mysore) ; Kal-handari (Tamil.) Description, Adult male.—Crown to rump and upper tail coverts - isabelline-grey to isabelline-brown, generally darkest on the tail coverts and palest on the crown; lores, cheeks, chin and throat dull yellow ochre, often tinged with orange buff, this colour extending 12 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST, SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII, round to the back of the nape forming an indistinct collar, which shades off into the other parts. Scapulars and sometimes the feathers of the inter-scapulary region the same as the rest of the back but darker and changing into ochreous-buff, or buff, at the ends which are margined with brown at the tips. Inner lesser coverts like the back gradually changing to buff, or ochreous, on the other lesser, median and inner greater coverts which are margined with brown; greater secondary coverts and inner secon- daries buff, or ochreous-buff, the latter shaded with olive on the inner web and inside of the outer web. Hdge of shoulder of wing, bastard wing, primary coverts and primaries dark brown, the five inner primaries with broad oblique bands of white at the end; outer secondaries brown. The yellow ochre of the throat and fore-neck changes into vinous buff on the upper breast which is divided trom the lower breast by a narrow band of black, above which is an indefinite and still more narrow band of white, caused by the white of the black tipped feather showing through; lower breast dull yellow-buff changing gradually into the chocolate of the rest of the lower plumage and flanks, which itself becomes black in the centre of the abdomen; feathers of the tarsus and under tail-coverts creamy buff; Central tail feathers like the back darkening towards the narrow prolonged portions which are quite black at the ends, the other rectrices are tipped with pale buff and the.outermost also mottled with dark rufous next this pale tip. On the upper plumage the colour shows most variations on the wings where it runs from a beautiful pale vinous buff of cream dove colour, to a bright chrome yellow. In the great majority of birds the general tone is a vinaceous buff, with sandy yellow predominat- ing on the softer feathers of the wing. The amount of black on the abdomen also differs greatly in different individuals but African birds, on an average, seem darker and more richly coloured here than are Indian specimens. The yellow of the throat varies from pale, rather dull chrome yellow, to a bright almost deep chrome. “Tn this species the males average rather larger and heavier and have decidedly longer tails. The following is a resumé of many measurements accorded in the flesh :— ‘ Males.— Length 11-75 to 18-75; expanse 21:13 to 22:5; wing 6:7 to 7:5; tail from vent 4°38 to 5°87; tarsus 0-9 to 1:0; bill from gape ‘62 to :7 per cent. Weight 8 to nearly 10 ozs.” (Hume.) To the above I may add afew average measurements taken from the made wp skins of over 100 specimens. Wing 7:15'' (190 mm. ); bill at front, from tip to feathers on forehead -52" (13-6 mm.). Colowrs uf soft parts.—“The feet and bill vary from pale slaty grey to pale plumbeous, or lavender blue; the irides are dark brown and THE GAME BIRDS OF INDIA, BURMA AND CEYLON. 138 the orbital skin pale lemon yellow to pale yellowish green.” (Hume). Adult female.—Whole of upper plumage rather dull buff, some- times sandy buff, sometime vinaceous and sometimes with here and there a slightly rufescent tinge; the feathers of the crown and nape are marked with central longitudinal spots of dark brown which form regular streaks, on the hind neck, the spots widen into blotches and on the upper back become broad bars, the centre wider and pointed; the feathers of the rest of the upper parts are barred; scapulars, innermost secondaries and lesser and median coverts like the back but the feathers broadiy tipped with buff and some of the coverts very finely edged with reddish brown; remainder of wing like the male but with fewer reddish bars on the median coverts. Chin, lores, supercilia, sides of the head and throat yellow ochre, the sides of the head speckled with blackish brown, these spots increas- ing in size on the neck and breast which is like the back, but generally with a stronger vinaceous tint; the chin and throat are immaculate in old birds, but the ear coverts have fine black hair marks. Most females have a faint indication of a very dark brown line separating the upper breast from the lower, which is a dull pale ochre-buff; abdomen, flanks and feathers of vent rufous buff closely barred with very dark brown, under tail coverts creamy buff. Tail feathers like those of the male; axillaries and under aspect of wing brown, the smaller coverts and shoulder barred with dull buff. As already shewn above the birds grade in general tone from a sandy buff to a dull vinaceous buff above and on the under plumage they vary to much the same extent. The upper breast may be quite a dull, almost brown tint, whilst other birds are here quite a pale sandy buff; most birds will, however, be found intermediate. The light unspotted lower breast also varies in some degree, though not as much, I think, as the upper breast, and the abdomen and flanks also go through the same gradations of colours; but Western birds appear to be invariably darker than our Indian birds on these parts, although they seem no more richly coloured above. The colour of the throat and chin varies from very pale cream yellow to quite a rich, though light, chrome yellow.” “« Hemales.—Length 11 to 12:25; expanse 20°9 to 21:5; wing 6:6 to 6-9; tail from vent 4:0 to 4:8; tarsus 0°8 to 0°85; tail from gape 0°6 to 0°67; weight 7:5 to 8°3 ozs.” (Hume.) The average wing measurements of about 100 females is 6°85" (182°5 mm.) The extremes of length were, however, far greater than in Hume’s series, ranging from 6°35" to 7.05" (170°5 to 187-5 mm.). The colours of the soft parts are the same as in the male. An immature female differs from the adult in having the outer primaries and inner secondaries tipped with buff, the former 14. JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST, SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII, vermiculated with black, the uppér breast spotted with blackish brown, the centre pair of tail feathers not produced with filaments.” (Ogilvie-Grant.) A young bird with points of fluff still about it, has the whole of the upper parts a pale dull buff and is finely vermiculated all over with tiny wavy bars of black, many of the feathers having the ends edged with white and witha chestnut patch at the tip. From chin to breast the colour is an earthy buff with fine bars of blackish and the abdomen and flanks are dull black. The quills are blackish brown, the trips freckled with buff and black, and the imner secon- daries freckled thus all over; the greater and median primary coverts are also black, the former very narrowly, the latter broadly edged with dark buff. Another specimen older than the last and with all the nestling fluff worn off isthe same, but has a wide band below the breast and above the black abdomen almost devoid of spots and the breast instead of being vermiculated with narrow black bars has definite black spots; the inner secondaries are also more clearly and regul- arly barred with dull buff and deep brown, though the tips retain the same chestnut and black freckling. The tail is throughout banded earthy buff and black. Nestling in down.—This is yet another of our common Indian Game Birds, the nestling of which still remains to be described. Distribution.—Pteroclurus exustus extends throughout North West Africa and South-East Asia into India. In Africa it is common, in South Egypt, Nubia, Abyssinia, and extends into Somali, North Egypt and West as far as Algeria and South into British and German Hast Africa. East it works through Arabia from the extreme South to the extreme North through Palestine and Arabia Petroid, South Persia into India. Within India it occurs practically over the. whole continent in suitable places and Hume thus defines its habitat. “Throughout India proper, where the rainfall is moderate, the soil fairly dry and the country open and tolerably level, the Common Sand-Grouse abounds. ‘Towards the East and South its general distribution is much that of the Painted Sand Grouse, though the particular localities it affects are different; but itis a Western form which extends into India and not a purely Indian form, and it is common in places (for instance in Sind) to which P. fasciatus does not extend. : ‘Tt is a bird of the level, sparsely wooded, sandy countries par excellence, and though it may be shot in sundry plains close to hills in Rajputana, unlike the Painted Sand-Grouse, it eschews Hills, has no liking for scrub, and absolutely avoids damp, swampy, low- _ lying tracts, jungles and forests. - “ Bearing this in mind, it may be said that it occurs inall suitable _ THE GAME BIRDS OF INDIA, BURMA AND CEYLON. 15 localities throughout the Punjab, Sind, Rajputana, the N. W. Provinces and Oudh, the Western parts of Behar and Chota Nagpore, the Central Provinces and the Central India Agency, in- cluding Bundelkhand, Berar, the Nizam’s Territory, the whole Bombay Presidency, except the Sub-ghat littoral, Mysore and the Northern and Central portions of the Madras Presidency. ” Blanford records that he has seen this Sand-Grouse at Raneegange and I have seen it in the same district of Bhirbhom, Dr. King saw one in the Botanical Gardens, Calcutta (probably an escaped bird), and Blanford again shot some a little to the North of the Cauvery, near Trichinopoly. It does not extend to Ceylon but it is found in Tra- vancore, whence I have received eggs. Col. Faithful, in epistola, says ‘‘about 3 or 4 years ago I came across a flock of about six of the small kind of Sand-Grouse on the Karewa at the back of Ardwin in the Phupiyan direction, these and the one I shot are the only ones I have ever shot in Kashmir. The one I shot was got in the early part of February.” Jerdon gives a most interesting account of this Sand-Grouse and its habits. He remarks ‘“‘This is the most common and abundant species of Sand-Grouse throughout India, being found in every part of the country, except the more wooded portions, and never occur- ring in forest districts. p “This Sand-Grouse frequents the bare open plains, whether rocky or otherwise, and is very partial to ploughed lands and bare fallow fields. It feeds chiefly in the morning and between 8 and 9 a. m., goes to drink at some river or tank, at which, in some parts of the country, thousands assemble, and they may be seen winging their way in larger or smaller parties from all quar- ters, at a great height, uttering their peculiar loud piercing call, which announces their vicinity to the sportsman long before he has seen them. They remain afew minutes at the waters edge, walking about and picking up fragments of sand or gravel, and then fly off as they came. In the hot weather, at all events if not at all seasons, they drink again about 4 p.m. When they are seated on bare sandy or rocky ground, they are most difficult to observe, from the similarity of their colour to the ground; some- times they can be approached with care near enough to get a good shot, at other times, especially if in large flocks, they are shy and wary. A small flock or single bird can often be approached very close by walking rapidly, not straight, but gradually edging towards them; and, in this way I have often walked up to within two or three yards of them. They feed on various hard. seeds, especially on those of various Abysicarfi, Desmodium, etc., as well as on grass, seeds and grain.” “The bird, if kept long enough, is very excellent eating, though the flesh is somewhat hard and tough, but with a high game 16 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII. flavour; and the young birds when nearly full grown, are excellent. ” This species of Sand-Grouse in India is not migratory though it may move about to some slight extent under pressure of climatic conditions and during the height of the extreme dry season may wander into districts it does not visit at other times. Its drinking hour depends on the season and it often does not drink in the cold weather until nearly 10 o’clock, whereas in May and June it will be found watering as early as 7 a.m. Roughly speaking, it appears to feed for some two hours after the sun is up after which it drinks before settling down for a siesta during the hotter hours of the day. In the evening it often does not drink at all, but during the hot weather thirst generally compels it to drink again before its evening feeding hour and it will then be found at water between 3°30 and 4°30 or a little later. It is not crepuscular in its habits like Plerocles fasciatus and coronatus. lis food appears to be entirely vegetarian and even as such confined mainly to hard seeds and grain ; in two instances only did Hume find insects in their stomach and I can find no other records referring to this diet. They do sometimes resort to cultivated fields for grain and seed, but for the greater part they keep to the unculti- vated plains and it is wonderful the way they manage, not only to obtain enough food to sustain their great vitality but actually to keep them plump and in the highest condition. They are not as a rule found in enormous flocks such as those of Pteroclurus alchata and Pterocles arenarws and flocks of over 100 are exceptional, though some few of 200 or even more have been seen. Generally the flocks number 20 or 30 to 50 and these come down to water in independent packs, not collecting together for the purpose. Arrived at the water they settle at once, unless alarmed, a short distance from the water and there, like all Sand-Grouse, squat for a few seconds or minutes, before running down to the water edge for their drink. After this they remain a short time and walk about and scatter a good deal, but do not seem to quarrel with one another as so many other Sand-Grouse do, and then all fly off again to their resting place. Hume says that whereas in the day time when feeding they scatter widely over the ground but that during the night when sleeping they collect in a very compact mass; he also adds ‘‘and during the night they must keep better watch than during the day, for often when crossing the huge Oosur plains in Etawah after dark, at times after mid-night, I have heard flocks of them rise at consi- derable distance from me. Moreover, I have never found any of their feathers about in the morning, as I have of so many ground roosting birds, shewing where a jackal or a fox has made _alucky hit. If one remembers how abundant this species is in many districts and how superabundant in the same places, THE GAME BIRDS OF INDIA, BURMA AND CEYLON, 17 foxes, jackals and wild cats and also that the Sand-Grouse leaves a strong scent by which a dog will nose out a wounded bird hidden amongst the clods of a ploughed field in a moment, it does speak well for their chowkidars that none of these little Samd-Grouse ever seem to fall victims to these midnight marauders. ‘«« Still native fowlers will at times surprise them, and during dark nights, in some fashion, creep up and drop a net. over the entire party. The net used is a very light one, a truncated triangle about 8 ft. wide at bottom, 4 tt. at top, and about 4 ft. wide, attached to two light slender bamboos, each about 8 ft. long. The covey is marked as it goes to roost, and then the man about 11 o’clock (the night must be dark, and is all the better for being windy) steals up and drops the net over the whole pack. I went out several nights to try and be present at a capture, but on only one occasion were any caught, and then only two, but a few nights after, the men who were akerias, and who were still in my camp, snaring ducks and quails, brought in some forty, that they professed to have caught in this way in one haul, and they were polite enough to hint that it was the bad smell of an European that had foiled their efforts on previous occasions. They were doubtless humbugging in some way but one thing is certain, they do constantly manage to catch whole packs in some way or other during dark nights, and are therefore, though they certainly do not look so, considerably sharper than the beasts of the field.”’ The only way of making a big bag of Sand-grouse is to wait for . them at their drinking place, but in this way very big bags indeed can be made, especially when arrangements are made to prevent the birds watering at any other pieces of water within a radius of some miles, as is done sometimes when ‘big wigs’ have to be provided with sport. During the non-breeding season shooting over water is legitimate enough for the Common Sand Grouse are strong and good fliers, fly » high and take a lot of hitting before they drop. They must, how- ever, be given a rest during the principal breeding season, if this can be defined, and, where it cannot, then the normal season must be allowed them, and the birds forced to adapt themselves to it. When thirsty they must drink and it takes a lot of shooting to drive them away even temporarily, but Hume mentions a case in the Sirsa district in which the cruel sport was practised by two guns down at the water’s edge, and a great number killed and during the next week a large number of eggs were found deserted and destroyed (1 suppose by crows and mongooses) in what was known to be a favourite breeding place two or three miles from the tank.” From the above it is. plain that these birds can be driven right out of a district by too much prosecution at their drinking places, a fact which should be carefully borne in mind by sportsmen. 3 ——_— 18 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST, SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII. Fortunately this Sand-Grouse does not seem to be decreasing in India, bags are made as big now as were made 50 years ago and the flocks seem to be as big and as numerous as ever they were in Hume’s time. It is not so long ago that Major Nurse wrote as follows ‘“‘The Common Sand-Grouse (Péerocles ewustus) has been unusually abund- ant at Deesa this year. I feel sure they must have increased in numbers since I first came here, now nearly five years ago. Possib- ly the last few years, which have been unusually dry, have been especially favourable to their increase. A few weeks ago over 400 were shot over a running stream one morning by a party of 7 or 8 guns, and this at a place where more than 200 birds had been killed on several previous occasions during the course of a few weeks.” Here and there a sportsmen writes to say that he thinks the birds have decreased in numbers, but where this is the case the decrease is generally found to correspond with an increase in cultivation or irrigation and where their haunts have been left untouched there the birds seem to be much as they were in Hume’s time. The Common Sand-Grouse breeds everywhere within its range in India, more freely in some parts than in others according to whether the wide stretches of waste lands it loves and requires are obtainable or not. The Common Sand-Grouse is an easy bird to domesticate and is often kept by natives and has also been successfully kept by EKuropeans. Mr. C. Barnby Smith has the following interesting notes on this bird in captivity in the August 1910 number of the Avicultural -Magazine “A friend very kindly sent me over three Indian Painted Sand-Grouse (Pterocles fasciatus) caught near Bho- pal in Central India. The birds (a cock and two hens) arrived in good health in the early part of last February. At the same time a consignment of the Common Pintail Sand-Grouse (P. exustus) arrived. ‘These birds seem to travel well, as out of eighteen birds that left Calcutta sixteen arrived alive. “Such of the Pin-tailed Sand-Grouse as I retained for myself I put at first with the Painted Sand-Grouse in the conventional sort of place—a large wooden shed (with sand floor) open on the South, on which side it has a sort of glass verandah with grass on the ground underneath. “The birds were, and are, fed on millet, canary, maw, rape and hemp seeds, but seem to like millet best of all. They are also supplied with lime, small flint, grit and rock salt. «The Pin-tailed Sand-Grouse do not seem to care for grass at all but love to squat in the sand, basking in the sun whenever possible. The greatest danger with these birds seems to be their sudden panics, which makes them dash violently against the sides of the enclosures unless the feathers of one wing are heavily cut. My birds arrived late at night (as birds always seem to do) and when I THE GAME BIRDS OF INDIA, BURMA AND CEYLON. 19 went to look at them the following morning the whole lot were dashing with wild flights and shrieks of terror in all directions. Tt was only prompt and resolute action with a landing net and subsequently with a pair of scissors that put a stop to their apparently determined efforts at suicide. “The Pin-tailed Sand-Grouse soon become comparatively tame and run about on the sand with contented little “‘crooning”’ cries. I have noticed they are much steadier when divided as, when a lot are together, the alarm note of one at once sets off the others attempting to fly. So far I have seen no signs of nesting, though I have divided them into several different enclosures in hopes they will do so. ” What constitutes the breeding season of the Common Sand-Grouse is, it must be admitted, practically impossible to determine and the utmost one can say is that more breed in some months than in others and even thus we must hedge and allow that what are the favourite months in one place need not be so in another place no great distance away. Jor instance, if we take the three places Sirsa, Hissar, and Hansi, all close together in the South of the Punjab, we find that the British Museum has a series of no lessthan 75 eggs from round about these towns which were taken in the following months:— March April May June July August September and 35 are not dated. This does not help us much but would seem to infer that they do not lay in the cold weather. If we then turn to Hume’s “ Nests and Hges” we find Khan Nizam-oo-deen, K de) (i (ep CS) Ce) 1869 1870 Brea VON CN see B Ue Nac tc hye ie rade February ord, 24th. March Ist, 4th, 12th, 21st. \yorales 21st, 22nd, 27th, 28th. me Sth & o5th. Ist, drd, 5th, 7th, 15th, 28th, June 16th, 17th, 30th. ~ 1th, 15th, 21st, 30th. July Ist, ond, oth, 10th, 23rd. 1th, 12th. J TETAS Sia PAE eee an a nage a Sepeember Ist, 2nd, rd, . ....s. 7th, 10th October ord, 22nd. November 24th. December ia, 2 Orda 20 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST, SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII. Here we have eggs in every month but January and August, but the favourite months may be said to be March to July. In con- firmation of this, Mr. R. M. Adam says that about the Sambhar Lake they breed in great numbers in April and May. Mr. J. Davidson took these eggs from January to June in the Deccan and Major Cock found them breeding at Nowshera in May and June, whilst Mr. A. Anderson says that in the Doab they breed in March, April and May and finally Col. Butler found their eggs at Dungar- war (55 miles South of Deesa ) in March and May. On the other hand Davidson found them breeding in Western Khandesh in Fe- bruary, in the same month Col. Butler found their eggs in Belgaum and Mr. Hastings took their eggs in . October in Etawah, S. W. United Provinces. Col. Bingham wrote to me that he took their eggs near Mhow in January and Mr. E. G. Phythean Adams also wrote to me to the effect that he found them laying round about Poona in December, January and February. The only conclusion one can draw is that these birds breed more or less throughout the year but that in North and Central India more breed from March to July than in other months, whilst fur- ther South they breed earlier, the majority in February and March. It is probable also that most birds lay twice in the year at least. The eggs are laid in a depression in the soil, either natural or scratched out by the birds themselves. In the very great majority of cases there is no lining of any sort whatsoever, but Adams, Anderson and one or two other observers have found a certain amount of grass placed in the hollow as a sort of rough lining. How rare, however, it is to find such, is shown by the fact that in the enormous number of nesting places found by Hume, Davidson and the Khan Bahadur, never once did any of them ever find any lining placed in the depression below the eggs. Three is the number of eggs almost invariably laid, but occasion- ally two only are incubated. The stories, however, of five and four eggs being laid by the same bird are almost certainly the result of two birds laying in the same nest-hole or of some mistake on the part of the collector. Both birds take part in incubation, and as the eggs are laid in great open plains, generally with no scrub, grass or stone to shield them from the sun, the birds have to cover the eggs in the heat of the day to prevent them being killed, if not cooked by the sun. Now and then the birds may take advantage of the cover afforded by a tuft of grass or small bush, or she may lay her egos In amongst stones which partially shield them from the sun, but she never makes her nest-hole in among bushes and jungle as does Pterocles fasciatus. Hume says the haunts it loves best as breeding sites are scattered stubble or fallow, or newly ploughed fields rather than the large semi-desert plains surrounding them. THE GAME BIRDS OF INDIA, BURMA AND CEYLON. 21 Mr. A. Anderson found them breeding in a curious place “a plain covered from miles with reh (a saline effervescence) which gave the ground the appearance of being carpeted with thick snow ”’ on this ground he flushed a Sand-Grouse from a pair of eggs and he goes on to note “my camp being close to this place, I amused myself in watching the birds incubating, feeding, round about their nest and dusting themselves after the fashion of fowls. On the 4th as I approached the nest, the bird glided off, and skulked away in a crouching position, so as to avoid detection and then squatted.” Incubation appears in India to extend over 16 or 17 days but may vary more than this according to the time of year in which they are laid. Mr. Meade Waldo who has been successful in rearing these birds in captivity reports (Avicultural Magazine, March 1913), that eggs layed in April were not hatched until the 23rd day, where- as others laid in July were hatched in 18-19 days. In this article Mr. Meade Waldo writes ‘The procedure of these birds is precisely the same as the Greater Pintailed Sand-Grouse (Pierocles alchata), viz., the female incubates by day, the male by night, and the male soaks his breast with water for the young to drink or rather suck.” As regards their eggs I have but a poor series and can add nothing to what Hume has recorded in ‘“‘Game Birds.” Here he describes them as follows: “The eggs, like those of all other Sand-Grouse, are long and cylindrical, like those of a Night Jar. The texture is fine and smooth and they have generally a fine gloss. Not only in shape, but in marking also, do many of them strongly resemble those of some species of Night Jar. The ground colour varies much; in some it is a pale, somewhat pinkish stone colour, in others greyish or dingy or greenish white; in some pale cafe-au-lait, in others a somewhat light olive brown. Typically they are thickly spotted, streaked or irregularly blotched, pretty uniformly over the whole surface with two sets of markings, the one of darker or lighter shades of olive brown, the other a sort of pale inky purple, and these latter, which are most commonly streaks and clouds, seem to underline the others. Different eggs vary much in the distribution, size and intensity of these markings, as also in the relative proportion of the extent of surface covered respectively with what I may call the primary and secondary markings; in some almost the whole ground colour not occupied by the primary markings is clouded with the pale inky purple, in others only here and there a few spots of this colour are traceable; in some all the markings are small, very thickly set and freckled, in others they are bold, large, eccentrically shaped blotches, comparatively thinly distributed over the surface. Some of the eggs are, as a whole, very much darker coloured than others, and in some the ground colour might perhaps be best 22 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST, SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII. described as a faintly greenish-grey. As arule the paler the ground, the paler the markings, and vice versa. Exceptionally beautiful marbled eggs are met with, as also unmottled pale creamy varieties. I have never, however, seen one that could be taken for an egg of fasciatus.” «The eges vary in length from 1:32" to 1-6" and in breadth from 0:93" to 1:11"; but the average of 70 eggs is 1:45" by 1:038".” Reducing Hume’s figures to millimetres we get respectively 33°6 to 40°5, 23-2 to 28-2 and 36°8 x 26:2 mm. Oates gave the measurements of the eges in the British Museum as running up to 1:15'' (29-2 mm) in breadth and the average of 129 eggs in that Museum added to 102 other eggs of which I have obtained the measurements, is exactly the same as that given by Hume. It is not possible ever to confound these eggs with those of the Painted Sand-Grouse ( Pterocles fasciatus ) for these latter are always salmon, bright buff or pink in general tone, whereas those of the Common Pintail Sand-Grouse ( Pleroclurus exustus) are always ereyish, or olive grey in tint when looked at as a whole. (To be continued.) 23 SCIENTIFIC RESULTS OF THE MAMMAL SURVEY. BY OLDFIELD THomas, F. R. S. Now VALE. (Published by permission of the Trustees of the British Museum.) Mr. Shortridge’s magnificent collection from Mount Popa and other parts of Central Burma has now been received at the National Museum, and pending the return to London of Mr. Wroughton, who will, I hope, give a detailed report on it, I propose to give notes and descriptions of such things in it as appear to need special attention. MENETES BERDMOREI AND ITS SUBSPECIES. The Popa collection contains a series of specimens of a particularly beautiful Menetes, and on laying out the whole available material of the group, I find that there appear to be five recognizable forms, which may provisionally be considered as subspecies of M. berdmoret. It should be premised that the presence or absence of the main lateral black stripes does not appear to be a racial, but, as in many forms of Tamiops, a seasonal character, for January and early February specimens, at least of subsp. consularis, are quite without them, while they become developed in specimens taken at other times of the year. Whether this is equally the case in the other subspecies our material does not enable me to state. It is however possible that since, even in the fully striped phase, consularis, has the least amount of striping, so it has also alone developed (or retained) a seasonal suppression of the stripes, and that other forms have them all the year round. January specimens of the Mt. Popa and other forms would therefore be particularly interesting. The five subspecies may be diagnosed as follows :— 1. Median dorsal black line and upper lateral ones present, though not very conspicuous. Undersurface strongly washed with buffy. M. berdmore: berdmoret. Rangoon, Martaban and neighbouring parts of Tenasserim. 2. Like berdmorei in having inconspicuous median dorsal, and upper lateral blackish lines, but the undersurface white or whitish. M.b. mouhoti, Gray. (Syn. Sciwrus pyrrocephalus, M. Edw.) Siam south of Bangkok, Camboja, Cochin-China. 3. Median dorsal and upper lateral dark streaks prominent, all the markings very strongly defined, the main dark lateral band broad and glossy black ; an additional blackish streak edging the belly ; general body colour clear grizzled olive, undersurface and tips of tail hairs pure white. M. b. decoratus, subsp. n. Mount Popa, dry zone of Burma. 94 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII. 4. Markings about as in decoratus, but less conspicuously con- trasted, owing to the general body colour being darker and duller, more olive brown, undersurface and tips of tail hairs yellowish. Size rather larger than in other forms. Muzzle of skull unusually slender. MM. b. moerescens, subsp. n. Annam.—Type from Bali near Nha-trang. 5. No median dorsal stripes or upper dark lateral ones, the only dark streak being that between the light lateral streaks and even this is absent in January and February. Undersurface yellowish white. MM. b. consudaris, subsp. n. Siam north of Bangkok. Type from Nan. 200 m. Three specimens from Myawadi and Kaukaryit, E. of Moulmein, seem also to belong here, but as they were killed in January and February, and might possibly represent an “eclipse pelage”’ of M. b. berdmoret, their determination must still remain a little doubtful. These are the specimens referred to by Blanford (J. A. 5S. B., XLVII, p. 162,1878) who recorded their differences from berdmorei, but assigned them to mouwhoti, to which they do not seem to have any greater resemblance. Measurements and other details of types of new subspecies :— Menetes berdmorei decoratus. Head and body, 188 mm; tail 175; hindfoot 43-5; ear 21. Skull.—Greatest length 49; zygomatic breadth 26-3; palatilar length 23; front of p* to back of m* 9. Hab.—Mt. Popa, up to about 4,000’. Type.—Adult female. B. M. No. 14.4.3.4. . Original number 3844, Collected, 20th September 19138, by G. C. Shortridge. Presented by the Bombay Natural History Society. Thirty speci- mens obtained. M. b. consularis. Head and body 179 mm;; tail 151; hindfoot 40; ear 21. Skull, greatest length (c) 49; zygomatic breadth 25:5; palatilar length 23; mp’ and three molars 8-4. T'ype.—Immature female, B.M. No. 2.6.6.6. Original number 159. Collected, 6th October 1901, and presented by Th. H. Lyle, Esq. About a dozen specimens examined, mostly presented by Mr. Lyle. M. b. moerescens. Hindfoot 41 mm. Skull.—(Immature) greatest length 51; zygomatic breadth 28, palatilar length 22-2; mp* and three molars 9-6. Type.—Immature female. B. M. No. 6.11.6.32. Original number 38. Collected at Bali near Nha-trang, Annam, by Dr. J. Vassal. This animal may hereafter prove to be specifically distinct from the other forms by its large skull and long narrow muzzle, but without fully adult specimens this point cannot be finally settled. SCIENTIFIC RESULTS OF THE MAMMAL SURVEY. 25 DREMOMYS RUFIGENIS. The ved-cheeked Squirrel. This species was originally described from Mount Mooleyit, Tenasserim, and other specimens have since been referred to it from Siam and Yunnan.” In addition, two subspecies have been describ- ed by Bonhote, D. 7. belfieldi, from the Malay Peninsula, and D. r. fuscus from Annam. In the Burma collection there are four specimens of it from the Mandalay region, representing a new subspecies, while I also find it necessary to distinguish the Yunnan race as a fifth local race. It is however to be noted that these animals show a remarkable variation in the shape and size of the skull, some having compara- tively small skulls, with conical muzzle, while others have a larger skull with larger brain case and a longer muzzle which is more pinched in laterally. Possibly there may prove to be more than one species among them, but for the moment I leave them provi- sionally all under the specific name of rujigenis. Further series, showing change of skull with age, and exact geographical distribution and intergradation (or otherwise ) of the different forms will be needed before any final conclusion can be arrived at. DREMOMYS R. ADAMSONI, subsp. n. Adamson’s red-cheeked Squirrel. General characters as in true rufigenis. Body with the same drabby or muddy suffusion in the olive of the upper surface, the rump and hips similarly more brown. Top of muzzle less rufous, with hardly a trace of ferruginous in its grizzling. Patch behind ear small, dull buffy. Rufous of cheeks less extended, almost replaced by brown between eye and ear. Under surface conspicu- ously whiter; the interramia and throat almost pure white, the belly hairs with their white tips almost hiding their slaty basis, and the hairs in the inguinal region and on the inner side of the thighs prominently white. In rufigenis the hairs of the throat and inguinal regions are more or less washed into ochraceous. Skull of the size and shape of that of ruigenis. Posterior edge of nasals V-shaped, the angle forwards. Dimensions of the type.—Head and body 200 mm; tail 125; hind- foot 43 ; ear 21. Skull.—Greatest length 52; zygomatic breadth 27-5; nasals 16 x 6:5; interorbital breadth 14:4; breadth of brain case 22:2; palatilar length 22; p* and three molars 8-8. Hab.—Upper Burma. Type from Maymyo, alt. 2,800'. Other specimens from Kalaw, S. Shan States, 4,800’. Type.—Adult male, B. M. No. 14.4.3.3. Original number 3433. Given to Mr. Shortridge by its collector Mr. J.P. Cook. Presented to the National Museum by the Bombay Natural History Society. 4 26 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST, SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII, This squirrel is primarily distinguished from true rujigenis by its much whiter undersurface, and especially its white throat and inner side of thighs. Named in honour of Sir Harvey Adamson, K.C.S.I., Lieut.- Governor of Burma, to whom Mr. Shortridge and the Mammal Survey in Burma have both been much indebted for assistance of various kinds. DREMOMYS R. ORNATUS, subsp. n. The Yunnan red-cheeked Squirrel. General appearance of rujigenis, but skull characters as in belfieldt. Coloration almost as in true rufigenis, but the back a clearer olive without any muddy or drabby tinge, and the rump with scarcely any suffusion of brown. Undersurface as rufigenis. Sides of face brighter ferruginous, the rusty extending further back on the upper surface of the muzzle, nearly to the level of the ears. Patches behind ears buffy. Skull very different from that of rufigenis, but imdistinguishable from that of belfieldi. Larger than-in rujigenis, the muzzle very long, pinched in at sides; the nasals long, their hinder end directed transverse. Forehead broad, flat, with more transversely directly postorbital processes. Brain case large. Zygomatia widely ex- panded. Dimensions of the type.—Hindfoot, 44. Skull.—Greatest length 58:2; condylo-incisive length 50:5; zygomatic breadth 31:6; nasals 21 x 7; interorbital breadth 16:7 ; breadth of brain case 25; palatilar length 24:2; p* and three molars 9:7. Habitat.— Yunnan ( Probably from near Mong-tze ). Type.—Old female. B. M. No. 12.7.25.20. Original number 11. Collected 4th February 1910 by Mr. Alan Owston’s collector H. Orii. One specimen. Distinguished from rufigenis by its large skull and long muzzle, and from belfieldi by its brighter coloration. Flying Squirrels. No Petaurista is contained in the Popa collection, but one was obtained in the Shan States by Capt. Venning, who has presented it to the survey. It proves to be a new subspecies and may be called— PETAURISTA LYLEI VENNINGI, subsp. n. Venning’s Flying Squirrel. Similar in general characters to true Siamese lylet, but with the undersurface browner, less ferruginous. Size as in lylei. General colour above on superficial view very , much as in that animal, the fur with a similar prominent ticking of SCIENTIFIC RESULTS OF THE MAMMAL SURVEY. 27 white, but the wunderfur is wholly dark blackish slate, without the concealed suffusion of ferruginous found in the Siamese form. Hars similarly long, with the proectote tending to rufous, and the metectote black, but the former is of a duller tone, approaching fawn. Hyes with black upper and lower rims, without the small rufous spots found in lyler both above and below the eye. Undersur- face much more brownish than in lylei, nearly matching Ridgway’s ‘‘fawn colour’’, therefore very different from the brilliant rufous or ferruginous of bytes. Parachute darker throughout than in Jylei, its upper side dark chestnut brown, its lower vinaceous brown. Hands, feet and tail black. Skull as in /ylez, but the bulle in the single specimen larger than in the available skulls of lylet. Dimensions of the type (measured in the flesh by Capt. Ven- ning).—Head and body 455, tail 635, hindfoot 83, ear 51. Skull.—Greatest length 82; condylo-incisive length 74; zygo- matic breadth 52; nasals 255 x 16°5 ; interorbital breadth 18-5 palatilar length 37: 2 ; p and three molars 17:5. Habitat.—Southern Shan States. Type from Kalaw, west of Taunggyi, alt. 4,700’. Type.—Adult male, B. M. No. 14.4.3.1. Original number 3374. Collected 15th May 1913, and presented to the Survey by Capt. F. EH. W. Venning. This fine animal is a Burmese representative of the Siamese P. lylet, from which it differs by its browner undersurface. The smaller Flying Squirrels. Of the smaller Flying Squirrels, the Burmese collection contains three species, one of them belonging to the genus Belomys, and the other two to Sciuropterus, subgenus Hylopetes. The Belomys unfortunately is only represented by a young example from Mt. Popa, and an imperfect skin without skull from Yin Village, Lower Chindwin. Neither is determinable with certainty, but the relationship to B. trichotis of Manipur will no doubt prove to be close. The larger Sciuropterus seemed to be fairly numerous, and Mr. Shortridge succeeded in getting 35 specimens of it. An examina- tion of these shows that it is a local form of S. phayrei of Pegu and Tenasserim. It may be called— SCIUROPTERUS PHAYREI PROBUS, subsp. n. Like true phayrei but tending to be lighter coloured throughout, not so much in the general colour as in the greater extent of whitish on the undersurface of neck, limbs and tail. General colour above 28 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII. light wood-brown, a prominent patch on sides of cheek and neck greyish white. Muzzle more greyish white than brown. Under- surface nearly wholly pure white, a few hairs only on the sides of the belly with slaty bases. Hands and feet only brown at the base, and on the middle line, the sides and the whole of the digits whiter—in true phayrei the feet are wholly brown with the exception of a few hairs at the root of the claws. Tail drabby basally, darkening to blackish brown at the tip, the darkening less rapid and less intense than in phauret. Dimensions of the type (measured in the flesh).—Head and body 148; tail 128; hindfoot 30:5; ear 23. Skull, greatest length 39-3; condylo-incisive length 35; zygomatic breadth 24-2; nasals 10-2; palatilar length 17-2; p* and three molars 7°8. Type.—Adult male. B.M. No. 14.4.3.2. Original number 3601. Collected on Mt. Popa at about 3,000’, 7th September 1913, by G. C. Shortridge, and presented by the Bombay Natural History Society. This form, distinguished by its nearly wholly white feet, is of about the same size as true phayrev. On the other hand the Siamese representative of phayrei is larger, though on account of its general identity in colour and other characters I should still call it the same species. SCIUROPTERUS PHAYREI LAOTUM, subsp. n. Larger than phayrei and probus. Coloration about as in probus, though the undersurface tends to be more largely mixed with slaty, and the white itself is less pure. Hands and feet brown with white digits. Dimensions of the type (measured on the skin).—-Hindtoot, 34 mm. Skull, greatest length 42; condylo-incisive length 38°3; zygo- matic breadth 16:2; nasals 10-5 x 6-6; palatilar length 19; p* and three molars 7:3 (worn and crushed together, 8-9 in one of Mr. Lyle’s Specimens. ) Habitat.—Laos Mts. and Siam. Type.—Adult female. B. M. No. 62.8.16.3. Collected by Mouhot. Mr. Lyle obtained four examples of this flying squirrel in North- ern Siam, but unfortunately two of their skulls are lost, one .is broken, and the fourth shows signs of having been in captivity. I have therefore had to select Mr. Mouhot’s specimen as the type. All the specimens agree in the greater length of the hindfoot as compared with phayrei and probus. The third small Flying Squirrel in the collection is Sciwropterus spadiceus, Blyth, represented by a single specimen from Maymyo near Mandalay, presented by Mr. G. B. H. Fell. SCIENTIFIC RESULTS OF THE MAMMAL SURVEY. 29 MILLARDIA KATHLEENA, sp. n, Ryley’s Soft-furred Rat. A light coloured Millardia, with white tail tip and only 0—2—4 mamme. Size about equal to that of the largest of the known species. General colour above, pale sandy fawn, not unlike that of M. meltada palldior, Ryley. Flanks and regions round eyes brighter fawn. Undersurface pale greyish white, the bases of the hairs generally pale slaty, but those on chin and in the inguinal region white to their bases. ars fairly large, greyish, differing little in colour from the general tone. Hands and feet white; soles with only four pads, the normal murine fifth and sixth completely absent. Tail varying from rather shorter to rather longer than the head and body, thinly haired, not pencilled, greyish brown for the greater part, sometimes the whole of its length, white below and terminally ; about 12 rings to the centimeter. Mamme 0-2—4. Skull on the whole very similar to that of M. meltada. Nasals narrow. ‘Superorbital ridges well marked. Interparietal more triangular, with a greater antero-posterior diameter. Anterior palatine foramina not elongated. Bulle very large, larger than in any of the known species either of Millardia or the other allied genera. Dimensions of the type (measured in the flesh).—Head and body 145 (range 131-166); tail 148 (130-159); hindfoot 27 (26-30); ear 21 (20-28). Skull.—Greatest length 35:4; condylo-incisive length 83:2; zygomatic breadth 17-7; nasals 14°5; interorbital breadth 5; . interparietal 5°3 x 9-5; palatilar length 16-5; palatal foramine 8-6; upper molar series 5-7. Hab.—Dry zone of Burma. Most of the specimens, including type, from Pagan: a few from Mt. Popa. Type.—Adult female. B. M. No. 14.4.3.5. Original number 4095. Collected at Pagan, 16th October 1913. This Burmese rat forms a very distinct new species, as all the pre- viously known members of Millardia have 2-2—8 mamme, normal sized hulle, and generally some trace of a fifth hindfoot pad. They are also all inhabitants of the Peninsula of India, not extending east of the Bay of Bengal. I have named the species in honour of Miss Kathleen Ryley, to whom the Survey is much indebted for the work she has done on its collections during the temporary absence of Mr. Wroughton. I venture to hope that on her return to England she will again take up the subject of Indian mammalogy, with the help of the increased material which the Bombay Society’s Survey is bringing together. 30 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST, SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII. Mus nitiputus, Blyth. Berdmore’s Mouse. This species has always been a puzzle, and owing to the loss of the type from the Calcutta Museum, its proper identification con- tinues to be a difficulty. The two mice from Sikhim that I assigned to it in 1881 are certainly something different, but owing to the bad condition of one and the immaturity of the other I cannot at present make any satisfactory determination of them. In the Burmese collection Mr. Shortridge obtained two species of nitidulus like mice, a larger and a smaller, and on comparing Blyth’s description’ with these two species, I have come to the conclusion that it is the smaller one, the Mus, which, pending the arrival of topotypes, should be provisionally assigned to M. nitidulus, and that the Leggadilla is new. Beyond saying that it has 12 mammeze or more, I will not now describe the form I assign to nitidulus, as this naming may hereafter be again upset, but it certainly agrees very closely with Blyth’s description, such as that is. The larger species I propose to term— LEGGADILLA SHORTRIDGEI, sp. n. Shortridge’s Leqgada. Size comparatively large, larger than in any of the species mention- ed by Wroughton and Ryley. Fur thickly mixed with spines, the spines on the back about 8-9 mm. in length. General colour drab- grey, the bases of the fur pale grey or whitish grey, the ends of the hairs pale drab, of the spines black. Undersurface drabby whitish, the hairs slaty at base; line of _ demarcation on sides not very sharply defined. ars scarcely darker than the general colour. Hands and feet white. ‘ail shorter than head and body; brown above, whitish below, not sharply defined ; caudal rings about 16 to the centimeter. Mamme 3-2—10. Skull long and slender, with long, narrow muzzle. The raised superorbital bead characteristic of Leggadilla as opposed to Mus well defined, starting close behind the back of the nasals, and continued backwards across the parietals. Palatal foramina to the level of the front of the inner root of m’. Teeth those of a typical Leggadilla, conspicuously larger than in the species I refer to Mus nitidulus. Dimensions of the type (measured in flesh) :—Head and body 122mm. (range 110-125); tail 101 (85-103); hindfoot 21-5 (20-22) ; ear 17-5 (17-19). Skull.—Greatest length 30 ; condylo-incisive length 29-2; zygoma- tic breadth 15; nasals 13; interorbital breadth 4:3; interparietal 3°8 x 10; palatilar length 14-3; palatal foramina 7-2; upper molar series 46, 1 J. A 8, B. XVIIL, p. 294, 1859. SCIENTIFIC RESULTS OF THE MAMMAL SURVEY. 31 Hab.—Mt. Popa, Upper Burma. Type.—Adult male. B.M. No. 14.4.8.6. Original number 3936. Collected 30th September 1913. 36 specimens. Like Millardia kathleene this Leggadilla represents a considerable extension of the range of the genus to which it belongs. For any small mice previously assigned to Leggada and coming from east of the Bay of Bengal are really members of Mus, as recently restricted by Wroughton and Ryley, and do not belong to the platythriz group, to which alone the name of Leqgadilla is applic- able. All the known forms are from the Peninsula of India. I have named this well marked species in honour of Mr. Guy C. Shortridge, its discoverer, to whose wonderful energy and collecting talents so much of the success of the Bombay Society’s Survey is due. DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF GORAL (NEMORHZIDUS) SHOT BY CAPTAIN F. M. BAILEY. BY Rel eOCOCK Mh ary as. Capt. F. M. Bailey recently sent to Messrs. Rowland Ward the skin and skull of an adult specimen of a Goral shot in Po Me in Tibet and, suspecting it might prove of interest from the locality standpoint, if from no other, asked me to examine it. His suspi- cions proved well founded, for the specimen turns out to be an undescribed form related to the two Himalayan species of Goral (Nemorhedus goral, and N. hodgsont) recently described in this Journal (J. Bombay Nat. His. Soc. XXII, pp. 313-314, 1913). Its relationship with these species and not with the Chinese types of goral is shown by the shortness of the tail and by the extension of the black patch over the knees of the front legs. NEMORHADUS BAILEYI, sp. un. General colour a uniform dark-brown on the body, rather paler on the sides and belly than on the back, but with no distinct black speckling on the hairs. A black spinal stripe extending from the crown of the head to the tail, deeper in tint upon the head and neck than on the back and gradually fading posteriorly upon the croup. Tail short and mostly black, but with some brown hairs on its upper side. A distinct dark patch above the rhinarium on the muzzle. Upper and lower lips with a narrow white rim, but the rest of the lips darkish. At the upper end of the throat a narrow elongated area of white hairs and the hair-whorls on the inner side at the base of the forelegs forming two large white patches. Forelegs dark yellowish brown, brighter on the feet and on the inner side; a short black patch extending over the middle of the knee but not above or below it to any appreciable extent. Hind legs the same colour on the front, without any definite dark strike extending up their posterior surface towards the root of the tail; inside of thighs at base dirty white. Measurements.—Length of head and body 422 in.; height at shoulder 251 in.; length of tail 3} in.; of ear 44 in. ; of horns 5 in. Loc. Dre on bank of Yigrong Tso (Lake) in Po Me. 9,00€ ft. July 8rd, 1913. An adult male, example (Type). The dark coloration and the presence of the black spinal stripe rugged. Hindrip between this species and N. hodgsona rather thin NEW SPECIES OF GORAL. 33 with the grey goral NV. goral. The three may be distinguished and contrasted as follows :— a. A very small white patch at the upper end of the throat; a large conspicuous white patch on each side of the chest in front close to the base of the legs . baileyt. b. A large white or dirty white patch at upper end of throat; patches on the chest near forelegs not white and not sharply differentiated from the adjacent area. a’. Dark brown speckled with black, a dark spinal line, etc. ... .. hodgsont. *. Grey, speckled with black, ‘no conspicuous dark spinal stripe es ep << Gora. From the brief diagnosis contained in the table, I have omitted the general coloration of N. baileyi which differs from that of N. hodqsont and of N. goral in being without the black speckling on the hairs, the colour being remarkably uniformly brown. This may prove to be a distinctive character but the coat is not in sufficiently good condition to justify confidence on that point. or 84 A POPULAR TREATISE ON THE COMMON INDIAN SNAKES. ILLUSTRATED BY COLOURED PLATES AND DIAGRAMS. BY Major F. Watu, I.M.S., C.M.Z.S. Part XXIT (with Plate VOGUE Diagrams and Maps.) (Continued from page 760 of Volwme XXII.) The next three species dealt with in this series of papers belong to the genus Zamems, and are Z. fasciolatus, Z. ventrimaculatus, and Z. diadema. Z. mucosus, the commonest, and most widely distributed has been already discussed in a former paper (Vol. XVII, p. 259). When Mr. Boulenger’s catalogue appeared in 1896, the genus included 34 species chiefly Asian and American. Of this total 10 occur within Indian limits. ZAMENIS FASCIOLATUS. THE FASCIOLATED RAT-SNAKE. History.— Russell in his great work 6n the Indian snakes, publish- ed in 1796, was the first to mention this snake, and this Volume contains an excellent coloured plate (No. XXI) of a handsomely marked juvenile specimen. Shaw in 1802, and Daudin in 1803, next referred to it, and then Cantor in 1839. Since then many writers have contributed scraps of information concerning it. Nomenclature.—(a) Scientific.—lt received its specific baptism in 1802. Shaw’s name (a diminutive form of the Latin fasciatus “banded ” ) having reference to the narrow crossbars usually so distinct in early life. It was assigned to its present place among the Zamenis by Giinther in 1864. The generic name is from the Greek “‘ Zamenes”’ meaning “‘ very strong.” (6) English.—I can suggest no better name than the fasciolated rat-snake which is the equivalent of its scientific designation. (c) Vernacular.—‘‘ Nooni paragoodoo ” is the name Russell gives on the authority probably of natives in Vizagapatam, since ‘“ gedi paragoodoo” or “grass runner” is the name given to the Krait in the Vizagapatam District, according to the same author. I am told that ‘“nooni” is Telugu for oil, and ‘ paragudu” means ‘‘runner.”’ The former word which I believe is also used for glistening is probably suggested by the smooth and polished character of the scales. . Colour.—The prevailing hue dorsally is some shade of brown, or olive-brown, some specimens being very light and almost yellow- ish, others very dark. Young specimens are beautifully ornamented Journ. Bombay Nat. Hist.Soc. Plate XXII. = J.Green, Chromo. FE Gerhardt del. THE COMMON INDIAN SNAKES. (Wall, 1-2. Zamenis fasciolatus, harmless. 3-4 Zamenis ventrimacu 5-7 Coluber radiatus, harmless. all nat .suxe. latus, harmless. it aan ire THE COMMON INDIAN SNAKES. 35 with crossbars, spotted or variegated with black and brown on a whitish ground. These bars are most conspicuous anteriorly and gradually disappear before, at, or at some distance behind the middle of the body. ‘They become increasingly obscure as age advances, and some old specimens are nearly uniform in colour. The head is usually uniform olivaceous, and without any markings, but a young specimen of mine in Fyzabad was marbled with lighter hues. The belly is uniformly whitish, or yellowish. In my young specimen it was greenish-yellow. General characters.—The head is of moderate length and width. The upper jaw projects rather prominently, and is sometimes rather parrot-like. A “canthus rostralis”’ is moderately evident. The nostril is of fair size, and occupies the upper two-thirds of the suture between the nasal shields. The eye is about half the length of the snout, and its round pupil easily discerned in life. A neck is fairly evident. The body is round, moderately long and smooth, and the tail is slender in form, and accounts for one-fourth to one- fifth the length of the snake. Identification.—In many respects it is very like Hodgson’s rat- snake (Coluber hadgsom), a Himalayan species. It bears a super- ficial resemblance to Cantor’s rat-snake (Coluber cantoris), another Himalayan form, and some other species of Zamenis and Coluber as well as the cobra. It is best recognised by attention to its scale rows first. These are usually 21 at a point two headslengths behind the head, 23 in midbody, and 17 two headslengths before the vent. Added to this the anal shield is divided; the supralabials are 8, the divided 3rd with the 4th and 5th, or the divided 4th with the oth and 6th touching the eye; and the preocular touches the frontal shield. Length.—Ilt grows to upwards of three feet. The largest I have examined measured 4 feet 24 inches. Disposition.—It appears to be a plucky and vicious snake when molested. The few comments in this direction to be found in the literature on the species are in agreement. Stoliczka says it is vather a fierce snake when molested, and Blanford speaking of a specimen he encountered says, though young, it was one of the fiercest snakes he ever captured. The only specimen I have ever seen alive, probably a hatchling, was remarkably active and plucky. I understand from Mr. Millard, who is very familiar with it, that it is on account of its habit of flattening its body and a general resemblance in colour and appearance to a small cobra when moving that the Konkani natives so frequently declare itis a female cobra. My young specimen gave me a lively exhibition of its cobra-like behaviour. It erected itself probably as high relatively as a cobra would do, and flattened itself very remarkably. Habits.—I believe it frequents jungly tracts chiefly, but will stray 36 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII, into populated areas, and according to Stoliczka has been known to enter houses in Calcutta. Food.—A specimen sent me from Patna had swallowed a rat. Stoliczka, however, remarks that it feeds on frogs and worms. Breeding.—Very little is known in this connection. A.speci- men which I took to be a hatchling, measuring 114 inches, was captured by me in Fyzabad in the month of July. Mr. D’Abreu told me of a hatchling he obtained in Patna in May. Distribution.—Though Jerdon remarks that it isnot uncommon in the Carnatic, this has not been my experience. I never obtained one when in residence in Southern India (Trichinopoly, Madras, Berhampore, Cannanore, and Bangalore), and I noticed that in the list of Tranvancore snakes given by Ferguson in this Journal (Vol. X, p- 68, and Vol. XIV, p. 386), this is not mentioned as one of the 58 land snakes enumerated. In my whole Indian career (19 years), I have had one specimen brought to me, viz.,in Fyzabad, and only one sent to me for identification, except the examples that have reached me from our Secretary from around Bombay. It is poorly represented in numbers in both the British and Indian Museums. The fact, however, that Nicholson supports Jerdon in saying that it is fairly common in Mysore; and Mr. Millard tells me it is quite a common snake in the Konkan, added to the fact that it is often mistaken for the cobra in the Konkan, and has a fairly wide distribution in Peninsula India justifies its inclusion in these papers. Tt occurs in Northern Ceylon. In India it is found from Cape Comorin to the base of the Himalayas, excepting, perhaps, Travan- core. It does not extend as far as Rajputana and the Punjab on the north-west, nor further east than Calcutta. J have elsewhere* given good reasons for doubting the accuracy of the locality of Cantor’s specimen in the British Museum said to be from the Province Wellesley in the Malay Peninsula. The exact localities known to me are shown in the accompanying map. Lepidosis.—Rostral—Touches 6 shields; the rostro-internasal sutures usually greater than the rostro-nasal. Internasals—Two ; the suture between them two-thirds to three-fourths that between the prefrontal fellows, about two-thirds the internaso-preefrontal suture. Prefrontals—Two; the suture between them subequal to the preefronto-frontal sutures; in contact with internasal, postnasal, loreal, preocular. Frontal—Touches 8 shields; the fronto-supraocular sutures about twice as long as fronto-parietals. Swpraoculars— Length subequal to frontal breadth about two-thirds the frontal along a line connecting the centres of the eyes. Nasals—Two ; in contact with the first and second supralabials. Loreal—One. Preoculars—One touching, or almost touching the frontal. Postoculars—Two. * Pois. Terr. Snakes, Brit. Ind. Dom. 1908, Footnote, p. 21. Journal, Bombay Nat, Hist. Soc. MPRE English Miles. © 50100 200 300 «00 Rkrahmapu: Hci cree (1) Jaffna (Willey. Spol. Zeylan, April 1906, p. 33), (2) Anamallay Hill (I.M.), (3) Collagelly Hills (I.M.), (4) Mysore (Nicholson, Ind. Snakes, p. 87), (5) Madras (B. M.), (6) Ellore (Blanford, I. A. S. B. XLVIII, p. 115), (7) Vizagapatam Dist. (B. M.), (8) Calcutta (I. M.), (9) Monghyr (I. M.), (10) Patna (F. W.), (11) Benares (B. M.), (12) Allahabad (I. M.), (13) Fyza- bad (F. W.), (14) Gwalior (B. M.), (15) Saugor (Bo. M.), (16) Nagpur (D’Abreu 2 epistola), (17) Salsette, Bombay, Thana, (Bo. M.), (18) Poona, Khandalla (Bo. M.) B. M., implies British Museum; I, M., Indian Museum; Bo. M., Bom. Nat. Hist. Society’s collection; F. W., the author. THe Common SNAKES OF INDIA, ye THE COMMON INDIAN SNAKES. 37 Temporals—Two; the lower touching three supralabials (usually the 5th, 6th and 7th). Swpralalials—8 ; the 3rd, 4th and 5th or 4th, 5th and 6th touching the eye. Hither the 38rd or 4th usually divided and touching the eye. IJnfralabials—6 ; the 4th, 5th and 6th, or 5th and 6th only, touching the posterior sub-linguals ; the 6th largest and in contact with 3 scales behind. Sublinguals—Two pairs ; the anterior rather the longer, the posterior completely separated. Costals.—Two headslengths behind head 21, midbody 23, two headslengths before vent 17. Inthe step from 21 to 23, a row appears on each side of the vertebral ; in the reduction from 25 to 21 the two rows next to the vertebral unite ; in the reduction from 21 to 19 (which occurs close to the preceding step, in fact, the absorption of rows in these two steps may be reversed), the 3rd above the ventrals is absorbed ; in the reduction from 19 to 17, the 7th or 8th row above the ventrals is absorbed. Vertebralsnot enlarged. No keels. Apical facets present in pairs. Ventrals.—197 to 225. Anal—Divided. Subceaudals—73 to 92 in pairs. Dentition.—(From a single skull in my collection ). Maaillary, 13 subequal teeth, succeeded (after a gap that would accommodate one tooth), by two teeth little if any larger than the preceding ones. Palatine 11, decreasing in length from before backwards, the anterior subequal to the maxillary. Pteryyoid 15 to 16, decreasing in length from before backwards. Mandibular 18, decreasing in length anteriorly, and posteriorly from about the 5th. I think the denti- tion is sufficiently distinctive to dissociate this species from the genus Zamenis in which several species with various dental characters are now grouped. I take the view in this paper and for the reasons specified in a footnote that the forms of Zamenis described under the names of (1) ventrimaculatus (Gray), (2) rhodorhachis (Jan.), (3) ladacensis (Anderson), (4) dorsale (Anderson,, and (5) chesner (Martin), are all varieties of a single species for which the foremost name must stand having priority. Boulenger in his Catalogue (1893, Vol. 1, pp. 398 and 399) has already united Nos. 1 and 5, under the name ventrimaculatus, and Nos. 2, 3 and 4 under rhodorhachis, but distinguishes between these two”. * The descriptions of these two forms given by Boulenger in his Catalogue (1893) are identical with the exception of the ranges of the ventral, and subcaudal shields. I have now examined a large series of both forms from localities as widely separated as Almora in the East to Aden in the West. The dentition of all these agrees with that of the type of ventrimaculatus in the British Museum and the type of Anderson’s ladacensis in the Indian Museum which I have also examined. I can discover no differences in lepidosis (examining specimens of each most critically side by side) except in the ranges of the ventrals and subcaudals. In one form both are more numerous than in the other. This becomes more noticeable in a comparison of the aggregates of these shields. Specimens of each agree in colouration, and they appear to grow to a similar length. I have examined the 88 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XX1IT. ZAMENIS VENTRIMACULATUS (Gray). GRAY’S RAT-SNAKE. History.—First referred to by Gray in 1834, who figured it in his Illustrations of Indian Zoology (Plate LXXX, Vol. II). The type specimen collected by General Hardwicke is in the British Museum, but the locality where found has been lost sight of. It is one of the few shielded forms. . (Ventrals 206, subcaudals 98, Boulenger.) Under the name Z. chesnei Martin redescribed it in 1838. It has been redescribed under various other names, or confused with other species by many other authors. Nomenclature—(a) Scientific.—‘ Ventrimaculatus”’ is from the Latin and implies spotted belly, in allusion to the irregular series of roundish spots seen at the edge of the ventrals in the forepart of the belly. geographical distribution of each and append maps which show that their distribu- tion is almost the same. One (the few shielded) extends South of the Indus whilst the other has not yet been recorded so far South in India. A list is also appended showing the number of specimens of each that I have examined and added to the specimens in Boulenger’s Catalogue and the ventral and subcaudal ranges. I think from these considerations most herpetologists will hesitate to accept these forms as distinct species. In this paper, therefore, I treat them all as one species under the name ventrimaculatus. SYNOPSIS OF SPECIMENS. 3 # Aggregate = || gence aapen agile 0° Locality. ¢ We : audars.! foregoing. oO S ZB - Variety |Typica. Few shielded .. 20 6 199-210 82-112 981-321 } Persia, Many do. oe ite 13 914-241 126-137 341-376 Few shielded .. 60 2 207-209 109-112 316-331 Aden and around. Many do. ae Ao 10 229-936 124-138 346-372 Few shielded .. ae 17 194-211 95-121 295-326 Sind, Baluchistan, Thar and Parkar, Rajputana, Many do. aie 50 60 ccee esac ood Punjab. Few shielded .. a0 18 190-221 101-125 293-335 W. Himalayas, from Al- mora to Gilgit, and Many do, ve ate 10 216-246 126-145 347-391 Chitral, Variety |rhodorhachis| (Jan.) Few shielded .. 9 eo A555 eoee cere : Persia. Many do. 36 30 6 217-235 125-137 347-363 Few shielded .. a 2 911-299 111-122 329-344 ‘ Chitral, Many do. 50 00 oo THE COMMON INDIAN SNAKES. 39 (6) Hnglish.—For want of a better title, and owing to the difficulty of finding anything distinctive in this member of a large genus, I propose to associate Gray’s name with it. (c) Vernacular.—According to Captain Shakespeare who sent 7 young specimens to our Society’s collection from Koweit on the Persian Gulf it is called ‘‘ dawaib-al-khail”’ in Arabia. Identification.—The scale rows two headslengths behind the head are 19, in midbody 19, and two headslengths before the vent 15, or more commonly 13. The anal shield is divided. The supralabials are 9; the 4th divided and the 4th, 5th and 6th touching the eye (less commonly they are 8; the 3rd divided and the 3rd, 4th and oth touching the eye). There are only about 12 others of our Indian snakes with the scale rows as given above. 6 of these have an entire anal shield, and none have the condition of the supralabials peculiar to this species. The divided 3rd or 4th supralabial must be carefully looked for (see figure). ‘General characters—This is a remarkably graceful species, the body is smooth on the surface, round, slender and elongate, and the tail is unusually long, and tapering accounting for more than one- fourth the total length. The head is moderately narrow, and the snout moderate in length, and obtuseness. The nostril occupies about the upper two-thirds of the suture between the nasal shields. The eye of medium size has the pupillary border of the iris fine specked with gold, so that the round shape of the pupil is clear evident in life. A neck is moderately evident. The attenuation of the body is very gradual, and continues so insidiously that the origin of the tail is barely if at all indicated. The belly is slightly angula- ted on each side. Colour and varieties—The variety typica of Gray, and far the commonest variety is very variable in its prevailing tones and markings. It may be dirty yellowish, olive-greenish, olive-brownish, stone coloured, or greyish. The posterior part of the body for a variable length, and the tail are uniformly coloured. Anteriorly the body is variously marked with spots, or crossbars, or both. A common form is shown in our plate where crossbars are evident, alternating with a single series of largish costal spots. These bars may be as long as the intervals, as in our plate, or only half the length. In another very common form there are no crossbars, but 5 or 6 rows of small spots arranged quincuncially. In some 3 series of small spots alternate with one another each side, and the upper- most with a series of narrow crossbars. ‘The head partakes of the prevalent dorsal hue, and exhibits a blackish spot on the lore, a blackish oblique stripe below the eye, another on the temporal region to the gape, a band between the eyes, and varioas marks on the occi- put. A crossbar, or a single longitudinal stripe, or twin stripes may 40 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII. be present on the nape. These very variable marks are obscure, or more or less obsolescent in some specimens especially old ones but are quite conspicuous in the young. In a large number of examples there is a conspicuous, white, or buff zone around the eye. The belly in life is saffron yellow, or a paler shade, sometimes merging to pinkish posteriorly, or exhibiting a pinkish suffusion laterally. A more or less irregular series of black spots occurs at the edges of the ventrals beyond their angulation. In the specimens I saw in life in Chitral the skin was dun coloured, and the scales in the anterior part of the body were black on their basal margins and pale yellowish or whitish on their apical margins where overlapped. This produced a beautiful variegation chiefly visible when the snake inflated itself under excitement. This variety is the prevailing one in India, in Chitral, Sind, Balu- chistan, Persia, Arabia, and N. W. Africa. Variety rhodorhachis (Jan) (From the Greek ‘rhodos,” a rose and ‘‘rachis,” the spine.) This variety which is far less abundant than typica is characterised by a reddish stripe down the spine which in some specimens is abrilliant vermillion, in others a vivid rose, and in others a brownish, or rusty red. It may involve from 3 to 5 scales in the breadth of the snake, and commencing at the nape may extend to the tail tip, or end at the vent, or sometimes before midbody. In other respects this form is marked as in typica, but I think all the specimens I have seen showed the quincunciate arrangement of small spots, and none any crossbars. I have seen the red spinal stripe very limited in. extent, and but faintly indicated, and such specimens are completely intermediate between the forms typica and rhodorhachis. There are specimens in the British Museum from Persia, and I have seen specimens from Chitral and from Aden Hinterland (Dthalla). Variety subnigra (Boettger) uniform slatish in the anterior part of body, merging to purplish brown posteriorly. A narrow blackish mesial line on the neck expanding gradually and merging to purplish-brown so as to suffuse the entire dorsum. A few black spots costally. Head olive-greyish. Belly yellow beneath the neck, merging to purplish-brown behind, and with the usual black spots at the sides of the ventrals. Described by Boettger from an example from Somaliland, also recorded by Boulenger from the Abian Country, Arabia. I have seen a uniformally blackish specimen from the Aden Hinterland (Dthalla) which I considered a melanotic example. (Ventrals 231, subcaudals 138). Dimensions.—Adults usually measure from three to four feet. The largest specimen I have seen which had its tail slightly imperfect was a g which taped four feet, and half an inch in the fresh state. Journal, Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. Mar 1. Distribution of the few-shielded variety (Ventrals 199—222. Subcau- dals 82—122. Aggregate 281—344). _30 40 50 60 70 30] 2O 10} Sa implies, Iintls uncer/atn. (1) Mesopotamia (B. M.), (2) Euphrates (B.M.), (3) Fao (B.M.), (4) Bu- shire (B. M.), (5) Persia (B. M.), (6) Gwadar (B. M.), (7) Afghanistan (B. M.), (8) Chitral (F.W.), (9) Lahore (Bo. M.), (10) Mussoorie (Bo. M.), (11) Almora (F. W.), (12) Delhi (F. W.), (13) Hyderabad (Bo. M.), (14) Karachi (B. M.), (15) Deesa (Bo. M.), (16) Deolali (Bo. M.), (17) Aden Hinterland (Bo. M.), (18) Somaliland (Boettger), (19) Egypt (Murray, Vert. Zool. Sind, p. 378). THE CoMMON SNAKEs OF INDIA. Journal, Bombay Nat. Hlst. Soc. Mar 2. Distribution of many-shielded variety (Ventrals 214—246. Subcaudals 124—145. _ Aggregate 341—391). DIA MINOR wncerlal/7. (1) Egypt (B. M.), (2) Dead Sea (B. M.), (8) Aden Hinterland (B. M.), (4) Muscat (B. M.), (5) Bushire (B. M.), (6) Shiraz (B. M.), (7 ) Transcaspia, (B. M.), (8) Baluchistan (B. M.), (9) Regan (B. M.), (10) Chitral (F. W.), (11) Gilgit (B. M.), (12) Punjab (Bo. M.), (13) Ladakh (Anderson), (14) Kasauli (Bo. M.) IBS ME. implies specimen is in the British Museum; Bo. M. in our Society’s ’ collection at Bombay; F. W., the author’s authority. THe Common SNAKES OF INDIA. be ' i - i * ci 5 yet i“ - ~ f ue be ; 7 i ¥ = r 7 t ay tans ry pans ee St, ee : : § a. Sus i “+ Negi awe dln bec ieee (ee ne — ae va F 4 x ay ¥ I 4 Fe ¢ ea ia, re A ie ‘ a 1 ie Manat > : 4 Fe a , be a nt ae a ¥ fl - - 2 _—" eve eee by Ky = a a ' et - w=, Gar THE COMMON INDIAN SNAKES. 4] Haunts.—The many specimens brought to me in Chitral, Malakand and Delhi were encountered on the hill sides or in open spaces, or cultivated ground. There is no jungle worth the name in those localities, and I think the same may be said of most of the countries it inhabits. Several were killed inside our very congested little fort at Drosh, and another inside the mess at Chitral where it was seen in the roof. Another was killed in a house at Malakand where I think it was seeking retirement for the winter. Major Magrath tells me too that it is common about bungalows in Cantonment in Peshawar. Habits and disposition.—I have met a good many during the day time, either basking in the open close to cover into which they quickly withdrew on my approach, or I disturbed them in the act of swallowing a victim. On one occasion the victim which had been swallowed proved so bulky that it seriously handicapped the snake’s movements, and it could not in consequence evade capture. It is probably about at night too sometimes since it 'preys on Stoliczka’s gecko, a lizard I never saw except after dark. It isa very active snake, but so far as a very limited experience of living specimens is concerned I do not think it is fierce or aggressive. Aleock and Finn who collected many specimens on the Perso- Baluch border also remark that it is not fierce. Many specimens I was unable to catch owing to the precipitate manner in which they disappeared on my approach, and one that I liberated went off so hurriedly that I had great difficulty in recovering it. Food.—On three occasions [ found a lizard of the genus Calotes had been taken. ‘T'wice this was the species versicolor, and on the third occasion probably the same species. Twice I found Stoliczka’s gecko Gymnodactylus stoliczkce had furnished the meal. Breeding.—My three gravid specimens were captured in May and June, so that it is probable that mating occurs in the early spring, soon after they emerge from hibernation. The smallest dam was 2 feet 11 inches, a length which would be attained by about the end of the third year of life. There were 3 eges in one, 8 in another and 9 in the third, so that the species cannot be considered prolific. The largest eggs which measured from one, to one and a half inches in length, contained no trace of an embryo, so that it seems probable that the snake is oviporous, and that the embryo does not begin to develope until after oviposition. The hatchlings probably emerge from the egg in August and September. I have had young speci- mens measuring 127 and 134 inches in September. The ¢ claspers in adults are studded with hook-like horny appendages. The secretion of the anal glands is white, and looks like white paint. Growth.—The smallest specimen I have any record of is the one mentioned by Stoliczka captured at Sobattoo which measured 11} inches, and I think this will prove to be about the length of a 6 42 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol, XXIII. newly hatched specimen. As far as I can judge the species appears to grow about 10 or 12 inches each year until mature, 2.e., about the end of the third year, but like other snakes they will grow consider- ably after attaining sexual maturity. Distribution.—It has been found in the Indian Tropical Region in the Konkan, (Bombay, Poona, and Deolali), on the confines of the Tropical Region, [Deesa, (B. N. H. 8. Collection), Jeypore (Sclater), and Delhi (F. W.) |, but otherwise only in the Mediter- ranean subregion of the Holarctic (Sind, Rajputana, Punjab, Western Himalayas, (West of Almora,) Kashmir, Chitral, Afghanis- tan, Baluchistan, Persia, Transcaspia, Mesopotamia, Arabia. Hgypt and Somaliland). It is common everywhere on our N. W. Fron- tier. Major Bukhle tells me it is abundant at Sukkur, Sind. Alcock and Finn found it frequently on the Perso-Baluch bound- ary, and I have examined many specimens from Baluchistan. In the Aden Hinterland it was one of the commonest snakes met with. It is evidently plentiful in Persia judging from the many speci- mens in various Museums from that country. Lepidosis.— Rostral.—Touches 6 shields, the rostro-nasal sutures larger than the rostro-internasal. Internasals—Two; the suture between them rather less than that between the prefrontal fellows, subequal or rather less than the internaso-preefrontals. Prefrontals— the suture between them, rather greater than the preefronto-frontal ; in contact with internasal, postnasal, loreal and preeocular. Frontal— Two touches 8 shields ; the fronto-supraocular sutures twice or more than twice the fronto-parietals. Swpyraoculars—About as long, and as broad as the frontal. Nasals ;—Two, in contact with the lst and 2nd supralabials. Loreal—One; longer than high. Preeocular—One ; touching frontal. Postoculars.—Two. Temporals—'Two; the lower in contact with 8 supralabials (usually the 6th, 7th and 8th). Suprala- bials. Usually 9; the 4th divided and the 4th, 5th and 6th touching the eye (sometimes 8; the 3rd divided and the 8rd, 4th and oth touch- ing the eye). Infralabials—Six ; the 6th largest and in contact with 3 scales behind normally. Sublinguals—Two pairs ; the posterior longer, and in contact with the 5th and 6th infralabials, quite separated by small scales. Costals—Two headslengths behind the head 19, in midbody 19, two headslengths before the vent 13. In the reduc- tion from 19 to 17, the 8rd or 4th row above the ventrals is absorbed, in the second step from 17 to 15 the two rows next to the vertebral coalesce; and from 15 to 13 the two rows next to the vertebral again fuse. As the first two steps occur close together, they are sometimes reversed, or intermixed. Keels absent. Apical facetsin pairs. Ventrals—Angulate laterally. In the few shielded ‘form ” 190 to 222; in the many shielded 214 to 246. Anal—Divided Subcaudals—In the few shielded “‘ form” 82 to 125, in the many shielded 124 to 145. ‘VIGN[ dO SHXVNG NOWWOD any, ( ee x ) SILL IN PID PI UL 2.27 UD hb SIU YY (+) SRzRIOLSIAL GF 2UDULDyY “STeIqelearyuy TAI “sTerqepeadng ST ‘sTe1odute J, ap ‘repnooevaidng aS [R198 097 y ‘S[ROUITGNYG 10110}s0q Sd "S[R]MOTZAI Fld ‘SIV[NOORI mee fl *S1B[N90980q, ‘Od ‘S[RJoLIV ‘ed "STRSR NT N ‘[RIUITAL ‘Ww ‘[BOL0'T “10TT ‘s[RSVUIOVUT “QUT, or * ‘TeqUOL asf ‘S[BUSUITQNG Iolezuy ‘SV 20S 3SIH JEN Aequog ‘jeuunop THE COMMON INDIAN SNAKES. 43 Dentition.—From 7 skulls in my collection, including Variety typica, Karachi (Ventrals 2014114), Variety typica, Chitral (Ventrals 239 + 136), Variety rhodorhachis, Chitral (Ventrals 215+113), Variety typica, Sukkur (Ventrals 2044+121). Mamillary 10 to 14, slightly increasing backwards, then a gap that would accommodate two teeth followed by a pair of obliquely set, enlarged teeth. Palatine, 9 to 11, the median about as long as the median maxillary, slightly decreasing forwards and backwards. Pterygoid, 15 to 24, gradually decreasing backwards. Mandibular 15 (14 ?) to 20 (21°), the first 3 or 4 progressively increasing, the posterior eradually decreasing. Plaie.—Our illustrations are good, and show one of the commonest colour forms. This Plate Ako contains three figures of another member of the genus Zamenis, which will be discussed in the next paper. (To be continued.) 44 NOTES ON THE INDIAN TIMELIIDES AND THEIR ALLIES (LAUGHING THRUSHES, BABBLERS, &c.). BY Magor H. H. Harineton, Indian Army. Having spent a considerable portion of my leave working through that interesting group of birds—the Indian Timeliides—and in so doing collected together a large mass of notes; I venture to publish these, as a great number of birds new to the Fauna of India, have been added since Mr. Oates published his admirable work on the birds of India.* k The descriptions of these new species have appeared from time to time in various Journals and Bulletins, which are not always avail- able to residents in the East. I hope, -therefore, by republishing these descriptions, I shall at least be of some assistance to others who have been unable to procure them. I have also made an attempt, not altogether successfully, to bring some sort of order into this very complex group of birds. My first and chief difficulty has been to know what birds should be admitted into the Timeliides, as 1 have been unable to find any definition giving their characteristics. Mr. Oates in his “ Crateropodide” included a great number of Families and Genera which are now not considered to belong to the Timeliides, many of these have been placed in other Families by Dr. Sharp in his ‘“‘ Hand List.”’ There, however, still remain several Genera which I consider should be removed from this sub-order. The nearest definition of the characteristics of the Timeliides, I can find is that given by Jerdon.t This unfortunately does not cover all the Genera which are at present included in this sub-order. ‘“‘ Legs and feet stout and large; bill various in form and length almost always compressed, usually notched; wing short and rounded ; tail longish, graduated ; plumage often lax.” (Jerdon.) From the above I have presumed to formulate the following, which I hope covers all those I consider should be included within the Timeliides :— Wings, short and rounded; powerful legs and feet, suitable for progression on the ground; shape of bill, and length of tail, very variable; plumage of the young not markedly different from that of the adult; non-migratory in habits; and no seasonal change in plumage. * ¢ Birds’? Fauna of British India. + Jerdon “ Birds of India ”’. Vol. ii., p. 1 (1863). NOTES ON INDIAN TIMELIIDES AND THEIR ALLIES, 45 The Timeludes as above constituted are strictly non-migratory and very sedentary in their habits, living the whole year round practically in the same locality.* They have no distinctive summer and winter plumage, which at once separates them from. the Warblers. Very little appears to be recorded about the plumage of the young, which however is generally very like that of the adult; they have, however, no distinctive plumage, differing from that of the adult, like the majority of the Thrushes (Turdide), this at once removes them from that family. TRINOMIALS. ‘«¢ As the use of trinomials for sub-species—or better, geographi- cal or local races—does not seem to be generally understood, it may be explained that when a species is divided into two or more races, or when two or more species are grouped as races of one species, then each of these races must have a trinomial appellation. It is impossible to say which is the oldest or parent form, therefore the first-named race of all those grouped under one species is arbitrarily taken as the typical race, and its name becomes that of the species.” “¢ Tt cannot be gainsaid that the trinomial system is of the great- est possible use scientifically as demonstrating the close relationship of geographical forms of the same species, just as the binomial system demonstrates the relationship of species of the same genus.’’t As the use of trinomials is possibly new to a great number of Members of the Society, I have given the above definition from ‘The Hand List of the British Birds”, which explains their use and ad- vantage very much better than I possibly could. Mr. Oates in the ‘Fauna of India ” did not always take notice of geographical races, some he considered distinct species, whalst others he treated as local forms, only just mentioning the differences which occur between them and the typical species he was describing. So that, often from his descriptions it is impossible to tell whether the bird he is actually describing is quite distinct from any other spe- cies, or only differs in some minor detail. For example, in the Chestnut-headed Laughing-Thrushes ( 7. erythrocephalum, nigrimentwm, chrysopterum, erythrolema, mela- nostigma, etc.), there is nothing in Mr. Oates’ descriptions, which tells at a glance that all these birds are really only the geographical races of one species, and merely differing from each other in some smail detail, such as the colour of their ear-coverts, supercilium, * Capt. C. H. T. Whitehead informs me that the local form of Trochalepterum lineatum, inhabiting the hills in the vicinity of Kohat, during the cold weather descends down to the lower ranges, this can hardly be called true migration, itis very interesting, and probably the same local movement takes place amongst other species inhabiting bare and open hills. +“A Hand List of British Birds,” Hartert, Jourdain, Ticehurst and Witherby, 1912. 46 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST, SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII, etc. By the use of trinomials, it at once becomes apparent that all these different birds are nothing but the geographical representa- tives of one species, which is very widely distributed in the hills, extending from the N. W. Himalayas to the Malay Peninsula. I have therefore taken full advantage of the use of “ trinomials ” to show, wherever I consider a relationship exists. The great majo- rity of the birds so dealt with have been looked on as ‘good species”, and doubtless, so they are, when only a few specimens from different localities are compared. However, when a large series of allied spe- cies are examined it will be found, that they either grade into each other, or show such a strong family likeness, that the presumption is that the connecting links exist, or have existed, and by the use of trinomials this relationship is at once apparent. Some may, however, consider that I have used “ trinomials ” rather too freely, and that their use should be reserved to denote sub- species or local forms not worthy of specific rank. It is often ex- tremely difficult to say which are ‘‘good species,” or which are only a “local forms,” when you find both occupying well marked areas. By the use of trinomials, I do not wish to degrade a bird from specific to sub-specific rank, but only to show that they are the geo- graphical representatives of a certain species, and have been guided by the rule that no two sub-species of the same bird can be found inhabiting the same area. DISTRIBUTION. The Timeliides appear to me, to be of very recent origin, and still in a state of evolution; they are resident and non-migratory and consequently a great many species have developed into numer- ous geographical races. Their central stronghold seems to be about Burma, from whence they have ‘extended through Assam into India and the Island of Ceylon,* eastwards they are found in China, Japan, and the Islands of Formosa and Hainan. An astonishing number of birds from these two Islands show a marked relationship to the Himala- yan Fauna, indicating, I think, that these islands must have been connected with the mainland up to a very recent date. Southwards they extend down the Malay Peninsula to the numerous islands, in fact, throughout the Oriental or Indian Region, and I think that the sub-order Timeliides should be restricted to birds of this Region, and not thrown open to all the waifs and strays of the bird world, so that it has become a veritable ‘ Ornithological Waste-paper Basket.” * Some Ceylon and §. Indian birds, such as Pomatorhinus, Arrenga and others show a marked affinity to the Sumatran and Javan Fauna, possibly showing some former land connection in this direction. NOTES ON INDIAN TIMELIIDES AND THEIR ALLIES. 47 A very interesting fact, which I have not seen mentioned before, is that although the Timeliides are so well represented in Burma and Malay States, none have been recorded from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, obviously showing that these islands must either be _ of recent formation, or had no connection with the mainland since the appearance of this very large sub-order birds. Whilst working up the distribution of this fascinating group, I was greatly struck by the manner in which species in certain locali- ties were liable to variation. I soon found that by taking specimens and grouping them according to these different localities, any dif- ferences at once became apparent. In the hills these areas are more or less well marked, in the plains the distribution is not so easy, or my knowledge of the physical geography at fault. For some unaccountable reason, some species extending over a wide area, seem to take every opportunity to vary, so we find geo- graphical races, wherever there is any isolation. Whilst other Species occupying practically the same area, show hardly any varia- tion whatever. All birds are more or less restricted to certain elevations, some being entirely ‘“‘ Plains-dwellers,’’ never ascending the hills to any great height, whilst others are only found in the hills at certain altitudes. A very curious fact, which I have never seen accounted for, is the remarkable way in which, certain birds are only found at great heights in the Himalayas, occur at much lower levels in Assam and Burma. Tt is also a well-known fact that species inhabiting both avery dry anda damp locality differ in colour. Birds from the former being paler, whilst those from the latter are darker and more highly coloured. Another interesting fact noticed is that amongst species lable to variation and which have a wide distribution (and represented by numerous races) very often the sub-species furthest apart geogra- phically, that is at the ends of the chain or extremities of the *“‘ horse-shoe ”’ resemble each other far more closely than those near together and often are hardly separable. This is well illustrated in the “Scimiter-Babblers.”” Pomatorhi- nus erythrogenys erythrogenys, Vigors, from the N. W. Himalayas, is only separable in size from P. e. imberbis, Salvadori, from Tenas- serim; (both these races are noticeable for having pure white unstriped breasts). Intervening we have the following well-marked sub-species, P. e. ferrugilatus, Hodgson, from Sikhim, which has the breast almost entirely grey: in Assam P. e. macclellandi, Jerdon, and in Yunnan and North-Hast Burma P. e. gravivox, David, both of of which have boldly striped breasts; and no doubt, connecting links exist grading from one sub-species into the other, showing that there is really only one species, which is represented by 4 48 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST, SOCIETY, Vol. XXI/I, well-marked geographical races or sub-species over the extent of its distribution. A great number of birds which are found both in Southern India and Lower Burma are very similar, and often hardly separable. Pellor- neum ruficeps ruficeps, Swainson, and Alcippe pheeocephala phceoce- phala, Jerdon, both from Madras, and at one extremity of the “ horse- shoe” are very like P. r. subochracewm, Swinhoe, and A. p. phayrei, Blyth, from Lower Burma and Tenasserim, at the other extremity, while separating them we have well marked races. Many other inter- esting examples might easily be given, Mr. Stuart Baker has also noticed the same fact whilst working at the Game Birds and Pigeons. These same unknown reasons might also account for the numerous cases of similarity or ‘‘ mimicry’’which exist between birds of totally different genera and orders, such as between Mizornis rubricapillus, Tickell, and Stachyrhidopsis ruficeps (Blyth), which from their color- ation are only separable after careful examination. Dicrurus ater, Crypsirlina varians and Surniculus lugubris (the King-crow, Black racket-tailed Pie, and the Drongo-cuckoo) can all be very easily mistaken for each other. The distribution of the ‘‘ Plains Dwellers” is naturally restricted by mountain ranges and desert tracts, whilst that of Hill birds appears to be limited by certain great river valleys. This is most marked in what may be called the ‘‘ Assam Back-water.’”’ Here we find in the same Province many birds from one side of the river are quite distinct from those of the other, some sub-species, from the Dafla Hills to the North of the Brahmaputra being quite distinct from those from the Garo, Khasia and Cachar hills, situated to the South of the river. I do not wish to imply that each area has its own special breed of birds, but if there is any variation in a species, these differences will probably occur within certain well-marked tracts. I may possibly be wrong in my different areas as I only came tothe following conclu- sions, from studying specimens and not from any local knowledge, except in the case of Burma. In the Himalayas, we find the following rivers forming very natural boundaries, the Indus, Sutle] and Brahmaputra. In Burma in a less degree we still have small rivers marking well defined areas. In this Province the most noticeable barrier is the “ dry- zone’ of Central Burma, which effectually separates Northern Burma from Lower Burma, and the Chin Hills on the West from the Shan Hills on the East. INDIA. Commencing at the N.-W. we have the following well-marked areas :— 1. Zrans-Indus.—Probably from the right or West bank of the NOTES ON INDIAN TIMELIIDES AND THEIR ALLIES. 49 Kabul river through the Afridi country down to Baluchistan. This tract is very noticeable for its poverty in Timeline birds, and for the great number of Paleearctic forms which occur. 2. N.-W. Himalayas.—From the Indus to the Sutlej valley, which includes the southern portions of Kashmir and Chamba State (N. Kashmir is probably Central Asian and Tibetian). Here we find the Timeludes better represented, however many well-known families have not yet found their way across the Sutlej valley. 3. Nepalese. —From the Sutlej to the Brahmaputra, and includes the following sub-regions: (1) Gharwal and Kumaon. (2) Nepal. (3) Sikhim and Darjeeling. (4) Butan and Dafla Hills, Assam. This region is particularly rich in the Timeliides. 4, Tibet.—Practically unknown. 0. ‘The practically unknown tract, Hast of the Brahmaputra, along Abor, Mishmi, and Patkoi ranges, down on the one hand tothe Chin Hills, North of Tamu; and on the other to Yunnan. 6. The Assam ‘“ backwater.’—The country to the South of the Brahmaputra, including the Garo, Khasia, Cachar and W. Manipur Hills. The above areas are well marked, many of them having geogra- phical races peculiar to themselves. In the plains the distribution is not so clearly defined and may possibly comprise the following :—-(1) In the West we have. Sind, which seems to be particularly rich in birds, the Timeliides, however, being very poorly represented. (2) Punjab and United Provinces. (3) Bengal and the plains of Assam and Arrakan. (4) Rajputana. (5) Central Provinces, Deccan. (6) Madras and Mysore in the plain. (7) The Western Ghats, Travancore and the hills of S. India, here we find each range with its own particular Laughing Thrush. (8) Ceylon which also has its dry and wet-zones, the birds of which appear to differ considerably. BURMA, __ This province is extremely rich in its Avifauna, on the West in the Chin Hills and Arrakan, we have chiefly Himalayan and Assam birds or their local sub-species, a few birds, however, showing a rela- tionship to those of Yunnan. In the N.-E. we have Chinese; and in the S.-E. Malayan forms; whilst in the central plains we have a few birds peculiar to Burma itself. Commencing at the N.-W. and taking the hill ranges first, we have the following well-defined areas :— 1. Chin Hills.—From the South of Tamu (I have taken this to be the dividing line, as just at this point on the frontier between Burma and Manipur, the hills are of no great height, the dividing line is most probably the Yu and Manipur rivers). The Chin Hills here connect up with the southern ranges of Manipur, and continue 7 50 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST, SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII. southwards in an unbroken ridge down to the sea, and divide Arra- kan from Burma. The chief height in this range is Mt. Victoria of over 10,000 ft. Tothe northwards from.Tamu, we have the unex- plored mountains running up to the Mishmi and Abor country, in this mountain chain we have Saramathi of over 12,000 ft., which is quite unknown, as far as its ornithology. 2. The Myitkyina and Bhamo Hills—On the N.-H. of Burma, these are offshoots of the mountains of Yunnan, and contain a number of Chinese birds. This area is probably bounded on the South by the Shweli River. 3. Lhe Ruby Mines range, which consists of that little known ridge of mountains which run up to over 8,000 ft., which extends from just below the point where the Shweli joins the Irrawaddy, through the Ruby Mines District, and in a N.-E. direction to the Salween. The southern limits of this unexplored tract is the low-lying plateau along which the Mandalay-Maymyo-Lashio railway line is laid. The birds of this vast tract are quite unknown and probably many new species will be discovered along this range. 4. The Shan Plateau, South of the above, and to the West of the Salween, and includes the Karennee sub-region. To the Hast the Salween—Mekong watershed is practically unknown. 5. The mountains of Tenasserim with Muleyit Mt. In the Plains. 6. Northern Burma, which is a particularly damp low-lying area, may be said to consist of the Bhamo, Myitkynia and Upper Chindwin Districts, and North of about 23 N. parallel of latitude. 7. The Dry-Zone, South of the above to about 194 N. parallel of latitude. ‘This central portion of Burma consists of a very dry undulating country, and, where not cultivated, covered with dense thorny scrub. 8. Lower Burma, which is also extremely wet, is situated to the South of the above. From the above well-marked areas or zones, it is not surprising that Burma is rich in its birds, while many of its outlying ranges still remain to be explored. Over one thousand different species and sub-species of birds have already been recorded from within the Province out of under seventeen hundred, which are known to occur in the whole of India and Ceylon. CLASSIFICATION. I have followed Mr. Oates as closely as possible in his “ Crater- popodide”’ with the following additions and omissions :— Additions. Paradoxornithidee.—I think it is now agreed that this family is more nearly allied to the Timeliide than to any other. It wants a NOTES ON INDIAN TIMELIIDES AND THEIR ALLIES. 51 We) great stretch of imagination to place the ‘‘ Crow-Tits ”’ amongst the Crows (Corvide), and they differ from the Tits (Paride) in many important particulars. Acanthoptila nepalensis, Hodgson.—This little known bird is undoubtediy very closely related to Argya and Babax, and possibly forms a connecting link between these two genera. It shows this, in the formation of its bill and description of plumage, but chiefly in the colouration of its eggs, which are described as a “ verditer-blue,”’ this exactly applies to the colour of the eggs of Babblers, such as Argya and Crateropus, and a colour, I believe, quite unknown amongst the Warblers (Sylvidce). Very little still appears to be known about this species. Mr. Oates’ reasons for placing it amongst the Sylvidcee seem to have been that he considered it had both a summer and winter plumage. If A. pellotis, (Hodgs.) and