ee | Ue | cee ee ee oe Aub ir CUe Veto’ y PIER CHE k Ha t ' 4 ' . Ce ea 4 MR NaC a ie Hees . i‘ 4 eat Cn was ' vy Se een aA Ny i} ” rs int ory CoC nS cet Ere yeynye ‘ We tee a ‘ iy wh ” « A Ma 4 ia) MP Xe i Ay Seth NA yo may hy ree Bs Ky an sat SN de zat Wee mei oe uh ‘ey y ie ' ; yy ‘ye enn’ = ate wi aie tote Pie ae ww - nh poh at oat i nN ih oath iN heey aK dt ‘ ¥ rhc ‘s wrt chat oh aK Me VY eaten * 4 rey Sa i bens . "I ae ” ay oe aa . FSM AEE Ve W e vem V4 yet Wy * te St rn dau Hy” vy %, Hah Pron Sie i 4! i n ve is ue wayyy A POL SCREEN 4 Ply ‘ AYRE TRIE ") bya v4 Airy Raat he se OL AS iip i Rad ay an Wye es SAK At Typ ita b Pye * Tears yaar ‘ PCOS RE ne ai ad CeCe a ae | SR prin ep ‘ ma Pay Seca Pa et Ne Ine ea Ca CEC core ‘ ‘ bee ean A Tea hehe tre ae aah i fe head ee ee Ton ‘ yyy ARATE CD ‘) Cn MD Tt VU RA ) ‘ tte te FRE oe, ote ae ar rat aes fogisast 2 ‘06 ; AS A 5 Dod Teepe ae Sa ise’ este « Wat rad ded done a CU deduce 5 ity Fie edewl ePede dene ree D> pa Sete i ba os i aa ae cs q Peraaer Wer eet) aye! eh au at a eerie) i re eae ni é “gute to bad “ day wis Le ‘i shea) i rere fy ei toh we aoe fat ws AAS) oo a a oe - shine at ch “at ie GN ee oH = oe S a ANN a Tt apa - vo (ITS DEPENDENCIES =f //|| Se eo ——— EDITED BY ALLAN. HUME in ~y : : 7h 2 if * - fi us we ts < cs ‘ ~ - hice: ee 4 4 oT 7 ’ ee el et, Me fie 4 “yy ¥. 4 ‘ 5 sree iu ‘ 9 4 « Psa a } j » 7 » 1 - 4 ei P ‘ a * , ’ : 2 ‘ i wi ; ' M A, oe Pe rm ny t a) ' oN } * * . q , *. ia = ee ¢ \ f . i, i ar 4 - " : . n aa 7 E as a ’ . ‘ 5 . + ¥ a ’ 1K ‘ a : tare) % ea == > a =F . fe | 7 4 , he + , *. mh oe ts carcurma: PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY A. ACTON, AT THE CALCUTTA CENTRAL PRESS, m4 5, COUNCIL HOUSE STREET. ¥ a as . ‘ A * ‘ iy 3 ¥ \ , 4 . i *; ; i ‘i = ‘ i * ‘ a f ; a J mt ON rs ‘ ’ ; - ichie) We ee (fF - i 7 aon CONTENTS OF VOL. IV. o> 1876. — 0705 00—— Nos. 1, 2, & 3.—January. ———— Page. Notes on tue Avi-Fauna oF Mount Asoo anp Norrnern Guzerat, by Captain E. A. Butler, H. M.’s 83rd Regi- ment (Continued from Vol. IJI., page 500) a iL A CoNTRIBUTION TO THE OxzntrHoLoay oF EASTERN ita KEsTAN, by J. Seully, Surgeon, Bengal Army 41 On THE GEOGRAPHICAL DistRIBUTION OF THE GENUS Prricrocotus, by R. Bowdler Sharpe, F.L.s., F.2.8..&¢. ... 205 ANASTOMUS Oscrrans, by C. T. Bingham, Lieut., oerd INGE 22 NoveEtries P— Criniger theiodes vans ee RECENTLY DESCRIBED SPECIES, Republications.— _- -Suthora munipurensis, G.-Aust. and Wald. e- 216 Sphenocichla Roberti " 5 PIs eed _Acridotheres albocinctus ,, 5 eee ib. Pneepyga Roberti ss 5 Fac eeeS » chocolatina 3 Ss oe ib. Actinura daflaensis, Godwin- Austen 219 Mr. Suarper’s CATALOGUE OF THE STRIGES, OB Nocrvrnat Brrps oF PREY St olan A TuirD List of THE Birps oF TENASSERIM Pel eae Nores— Additions to the Avi-fauna of Sindh .,, deen coe Querquedula falcata, in Upper India Ure ib. Lerrers to THE Eprror— Remarks on Mr. Brooks’ Paper on the Birds of the Bhagiruttee ; Mountaineer as 1b. ‘Drymoipus terricolor and Drymoipus longicau- datus.— W. E. Brooxs 229 Pterocles coronatus and Lichtensteini. Carr. WISE x sea a0 Plumage of Himantopus candidus. mee thee GURNEY, Jin. ae ae vad wee ib. Nos, 4, 5, & 6.—December. Norts on soME Brrbs connecteD IN SAMBALPOOR AND Orissa, by V. Ball, Geological Survey B 231 Nore on THE Synonyity OF SPIzALAUDA, by W. T, Blanford 237 2 Il Nores on anp AppITIONS TO CEYLONESE AVI-FAUNA, WITH A Novice oF SOME APPARENTLY NEW SpPeEciEs, by Capt. W. V. Legge aa see List oF Brrps COLLECTED IN THE VICINITY OF “KHAnpatra, ManaBLEesHwak, AND BELGAW ALONG THE SAHYADRI Mountains, AND NEAR AHMEDNAGAR IN THE Daxkuay, by the Rev. S. B. Fairbank, M.A. OrnirnotoaicaL Notes anD CORRECTIONS, by iW. Edwin Brooks ... ae See ADDITIONAL Nores on ‘HE Avt- FAUNA OF THE ANDAMAN IsLANDs a ae Notes on BrrpDs COLLECTED IN THE Rangoon Disrricr OF THE IpRawappy DeEtta, by ee J. Armstrong, Marine Survey ... aes A First List OF THE Brians OF THE E TecyANconE Hits A Nore on PELLORNEUM MINOR, Hume, anp P. ee Blyth, by Eugene W. Oates, C.E. On tHe IDENTITY oF DRYMOIPUS TERRICOLOR AND 1p! LONGI- CAUDATUS A new Inpran Iora, by ‘Capt. G. F. L. Marshall, R.E. Tue Laccapives AND THE Wesr Coast eee eee Nove ties P— Kstrelda burmanica nae aa eee Alcippe Bourdilloni S55 st ae Montifringilla Blanfordi ... oo aa Montifringilla Mandelli ... oe RceNTLY DESCRIBED SPECIES, Republications— Suthora daflaensis, God-Aust. wee ae Minla Mandelli, God-Aust. cae aoe Accentor Jerdoni, Brooks oe Troglodytes neglectus, Brooks es is Anorhinus Austeni, Jerdon cee we Prionochilus Vincens, Sclater ot aes Reguloides sub-viridis, Brooks an eee Norres— Additional species from Kutch and Kattiawar ... Dromas ardeola and Mergus castor from the Persian Gulf and the Mekran Coast oo A supercilium in Prinia Stewarti and socialis eee Ruticilla nigrogularis doubtfully distinct from KR. schisticeps vee ove Horeites brunnescens, Horornis fulviventris, &e. Diczum olivaceum from the Bhootan Doars eee Ixos annectens, Walden, identical with I. Davisoni Harpactes fasciatus in the Forests of Central . Provinces «+. ese Dusky type of Passer montanus from Thibet vas The first plumage of Anser indicus ... eve Daulias Goltzii, Cabanis, from the Oudh Terai... lil Page. Stachyrhis rufifrons from the Bhootan Doars ... 501 Caprimulgus Unwini, a pale Race of C. Europzus ab. Garrulax albosuperciliaris, Godwin-Austen, identi- cal with G. sannio, Swinhoe 502 Occurrence of Larus fuscus within our limits, doubtful ... aa eee = ib. Propasser Murrayi ie w- = 504 Pyctorhis altirostris of Jerdon ib. Identity of Abrornis chloronotus, Hodgs. and A. maculipennis, Blyth ... oo.) (605; Motacilla dukhunensis, Sykes, the type . 606 Official Ornithology “e aes ib. Sturnus nitens, Hume, renamed, S. ambiguus ee §= 512 Letters To THE Epiror— Glareola pratincola and Cotyle FApArS in Sindh,— W. T. BuanForp oe afl Goat-sucker feigning crippleness to entice from the neighbourhood of her nest.—J. R. Cripps... 508 Pterocles senegallus 70 miles north-west of Jodh- poor.—Capr. E, A. BurLer ab. Cissa speciosa on the borders of the “‘Dhoon. Gg: GREIG = ase 509 Totanus fuscus, in summer r plumage. ei) CockBunn. ab. Micropternus phaioceps, nesting in Ants’ nests.— T. GAMMIE... ove eee deanna INDEX— Species described or discriminated ... ee i Species noticed ae aoe ome lil q On 7 eee Ge Me fis ei Pe PREFACE. eed Ir is always gratifying to find the opinions one has indepen- dently formed, and steadfastly adhered to, in the face of the nearly general dissent of our contemporaries, gradually accepted and adopted as established truths by all those best qualified to judge. It is particularly gratifying to the Editor (who was not a little abused for starting Srray Fratuers,) to find now ere the completion of the 4th Vol. an almost universal concurrence as to the necessity of a special ornithological journal for India, and a pretty general admission that despite his own shortcomings, his journal has, thanks to the kind and cordial support of brother ornithologists, rendered important services to Indian Ornithology. As regards his own shortcomings, the Editor feels that on the present occasion, he has more cause even than in former years to deprecate harsh judgments. : From circumstances entirely beyond his own control, the Editor has been this year compelled to bring out the whole volume in only two numbers, the first of which appeared in January, and the 2nd of which will appear in December. This he feels is, in truth, a very irregular manner of doing business ; all he can plead in mitigation of sentence is that as a fully occupied Government servant, liable to be sent here, there, and everywhere as the exigencies of the public service may de- mand, and often unable for whole months at a time to look at, or give a thought to, birds, he does his best and can do no more. No one else can at present be found able and willing to under- - take the task; the mere preparation of contributions for the press, correction of proofs, and compilation of indices, involves, in India, an amount of personal labour, of which European Editors have no conception, and when this is coupled with the facts that the press is at Calcutta, that the Editor may, as has hap- pened this year, send a manuscript from Simla, receive a first proof there, a second proof at Jeypoor, and pass the final proof for press at Bombay, and that, again, as has happened this year, large packets of manuscript and proofs disappear altogether in the Post Office, never turning up at the stations where the Editor expected to meet them, indulgent readers will, it is hoped, make allowances for the irregularity with which the journal appears,—an irregularity, be it noted, which was foretold in the opening notice on the cover of the very first number. Au reste the Editor has only to urge once more the great importance of carefully prepared local Avi-faunas and to ex- press a hope that he may soon be favoured with some at least of those which have been now long promised. ALLAN HUME, November 25th, 1876. Lt yo ‘ matty £1) ee PAD heh : ' Citi ‘5 ; ae fe Lil PRs thine Stag ne | i One o x ot rye [eee Raa we) ee 4 ae a mrt er i aes i Lhe as ya Vivi STRAY FEATHERS. Vol. IV.] JANUARY, 1876. (Nos. 1, 2 & 3. Hotes on the Abitauna of SHount Aboo and Horthern Guserat. By Captain E. A. Burier, H. M.’s 83rp ReGiMent. ( Continued from page 500, No. 6.) 765 bis.—Spizalauda simillima, Hume. J. A.S.B.,, 1870, p. 120. The Northern Crown-crest Lark is not very common, tut occurs sparingly in most localities, affecting grass land and cultivated ground. [This species is more or less common throughout the entire region, except Sindh, where it has not yet been procured. Altho’ it possibly occurs there I have seen no specimen yet from Aboo itself. This is the smaller of the two very distinct species of this genus, characterized by the pointed crest and comparatively short hind claw, which we have in India. The larger form common about Ahmednugger and other places in the Dekhan, on the Nil- ghiris and the Malabar coast, is clearly, I think, Scopoli’s Alauda malabarica, and as it is the lark of this species in the region worked by Col. Sykes, I believe it to be his S. deva, but this must be tested by an examination of his types. The smaller species I named S. simillima. When first discriminating this species [I had nota sufficient number of specimens at hand todo full justice to the difference in the dimensions of the two species. In S. malabarica the wing varies from 3°6 to 4, in adults. The bird, of which I am made in the J. A. S. B. to record the wing as 3°57, has really the wing 3:7, 1 cannot tell whether the mistake is mine or the printers. In S. simil/ima, the wing varies in adults from 3 to 3°3, in only one out of eighteen now before me does it -reach 34, There is a nearly equally conspicuous difference in the size of the bill, and besides the usually paler and less rufous character of the upper plumage of simillima, I may note that whereas the breast spots of malabarica are large and conspicuous, those of simillima are small, and less conspicuous, and in some birds are almost entirely wanting.—A. O. H.] 2 NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA OF MOUNT ABOO 767.—Alauda gulgula, fr ankl. The Indian Sky Lark is not particularly common. I found a nest near Deesa on the 8th July containing two eggs amongst some tussocks of coarse grass in the sandy bed of a river. The nest consisted of a well-woven pad of fine dry grass placed in a hollow at the root of a small tuft of grass growing on bare shingle. The eggs, which were hard set, were somewhat elongated ovals of a greyish white colour, thickly covered with yellowish brown specks with occasional lavender grey markings. The two colours forming an ill-defined con- fluent zone at the large end. [I have not yet seen this, tho’ it surely must there occur, from Mount Aboo. Occurs throughout the entire region, but seems rare in Sindh. All the specimens that I have examined from this region were typical gulgulas—A. O. H.] 769.—Galerida cristata, Lin. The Crested Lark is not uncommon in the plains during the cold weather, but as I cannot remember meeting with it in the hot weather, I am inclined to think it leaves this part of the country before the breeding season. It frequents open ground, ploughed fields, &., and is often in company with Calandrella brachydactyla. [Common throughout the entire region, but in many places only during the cold season; not as yet noted from Aboo.— A.0. HJ (772.—Crocopus pheenicopterus Lath. Dr. King obtained this species at Aboo; but not in Jodhpoor, though Mr. Adam has sent it from the extreme eastern limits of that state, at Sambhur. Ihave not received or seen it from Sindh, Cutch or Kattiawar, but Captain Hayes Lloyd records it from the latter, but he does not record the next species which I have from Kattiawar, and there may be some mistake.— A. 0. H.] 773.— Crocopus chlorigaster, Blyth. The Southern Green Pigeon occurs throughout the plains in all well-wooded districts. It breeds in April and May, but I have never seen a nest myself, although two or three have been described to me by shikarees, which undoubtedly belonged to this species. I did not observe this bird at Aboo, but I am inclined to think it is to be found there, as it occurs in the jungles at the foot of the hill. The berries of Ficus indica appear to be its favorite food. [Occurs throughout the entire region except in Sindh.—A. AND NORTHERN GUZERAT. 3 788.—Columba intermedia, Sérick. The Blue Rock Pigeon abounds all over the country, congre- gating often in countless flocks in wells, sacred edifices, old buildings, &e. [Obtained at Aboo also. Common throughout the entire region.—A. O. H.] 792.—Turtur pulchrata, Hodgs. The Indian Turtle Dove, distinguished from T. meena, Sykes, by the white under tail-coverts,is not common. I met with one or two examples at Aboo, but have not observed it else- where. [Occurs nowhere else, so far as I yet know, throughout the entire region, except on its extreme eastern limits near Sam- bhur, where Mr. Adam obtained one or two stragglers during the course of several years.—A. O. H ] 794.—Turtur cambayensis, (mel. . The Little Brown Dove is very common both on the hills and in the plains. [Very common throughout the entire region.—A. O. H.] 795.—Turtur suratensis, Gmel. The Spotted Dove, though not quite so plentiful as the last, is common on the hills and in many parts of the plains. In the immediate neighbourhood of Deesa it is not common. [Occurs throughout the region, but except in the better wood- ed tracts, almost exclusively during the rainy season.— A. 0. H.] 796.—Turtur risorius, Lin. The Common Ring Dove abounds all over the plains, but does not occur in any numbers on the hills, in fact I only met with one or two specimens at Mount Aboo. It is parti- cularly partial to clumps of babool trees, Zizyphus bushes and fuphorbia hedges, and breeds in great quantities at the end of the rains, commencing to lay about the second week in August. _ [ Very common throughout the entire region.—A. O. H.] 797.—Turtur humilis, Zemm. The Ruddy Ring Dove is common in most parts of the plains and on the hills, but in some localities it is seldom or never met with. I took a nest containing one fresh egg on the 8th July near Deesa, and saw several other nests later in the same month and in August and September. 4 NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA OF MOUNT ABOO [Occurs throughout the whole region, but nowhere in the same numerical abundance as risorius.—A. O. .H] 799.—Pterocles arenarius, Pall. The Large Sand Grouse, which is so abundant in the north of Rajpootana during the cold weather, is seldom met with in this part of the country. I have never shot it myself, but have been informed by shikarees to whom I have shown skins that they have occasionally killed specimens and just recently they brought me a fine male killed six miles from Deesa, when in company with 4 others. Measured in the flesh it far exceeds Jerdon’s dimensions, viz. :—-Length, 14°5 ; wing, 9:5 ; tarsus, 5°12 ; bill at front, 0°5 ; bill at gape, 0°75. [Does not of course occur on Aboo. Very common in Jodh- poor, not uncommon (of course during the cold season only) in most parts of Sindh. Fairly plentiful in the eastern portions of Cutch, all along the eastern shores of the Runn, and in the north- eastern portions of Kattiawar bordering on this latter. It has not yet been received or recorded from the western portions of either Cutch or Kattiawar.—A. O. H.] 800.—Pterocles fasciatus, Scop. The Painted Sand Grouse is tolerably common in many parts af the country, breeding in the cold weather as well as in the ot. [Very common throughout the entire region, except in Sindh, where a distinct but nearly allied species P. Lichtenstein Tem., replaces it. Isdoes not ascends Mount Aboo to any eleva- tion.—A. O .H.] [801 dis.—Pterocles senegallus, Zzz. (S. F. I. p. 221.) Occurs in Northern Guzerat, along the shores of the Runn. I obtained it near Soeegam (about 50 miles due west of Deesa) and Mr. James has recently met with it near Patree. Through- out Sindh it is very common in suitable localities ; it has been sent from Cutch and Northern Kattiawar, but only as yet from the neighbourhood of the Runn. I have never seen or heard of it from Jodhpoor, or from any part of Guzerat inland from the Runn.—A. O. H.] 802.—Pterocles exustus, Zemm. The Common Sand Grouse occurs in moderate numbers throughout the country. [Common throughout the entire region.—A. O. H.] AND NORTHERN GUZERAT. 5 803.—Pavo cristatus, Lin. The Common Peacock is very plentiful in most parts of the country, abounding in the jungles at the foot of Aboo. In the neighbourhood of villages it becomes quite domestic in its habits, but in the jungle it is one of the wariest and shyest birds we have. [ Unknown in Sindh, so far as I am at present informed. Throughout the rest of the region more or less sacred in the estimation of the people and consequently very common where- ever there is the least cover.— A. O. H 813.—Gallus Sonneratii, Temm. The Grey Jungle Fowl, one of the finest game birds in India, is common all along the Aravalli range, even in the jungles at the foot of Aboo, where it is so much persecuted. It is not as common at Aboo, that is, actually on the hill, as it ought to be, owing to the merciless way it has been destroyed of late years both by European and Native shikarees, however its fine wild crow may still be heard of a morning and evening in the breeding season in many parts of the hill, and now that game laws, or rather I should say a close season, has been introduced in the Serohi State making the destruction of jungle fowl, spur fowl, partridges, and hares between the 1st May and the 1st September a penal offence, we may expect them to increase again shortly. [Quite an outlier at Aboo; unknown throughout the rest of the region. Captain Butler says it is “ common all along the Aravalli range, ” but I have never met with it northwards or eastwards of Erinpoora, and I have explored the Aravallis pretty exhaustively.—A. O. H.] 814.—Galloperdix spadiceus, G'mel. The Red Spur Fowl is also common all along the Aravallis. It is usually found singly or in pairs and breeds like the last species during the hot weather. I have never seen the nest, but have often seen the chicks with the old birds shortly after they have been hatched in May and June. [The same remarks apply to this species as to the last. I think it isa mistake to say that this species is common all along the Aravallis. Ihave never seen or heard of this east- wards or northwards of Erinpoorah, but the main portion of the Aravallis lies north and east of this latter place. A. O. H.] 818.—Francolinus vulgaris, Steph. The Black Partridge is rare. I had one, sent to me last year for inspection, that was shot within two miles of Deesa, and 6 “NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA OF MOUNT ABOO have heard of its occurrence in the same neighbourhood on one or two occasions since. Further north in many parts of Raj- pootana it is more abundant than the next species, but I do not think it often occurs further south than Deesa, which is very near the imaginary line which is supposed by Mr. Hume (Nests AND Haus, Rough Draft, p. 537) to mark the southern boundary of its distribution, viz., from the Runn of Cutch to Gwalior and from Gwalior to Ganjam. [Common in Sindh, and not uncommon in Cutch. Deesa is about on the line of junction of the two species. Ihave never myself seen a Black Partridge from any part of Jodhpoor, which is too arid asa rule for these partridges, but Dr. Eddowes shot one at a Marwar village only 6 miles N. W. of Erinpoora. In Kattiawar it is of course the next species that occurs. I have never been able to obtain any further in- formation of the supposed third species from Cutch, and I now believe it must have been an African bird brought over in a cage, but as I have failed to recover the skin it is im- possible now to ascertain.—A. O. H.] 819.—Francolinus pictus, Jerd. and Selby. The Painted Partridge is common in the plains, but does not ascend the hills. It usually affects grass Beerhs, or preserves, and low bush jungle, and breeds from the middle or end of July to the end of September, the greater number laying in August. [Common in Kattiawar. The whole of the rest of the region lies outside the northern limits of this species which I have however seen from Anadra, Sirohi and Erinpoora.—A. O. H.] 822.—Ortygornis pondiceriana, G'mel. The Grey Partridge is very common all over the plains and occurs sparingly on the hills as well. It breeds in the hot weather, laying principally in March, April and May. A few lay again later in the year, as I have seen fresh eggs in August ; these are likely to be birds whose first nest has been destroyed. [Common throughout the entire region.—A. QO. H.] 826.—Perdicula cambayensis, Lath, The Jungle Bush Quail( I adhere to Jerdon’s nomenclature, but see Nests AnD Eaas, Rough Dratt, p. 545), supplies the place of the next species on the hills and in thick jungles. It is very common at Mount Aboo, but never occurs out of the jungles, i est, it does not affect bare open ground like P. asiatica. It is exclusively, I believe, a hill resident; I have never met with it anywhere excepting in hilly jungles and, so far as my ex- perience goes, where this species occurs the next does not. I never had any difficulty in distinguishing it from P. asiatica AND NORTHERN GUZERAT. 7 owing to its coloring being so much brighter, especially about the head. It breeds at Aboo after the rains, but I have never succeeded in finding a nest. [I have numerous specimens from Aboo obtained by Dr. King, but I have never seen or heard of it from any other part of the entire region, though it might turn up in the Gir jungles.—A. O. H.] 827.—Perdicula asiatica, Lath, The Rock Bush Quail is very common in the plains, but does not ascend the hills. Unlike the last species it frequents open, rocky, cultivated and uncultivated ground with low bushes for it to take refuge in when disturbed. It begins to lay about the middle of August, at which time of year they are always found in pairs and lie very close. I have never met with itin thick jungles like the last species. [Common throughout the entire region, except in Sindh, to which it does not, I believe, extend.—A. O. H 829.—Coturnix communis, Bonaterre, The Large Grey Quail is very abundant all over the plains of Guzerat in the cold weather,* and occurs though sparingly on the hills as well. In the neighbourhood of Deesa and Ahmedabad two guns or even one good gun might without diffi- culty shoot 100 brace in the day. [Common throughout the entire region during the cold season; Dr. King procured it at Aboo.—A. O. H.] 830.—Coturnix coromandelica, Gmel. The Black-breasted or Rain Quail is also common in the plains, but I do not fancy it ascends the hills. It breeds in August and September, and the young broods appear on the wing in October. [Occurs throughout the entire region, but apparently in West- ern Jodhpoor, Cutch, Kattiawar and Sindh only during the rains. —A. O. H.] 832.—Turnix taigoor, Sykes ; T. pugnax, Tem. The Black-breasted Bustard Quail is not common and does not ascend the hills. I found a nest containing four fresh eggs near Deesa on the 9th August. I laid a horse hair noose on each side of the tuft of grass it was placed under, and on re- turning to the spot about a quarter of an hour later I found the cock bird snared and sitting upon the eggs, probably not knowing | * The first I saw this year (1875) I shot near Deesa on the 27th August, but they do not begin to get plentiful until the middle of September, after which they swarm all over the country. I have not heard of any remaining here to breed. 8 NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA OF MOUNT ABGO that he was caught as he did not move off the eggs until I frightened him. The nest consisted of a small saucer-shaped hole scratched under a low tuft of grass growing in an open field with scarcely another blade of grass near it. It was lined witha thin loose pad of short pieces of dry grass and thin bits of stick and fell to pieces in my hand. The eggs are perfect miniature pegtops, being almost round at the large end and very pointed at the small. They are remarkably large for the size of the bird, of a dirty stone color densely covered with brown and yellow specks having good sized blackish spots and blotches sparingly scattered over the shell as well principally towards the large end. A few inky purple mark- ings, as if below the outer surface of the shell, are also visible. An equal mixture of mustard, salt and pepper would give one a good idea of the general color of the egg. They have scarcely any gloss. [Stoliczka obtained this in Cutch. I have neither seen nor heard of it from Sindh or Jodhpoor, or even Kattiawar, though it is probable that it occurs in the castern portions at any rate of this latter.—A. O. H.] 834.—Turnix joudera, Hodgs. T. Dussumierti, apud Jerd nec Tem. The large Button Quail occurs all over the plains wherever there is long grass and scrub jungle intermixed. It is parti- cularly plentiful in the neighbourhood of Deesa where I had every opportunity of watching it closely and observing its habits. It is almost always found singly except in the breed- ing season, when it may often be seen in pairs. I found a nest near Deesa onthe 15th July 1875, containing four slightly incubated eggs. It was composed of soft blades of dry grass, reminding one of the nest of a field mouse and many half-covered nests which I have seen of Mirafra can- tillans—the entrance hole being on one side and extending nearly to the top of the nest. It was placed at the foot of a tussock of coarse grass in a preserve, and the old bird allowed me to put my foot within a few inches of her before she flew off. After leaving the nest she fluttered along the ground for four or five yards, and then feigned lameness, broken wings, &c., like other members of the family. I snared her at the nest when she returned shortly after- wards. The eggs are very handsome and considerably smaller than those of the preceding species. They are of a dirty yellowish white color thickly speckled, spotted and blotched all over with brownish black with occasional spots and mark- ings. of inky purple and palish or dingy yellow, the whole AND NORTHERN GUZERAT. 9 combining in forming quite adark confluent cap at the large end. The eggs are almost the same shape as the last, being very broad and almost round at the large end, very small and pointed at the other, and the shell is highly glossed. [Occurs, but very sparingly and locally, throughout the entire region, and all the specimens that I have seen, from Sindh, Cutch, Kattiawar, and Jodhpoor, were obtained towards the close of the rains, in August or September.—A. O. H.] 835.—Turnix Dussumierii, Tem. T. Sykesiz, A. Smith. The small Button Quail is common in the plains, but like the last does not ascend the hills. I caught a young one near Deesa on the 27th July in some long grass. It was only about half grown, and I took it home and reared it in a cage on white ants. The eggs must have been laid about the second week in June. The note of this species is remarkable, being a mixture of _apurr anda coo, and when uttering it the bird raises its feathers and turns and twists about much in the same way, as an old cock pigeon. I have often watched them in the act of cooing within a few yards of me. If an old bird gets separated from one of its young ones it is sure to commence making this peculiar noise. [Also occurs throughout the entire region, and is not, I believe, rare in suitable spots, though from its small size and indisposi- tion to rise it is usually overlooked.—A. O. H.] 836.—Eupodotis Edwardsii, Gray. The Indian Bustard occurs occasionally in this part of the country, but it is not at all common. Further north in Raj- pootana in many places it is tolerably plentiful. [Occurs throughout the entire region, but is very rare in the greater part of Sindh (least so in the Thurr and Pakhur) uncom- ae in Jodhpoor and Cutch, but very common in Kattiawar.— 837.—Houbara Macqueenii, Gray. The Houbara Bustard, like the last species, is a rare bird. I shot a pair in the cold weather of 1871 at Langrage about 30 miles from Ahmedabad on the Deesa road, and I have heard of one or two instances of its occurrence since. [Common in Sindh, Cutch and Jodhpoor, occurring as far east even as Sambhur. Rare in Kattiawar, and only found there I believe, as Captain Hayes Lloyd remarks, in the northern and north-western portions. It is of course merely a cold weather visitant.—A. O. H.] B 10 NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA OF MOUNT ABOO 839.—Sypheotides aurita, Lath. The Lesser Florican is not uncommon during the rains. It arrives about the beginning of July and lays in August. In the neighbourhood of Deesa although sometimes as many as seven or eight are killed by one party in a day, still four or five is considered a good bag. When they first arrive on account of the scarcity of covert, they are very wild and difficult to approach if you advance direct towards them, but by walking away from them, when you find them out in the open, first of all and then gradually circling in towards them, especially if there are two guns and each goes a different way, you can almost always get within shot of them as they squat, even on a bare fallow, when they see that they are surrounded, and allow you often to walk up to within a few yards of them before they rise. This plan answers equally well with Hou- bara, Grey Partridges, Sandgrouse, Plovers and many other species of birds that are difficult to approach. If you are shooting alone it is best to send your shikari one way and to go the other yourself, the shikari taking care when circling in not to approach too near the spot where the bird is lying (7. e., within 50 or 60 yards), otherwise it may get up before you are within gun shot. As soon as you find that you are within shot, you should incline quickly towards the bird so as to flush him, and you will almost invariably get a fair shot, as the bird, seeing the shikari upon one side and you upon the other, trusts rather to escaping by concealment than by flight. T have often made a good bag of Grey Partridges in a day by circumventing them in this way, when, from the open nature of the country, it would have been useless to have attempted walking them up in line. [Common throughout the entire region during the rainy season. ‘They migrate hither from the central table-lands of the peninsular, where they spend the cold and dry season.— AO), EL 840.—Cursorius coromandelicus, Gel. : The Indian Courier Plover is common all over the plains in the cold weather. It frequents open sandy plains and bare cultivated or uncultivated ground. I believe it migrates, as I have not observed it in this part of the country, during the hot weather, but after about the 20th September it appears all over the country plentifully. [Oceurs in all the sub-divisions of the region, but in the northern parts of Sindh and the greater portion of Jodhpoor is entirely replaced by the next species. In Cutch it is rare, but AND NORTHERN GUZERAT. 11 though Stoliczka preserved none I have received specimens thence.—A. O. H. | 840 d1s.—Cursorius gallicus, Gmel. The European Courier Plover or Cream-colored Courser is also common all over the plains during the cold weather, asso- ciating in small flocks of from five to twenty or thirty. It is an interesting bird to watch when on the ground, and in its actions much resembles Chettusia gregaria. When feeding they run rapidly for a few yards and then stop standing for a second or two very erect ; again they dart off in another direc- tion, pick up an insect, and again stand still watching for the next victim. They are easily approached if you walk round them as recommended for Florican, with the exception that it is better to approach these birds alone than to send another person round them, as they don’t often squat, and therefore are likely to take wing if you attempt to surround them. On the wing they much resemble Pterocles exustus, for which species, I have nodoubt, they are often mistaken, as they utter a low clucking note very similar to that bird, and fly in much the same style and at much the same altitude. The flesh is excellent eating. They arrive about the 28th September and often asso- ciate with the preceding species. (Occurs, and I think far more abundantly than the preceding species, throughout the entire region, except in Kattiawar, whence I have seen no specimens, and where if it occurs at all it must, as Captain Hayes Lloyd suggests, occur on the northern shores or the eastern neck of the peninsular. But Kattiawar is outside the southern limits of this species, which I believe may be pretty accurately represented by a line drawn from the south- eastern corner of the Runn to a point on the Jumna a few miles south of Delhi.] [844.—Squatarola helvetica, Lzn. I obtained thisin Northern Guzerat on the shores of the Runn, found it very abundant about the Kurrachee Harbour, and have seen it from other places along the coasts of Sindh, Cutch and Kattiawar. Inland and in Jodhpoor I do not know of its occurring except when migrating in autumn and spring, when stragglers are met with at many large pieces of water. Mr. Adam obtained one in ful breeding plumage at the Sam- bhur Lake on the 25th September.—A. O. H.] 845.—Charadrius fulvus, Gimel. The Golden Plover is rare, and those I have seen have invari- ably been single birds or small parties in company with the next species. It arrives about the beginning of October. 12 NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA OF MOUNT ABOO [This species does occur in each sub-division of the entire region, but except in Kattiawar, whence numerous specimens have been received, and where Captain Hayes Lloyd says that it is not uncommon, is everywhere apparently so rare that it can only be looked on as a straggler or through migrant. At the Sambhur Lake Mr. Adam has never once met with it. From Jodhpoor I have seen only one specimen from Palee ; one from near Erinpoorah; two from Cutch. From Sindh, though we know that it occurs there, I have never yet seen a specimen.— A. O. H.] [846.—Cirrepidesmus Geoffroyi, Wagler. I procured this in Northern Guzerat on the borders of the Runn. It is very common during the cold season along the coasts of Sindh, Cutch and Kattiawar. But neither in Sindh nor in Jodhpoor do I know of its occurring inland, except at the time of its migration from the 15th August to 15th September or during April-May, when, as in the case of Squa- tarola helvetica, (which leaves earlier and returns later) it is often met with at large pieces of water inland.—A. O. H.] [847.—Cirrepidesmus mongolicus, Pall. The same remarks precisely as in the case of the preceding.— A. O. H.] [848.—Asgialophilus cantianus, Lath, Procured and observed in many places in Northern Guzerat, common alike on the shores and inland on banks of rivers, lakes and tanks throughout the entire region.—A. O. H.] 849.— Aigialitis curonicus, Gel. The Common Small Ringed Plover is common in the plains in the rains and during the cold weather, and I am inclined to think that this was one of the species of Agzalitis I saw at Aboo which I have previously alluded to. It frequents the edges of tanks and river beds, and runs along the sand ata great pace. It occurs singly some times and at other times in small parties, varying in number from three or four to twenty and upwards. [Common throughout the entire region, during the cold season; more common inland I think than on the shore.— A. 0: HL] 852.—Chettusia gregaria, Pallas. The Black-sided Lapwing is very common during the cold weather in the neighbourhood of Deesa (further south it is not so plentiful,) congregating in flocks, varying in numbers from four or five to fifty or sixty. Like the last two species it frequents open AND NORTHERN GUZERAT. 13 sandy and grass maidans and bare cultivated or uncultivated ground, and does not assume the handsome black and_ chestnut plumage of the head, neck and abdomen much before February. I am doubtful whether the adults of this species retain the black crown and abdomen all the year round or not, but am in- clined to think that they do not, (Vide Vol. I., p. 232), as all of the birds when they first arrive, which is about the 3rd October, appear in what is described by Dr. Jerdon and Dr. Bree as the plumage of the young bird, remaining in that garb, a description of which I give below, until February, in which month they begin to assume the gay plumage of the adult birds. Surely all of the birds that visit this part of the country in the cold weather cannot be young birds ? Description.—Forehead, chin and throat, whole of lower parts (excepting breast) including abdomen, flanks and lower tail- coverts, under wing-coverts, axillaries, upper tail coverts, tail and secondaries, white ; upper plumage, including wing-coverts, terti- ary feathers nearest the body, scapulars and upper back olivaceous brown slightly glossed with green, most of the feathers being edged with pale buff; crown brownish, with dark centres and pale edgings to the feathers ; superciliary stripe, extending to the - occiput and meeting at the back of the head, buffy white; a dusky line below the white supercilium from the corner of the eye to the occiput; hind neck greyish brown, each feather edged pale; sides of neck and breast greyish white with dark greyish brown central stripes to the feathers, forming a broad pectoral band; first ten quills black, the inner web white at the base of*the first eight, and on nearly the whole of the inner web of the ninth and tenth. A broad black subterminal band on all of the tail feathers, except the two laterals on each side, broadest in the centre and narrowing gradually towards the sides; central tail feathers tipped rufescent or fawn; primary coverts black. A female measured in the flesh:—Length, 12°62; wing, 8; tail, 4; bill at front, 1°44; bill at gape, 1:19. Bill black and irides blackish or very dark brown, legs and feet black very faintly tinged with lake in many specimens, though the lake is scarcely observable. It feeds principally upon coleopterous insects, grasshoppers, small caterpillars, worms, &c., all of which I have myself taken from its stomach. [Common throughout the entire region during the cold season only. See also Stoliczka, J.A.S.B., 1872, p. 251.—A. O. H.] 853.—Chettusia flavipes, Savign. OC. leucura, Licht. The White-tailed Lapwing occurs in small parties round the edges of many of the tanks between Ahmedabad and Deesa. It is not very common. 214 NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA OF MOUNT ABOO [Occurs in switable localities, throughout the entire region, but is absent in the more arid tracts. It is a pity to find Sharpe and Dresser perpetuating in their great work, Jerdon’s mistake about this being a rare species in India.—A. O. H.] © 855.—Lobivanellus indicus, Bodd. The Red Wattled Lapwing, “ Pity to doit,” or “ Did-he-do-it” as it is perhaps more generally called, is common both on the hills and in the plains, but I fancy that a great number of them migrate, as they are somewhat scarce in the hot weather, whereas in the cold they are abundant everywhere. _ [Common throughout the entire region.—A. O. H.] 856.—Lobipluvia malabarica, Bodd, Sarciophorus bilobus, Gmel. - The Yellow Wattled Lapwing is not very common in the plains, and does not, that J am aware of, ascend the hills. [Occurs throughout the entire region, but is very rare in Jodhpoor, (neither Mr. Adam at Sambhur, nor Dr. King in any part of Jodhpoor, procured it) and in the northern portion of Sindh it is virtually unknown.—A. O. H.] 858.—Esacus recurvirostris, Cuv. The Large Stone Plover is rare. I shot a pair ona gravelly island in the bed of a river between Ahmedabad and Deesa in 1871, and I have met with it once or twice since. (Occurs in each sub-division of the region, but only in beds of rivers or streams, specially where rocky or stony banks or islands crop up in these.—A. O. H.] 859.—(CEdicnemus crepitans, Tem. The Stone Plover, or Norfolk Plover, as it is often called, is tolerably common. It is quite nocturnal in its habits, lying as a rule all day under cover of some low thick tree. It seems to be somewhat partial to low babool jungle and low thick bushes in the sandy beds of dry rivers. [Common enough wherever there is low scrub jungle of any kind on sandy plains, or groves with grass, throughout the entire region.—A. O. H. 863.—Grus antigone, Zzn. The Sarus is common all over the country in the plains wherever there is water, and breeds towards the end of the rains. [Common in Jodhpoor, Cutch, Kattiawar, but very rare in Sindh, indeed does not occur at all, I believe, in Northern Sindh or in the Trans-Indus portion of the province.—A. O. H.] AND NORTHERN GUZERAT. TS 865.—Grus cinerea, Bechst. The Common Crane is plentiful in the plains wherever there are large tanks in the cold weather. {More or less common during the cold season throughout the entire region.—A. O. 866.—Anthropoides virgo, Lin. The Demoiselle Crane occurs in immense flocks all over the plains in the cold weather, arriving about the first week in October. Dr. Jerdon remarks that “it never betakes itself to tanks or jheels during the day ;” this is an erroneous impression, as I have seen tanks fringed with a blue margin of these birds at least sixty yards wide, and extending over several acres of ground over and over again. I never could bring my- self to appreciate the flesh of this bird, which is generally con- sidered such a delicacy. [As in the case of Wild Geese all depends on season, and the fare they have been enjoying during the previous 6 weeks— common, during the cold season, throughout the entire re- gion.—A. O. H.] 871.—Gallinago scolopacinus, Bonap. The Common Snipe is very plentiful in the plains during the cold weather. I observed a few also ona small patch of marshy ground at Mount Aboo, but it is not common on the hills as a rule. I shot a couple of full Snipe in excellent condition, and saw two or three others in a marsh near Deesa, on the 12th Septem- ber 1875. I mention the fact as I have never met with them in this country so early in the season before, although I am aware they do occur even in August. {Common throughout the entire region.—A. O. H.] 872.—Gallinago gallinula, Zin. The Jack Snipe is also common throughout the plains in the cold weather. [Occurs throughout the entire region.—A. O. H. | 873.—Rhynchea bengalensis, Lin. The Painted Snipe is common in the cold weather, and it is not an uncommon thing at that time of year to find the males and the females congregated in separate flocks. As an illus- tration of this I may mention that upon one occasion I shot nineteen males in one strip of grass by the side of a tank near Ahmedabad without flushing a single female, and upon several other occasions I have shot a large number of females without flushing a male. They do not arrive in this part of the country 16 NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA OF MOUNT ABOO before the end of August or beginning of September, and I have heard of nests being found both in the latter month and in October in the neighbourhood of Ahmedabad and in the neigh- bourhood of Erinpoora. I may mention that since writing the above I shot a Painted Snipe, (¢) near Deesa on the 16th September with the ovaries containing eggs in an advanced stage, showing that it would have laid in a few days if it had lived. [Occurs, though sparingly during the cold season, in all suit- able localities throughout the entire region, but is everywhere here more common during the rains.—A. O. H.] 875.—Limosa egocephala, Lin. The Black-tailed Godwit is common in the plains in the cold weather, frequenting tanks and marshy ground in considerable flocks. The flesh-is excellent. [Common throughout the entire region.—A. O. H.] 876.—Terekia cinerea, Gmel. The Avoset Sandpiper is very common in most of the large tanks between Deesa and Ahmedabad, associating in flocks ranging in numbers usually from about ten to twenty. [A coast species common along and for 20 or 30 miles inland from, the coasts of Sindh, Cutch and Kattiawar, but never occurring (except possibly at passage) in Jodhpoor or far in the interior of Sindh.—A. O. H.] . lineatus, Cuv. 877.—Numenius | arquata, Lin. The Curlew arrives quite as early as July, as I have shot them near Deesa in the middle of that month at the very commencement of the rains. __ It is common in the tank country (though rare elsewhere,) fre- quenting the edges of the jheels in immense flocks often num- bering as many as two or three hundred. On the ground they pack very closely together, and with a heavy charge of shot well laid on you may often kill as many as ten or a dozen with a single barrel. Like most of the other of these marsh birds they generally take a long flight over the marshes about dusk and another at daybreak in the opposite direction ; ( I suppose to and from their feeding grounds). [Occurs throughout the entire region, though rare in Jodh- poor, where the localities suited to it are few.—A. O. H.] 878.—Numenius pheopus, Lin. The Whimbrel is rare. Dr. Jerdon says: ‘ Always found in flocks in marshy ground,” I have frequently seen it and shot it alone. AND NORTHERN GUZERAT. AY [The Whimbrel also is a good deal of a coast bird according to my experience, and is comparatively rare in India at any great distance from the sea. Mr. Adamnever procured it at Sambhur, nor did I see it there or any where in Jodhpoor, or in the inte- rior of Sindh, nor has any of my correspondents sent or recorded it from that entourage. Along the coasts of Sindh, it occurs ; is common on those of Cutch and Kattiawar, and thence round the entire coast line to Merguil, and avain at the Laccadives, Andamans and Nicobars.—A. O. H.] 880.—Philomachus pugnax, Zin. The Ruff occurs plentifully in the marshes between Ahmedabad and Deesa, and is one of the first of our cold-weather visitants to arrive, appearing about the end of July or beginning of August. Like most of the other members of this family it is gregarious associating often in considerable sized flocks. The male is much larger than the female, measuring about 124 inches with a 74-inch wing, whereas the female measures about 10+ inches with a 6-inch wing. It is an excellent bird for table. [Very common during autumn, winter and spring throughout the greater part of the region, but is less common in Sindh in the two latter seasons than elsewhere.—A. O. H. ] [884.—Tringa minuta, Zeis/. I procured several specimens of the Common Stint, in the neighbourhood of Deesa. It is common throughuut the entire region.—A. O. H.] 885.—Tringa Temminckii, Lezs!. The White-tailed Stint occurs in small flocks in most of the tanks between Deesa and Ahmedabad during the cold weather. [Common, though less so than the preceding, throughout the entire region. I cannot understand Mr. Adam’s never observing it at Sambhur.—A. O. H.] 891.—Actitis glareola, Ginel. The Spotted Sandpiper is common inthe plains during the cold weather, frequenting the edges of tanks and marshy ground. I shot a pair of females in the summer plumage by the side of the Lake at Mount Aboo on the Sth May. [Dr. King also obtained this at Aboo. Common_ throughout the greater part of the region, but rare in Sindh and in portions of Jodhpoor. At Sambhur Mr. Adam failed during several years to procure it.—A. O. H.] C 18 NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA OF MOUNT ABOO 892.— Actitis ochropus, Lin. The Green Sandpiper is common on the hills and in the plains during the rains and in the cold weather. It begins to arrive about the end of July. 893.—Actitis hypoleucos, Lin. The Common Sandpiper occurs round the edges of most of the tanks between Deesa and Ahmedabad in the cold weather and in all of the rivers. 894.—Totanus glottis, Lin. The Greenshanks is sparingly scattered over the tanks in the cold weather. (This, as well as the two preceding, occurs throughout the entire region, but the Greenshanks is in many localities far from common.—A. O. H.] 895.—Totanus stagnatilis, Bechs. The Lesser Greenshanks, like the last species, is not very common, but occurs sparingly throughout the tank country. [Not uncommon in suitable localities in Jodhpoor, but not yet received or reported from Sindh, Cutch or Kattiawar.—A. O. H 896.—Totanus fuscus, Zin. The Spotted Redshanks is not uncommon, occurring along the edges of most of the tanks in the cold weather. [Occurs sparingly, except in Sindh where it is pretty common, throughout the entire region.—A. O. H.] 897.—Totanus calidris, Zin. The Redshanks is not uncommon in the cold weather, but I have never observed it in large flocks as stated by Dr. Jerdon; on the contrary I have almost invariably met with it either singly or in pairs. [Common throughout the entire region.—A. O. H.] 898.—Himantopus intermedius, Blyth. The Stilt or Longlegs is very common in the plains in the cold weather, arriving about the end of July. It occurs also occasionally round the edges of the Lake at Mount Aboo. [Common throughout the entire region.—A. O. H.] 899.—Recurvirostra avocetta, Linn. The Avoset is not common, but may be met with singly and in small parties along the edges of many of the tanks be- tween Deesa and Ahmedabad in the cold weather. AND NORTHERN GUZERAT. 19 [Oceurs throughout the whole region, but is comparatively rare in Jodhpoor, Thurr, and Pakur and Cutch. I once, towards the end of April, saw a flock of fully one hundred in a small village pond, a mere puddle, below one of the bun- galows between Deesa and Ahmedabad, and shot ten or twelve with a single barrel. They were perfectly tame. In Upper India they are very much rarer than in this part of the country, very wild, and only seen on the banks of rivers or large pieces of water.—A. O. H.] 900.—Metopodius indicus, Lath. The Bronze-winged Jacana is not common as a rule, but I found it plentiful in one or two of the tanks N. E. of Langraij between Ahmedabad and Deesa. It only occurs in tanks overgrown with dense rushes, lotus leaves, weeds, &c. It is not an easy bird to procure, as it runs out upon the top of the masses of floating weeds into the middle of the tank when pursued until out of gunshot, and then either dives or hides amongst the rushes, from which it is not easily flushed. I tried driving them, but unless you can creep into a “ ougour”’ unobserved, and unless you are completely hidden behind a good screen, this method of getting a shot is of no use as they have a very quick eye and stop when running towards you at about every yard to look and listen, and if once they catch sight of you they invariably take wing and fly back towards the beaters, or dive to re-appear no more until you and your beaters have left the tank. Even when you do knock one over, unless it falls stone dead, it will dive the mo- ment it touches the water, and you will not see it again, so that when a chance does occur you cannot be too careful in taking a steady shot if you want to recover your bird. Out of five I knocked down in one afternoon, four dived the instant they reached the water,-and consequently I only procured one. In habits and actions it closely resembles the Rails, and when on the wing flies like a Coot with its long legs stretched out behind it. [This species does not belong at all to the region with which we are dealing. Jerdon indeed says that it is found throughout India, but this is a mistake. It does not occur, to the best of my belief, in Sindh, Cutch, Kattiawar or Jodhpoor, or indeed in any part of Rajpootana, or in the Punjaub, or in the greater portion of the N. W. Provinces. In these latter I only know of it, about Jhansi and Lullutpoor, and other places south of the Jumna, in districts east of the confluence of this river and the Ganges, and in the Sub-Himalayan Terais.—A. O. H.] 20 NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA OF MOUNT ABOO 901.—Hydrophasianus chirurgus, Scop. The Pheasant-tailed Jacana is common, being found on most of the tanks throughout the plains during the cold weather. I saw a specimen that was shot in the bed of a river near Deesa in the hot weather in the summer plumage, however this was an exceptional case, as they nearly all leave this part of the country at the end of the cold weather. [Not uncommon in suitable localities throughout the entire region.—A. O. H.] 902.—Porphyrio poliocephalus, Lath. The Purple Coot, though uncommon in most parts, is very plentiful on some of the tanks overgrown with weeds, lotus leaves and dense beds of bulrushes. In such localities I found the bird tolerably tame, and saw them in dozens sitting on the top of the bulrushes, allowing one often to pass within easy shot of them without flymg down. When walking, they have a habit of jerking their tails like the Common Waterhen (G. chloropus, L), and from the row they make in the rushes cackling and chasing each other through the water I fancy they are very pugnacious. I remember seeing one once take refuge in a babool tree after being driven out of a thick bed of rushes. No sooner had he settled than an eagle (Aquila vindhiana) descended into the tree and seized him. The poor Coot cried out piteously making a noise very like the cries of a domestic fowl when caught to be killed. After waiting a few seconds I approached the tree and the eagle flew off dropping the Coot on the ground as it left the tree. The Coot was in a dying state when I picked it up with a deep wound in the breast inflicted by the eagle’s claws. I fancy that the Tawny Hagle seldom attacks a living bird of this size unless wounded? Perhaps on account of its heavy laboured flight it thought the Coot was wounded. [Common in Sindh and Kattiawar, less so in Cutch where there are not many localities suited to it, and very rare in Jodhpoor. Adam never got it near Sambhur, and I know only one tank in Jodhpoor where it occurs.—A. O. H.] 903.—Fulica atra, Lin. The Bald Coot abounds on every tank of any size throughout the country in the cold weather. [Has been once seen on the lake at Aboo. Common through- out the entire region.—A. O. H. | 905.—Gallinula chloropus, Zin. The Water Hen is not common. I have met with it occa- sionally in the tanks between Deesa and Ahmedabad. ° AND NORTHERN GUZERAT. 21 [ Also obtained on one occasion at Aboo. Occurs in suitable localities throughout the entire region, but is more common in Sindh than in any other sub-division.—A. O. H.] 907.—Gallinula phenicura, Penn. The White-breasted Water Hen is rare in this part of the country. I shot a fine specimen in a rocky nullah at Mount Aboo on the 21st June. [I have seen many specimens from Aboo, none from Northern Guzerat or Jodhpoor ; Mr. Adam never once saw it near Sam- bhur. It occurs in Sindh, but only along the courses of some of the canals. In Cutch and Kattiawar it occurs , as I have specimens from both, but it is certainly not common in the for- mer.—A. O. H. ] 908.—Porzana akool, Sykes. The Brown Rail occurs on the hills and in the plains, fre- quenting rocky nullahs, beds of rivers, and marshy grounds. It is seldom seen as it prefers hiding in the long grass or rushes er ina thick bush to taking wing, when disturbed. It runs with great speed, and I have often seen them go to ground under a lar ge stone or in a hole in the bank and remain there for upwar ds of 15 or 20 minutes before emer cing again so as to escape observation. They swim well and closely. “resemble the common Water Hen in their habits, jerking the tail constantly when walking in exactly the same manner as that species. I have found them in hedgerows, occasionally at considerable distances from the water. Itis by no means common, and I do not fancy it migrates, as I shot a specimen at Mount Aboo in the middle of May. Of course it moves from those parts of the country where the rivers and marshes are dry during the hot weather. [Mr. Adam found it not uncommon about Sambhur, but I have neyer yet seen or heard of it from Jodhpoor, Sindh, Cutch or Kattiawar; at the same time it is such a skulk that it very likely does occur in all these sub-divisions, although not yet no- ticed from any one of them. Dr. Eddowes I may note, sent it to me from Erinpoorah.—A. O. H.] 915.—Leptoptilos argala, Lin. The Gigantic Stork or Adjutant is a rare bird in this part of the country. I saw three in company with a quantity of vultures (Otogyps calvus and Gyps indicus,) feeding on the carcase of a dead camel near Deesa on the 20th August. And subsequently later on in the year I frequently obser ved them in small parties of six or eight fishing the bed of the Burnath River. 23 NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA OF MOUNT ABOO Again I saw one Adjutant during a recent trip, and that was sitting upon a low stack of corn in company with a quantity of vultures near a village I passed through on the road to my shooting ground, 28th November. [Occurs, somewhat sparingly, throughout the entire region, but in the more arid tracts, the greater parts of Jodhpoor and Sindh, is scarcely ever seen except during the rains.—A. O. H.] 917.—Mycteria asiatica, Lath. The Black-necked Stork occurs in the plains in most of the rivers and marshes. It is not however very common. [Occurs in suitable localities throughout the entire region, but is rare as a whole in Sindh, Cutch and Jodhpoor ; in Kattiawar Capt. Hayes Lloyd says it is common.—A. O. H.] 918.—Ciconia nigra, Lin, | The Black Stork is rare, and hitherto I have only met with one specimen, and that was standing alone on an island in the middle of one of the tanks between Deesa and Ahmedabad. I examined it very closely with my field glasses, so that there can be no doubt of its identity. [Very common in Sindh along the course of the Indus, and has been obtained in Kattiawar, Cutch and Jodhpoor, but is in the latter certainly, (Mr. Adam never saw it near Sambhur) and in the two former probably, a rare straggler.} 919—Ciconia alba, Belon. The White Stork occurs all over the plains in the cold weather, frequenting marshy ground, tanks, &c. It is not how- ever very plentiful. [Oceurs in each sub-division of the whole region, and though Mr. Adam failed to obtain it at Sambhur, I do not think it is very rare in other parts of Jodhpoor more suited to its habits, or in any of the sub-divisions.—A. O. H.] 920.—Ciconia leucocephala, Gmel. The White-necked Stork is tolerably common in the plains in all of the rivers and marshes. I observed it also at Mount Aboo feeding by the side of the Lake. [Dr. King also obtained it at Mount Aboo. Mr. Adam notes this as a regular visitant during the rains to the Sambhur Lake. I myself never saw it in any other part of Jodhpoor that I can remember, and I have neither seen nor heard of it thence or from Sindh, Cutch or Kattiawar. I cannot believe that it occurs in none of these, but it is not yet on record thence.—A. O. H.] AND NORTHERN GUZERAT. 23 923.—Ardea cinerea, Lin. The Blue Heron is common all over the plains. (And in suitable localities throughout the entire region.—A, 0: 924.—Ardea purpurea, Lin. The Purple Heron, though not so common as the last, is met with in most of the marshes in the plains. The Purple Heron occurs in every tank where there are thick beds of rushes in which, like the Bittern, it always lies excepting when disturbed, when it flies into the open and settles generally upon some low tree until the covert is quiet again. [Not uncommon, throughout the entire region, where rushy tanks and streams occur; but not found as a rule elsewhere, hence Mr. Adam never obtained it about Sambhur.—A. O. H.] 925.—Herodias alba, Linn. The Large Egret occurs in all of the rivers and marshes. [Occurs (commonly in Sindh, more sparingly elsewhere) throughout the entire region.—A. O. H.] [926.—Herodias intermedia, /. Hasselq. The Little White Heron is not uncommonin Northern Guze- rat. Has been once shot at the lake at Aboo, and is pretty common in every sub-division of the region.—A. O. H.] 927.—Herodias garzetta, Lin. The Little Egret is very common in most parts of the plains associating in considerable flocks. It is particularly common in the neighbourhood of Deesa. [Obtained also at Aboo. Common everywhere throughout the entire region.—A. O. H.] [928.—Demiegretta gularis, Bose. Ardea asha, Sykes. Occurs in Northern Guzerat, near the Runn. I have a spe- cimen from Patri, killed in August; is common along the coasts of Sindh, Cutch and Kattiawar. Unknown inland in Sindh, and equally so in Jodhpoor.—A. O. H.] 929.—Buphus coromandus, Bodd. The Cattle Egret is also common throughout the plains. 930.—Ardeola Grayii, Sykes. The Pond Heron is very common everywhere, being found at the edge of every pool of water in the country. I did not observe it at Mount Aboo. 24 NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA OF MOUNT ABOO 931.—Butorides javanica, Horsf. The Little Green Heron occurs sparingly in all of the rivers, tanks and marshes. It sits most of the day upon the lower boughs of some thick tree or bush overhanging the water apparently at rest and seldom moving unless disturbed. It feeds principally, I fancy, in the early morning and in the even- ing. I have seen it on a few occasions at Mount Aboo. [929 and 930 are common, and 931 occurs, throughout the entire region—the crepuscular habits of the latter possibly making it appear less common than it really is—A. O. H.] 936.—Botaurus stellaris, Lin. The Bittern is not common, but occurs occasionally in some of the tanks during the cold weather. I had, until recently, only met with the bird once or twice myself, but had heard from re- liable sources of the occurrence of others. During a recent trip however I shot two and saw one other, so that it is not so rare a bird in this part of India as I once thought. Itis usually found in beds of long green rush or in | high bulrushes, crowing in the water and generally rises within easy shot, flapping lazily along for a short distance, and then dropping down into the rushes again. A few are killed every year in an immense bed of rushes at a place called “Milana’’ about 18 miles N. E. from Deesa. [Very common in Sindh, but I have never seen or heard of it from Jodhpoor, Cutch or Kattiawar, though it is pretty cer- tain to occur in the latter.— A. O. H.] 937.—Nycticorax griseus, Lin. The Night Heron is common. It spends the day at rest in some thick clump of trees, often in considerable flocks, and sallies forth at dusk making straight for its feeding ground. It has a peculiar and very unmistakeable croaking call, which it utters constantly when on the wing. [Has been obtained on Aboo. Common throughout the entire region.—A. O. H.] 938.—Tantalus leucocephalus, Gel. The Pelican Ibis is common in all the marshes throughout the plains. [Common in Jodhpoor, Cutch and Kattiawar, but not yet obtained or reported from Sindh.—A. O. H.] 939.—Platalea leucorodia, Lin. The Spoonbill is common, associating in flocks in all of the marshes and rivers. It is an excellent bird for.table. (?) AND NORTHERN GUZERAT. 25 [De guatibus !—More or less common throughout the entire region.—A. O. 940.—Anastomus oscitans, Bodd. The Shell Ibis is not common, but occurs, singly and in small parties, sparingly in most of the tanks and rivers. [Not uncommon in Jodhpoor, though My. Adam did not ob- tain it about the lake, but I have not as yet seen or heard of it from either Sindh, Cutch or Kattiawar !—A. O. H.] 941.—Threskiornis melanocephalus, Lin. The White Ibis is not very common, but occurs sparingly like the last species throughout the country. [Not uncommon in any sub-division of the whole region. — A. 0. H.] 942.—Geronticus papillosus, Tem. The Warty-headed or Black Ibis is common throughout the country. [Very common throughout the whole region, except of course in the very desert tracts. —A. O. H.] 943.—Fallcinelus igneus, Gmel. The Glossy Ibis is the most uncommon of the three species that occur in this part of the country, but it is by no means rare. [Very common at all the larger lakes in Sindh and Kattia- war, less common in Cutch, and very rare in Jodhpoor. Mr. Adam has never yet seen it near Sambhur.—A. O. H. ] 944.—Phenicopterus roseus, Pallas. The Flamingo occurs in considerable flocks on all of the large tanks in the cold weather. [It is excessively common in Sindh and Kattiawar, less so in Cutch and Jodhpoor, (where however Dr. King procured it at Pallee in October) except at the Sambhur Salt lake, where it is very abundant.—A. O. H.] [944bis.—Phoenicopterus minor, Geoffr. S¢. Hill. (S. F., L., pp. 31, 258, 400, and f1., 339.) I received one specimen of this beautiful species killed in July in Northern Guzerat on some large swamp, between Deesa and Ahmedabad. We know but little as yet of this species. I ascer- tained that it occurred in Sindh in the early part of the hot wea- ther. Capt. Fielden shot it in Jnly in Secunderabad. It has been seen in the great Najjufeurh Jheel, 20 miles souih of D 26 NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA OF MOUNT ABOO Delhi, during the cold season, and Mr. Adam has given us full accounts of its occurrence in great numbers, but irregularly, at the Sambhur Lake. We have no record of its occurrence in any other part of Jodhpoor, or in Cutch or Kattiawar. They have now been observed at Sambhur in every month from October to the commencement of July. Do they breed in India? Or do they migrate to us yearly from Africa? It would be most in- teresting to work out the life history of this species.—A. O. H.] 945.—Anser cinereus, Meyer. The Grey Goose is rare, and I have only twice been fortu- nate enough to get within shot of a flock. I was waiting on the first occasion for ducks in the centre of a narrow strip of mar- shy ground connecting two good-sized tanks, and soon after the coolies entered the tank in front of me to beat I heard the fine trumpet-like call of this species. Shortly afterwards, I saw a flock, consisting of about 30 birds, approaching my screen. To my great delight as they advanced they gradually descended until the leader of the “V,” a fine old gander, was within 25 yards of me. I took steady aim of him and fired, and down he came within a few paces of me like a sack of turnips. I wounded another one badly with the left barrel, and recovered it later in the afternoon in some thick rushes about half a mile from the spot. The remainder of the flock, after sailing about in the greatest confusion for some time over the tank behind me, returned eventually, flying over my head at an immense height in the air. Again I fired at the leader, aiming about 14 feet in front of his head and using an 8. 8. G. cartridge, apparently this time without effect, however I kept my eye on them, and after proceeding about 300 yards the bird I had shot at commenced a series of such unusual evolutions in the air that I began to suspect that he was wounded. At last he directed his flight upwards, and after rising several hundred feet, closed his wings sud- denly and fell to the ground stone dead. On examination it proved to be another fine old gander with one shot hole in the neck just below the chin. I have seen a great number of birds tower, especially Partridges and occasionally Pheasants, but a wild goose under such circumstances is one of those novel and unusual sights that few men ever have a chance of witnessing. On the second occasion during a recent trip, Tonly saw one flock of Grey Geese numbering seven, of which I bagged two (right and left) as they passed over my head about 85 yards high. [Very common in Sindh, and has been obtained both in Cutch and Kattiawar, but has not yet been obtained in Jodh- poor ; it has noteven been observed at the Sambhur Lake, AND NORTHERN GUZERAT. yf but A. indicus has been shot there by Mr. Adam, and near Jodhpoor by Dr. King, and is tolerably common in Sindh. Dr. Stoliczka saw it, he thought, in Cutch, and it probably occurs there and in Kattiawar, but I have not received it from either locality, nor has it been recorded from any place in Northern Guzerat.—A. O. H.] 950.—Sarkidiornis melanonotus, Tem. | The Black-backed Goose or Nuktah is not uncommon, but I have neverseen more than ten or twelve together in one flock in this part of the country ; on the contrary I have generally met with it singly or in small parties of twos and threes. [Common in Kattiawar and Jodhpoor ; less so in Cutch, and does not, so far as is yet known, extend to Sindh.—A. O. H.] 951.—Nettapus coromandelianus, Gmel. The White-bodied Goose Teal or Cotton Teal is not common, and I have only met with it on one or two tanks surrounded with rushes and overgrown with long grass and weeds. I saw several flocks varying in numbers from four or five to twenty, and shot many specimens as they do not like to leave the tank when flushed but continue flying round and round presenting a quick shot every time they pass you. Itisa perfect little goose in miniature and readily distinguished on the wing from other ducks—1st, by its small size ; 2nd, by its conspicuous shining dark green wings broadly banded towards the tip of the primaries with white ; 37d, by its low clucking or cackling note which it keeps on uttering as long as it is on the wing. It frequents the rushes and long grass in preference to the open water. [Although this occurs in Kattiawar it does not pertain properly to the region of which we are treating, and has never yet been obtained at the Sambhur Lake, or in any part of Jodhpoor or in Cutch or Sindh.—A. O. H.] 952—Dendrocygna arcuata, Cuv. The Whistling Teal is not very common. I have met with it on comparatively few occasions, and have shot but few specimens. On a recent excursion to the better watered country south of Deesa [ saw two or three flocks varying in numbers froin 15 to 30 birds (always on tanks overgrown with weeds and rushes) ; they generally rise as soon as the beaters commence to beat, and keep on flying round and round the tank at a consi- derable height in the air, constantly uttering their well-known “ sibilant call ” as Jerdon appropriately describes it until the drive is over. Itis readily distinguished on the wing—lst, by 28 NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA OF MOUNT ABOO its heavy goose-like flight ; 2nd, by its very dark color ; 3rd, by its peculiar shrill note. [Occurs throughout the entire region, but is very rare, if think, in Sindh and Jodhpoor. Mr. Adam never obtained it at Sambhur. Although we have no record of its occurrence except on the Eastern Narra and some of the larger lakes in Sindh, I feel sure that 953 Dendrocyna major, Jerd., must occur during the monsoon in Guzerat, Cutch and Kattiawar.—A. O. H.] 954.—Casarca rutila, Pall. The Ruddy Shieldrake or Brahminy Duck is_ tolerably common, but one of the wariest ducks that visits our marshes. [Occurs during the cold season throughout the entire region. —A. 0. H.] 957.—Spatula clypeata, Linn. The Shoveller and the Gadwall are the two commonest species of ducks in this part of the country, and no one but those who have visited the tanks in the cold weather can form an idea of the abundance of these birds. I remember upon one occasion making an extraordinarily good bag upon a tank about 35 miles north of Ahmedabad. There were two of us out, and we took up our stands at about 2-30 p.m, At 5-30 P.M. we discontinued shooting, and sent coolies into the water to collect the dead and wounded. I laid my birds in rows as they were brought out of the water, arranging them accor- ding to species, and a more imposing sight I never saw. There were eighty birds in all, representing fifteen different varieties, and every one of them was shot separately and on the wing, that is to say, there was no firing into the brown of big flocks closely packed on the water or mud banks, resuit- ing in the death of half a dozen or so at one shot; the birds of which there were thousands were kept constantly on the wing by coolies beating at both ends of the tank, and as they passed our screens, which were erected upon islands in the middle of the tank, we selected single birds to shoot at. We lost a great many wounded birds that dived immedi- ately ; they fell on the water and were seen no more. My friend shot 47, which added to mine made a total of 127 ducks in three hours shooting, a bag, which I imagine, few sportsmen have beaten. [Common throughout the entire region.—A. O. H.] 958.—Anas boschas, Lin. The Mallard or Common European Wilduck is one of the most uncommon species we have, and only occurs in small numbers on a few of the tanks. AND NORTHERN GUZERAT. 29 [Occurs throughout the entire region, but (except in Sindh where, especially in Upper Sindh, they are very common) every where sparingly. I have only seen one killed in Jodhpore near Pallee, and Mr. Adam has never yet obtained one near Sambhur.—A. O. H.] 959.—Anas poekilorhyncha, Pen. The Spotted Billed or Grey Duck, which is the largest variety we have except the Brahminy, is tolerably common. It flies as a rule in pairs, but may also often be seen in small parties. I always select this species in a drive to fire at in preference to most of the others, on account of its size and of its being such an excellent bird for table. I believe that they breed in this part of the country, as it is here all through the rains, and I came upon a brood of “flappers’” of this species in one of the tanks on the 26th December. They were nearly full grown, but could not fly. One I shot, one I knocked on the head with a stick, two were caught by the beaters and one escaped by diving. The Grey Duck is one of the most difficult of any of the ducks to catch when wounded, if it once reaches the water, as it dives very freely and when it rises seldom shows more than its beak above the water which is by no means an easy object to see amongst weeds or in the rushes. One of the flappers we caught after diving for a considerable distance took refuge in a thick mass of weeds at the bottom of the tank (3 feet deep) from which moist re- treat he was extracted by one of the beaters who accidentally trod on hin when walking through the water in search of one of the others. {Common throughout the entire region. It was of course of this species that Stoliczka (J. A. S. B., 1872, p. 255) shot an immature specimen in Cutch (from which I have seen many of this species), and not of either the Gadwall, which does not breed at all anywhere within Indian limits, or of the Mallard, which within these latter only breeds in the Himalayas.— A. 0. H.] 961.—Chaulelasmus streperus, Lin. The Gadwall, as I have already mentioned, is one of the com- monest ducks in the country. 962.—Dafila acuta, Lin. The Pintail Duck, although common, is never numerously represented in the bag, owing to its shy nature. It is one of the first birds to take wing when a drive commences, and as it flies very high it is by no means easy to get hold of. I have several times in the cold weather observed immense flocks of 30 - NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA OF MOUNT ABOO male birds numbering, I should. say, at a rough guess two or three hundred without a female amongst them. [This and the preceding are common throughout the entire region.—A. O. H. 963.—Mareca penelope, Lin. The Widgeon is not common, but occurs in many of the tanks. [Not uncommon in Sindh, common in Kattiawar, rare apparently in Cutch, and never yet sent from Jodhpoor. Mr. Adam never obtained it at the Sambhur Lake, but I have no doubt that it will prove to occur there, in seasons when the lake is full. Most of our other ducks may be met with on any river, stream, or little pond an acre or two in extent; but the Widgeon is rarely found except on good large pieces of water, and there are few such in Jodhpoor, except the Sambhur Lake, in seasons when the rainfall has been plentiful—A. O. H.] 964.—Querquedula crecca, Lin. The Teal is very common. 965.—Querquedula circia, Luz. The Blue-winged Teal, though not as plentiful as the last, is also common. It arrives at the beginning of September. [Both the common and Garganey Teal are pretty common during the cold season throughout the entire region.—A. O. H.] 966 bis.—Querquedula angustirostris, Menetries. The Marbled Duck, though far from common, occurs in may -of the tanks. [Not uncommon in Sindh, but not yet recorded from Jodh- poor, Cutch or Kattiawar, though I should expect it to occur in the latter.—A. O. H.} 967.—Branta rufina, Pall. The Red-crested Pochard is another of those wary birds that severely tries the sportsman’s patience, taking wing on the slightest indication of danger, and flying up and down the tanks invariably out of gunshot. It is not very common, but occurs on most of the large tanks. 968.—Aythya ferina, Lin. The Red-headed Pochard is tolerably common. 969.—Aythya nyroca, Giild. The White-eyed Pochard is not very common, but like Branta rufina occurs on most of the large tanks, AND NORTHERN GUZERAT. 31 971.—Fuligula cristata, Ray. The Tufted Duck is not particularly common, but occurs in most of the large tanks. [All these four Pochards occur thr oughout the entire region, the last only beiny somewhat rare. Mr. Adam never even ob- served it at Sambhur, though the first year that I was there I saw several.—A. O. H.] 973.—Mergellus albellus, Zin. The Smew is very uncommon. I have occasionally seen it on some of the tanks I have shot over, but never procured a speci- men. Itis avery handsome bird and its showy black and white plumage causes it to be easily recognized. It is exceed- ingly shy and consequently very difficult to get within gun-shot of. [I obtained this species in Sindh, but have no record of its occurrence in Cutch, Kattiawar, or Jodhpoor. The Smew essen- tially pertains to large pieces of water, such as the Najuff- gurh Jheel, (where, before this latter had been so largely drained as it now is, hundreds were always to be seen,) the Manchur Lake, &e. Mr. Adam has never noticed it at Sambhur, but I have no doubt that it would be found there in seasons when un- usual rains have filled the Lake.—A. O. H.] [974.—Podiceps cristatus, Zin. I obtained a specimen of the Crested Grebe, in a large tank a few miles off the road from Deesa to Ahmedabad. I have received specimens of this from Kutch, and obtained it in Sindh and also onthe western coast of Kattiawar, at Beyt and again in the lagoon at Poorbunder. I have no record of its occur- rence in Jodhpoor or arid Rajpootana generally, and it has not occurred as yet in the neighbourhood of the Sambhur Lake.— 79a Oa oI 975.—Podiceps Philippensis, Gel. The Dabchick or Little Grebe is common on every tank both on the hills and in the plains. [Common throughout the entire region.—A. O. H.] 980.—Larus brunneicephalus, Jerdon., The Brown-headed Gull is tolerably plentiful in the cold weather. 983.—Sterna nilotica, Hasselg. The Gull-billed Tern is common in all of the marshes, tanks and rivers during the cold weather. 9 32 NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA OF MOUNT ABOO 984.—Hydrochelidon indica, Steph. The Whiskered or Small Marsh Tern is also common in the same localities as the last during the cold weather. 985.—Sterna seena, Sykes. The Large River Tern is not uncommon, occurring in most of the marshes in the rains and during the cold weather. In the change from summer to winter plumage the bill becomes dusky brown at the tip for about half an inch. [All these four species, 980, 983, 984, and 985, are more or less common, the former 3 during the cold season only, in suit- table localities throughout the entire region. It is curious that the last has never yet been obtained near Sambhur.—A. O. H.] 965.—Rhynchops albicollis, Swarns, The Indian Skimmer is rare. I have not'met with it myself. but as Dr. Newman shot three or four specimens on the lake at Mount Aboo a year or two ago, I consider that I am justified in including the species in my list. [The occurrence of this species at the little Lake at Aboo, is so utterly abnormal that I suspect some mistake. The Skim- mer is a river bird pur et simple. Never in 25 years experi- ence of Indian Lakes and Swamps, have I seen a specimen on any of these and it never ascends rivers to any considerable elevation above the sea. In Sindh it is tolerably common in the Indus. It is not recorded nor have I seen it from any part of Jodhpoor, Cutch, or Kattiawar.—A. O. H.] 1001.—Pelecanus onocrotatus, Lin. The European Pelican occurs in immense flocks on some of the tanks during the cold weather and the amount of fish they consume is almost incredible. Upon several occasions I have seen a flock form liné on the bank of a small piece of water and swim across in this formation about a yard apart with their heads under water, fishing in the most regular and systematic style. On reaching the opposite bank they would waddle out of the water and either remain to plume themselves and digest their meal or take wing and fly to another tank. I have never seen them fishing in very deep water, they usually select a piece sufficiently deep to swim in, and so that they can touch the bottom with their bills when fishing with their heads under water. [I obtained this species in Sindh, (where however P. erispus Bruch, is much commoner) and Mr. Adam captured a ae at the Lake, but I have not yet seen or heard of it (though it probably occurs in all of them) from any other part of J odhpoor from Cutch, or Kattiawar. Sa AND NORTHERN GUZERAT. 9 o oe. IT take this opportunity of noticing that the Swans, which Stoliczka (who was very short sighted) thought he saw (J.A.S.B. 1872. p. 229) on the Runn between Cutch and Pacham, were pretty certainly P. crispus which I have seen from this very locality, and which I saw on the Sindh coast, and again on the western coast of Kattiawar. There is not the slightest reason to believe that Swans occur anywhere within Indian limits out- side the Himalayas except. in the extreme North-West Punjaub. —A. 0. H.] 1004.—Pelecanus philippensis, Gmel. The Grey Pelican is about as common as the last, and occurs on the same ground. [Is found throughout the entire region. I myself saw it at the Sambhur Lake, though Mr. Adam has failed as yet to secure any specimen there.—A. O. H.] 1005.—Graculus carbo, Zin. The Large Cormorant oceurs on all of the large tanks, special- ly preferring those with wooded islands, upon the trees of which, selecting as a rule those which are either dead or leafless, it delights to sit and bask in the sun with its tail spread and its wings half open. I observed it on the lake at Mount Aboo. [Common in suitable localities throughout the entire re- gion.—A. O. H.] 1006.—Graculus sinensis, Shaw. The Lesser Cormorant is a bird that I am_ not quite sure about, but as a bird intermediate in size and somewhat differ- ent in plumage to either the last or the next species does occur both on the lake at Mount Aboo and in the plains below, I have entered it in my list under that head, and given a full descrip- tion of it in the hope that some one may point out my mistake if it belongs to any other species. Measurements taken in the flesh as follows:—Length, 24 ; wing, 9°75, tail, 5:5; bill at front, 2°25; bill at gape, 3 inches. Upper mandible green- ish black; lower mandible fleshy; gular skin yellow ; legs and feet black; irides green. Description :—Upper parts brownish black, slightly glossed with green; scapulars and lower hind neck silvery earth brown, having many of the feathers, especially of the scapulars, bordered conspicuously with brownish black and finely edged with pale brown. Wings and tail dark ; wing-coverts brown, glossed with green; chin and upper throat white; neck mottled brown and white; from neck to vent brownish black with a good deal of white on the breast and abdomen, the latter almost all white E 34 NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA OF MOUNT ABOO in the region of the belly ; thigh-coverts, like the back, black, glossed with green; lower tail-coverts dark brownish black ; under wi ng-coverts ‘and flanks brownish black. The specimen I have described was shot at Mount Aboo in May. [It is uncertain under what name this species should stand. It is probably fuscicollis of Stephens. Dr. King notes it from Jodhpoor, but I have seen no specimen thence, nor have I seen or heard of it from Sindh, Cutch, or Kattiawar.—A. O .H.] ues javanicus, Horsf. 1007.—Graculus, melanognathus, Brandt. The Little Cormorant is not uncommon in the plains, but I did not observe it at Mount Aboo. [Dr. King shot (and preserved) a specimen on the Lake at Aboo. This species is common in suitable localities throughout the entire region.—A. O. H.] 1008.—Plotus melanogaster, Gmel. The Indian Snake bird is common both on the hills and in the plains. Like Graculus carbo, with which species it often associates, it delights to sit upon some old dead or leafless tree on an island in the middle of a tank, or on a rock rising out of the water, with its tail spread and wings half open basking in the sun. [ Occurs throughout the entire region, but very sparingly in the more arid tracts.—A. O. H. ] [To obtain now aclear conception of the distinctive characters of the Avifauna of Aboo, we must deduct from the 175 species that have so far been shewn to occur there, the following 78 which, elsewhere widely distributed throughout the Indian region, occur alike at Aboo, in northern Guzerat, Sindh, Cutch, Kattiawar and Jodhpoor :— 6.—Neophron ginginianus, Daud. 180.—Brachypternus aurantius, Lin. 17.—Tinnunculus alaudarius, Brisson. 188.—Yunx torquilla, Lin. 23.—Micronisus badius, Ginel. 212.—Coccystes jacobinus, Bodd. 24.—Accipiter nisus, Lin. 214.—Kudynamys honorata, Lin. 29.—Aquila vindhiana, Frankl. 217.—Centropus rufipennis, I/liger. 33.—Pseudaétus Bonelli, Tein. 234,—Arachnechthra asiatica, Lath. 48.—Poliornis teesa, Frankl. 254.—Upupa epops, Lin. 51.—Circus Swainsoni, A. Smith. 257.—Lanius erythronotus, Vigors. 54,—Circus eruginosus, Lin. 260.—Lanius vittatus, Dum. 56.—Milvus govinda, Sykes. 265.—Tephrodornis pondiceris ana, Gimel. 100.—Cy pselus affinis. Gray. 276.—Pericrocotus peregrinus, Lin, 117.—Merops viridis, Lin. 278.—Buchanga albirictus, Hod. 123.—Coracias indicus, Liz, 292,—Leucocerca albofrontata, Frankl, 129.—Haleyon smyrnensis, Lin. 323 bis ——Erythrosterna parva, Bechsé, 134.—Alcedo bengalensis, Ginel. 351.—Cyanocincla cyana, Lin. 136.—Ceryle rudis, Lin. 385.—Pyctorhis sinensis, Gimel. 148,—Palornis torquatus, Bodd. 432,—Malacocircus terricolor, Hodg. AND NORTHERN GUZEIRAT. 480.—Thamnobia cambaiensis, Lath. 483.—Pratincola indica, Blyth. 497—Ruticilla rufiventris, Vieill. 614.—Cyanecula suecica, Lin. 530.—Orthotomus longicaudatus, Gmel. 539.—Cisticola scheenicola, Bonap. 554.—Phylloscopus tristis, Blyth. 581.—Sylvia orphea, Temm. 582.—Sylvia afiinis, Blyth. 683.—Sylvia curruca, Ginel. 691 bis —Motacilla dukhunensis, Sykes. 692.—Calobates sulphurea, Bechst. 593 bis.—Budytes melanocephbala, Licht. 597.—Pipastes arboreus, Bechst. 684.—Acridotheres tristis, Lin. 690.—Pastor roseus, Lin. 703.—Munia malabarica, Lin. 706.—Passer indicus, Jard and Selby. 711.—Passer flavicollis, Frankl. 721.—Euspiza melanocephala, Gmel, 788.—Columba intermedia, Strick. OS (bi) 795.—Turtur suratensis, Gimel. 796.—Turtur risorius, Lin. 797.—Turtur humilis, Temm. 822.—Ortygornis pondiceriana, Gmel. 829.—Coturnix communis, Bonaterre. 849.—Aigialitis curonicus, Gmel. 855.—Lobivanellus indicus, Boda. 871.—Gallinago scolopacinus, Bonap. 891.—Actitis glareola, Gmel. 892.—Actitis ochropus, Lin. 898.—Himantopus intermedius, Blyth. 903.—Fulica atra, Lin. 905.—Gallinula chloropus, Lin. 926.—Herodias intermedia, V. Hasselq. 927.—Herodias garzetta, Lin. 930.—Ardeola Grayii, Sykes. 931.—Butorides javanica, Horsf. 937.—Nycticorax griseus, Lin. 975.—Podiceps philippensis, Gmel. 1005.—Graculus carbo, Lin. 1007.—Graculus melanognathus, Brandt. 794.—Turtur cambayensis, Gmel. 1008.—Plotus melanogaster, Gmel. Also two species equally distributed through the whole re- gion with which we are now dealing, though unlike the pre- ceeding, not characteristic of the Indian region generally, viz :— 489.—Saxicola picata, Blyth. | 716 d¢s.—Emberiza striolata, Licht. Then we may also deduct 17 species common to Aboo, Northern Guzerat, Jodhpoor, Cutch, and Kattiawar, but not so far as is yet known extending to Sindh. 462.—Molpastes pusillus, Blyth. 467.—Iora zeylonica, Gmel. 589.—Motacilla maderaspatana, Briss. 687.—Temenuchus pagodarum, Gimel. 716.—Emberiza Huttoni, Blyth. 738.—Carpodacus erythrinus, Pall. 800.—Pterocles fasciatus, Scop. 803.—Pavo cristatus, Lin. 4. bis.—Gyps pallescens, Hume. 5.—Gyps bengalensis, Gel. 85.—Hirundo erythropygia, Sykes. 90.—Cotile concolor, Sykes, 149.—Paleornis purpuretis, Mull. 160.—Picus mahrattensis, Lath. 197.—Xantholema hemacephala, Mill. 205.—Heirococeyx varius, Vahl. 436.—Malacocircus Malcolmi, Sykes. (It should perhaps be here noticed, that out of the species included in the above lists, four, vz., 432, 467, 721, 937, though occurring in other parts of Jodhpoor, have not yet occurred in its eastern-most portions, in the immediate neighbourhood of the Sambhur Lake). We may also exclude two species, which, although occurring throughout the whole region, have not yet occurred near Sam- bhur or been recorded from any other part of Jodhpoor, viz : 55.—Haliastur indus, Bodd. and one | 907.—Porzana phenicura, Penn. 674.—Dendrocitta rufa, Scop. which although there can be little doubt that it occurs in both, has not yet been recorded from western Jodhpoor or Cutch. There remain therefore 75 species only, which can in any sense be considered characteristic of Mt. Aboo : the other hundred belong to the entire country round about and indicate nothing special as regards Aboo. 36 NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA OF MOUNT ABOO Now as regards these 75 species, no less than 31 belong exclusively, so far as the region with which we are dealing is concerned, to Mount Aboo, and do not, so far as is yet known, extend to either Jodhpoor, Cutch, Kattiawar, Sindh or even Northern Guzerat. I say “so far asis yet known,” advisedly, because, as I shall have to notice further on, Jodhpoor, in the Koochawan and Marot hills and jungles, and Kattiawar, in the Girnar and Gir, present us with exact miniatures of Mount Aboo in which several Aboo species, not found elsewhere in the entire region, are already known to occur, and where we may well expect hereafter to meet with some at least of the following species which at present are only known (within the region with which we are dealing) to appear at Aboo. F. 9.—Falco __ peregrinator, Sund. H. 13.—Hypotriorchis — sub- buteo, Lin. S. 85.—Spizaetus cirrhatus, Gmel. S. 293.—Leucocirca _pectora~ lis, Jerd. W. 307.—Cyornis ruficauda, Swain. S. 842.—Myiophoneus Hors- fieldi, Vigors. W. 57.—Pernis ptilorhynchus | 8. 359.—Merula _nigropileus, Tem. Lafr. W. 75 ter.—Ephialtes ba-| 8. 898.—Dumetia albogula- khamuna Lorst. ris, Blyth. ¥F.77.—Athene radiata, Tickell. H. 91.—Cotile rupestris, Scop. W. 107.—Caprimulgus _ indi- cus Lath., W. 118.—Merops philippinus, Li S. 404 ter.—Pomatorhinus ob- scurus, Hume. S. 460 bis.—Otocompsa fusci- caudata, Gould. S. 534.—Prinia socialis Sykes, 592 bis—Budytes Rayi, Bo- nap. (doubtful.) 8, 648—Machlolophus Jer- doni, Blyth. W. 688.—Temenuchus mala- baricus, Gmel. W. 705.—Estrelda formosa, on. W. 147.—Paleornis eupatria, Lin. W. 164.—Yungipicus Hard- wickii, Jerd. F. 171.—Gecinus _ striolatus, Blyth. S. 193 bis.—Megalaima inor- Lath. nata, Wald. S. 813.—Gallus Sonneratii, W. 208.—Ololygon _ passeri- Tem. nus, Vahl. 8. 219.—Taccocua Lesche- naultii, Less. (doubt- S. 814.—Galloperdix spadi- ceus, Gmel. W. 826.—Perdicula cambay- ful.) ensis, Lath. (Jungle W. 261.—Lanius _cristatus, Bush-quail) Lin. These specialities alone would give a very distinct character to the Avifauna of Aboo, as contrasted with that of the entire AND NORTHERN GUZERAT. 37 region north and west of it, but we must also take into consi- deration 17 species which, except at Aboo, occur within the region under consideration only, in Kattiawar in connection with the Girnar and Gir, and near Sambiur, in connection with the Koochawun and Marot hills. Aboo and the Gir, &c., W. 306.—Cyornis Tickellix, Blyth. F, 472.—Oriolus melanocephalus, Lin. Aboo and Koocha- f eae a (Mirae) \r 167.—Chrysocolaptes festivus, Bodd. F, 246.—Salpornis spilonota, Frankl. S. 268.—Volvocivora Sykesii, Strick. H. 301.—Stoparola melanops, Vigors. H. 853.—Orocetes cinclorhynchus, Vigors. H. 356.—Geocichla unicolor, Tickell W. 5388.—-Prinia Hodgsoni, Blyth. W. 562.—Phylloscopus indicus, Jerd. W. 724'—Melophus melanicterus, Gmel H. 792.—Turtur pulchrata, Hodg. Aboo, the Gir, &.,) W. 114.—Caprimulgus monticolus, (Kattiawar) Frankl. and Koochawan _p; gst (Jodhpoor) W. 345.—Pitta coronata, Mill. 631.—Zosterops palpebrosus, Zem. W. 645.—Parus cesius, Tick. W. 772'—Crocopus pheenicopterus, Lath. And also 15 other species which occurring also in Guzerat either in connection with Aboo, or with the better wooded and watered central tracts nearer to Ahmedabad, extend in many cases to Kattiawar and Koochawan and its neighbourhood in the same manner as the preceding. Aboo and Guzerat. H. 98.—Cypselus melba, Zin. W.102.—Cypselus palmarum, Gray. aa Minit i) aah i144,—Meniceros bicornis, Scop. (Kattiawar) W. 281.—Dicrurus coerulescens, Lin. W. 660.—Corvus culmenatus, Sykes. Aboo Guzerat & Koochawun. \w. 199.—Cuculus canorus, Lin. 38 NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA OF MOUNT ABOO H. 273.—Pericrocotus brevirostris, Vigors. 596.—Pipastes maculatus, [odgs. 600.—Corydalla rufula, Viel. W.699.—Lonchura punctulata, Lin. W.908.—Porzana akool, Sykes. W..920.—Ciconia leucocephala, Gmel. W.475.—Copsychus saularis, Lin. Aboo, Guzerat, Kattiawar and pw 516.—Acrocephalus dumetorum, Blyth. Koochawun W. 288.—Tchitrea paradisi, Lin. There remains 12 species which extend more or less into the desert country and occur some in Jodhpoor, some in Cutch, some in Sindh and some in 2 or more of these, as well as at Aboo. Now of the 63 species, that may be said broadly to charac- terize Aboo as distinct from Northern Guzerat, and the rest of the region with which we are dealing, nearly half appear to be solely absent from the latter, because, pertaining essentially to well-wooded and watered tracts, they find no suitable haunts in these arid Western Provinces. To these I have prefixed the letter W. A good many, and to these I have prefixed the letter S., are essentially southern birds; birds of the Peninsula which for the most part find at Aboo the extreme northern limit of the area of their distribution. A few, (marked F’,) are more essentially forest and jungle species, and a few more (marked H,) may be said to be hill birds, for the most part wanderers from the Himalayas to the lower hills of the Continent of India during the cold season. In fact when we come to analyse it, the Avifauna of Aboo has nothing to surprise us, and looking to the physical condi- tions of the problem we might almost independently, from our knowledge of the haunts and habits of the species elsewhere, have predicted a distribution such as we now find actually to exist. Only 2 species, Pipastes maculatus and Corydalla rufula, ought certainly, it would seem from what we know of them, to extend to Jodhpoor generally, Cutch, Kattiawar and Sindh, and though hitherto overlooked in all of these, it is my firm, conviction that they will nevertheless prove to occur there. It is, I think, rather in the forms absent from Mount Aboo, and that we might reasonably have expected to meet with there, that the Avifauna is at all abnormal. Doubtless our list is not yet quite complete, but still several of us have collected there, and Dr. King and Captain Butler during lengthened periods, so that we know now tolerably AND NORTHERN GUZERAT. » 39 well what species do habitually occur there, and though a few of the following may eventually be found to visit Aboo as stragelers, the great majority are, I think, certainly absent, though found alinost throughout the region we have been con- sidering. 2.—Otogyps calvus, Scop. 3 bis.—Gyps fulvescens, Huwme,(? repre- _ sented by pallescens.) 8.—Falco peregrinus, Lin (? represented by peregrinator.) 11.—Faleo jugger, Gray. 16.—Hypotriorchis chicquera, Daud. (re- presented by subbuteo.) 45.—Buteo ferox, Gel. 59.—Elanus melanopterus, Daud. 76.—Athene brama, Tem. (represented by radiata.) 82.—Hirundo rustica, Lin. 84.—Hirundo filifera, Stephen. 255.—Upupa nigripennis, Gould. (? re- presented by epops.) 256.—Lanius lahtora, Sykes. 262.—Lanius arenarius, Blyth sented by cristatus.) (? repre- 438.—Chatarrhea caudata, Dumeril. 459.—Otocompsa leucotis, Gould (repres sented by fuscicaudata.) 481.—Pratincola caprata, Lin. 491,—Saxicola isabellina Ripp. 492.—Saxicola deserti, Riipp. : 544.—Drymoipus longicaudatus, Tickell. 551.—Franklima Buchanani, Blyth, 594.—Budytes citreoloides, Hodgs. 602.—Acrodroma campestris, Lin. 694.—Ploceus baya, Blyth. 756.—Mirafra erythroptera, Jerdon. 768.—Ammomanes pheenicura, Frankl. 760.—Pyrrhulauda grisea, Scop. 761.—Calandrella brachydactyla, Tem. 765 bis —Spizalauda simillima, Hume. 767.—Alauda gulgula, Frankl, 769.—Galerida cristata, Lin. 830.—Coturnix coromandelica, Gmel. I do not include the Grallatores and Natatores, because the Jake at Aboo is very small, and there is too little water about the rest of the ill to attract these, but most of the species included in the above list ought, one would suppose, to occur on a comparatively low table mountain like Aboo, and that they do not (and I think this is a fact) is very noteworthy. It is to be hoped that this avowedly imperfect sketch of the leading features of the Aboo Ornis will lead to its being still more thoroughly investigated by those on the spot. Turning now to Northern Guzerat there is but little in its Avifauna to separate it from the rest of the generally arid region comprised within our limits. A few species already alluded to, such as Cypselus melba, Pericrocotus brevirostris, &e., and I may add perhaps Graucalus Macet, appear to occur in it in connection with, and originally attracted thither by Aboo. Further south in the better watered and wooded regions several species like Meniceros bicornis, Locustella Hendersoni, Metopodius indicus, &c., occur, which are of course unknown in the desert region. It is the only locality in which as yet the western Lanius collurio has occurred, the only one, assuming Capt. Butler to be correct, in which the true Gyps fulvus of Europe has been obtained. In it also occur, other purely western forms, such as Butaiis grisola, Sylvia cinerea, Udon familiaris, Anthus spino- letta, Pterocles senegalus, and Querquedula angustirostris, and a few species, such as Ploceus manyar, and Estrelda amandava, which tho’ reappearing in Sindh, are met with nowhere else, within the regions we are discussing but as a whole there is 40 NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA OF MOUNT ABOO little to distinguish the Avifauna of Northern Guzerat from that of Jodhpore, Cutch and Kattiawar. The only birds that I have seen from Jodhpore, not yet in- cluded in the Guzerat or Aboo lists, are Aquila heliaca, Bulaca ocellata, Taccocua sirkee, Budytes flava, Tringa subarquata, Anser indicus and Sterna melanogaster. The only Cutch birds are Falco barbarus, Otus vulgaris, Cotile obsoleta, (which also oceurs in Sindh) Planesticus atrogularis (do.) Stoliezka’s Pratincola macrorhyncha (of which I confess I am doubtful, but append the original description*) Certhilauda desertorum (which also occurs in Sindh) and Pelecanus crispus, which also occurs in Kattiawar, Sindh, and even as far eastward as the Ganges Doab, where I have shot it near Htawa. I know of no species from Kattiawar that has not been included in Capt. Butler’s list, or already like Pterocles senegallus mentioned in this list, except gialitis minutus, recorded by Capt. Hayes Lloyd (non vidi) Strepsilas interpres, Tringa cinclus, Calidris arenaria, Larus leucopheus, Pelecanopus Bergii and Thalasseus bengalensis ; all coast birds. In Sindh, on the other hand, a good number of species occur, which have not yet been reported from any other part of the whole region, though doubtless many of the sea-birds will yet be found to occur on the coasts of Cutch and Kattiawar. * “A88bis. Pratincola macrorhyncha, n. sp. “T shot at the beginning of 1872 two specimens of a Pratincola, (probably female ‘the sex was unfortunately not determined), which appears to be distinct from any “ other yet known. General plumage, above dull brown, all the feathers margined with pale “ isabelline or fulvescent whitish, most broadly on scapulars and tertials, narrowly on the *¢ quills; upper tail-coverts nearly entirely uniform pale fulvescent or sandy only “along the centre of a darker hue. Central tail feathers brown, the succeedi.ng also “brown and very pale rufescent fulvous about the basal half of both webs, (not along “ the shafts), the rufescent colour gradually, not abruptly, passing into the brown; outer “ web of last tail feather wholly sandy or pale fulvescent white, and all have pale tips “which however easily wear off. Lores and supercilium sandy white; ears dusky. “ Lower plumage fulvescent white throughout, with a slight shade of cream colour; all the “feathers on their basal halves are dark slaty, which is also the case on the upper plumage “ Bill and feet nearly quite black. Total length about 5:2 to 55; wing, 2°85 to “2-9; first primary nearly 1 and 1:2 shorter than the second, which is very nearly “* equal to the 6th and 0°24 shorter than the fourth, this being the longest; the 3rd “and 65th are sub-equal and very little shorter than the fourth; tail 2°71 to 2.25 “ tarsus, 0°95 to 0°97 ; bill at front, 0°48 to 0°5; from gape 0°72 ; hind toe and claw 0:57 ; * hind claw alone 0°3; mid toe with claw 0°72 to 0°73 inch. The size of the bill which is “yather narrow and saxicoline, and the length of the legs readily distinguish this appar- “ ently new species ; it is not the female of P.rubetra, this having the basal half of the tail “ white, and the bill shorter and broad at the base. It is alsonot a female or young of “ P. caprata, moreover the length and slenderness of the hind claw does not agree “(with any Pratincola, nor even with Sawvicola, but strange enough with Oreicola ** (Rhodophila.) “ One of the two specimens was shot in Jannary near Raipur in the Wagur district, and “ the other in February near Bhuj, in both cases in an open desert country with scanty low ‘bushes, These were the only two specimens which I saw, but possibly the bird may not “be so very rare, for I could never pay undivided attention to any ornithological subject.” F, Stoliczka, J. A. S. B., 1872, p. 238, AND NORTHERN GUZERAT. 41 These birds are :— Lithofaleo esalon, P. Aquila chrysetos, P. Pandion hallietus, E. Halietus albicilla, E, Milvus major, E. Cypselus apus, P. Coracias garrula, P. Alcedo ispida, 8. Picus scindianus, P. Hypocolius ampelinus, 8. Chatarrhea Earlii, E. Laticilla Burnesi, E. Oriolus galbula, 8. Pratincola leucura, EH. Saxicola alboniger, 8. Sazxicola monacha, S. Acrocephalus agricolus, E. Calamodyta melanopogon, E. Cettia cetti, S. Blanjfordius striatulus, 8. Phylloscopus neglectus, P. Reguloides occipitalis, EH, Sylvia delicatula, P. Scotocerca inquieta, P. Budytes citreola, E. Ploceus bengalensis, E. Bucanetes githagineus, 8S. Ammomanes lusitania, P. Pyrrhulauda melanauchen, E, Alaudula Adamsi, P. Palumbena Eversmanni, P. Columba livia, P. Pterocles Lichtensteinii, 8. Pterociles alchata, P. Pterocles coronatus, S. Caccabis chukor, P. Ammoperdix Bonhami, P. Vanellus cristatus, E. Dromas ardeola, E. Grus leucogeranus, E. . Gallinago Horsfieldi. E. Tringa crassirostris, EB. Tringa platyrhyncha, EB. Phalaropus fulicarius, E. Lobipes hyperboreus, E. Porzana maruetta, E. Porzana minuta, 8. Ardetta minuta, P. Anser erythropus, E. Dendrocygna major, E. Podiceps nigricollis, 8. Puffinus persicus, S. Stercorarius parasiticus, E, Larus occidentalis, S. Larus Lambruschini, 8. Larus ichthyetus, P. Larus ridibundus, E. Larus Hemprichii, BE. Sterna caspia, E. Sterna cantiaca, HE. Of this long list, however, a considerable number, though not yet recorded from any other part of the region with which we have been dealing, might well be met with there as they occur elsewhere in India. To these I have affixed the letter HK. Many others again belong equally to Sindh, and the North-West Punjab and the Western Himalayahs or Cashmere; these I have marked with the letter P. The rest, (distinguished by the letter 8.) occur, so far as we know at present, nowhere else within Indian limits.—A. O. H.] A Contribution to the Ornithology of Eastern Turkestan, By J. Scutty, Surgeon, Bengal Army. The origin of the following imperfect paper on the Birds of Kashgharia is as follows :— In May 1874, while officiating as Garrison Surgeon at Fort William, and when I was deep in Arabic studies, I had the honor of being appointed Medical Officer to the Kashghar Political Agency, with orders to start off, at very short notice, to Eastern Turkestan. Although I was not instructed to make any collection of objects of Natural History, I naturally did a little in that direction, for my own satisfaction, during the twelve months I passed in the territory of the Amir of Kash- ghar. On my return to Calcutta, towards the end of last year, F 42 A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY I found that I had, among other things, a collection of six hundred and fifty specimens of birds, a hundred or so of their egos, sundry nests, and a note-book full of very rough notes which I had made about the Avifauna. On hearing of this, Mr. Hume advised me to write out a paper on the subject; and to enable me to do so, very kindly looked over all my birds and identified them for me. This contribution is the result. In this account I have given only my own notes and have not referred to authorities. No one can be more conscious than I am that this attempt is not complete ; but, at all events, it is “mine own.” For the two maps which illustrate this paper, I am greatly indebted to my friend Captain Water- house. The larger map of the two illustrates very well. the natural features of the country with which I have to deal; while the smaller sketch map shows the position of various distant places which I have to refer to--such as the Lake region of Lob, Kulja, Badakhshan and Khokand, &e. The first part of my paper consists of either extracts from my diary, or condensations of portions of it; and is intended to give some idea of the country I visited and of the birds as they came before my view. While in the second part a systematic list, of the birds is given, which of course quite disarranges their seasonal, horizontal, and vertical distribution. I begin Part I from the day we left Leh (Ladak) en route for Yarkand. I owe every apology to the readers of “ Stray Feathers” for this crude paper, the shortcomings of which (both as to matter and manner) will be evident to every one who may take the trouble to read any part of it. But in mitigation I may plead two things: First, [.am the veriest beginner in Ornithology, and, consequently, unable to go into those critical remarks about the distinctions of species, and their distribution, which are so interesting to ornithologists; while as to the habits of birds, I fear my remarks will prove, as Professor Newton would say, that I have been trying to find out facts for my- self which have been long known to my predecessors. Second, that having had but little previous experience in literary work, I have been called upon to get this paper ready in a very short space of time. If after this, the reader says, ‘Then why pub- dish at all?” I can only reply, ‘ All complaints to be levelled at the Hditor of ‘ Stray Feathers,’ at whose instance I prepared this paper.’’* * Not expecting that Dr. Scully (who had never previously done any thing in this line) would go at all deeply into the ornithology of the countries he visited, I had intended to embody the results of any work of this nature which he might find time to do in the general work which I have in hand on the Ornithology of Kashgharia and Central Asia, based upon Stoliczka’s, Henderson’s and other collections. But it appeared to me when I saw how much attention he had bestowed on the subject, that this would not be fair to Dr. Scully and that he ought to publish the results of his observations in the first instance ia his own name,—Ep., S, F. 7 3 ae Pe S e i, » wh f ‘ a, iy ght Lie qty GY tayqory, “H uieqden Aq paytduioo ‘uvysayiny, uteyseq Jo depy Areurvrjerg ey UoOI peonpey ZN GZ Ze, s 1 q x wie eis, Ms egy a ditt ee ma \ ¥ prin i7 A 3 een 2 I et a \ 2ULICo 5 y =f Op 4 0 y TEMeUS aT Z rs q PY °o [s re pu | d 5 r/ 1 es ee 3] Le f "yout T = S890 O91 21”°8 1 gmoisey asouy jo ASojoqytuso9 eu4 uo «coded s AT[N0g “AC Surqerysnqiil S3SINLNNOO ONIGNNOYYNS SHL eee oN PDA WS anv My { SANT ea NVISUNUOL NULLSVa FS ii a] avVw Wik US WS ue s 4a pate 6 \ oa % (sin Tore BS ae a Re