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THE
JOURNAL
OF THE
Bombay Natural History Society.
EDITED BY
H, M. PHIPSON, C.M.Z.S..
Honorary Secretary-
VOLUME IV.
1889.
CONSISTING OF FOUR flUjaBBI^S flflD CONFINING
NINE mita^^/iTioNS-
Bomb as *
PRINTED AT THE
EDUCATION SOCIETY'S PRESS, BYCULLA.
1389.
CONTENTS OF VOL IV-
Nesting in Western India. ( With a Plate.) By Lieut. H. E.
Barnes ... ... ... ... ... ... ... >># 1
A Creek op the Konkan. By W. F. Sinclair, C.S. 21
Our Hymenpotera. By Robert C. Wroughton 26
An Address to Students of Botany in Western India. By
A. K. Nairne ., 37
Notes on Birds of Quetta. By A. J. H. Newham, Bo.S.C,
V X S e;9
Instance of Teratology in the Brinjal or Egg-Plant (Solarium
melongena]. By D. M. (With Illustration) ... ... ... 55
Sporting Rambles Round About Simla. By J. C. Anderson ... 56
At Malta to and from India. By Capt. E. F. Becher, R.A.,
-*- •^j • ^ -1 . ■ . . ■ . ■ ■ . . • . . ... ••• ... ••• \J\)
Miscellaneous ... G9
English Nomenclature for Indian Butterflies ... ... ... 70
X ROCEEDINGS ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... /o
Nesting in Western India ( With a Plate.) By Lieut. H. E.
Rough Notes on Travel akd Sport in Kashmir and Little
i ill oh L ••• ••• •*• ••> ••• * • * ••• ••• *7 O
Short Notes on the Odoriferous Grasses (Andropogons) of India
and Ceylon, with a description of a supposed new Species.
By Mrs. J. C. Lisboa. (With a Plate) 118-
Correspondence Relating to the Protection of Insectivorous
Birds in the Interests of Agriculture ... 124
Memorandum on an Outbreak of Surra Fever at the Stables
of the Bombay Tramway Company, Limited. By F. C.
Riinington ... ... ... .. ... ... ... ... 131
Recorded Instances of Children having been nourished by
Wolves and Birds of Prey. By Jivanji Jamshedji Modi ... 142
Miscellanous Notes —
Sericulture in India ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 147
A Black Tiger ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 149
Note on a Talking Bulbul ... ... ... ... ... ... 150
The Red Ant.— By EHA 151
Memoranda — By H. Littledale, Baroda , 153
Parasitic Trees ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 154
J\. v^ orrection . . . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ioo
Proposed English Nomenclatune for Indian Butterflies ... ... 155
Correspondence ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 157
' .#^»_!'*_'/ 3 •
II CONTENTS OF VOL. IV.
Book Notices—
The Geographical Distribution of the Family Chardridae, or the
Plovers, Sandpipers, Snipes and their Allies ... ... ... 150
Recent Information about the Great Auk or Garefowl ... ... 160
Proceedings ... ... ... ... ... ... 161
On New and Little-known Butterflies from the Indian Region,
with a Revision of tbe Genus PLESIONEURA, Felder, of
Authors. By Lionel de Niceville, F.E.S., C.M.Z.S., &c.
{With Plates A, B.) 163 l
Notes on Man-Eating Tigers. By Reginald Gilbert, Bombay ... 195
The Camel. By J. H. Steel, A.V.D. 207
How to Facilitate the Study of Botany. By G. Carstensen,
Grad. Hort. R. D. C. Agr., Copenhagen, ... ... ... ... 213
An Indian Naturalist's Trip to Australia. By Surgeon-Major
K. R. Kirtikar 219
Miscellaneous —
Two Curious Instances of Mimicry ... ... ... 228
Zoological Note ... ... ... ... . , ... ... 230
Correspondence —
Wild Buffalo... .. ... ... ... ... ... 231
Proceedings ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 232
Nesting in Western India. By Lieut. H. E. Barnes {With a plate) 237
The Man-Eating Tigress of Munda'li ... ... 255
Elementary Botany of the Bombay Presidency. By A. K.
Nairne ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 264
Notes on a Caterpillar Farm. By Mrs. W. E. Hart ... ... 277
'Down the Coast." By W. F. Sinclair, C.S 289
The Indian Bison, with some Notes on Stalking him. By J. D.
Inverarity (With two plates) ... ... ... ... ... 294
Miscellaneous Notes —
1. — Belief in the Bi*-Cobra .. ... ... ... ... 310
2. — -The Water Rail {Rullus aquatic u*)... ... ... ... 311
3. — How a Snake climbs ... ... ... ... ... ... 3 11
4. — Battle between Bees and Wasps ... ... ... ... 312
5. — Man-Eating Tigers ... ... ... ... ... ... 312
6. — A Whistling Bulbul ... ... ... ... ... 313
7.— Tiie Dyal Bird as Imitator 313
8. — A Pet Drongo .. ... ... ... ... ... ... 313
9. — Mimicry for Protection and from Example... ... .. 314
10.— Uses of the Screw Palm (Pandanus od<>i atissimus)
Kivada ... ... ... ... ... .., ... 314
11. — Mimicry in Birds .. ... ... ... ... ... 315
12. — Papilio polymnester, P. dissimilis and P. panope ... ... 315
13. — Bears being eaten by Tigers ... ... ... ... 316
14. —Measurement of Indian Elephants ... ... ... ... 316
15. — A Branching Areca Nut Palm ... ... ... ... 3]?
16.— Mimicry in Caterpihars ... ... ... ... ... 317
Proceedings ... ^18
pombai) Itatuijal ||istorg ^oijiife
LIST OF OFFICE-BEARERS.
|l resident.
H. E. the Right Honorable Lord Reay, a.c.i.E., i,t..d., f.e.q.3
$ice-||resibeuts.
Dr. D. MacDonald, m.d., b.sc, cm.
The Hon'ble Justice liirdwood, M.A., ll.m. (Cantab.)
Dr. Gr. A.. Maconachie, m.d., cm.
f)on. Secretary.
Mr. H. M. Phipson, cm. z.s.
$o»t. treasurer.
Mr. E. M. Slater.
(Sbitor.
Mr. H. M. Pbipson, cm. z.s.
Managing Committee.
Dr. G. A. Maconachie.
Dr. D. MacDonalJ.
Col. C. Swinhoe.
llev. F. Dreckmann ,
Dr. T. S. Weir.
Dr. Kirtikar.
Mr. J. H, Steel, a.v.d*
Mr. J. D. Inverarity.
The Hon. Mr. Justice Birdwood.
Mr. G. W. Vidal, cs.
Mr. W. F. Sinclair, cs.
Mrs. Pechey- Phipson, m.d.
Major W. S. Bisset, R. E.
Lieut. H. E. Barnes.
Mr. J. C. Anderson,
Mr. E. L. Barton.
Mr. E. M. Slater, ex-ojficio.
Mr. H. M. Phipson, ez-officio.
1st Section. — (Mammals and Birds.)
President— Mr, R. A. Sterndale, f.r.g.s., f.z.s.
Secretary— Lieut. H. E. Barnes.
2nd Section. — (Reptiles and Fishes.)
President— Mr. G. W. Vidal, cs.
Secretary — Mr. H. M. Phipson, c.m.z.s.
3rd Section. — (Insects,)
President—Colonel C. Swinhoe, F.z.s., f.l.s., f.e.s.
Secretary — Mr. E. H. Aitkeu.
4th Section. — (Otlter Invertehrata.)
President— Dr. G. A. Maconachie, m.d., cm.
Secretary — Mr. J. C. Anderson.
5th Section. — (Botany.)
President — The Hon'ble Justice Birdwood, m.a., ll.m. (Cantab.)
Secretary— Surgeon K. R. Kirtikar, f.s.m. (France), p.r.cs.
lombau
lateral
fetora ^ocietg.
Name.
LIST OF MEMBER
January 1889.
S.
Abbott, Rev. J. E. ...
Adam, Hon. F. Forbes
Adams, J. B. D. ... ... ... ...
a\1TK011, I J. jZL. ... . ., ... ...
Almon, W. ... ... ... ...
Ameerndiu Tyabji...
Abercrombie, A. ...
Anderson, G. A. ...
Anderson, J.
Anderson, J, C. ...
Anderson, W. C. ...
Anderson, Capt. W. R. ...
Andrewes, H. E. ...
Appleton, A. F. (a.v.d.) ...
Arnott, Doctor J. ...
Artnur, A. ... ... ... ... ...
Ashburner, Rustumjee J., Khan Bahadur
Ashby, J. S.
Aga Khan, H. H. the
Babaji Gopal ... ... ... ,.,
Baddeley, Lieut.-Colonel ...
Bagnell, H. W. I. (c.s.)
Bainbidge, Doctor G.
Bain Donald ... ...
Baines, J, A. (c.s.) ...
Bagana, H. H. Prince Joravarkhanji
Bakar, u. U h. ... ... ... ,.
Bankier, "W. A.
Banks, Dr. S. O'B, (f.r.c.s.l.) ...
Barclay, Capt. ... ... ... .,
Barnes, Lieut. H.E. ...
Barrow, H. W. ... ...
Barton, E. L.
Bautnbach, R. ... ... ...
Bayley, The Hon'ble Mr. Justice...
Beardmore, E. B. ... ... ...
Becher, Captain (f.z.a.), R. A, ... ...
43ell, x . iv, l'- .,. ... ... ..i
Residence.
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Tanna
.., Karwar
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Nagpore, C. P.
... Malum
... Bombay
... Jhansi
... Simla
... Europe
... Kirkee
... Bombay
... Calcutta
... Bombay
... Bhuj (Cutch)
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Cawnpore
... Bombay
... Kurrachee
... Bombay
... Poona
... Bajana
... Europe
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Europe
... Saugor, C. P.
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Kamptee
... Canara
LIST OP MEMBERS.
11
Name.
Bengallee, S. S. (c.i.E.) ...
Bergl, Louis
Betham, G. K.
Betham, J. A. ... ...
Bennett, D.
Betham, R. M.
Betham, W. G.
Beynon, Erasmus ..
Bhatavadekar, Bhalchandra K., Dr.
Bicknell, H.
Biddulph, Col. J. ... ...
Bingham, Cap tain C. H.
Birdwood, the Hon'ble Mr. Justice
Bishop, Capt.
Bisset, Major (r.e.)
Blackwell, G. F. ...
Black well, H. F....
Blood, B. W.
Boniface, Lieut. ...
Boustead, Doctor R.
Bovis, F. de
Boyd, Dr. H. W.
Branson, R. M. ...
Brendon, C. R. ...
Bromley, Herbert
Brooke, Miss Ada
Bristed, John
Brown, Dr. E. H.
Brown, J. W.
Brunton, R. P. ...
Bucklaud, H. W.
Budgen, Capt. G.
Bushby, W. H. ...
Butcher, L. H. ...
Butler, Capt. J. B. R.
Byrne, C. H.
Bythell, Lieut. W. J.
• • •
• • •
• • •
• ••
• • •
• ••
• • •
• • •
• • t
• • •
• * •
• ••
• • •
• • •
• • t
• • •
• • •
« • •
Calthrop, E.
Cameron, W. D. (c.E.
Campbell, Lord Colin
Campbell, E. W.
Campbell, John ...
Candy, R. E. (c.s.)
Camulsey Pretnji
Cane, Rev. A. G.
Cappel, E. L. (c.s.)
Carroll, E. B. (c.E.)
)...
•» • •
• • •
Residence.
... Bombay
... En rope
... Bijapur
.... Raipur, C. P.
... Bombay
... Rajkote
... Nasik
. . . Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
...Europe
... Rangoon
... Europe
...Europe
... Bombay
... Alou Chindwin,
Upper Burmah
... Bombay
... Ajmere
... Goolburgah
... Ahmednagar
... Europe
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Mai van
... Bombay
... Ahmedabad
... Bombay
... Jalna, Deccan
... Bombay
-,.. Bombay
... Bombay
... Secunderabad
... Bombay
... Egutpura
... Nusseerabad
... Bombay
... Baluchistan
... Europe
. . . London
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Sholapore
... Bombay
... Poona
... Sholapore
... Bombay
IV
LIST OF MEMBERS.
Name.
Carstensen, G.
Cassels, J. A.
Cates, Dr. W. E. ...
Chalmers, H. ... ...
Channer, Dr. O. H. ...
Charles, F. L. (c.s.)
Chatfield, K. M
Cheetham, J.
Chrystal, J. S. ...
Clark, Captain A. E. ...
Clerke, W. J. B. (c.e.) ...
Clifton, C. N. (c.E.)
Close, E. P.
Cobbold, H. R. ...
Collie, Dr. R.
Collister, J. G. H.
Conder, H. ...
Conroy, A. ... ...
Cooke, Dr. T.
Cooper, C. P. ... ...
Cornforth, J. P. ...
Cotton, G. ... ...
Cowasji Dady Limji
Crawford, Leslie ...
Crawley -Boevey, A. W. (c.s.)
Crawley, C. E.
Creagh, Captain R. P. ...
Crofts, Dr. ...
Cuffe, T. VV
Cumberley, N. R.
Curjel, H. ... ...
Cursetjee, Miss Manockjee
Curwen, H.
Cutch, H. H. the Rao of
Dady Hormusji C. Dadyshett
Dalgado, Dr. D. G.
Davidson, J. (c.s.)
Dempster, F. E...
...
...
...
Ditmas, A. R. ...
Deoso, Max ...
Doig, S. B. (c.E )
Douglas, Mrs.
Dreckmann, Rev. F.
Dubash, Sorabjee D.
Duigati, S. A. ...
Dumayne, F. G. ...
Dumbell, H. C. ...
• ••
• • •
• • •
• ••
• • •
• • •
• ••
t « •
• • t
• ••
• • •
• ••
lit
• • ■
Residen ce.
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Europe
... Bombay
... Europe
... Bombay
... Europe
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Kaira
... Kharagora
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Poona
... Bombay
... Europe
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Surat
... Calcutta
... Bombay
... Gwalior
... Bombay
... Akola
... Kurrachee
... Bombay
. . . Bombay
... Bhuj; Cutch
... Bombay
... Sawantwady
... Kanara
...Myingyan, Upper
Burmah
... Europe
... Bombay
... Ahmedabad
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
LIST OF MEMBERS.
Name.
Dimsterville, J, H. C.
Dymock, Dr. W....
Ebden, E. J. (c.s.)
Ed^elow, F.
Ednlji Nassurwauji, Dr. ...
Elliott, A. (c.s.) ...
Elliott, C. F
Eunson, H. J. (c.e., f g.s.)
Fairbank, Rev. S.
Fenton, Capt. L. L.
Ferguson, Dr. A. F.
Ferguson, H. S. ...
Fernandez, T. R. ... ...
Fleming, W, N
Fletcher, G. ...
Forbes, C. H. B
Forrest, L. R. VV.
Fox, C rj. ... ... ...
Framji Nusserwanji
Francis, Capt. J. 0.
Fran eke, A.
Freeborn, E.
Fry» T. . B.... ... ...
Furdunji, Jamsetji
Gaddura, F.
Gatna, Dr. A. da ...
Gaye, Dr. A. C. ...
vraye, »» . ... ... ...
Gay, E. ... ... ...
George, D. ...
Gilbert, R.
Giles, E ... ... ...
Gleadow, F. ... ...
Goldsmid, F.
Gornpertz, Rev. J. F. "W.
Gompertz, R.
Gonne, H.
Goodfellow, Col. G. R. ...
Goverdhundas K. Muckunji
Graham, W. D. ...
Grant, G. F. M. (c.s.) ...
Gray, Cecil
Gray, Dr. Temperley
Gray, Dr. Wellington
Greame, Col. R. C.
Greany, Dr, J. P.... ...
• ••
• •9
• • •
• ••
• • •
t • •
• • •
• • •
Residence.
... Kolaba
... Bombay
... Bijapur
... Bombay
... Bombay
.. Akola, Berar
... Mooltan
... Morvi, Kathiawar
... Ahmed nugger
... Kathiawar
... Bombay
... Travancore
... Surat
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
. . . Bom bay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Baroda
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Poona
... Bombay
... Europe
... Bombay
... Poona
... Secunderabad
... Calcutta
... Hatnagiri
... Bombay
... Ahmedabad
... Europe
... Alibag
... Dacca
... Madras
... Kurrachee
... Europe
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Na^ik
... Bombay
. . . Bombay
... Bombay
... Quetta
... Belgaum
VI
LIST OF MEMBERS.
Name.
Gilder, G. C.
Greaves, W.
Grieves, Rev. A. C.
Griffiths, J.
Gunthorpe, Lieut. -Colonel
Gvvyn, Captain A. ... ...
Hull, Rev. E. S. ... ... ...
xiaro, -H, \J- ... ... ...
Hamilton, Capt. A. R. Cole-
Hantelman, Ed. Von
Hart, JJiss... ... ... ...
Hart, Mrs. W. E.
Haslam, A. J. (a.v.d.)
Hatch, H. F,
ii ate ii, j Jr. ... ... ...
i lay, i\ • ... ... ... ...
Hemming, H. J. R. ...
Henderson, Dr. ...
Hexton, W. S.
Hervey, H. L. (c.8.)
Hibbert, Col. J. ... ... ...
Mill, x. J. A.< ... ... ...
Hodgkinson, Capt. H. S. B.
Holland, W. J. ...
Hornidge, S. (c E.)
Hussey, Col. C. E.
Indore, H. H. the Maharaja Holkar
Inverarity, J. D. ...
Irving, Dr. L. A
Jacob, H. P. ... ... ...
Jamsetjee, C. Jamsetjee ...
Jamsetji, Pherozshaw Merwanji
Jardine, Mrs. John
Jeejeebhoy, Sir Jamsetjee, Bart.
Jefferson, J. ... ... ...
Jenkins, J. L. (b.a.),c. s.
James, H. E. M. (c.s.) ...
Johnson, J. R. Kirby ... ...
Jones, G. Sutton ... ... ...
Jones, H. W.
Juergens, Rev. Fr.
Kabraji, Kaikhushro, N....
Kama, K. R. ... ... ...
Kane, C E. ... ... ...
Kantak, Dr. Shautaram V. ...
Residence.
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Europe
... Bombay
... Amraoti, Berar
... Bombay
...Bombay
. . . Hyderabad, Deccan
... Secunderabad
... Europe
... Europe
... Bombay
... Kurrachee
...Thana District
... Bombay
... Europe
... Bombay
... Karwar
... Surat
... Bel gaum
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Ahmedabad
... Sholapore
...Deolali
... Indore
... Bombay
... Bombay
...Kurrachee
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Baroda
... Ahmedabad
... Europe
... Deoli
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
LIST OF MEMBERS.
VU
Name.
Residence.
Kay, Dr. W.
• * «
• • ■
« • t
... Europe
Ker, L. B. ...
■ •«
• • t
• • t
... Bombay
Kennedy, Capt. W. P.
• • t
■ • •
• • •
... Kathiawar
King, Alfred
• • •
t * •
• • ft
... Bombay
King, H. R.
• • •
• • •
• • •
... Bombay
Kirtikar, Doctor K. R.
■ * •
i • t
• • •
... Bombay
Knyvitt, Ross
• • t
• • •
• • •
.,. Babugarh, near
Meerut
Kittredge, G. A. ...
• • •
• ••
» • ■
.. Europe
Langley, Dr.
• Oft
• • •
• • •
... Bombay
Latham, the Hon'ble F.
L.
• • •
• • •
... Bombay
Lathi, H. H. the Thakore Salu
:bof
• • •
... Lathi
LaTouche, Brig.-Generu
1.1..,
• • •
• • •
... Bombay
Leckie, M. C.
■ •«
• • •
t • •
... Europe
Lee- Warner, W. (c.s.)
* • •
■ • •
. • •
... Europe
Leslie, A. ... ...
• • •
« • *
« • •
... Bombay
Lester, C. F. G. ...
• • *
• • •
• • ■
... Panch Mahals
Lidbetter, T.
• • •
• • •
• • •
... Bombay
Light, Lieut. R. H.
• • •
• • t
• • •
... Mhow
Little, T. D. (c. e.)
t ••
■ • •
• • •
... Bombay
Lisboa, Dr. J. C. ...
• • •
• • •
• • •
... Bombay
Litchfield, E.
* • •
• • »
• • ■
... Dhera Dun
Little, F. A.
• • •
• • *
• 9 ft
... Bombay
Littledale, H.
• • •
• • •
ft • ft
... Baroda
Lowell, C. ...
• • •
• • •
• • t
... Europe
Luard, E. S. B.
• • •
• • •
• •»
... Bombay
Lynch, C. P.
• • •
• • »
• • •
... Bombay
Lynch, M. P.
• • •
• • •
ft ••
. . . Europe
Lyon, Dr. I. B.
■ ••
• • •
• • »
... Horn bay
MacCartie, Dr.
* • •
• • *
• 1 •
... Europe
Macaulay, Capt. K...
• • •
■ • •
ft • ft
... Bombay
Macaulay, R. H.
• • •
• * •
ft • ft
... Bombay
Macaulay, W. M. ...
• • •
• • •
• • •
... Europe
Macdonald, Dr. D....
• • *
• • t
■ • •
... Bum bay
Macdonald, J.
• • •
• • •
ft ft t
... Bombay
Macdonald, W. M.
• • •
• • •
... Bombay
Mackenzie, J. Muir (c.s.
') •••
• • •
• • •
... Bel gaum
Mackenzie, T. D. (e s.)
• • •
• • #
• ft •
... Broach
Mackinnon, P. W.
• ••
• • •
• • •
... Mussoorie
Macnaghten, Chester
• • •
»• •
• ft ft
... Rajkote
Maconachie, Dr. G. A.
• •#
• • •
• • •
... Bombay
Macpherson, Capt.
• •■
• • •
ft • ft
... Poona
Maguire, J....
• • •
• • ■
• • •
... Europe
Maistry, D. B.
• • •
• • •
ft ft •
... Bombay
Major, Col. F, W. ...
t • •
• ••
• ft •
... Bombay
Maltby, C. J.
t • t
• • •
• • •
... Travancore
Manser, Dr. R.
• • •
!••
* • •
... "Bombay
Ill
1,1 ST OP MEMBER"*.
Name.
Residence.
Manson, G. ...
■ it
» * a
• © •
... Bombay
Mant, R. N....
■ a •
a a a
• * »
... Bombay
Martin , M aj or G. ...
* • •
• • •
• a a
... Bombay
Mason, G. E.
• a »
■ • •
• * a
... London
Maueckskaw, Dhunjishaw
Doctor ...
a a a
... Bombay
McCann, VV. H. ...
a e •
■ • a
a • *
... Bombay
McCorkell, G. (c.s.)
• a 4
* 1 a
a 9 a
... Karwar
McEwen, K.
» • a
• •
• a •
... Europe
McKenzie, Alex.
* • •
* • •
a a a
... Bomba}'
McMullen, G. C. ...
a a •
• a a
■ • a
... Kurrachee
Meade, Oapt. M. J.
»■• •
a a a
a a a
... Europe
Melvin, W. F.
a a a
• a •
. • a
... Bombay
Menesse, Ales.
• a •
a* •
■ a a
... Bombay
Merriman, Col.
• 4 •
• a a
a aa
... Bombay
Merewether, Col. G. (R.E
•)
• • a
i a »
... Bombay
Mercer, F. ...
• • •
• • •
• a a
... Chittagong
Messeut, l\ G.
• ■ •
« • •
• a •
... Bombay
Metha, l\ R.
• • •
• • •
* a »
... Khandeish
Meyer, 0. ...
i • •
■ a a
• a a
... Bombay
Middleton, W. H. ...
• • •
• • •
• ••
... Bombay
Millard, VV. 8.
* • 0
a a a
» • a
... Bombay
Miller, E
• • ■
a •
a • a
... Bombay
Miller, N
« • •
9 9 9
• 9 9
... Giridhi, Bengal
Minter, Capt. J. S. ...
• • •
a • a
9 9 •
... Bombay
Millett, G. P.
• • •
• a •
• a •
... Thana
Mitchell, E. ...
• •
• a a
a a *
... Europe
Mitchell, Mrs.
• • *
* « •
• •a
... Deolali
Modi, Bomanji Edulji
• • •
■ t
• a a
... Broach
Monks, Dr. ...
• • •
• a •
• • a
... Aden
Monte, Dr. A. de ...
* 4 *
• • a*
» • a
... Bundora
Morris, A W. (f./.s.)
• a •
• • •
• as
... Yercaud
Morris, D.
• • •
• a a
a • a
... Bombay
Morrison, A.
• • •
• 99
a • a
. . Europe
Moscardi, E. H. (c.s.)
• • •
a • •
• a a
... Ahmedabad
Mull, Alfred
• ••
• a
• • a
... Sholapore
Mulock, W. B. (c.s.)
• • •
a • a
• • a
... Europe
Mure, J S
« • ■
a • a
a • •
... Bombay
Murphy, Dr
t * *
« a •
a* a
... Mahableshwar
Murray, "W. ...
• • •
a a a
a a a
... Bombay
Nazar, M. H....
S a) a
9 % 9
• a a
... Bombay
Nairne, Rev. A. K. (Hon
. Corr.
Member) ...
... England
Newborn, C. ...
• • •
• a a
a • a
... Bombay
Newnham, A ...
• • •
* • %
a a a
... Simla
Niceville, L. de (Hon. Corr. Men.
iber)
• a *
... Calcutta
Nicholson, C.
• • •
• •
Ml
... Egutpura
Nicholson, E. F.
a a a
a a a
»••
... Bombay
Oates, E. W. (lion, Corr. Member).,,
,„ London
LIST OF MEMBERS.
IX
Name.
O'Connel, J.
Ollivant, E. C. K. (as.)
( Hiver, Gr. ...
Oliver, Captain II. D. (r.e ) (f.z.s.)
Ommaney, H. T. (c.s.)
Opiumwalla, Borah ji E.
Ormiston, Gr. (c.E.).,,
( hven, \V. S.
Palliser, H. Gr
1 arker, J. 0.
Parmenides, J.
Parmenides, AC....
Patell, JST. M.
Parsons, the Hon'ble Mr. Justice...
Patterson, Dr.
Pa wall a, Jamsetji Cursetji ...
Pearson, Mrs.
Pearson, T. W.
Pechey-Phipson, Mrs. (m.d.)
Penny, Mrs. L.
Pentlaud, Capt.
Petei's, Doctor
J. 6 tit j T • ±J • • • t ••• ••• •••
Petit, Bomanji Dinshaw ...
X G Liu, X • \J 9 %•• •■■ ... ■«■
Peyton, Lieut.- Colonel AY. ...
Phipson, H. M. (c m.z.s.) ...
Pin hey, A. F.
Portman, Lieut.-Col. A. B....
Pottinger, Brig.-Genl.
Pilcher, Geo. E.
Radcliff, Capt. W. C. A. (r.a.)
Rayment, G. J. (a.v.d.)
Ready money, N. J. ...
Reay, H. E. Lord (c.i.e., ll d.)
Reddie, F. ... c..
Reid, G. B. (c s.)
Reynolds, P. (c.e.) ...
Riddell, R. ...
Ritchie, A. M.
Rivett-Carnac, L.
Robb, Doctor
Roberts, R. ... ...
Robertson B. (c.s.) ...
R-obinson, G. P.
Rose, F.
Russell, B. B.
• • .
• • •
Residence.
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Calcutta
... Bombay
... Dharwar
... Bombay
... Europe
... Thana
... Ahmedabad
... Calcutta
... Broach
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Jhinjinwara
... Poona
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Mount Abu
... Bijapur
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Kanara
... Bombay
... Banswarra
. . . Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Kirkee
... Babugarh
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Europe
... Baroda
... Jubbulpore
... Ahmednugger
. . . Bombay
. . . Europe
... Secunderabad
... Surat
... Bombay
. . . Akola, Berar
. . . Europe
X
LIST OF MEMBERS.
Name.
Renuick, Col. H. de P.
Richardson, Capt, W. St. John
Richardson, F. Gr.
Rimington, F. G.
Russell, L. P.... ... ... ...
Ilugoonath Mukund ...
Ryrie, J. M. ...
Rustomji, H. J.
Rutlam, H. H. the Maharaja of
Samat Singji, H. II. Prince ...
bassoon, Mrs. S. D, ...
Sawyer, Major
Scott, The Hon'ble Mr. Justice
Selby, Major H. 0. (ii.e.)
Shipp, W.
Silcock, H. F. (c.s.) ...
Sirnkins, A. R. M.
Simpson, A. F.
Sims, Proctor
Sinclair, W. F. (c.s. )
Slater, D. McLauchlan
Slater, E. M. ...
Slater, J. M. (c.E.) ...
Smith, Mrs. Yorke ...
Soaue, G. de... ...
Squire, W. W. (c.e.) ...
Squires, Mrs. ... ... ...
Starling, M. H.
St. Clair, Capt. W. A. E. (r.e.) ...
Steel, J. H. (a.v.e.) ... ... ...
Sterndale, R. A. (f.z.s.)
Steward, A. B. (c.s.)...
Stone, S. J. ... ... ...
Straw, tv.is.... ... ... ...
Street, Capt, ...
Street, Dr. A. W. F
Stuart, C. A. ...
Stuart, M. Scott
Sturt, Colonel... ...
Sukhtankar, Sittaram Vishnu
Surveyor, N. F.
Swan, H. H. ...
Sway ne, H, G. E. (re)
Swinhoe, Colonel C. (f.z.s., f.l.s., f,e.s.)
Sykes, C.
Symington, J. H.
Symons, J, L....
Syuions, H. S
Residence.
... Y"eotmal
... Bombay
... N. Travancore
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Kurrachee
... Rutlam
,.. Bombay
... Bombay
... Calcutta
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Lanowli
... Europe
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bhownugger
... Alibag
... Bombay
,.. Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Europe
... Bombay
... Madras
... Jetpur
... Punjab
... Gandevi
. . . Europe
... Poona
... Punjab
... Mhow
... Europe
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Europe
... Aden
... Poona
... Cutch Mandvi
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Bombay
LIST OP MEMBERS.
Name.
Symons, N. S.
Scarborough, Earl of
Scott, M. H. (c.s.)
Searle, W. H. W
Shopland, Capt. E. R.
Sinclair, Dr. ...
►Smyth, R. Baternan (c.E.) ...
Spence, L. H.
Summers, Thos.
Shrimant Hanmantrao Gopalrao
Servai, Cursetji N. ... ...
Stewart, R. B. (c.s.) ...
Spencer, F. A.
Tata, Dorab, J.
Taylor, A
Taylor, Chas....
Taylor, W. 0
Terry, O. W..i
Temulji, Dr. B. N
Thacker, W. ...
Thakur, Shripad Babaji (c.s.)
Thomson, Mrs.
X O Ll , *J • ... ... ...
Turner, Mrs. A. F
Thatcher, Capt. J. F. G. C.
Turner, Montague C.
Thoin, E.
Thompson, B. W. 0.
Trail, John ...
Trail, W. 11
Tytler, Stanley
Uloth, H.W
Vidal, G. W. (c.s.) ...
Walcott, Colonel (c.i;.)
Walker, A. C.
Walker, T. ...
Whyte, Lieut. C. F. ...
Willis, R. A
Wallace, James
Wallace, John (C.E.)...
Wallace, L. A.
Walton, Rienzi (c.E.)
Walton, E. M
Ward, Frank
Watson, E. Y.
Webb;W. ...
Residence.
... Bombay
Yorkshire, England
...Dhulia
...Poona
...Bombay
...Kolhapur
...Madras
...Kaira
...Europe
...Kolhapur
...Bombay
...Dharwar
...Bombay
...Bombay
...Bombay
... Horn bay
...Bombay
...Bombay
...Bombay
...Bombay
...Broach
...Bombay
. . . Europe
...Bombay
...Bombay
...Bombay
...Europe
...Ahmednucrcrer
. . . Europe
...Jhansi
...Bombay
...Bombay
...Thana
...Europe
...Bombay
...Europe
... Mhow
...Bombay
...Europe
... Bombay
...Europe
...Europe
...Bombay
...Europe
...Madras
...Bombay
e>ov
xu
LIST OF MEMBERS.
Name.
Weir, Dr. T. S.
Wenden, H. (c.e. )
Westtnacott, Col. ,
Wise, Col.
Wise, U.S....
Woodward, W. (c.s.)
Wroughton, R. C. ..
Wylie, R.
Westall, J. ...
Wkitehonse, Lieut. B
Wodehouse, Lieut. F
White, T. C. H.
Witnb ridge, E.
Yerbury, Major
Young, G. S.
Young, W. E.
Yeld, Dr. H....
Younghusband, A. D
Yule, Major J. B. ..
(r.n
W.
(c.s.)
Residence.
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Poona
... Europe
. . . Karwar
... Ahmedabad
... Poona
... Gadecbi
».. Bombay
... Europe
... Kirkee
... Thana
... Bombay
... Europe
... Europe
... Bombay
... Bombay
... Ahmedabad
... Sipri, C. P.
66
90
86
I
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. "^ •"v^A^
£%
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; del. M'.ntern Bros. Chromo lifch London.
84. HIRUNDOFILIFERA.Steph 86. HIRUNDO FLUVIC0LA,Jerd.India2i Cliff Swallow.
30.PTYON0PR0GNE CONCOLO Dusty Crag Martin. 107. CAPRI MUL6US lNDlCUS,Lattv Jungle Night Jar.
CAPRI MULGUSATR1 PEN N IS, J !ar. 112 CAPRIMULGUS ASiATICUS,Lath Common Indian .
113 CAPRIMULGUS MAHRATTENSUS ,i 114. CAPRIMULGUS MONTICOLUS,?: WinsNigktJ
214. EUDYNAMIS H0N0RA7 A.I.m Indian Koel.
J 0 U 11 N A L
OP THE
BOMBAY
(yn?f ♦
t-^v
No, j(] BOMBAY, JANUARY, 1889. [*>i. iv.
84.
NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA.
By Lieut. II. E. Barnes.
{Continued from poge 224.)
-THE WIRE-TAILED SWALLOW.
Hinindo fib' fern, Stevh.
The Wire-tailed Swallow occurs throughout the district, but is
nowhere numerically common ; it is a permanent resident, and breeds
from the end of January to the end of May and again from tho eud
of July to the beginning of October. The nest is deep, half saucer
shaped, and is composed of pallets of mud, well lined with s >fb
feathers, and is always placed in the vicinity of water, under the cor-
nices of bridges, under arches of culverts, against the sides of wells,
where there are projections under which they can build, in niches
in buildings overhanging water, or under projecting ledges of rock.
It is always placed against the side and a little below the roof or
projection, only just enough spice being left for the ingress and
egress of the bird.
The eggs, three in number, are long narrow ovals in shape, a good
deal pointed towards one end ; they average 0-72 inches in length by
about 0'52 in breadth ; in colour they are white, beautifully speckled,
spotted and blotched with various shades of reddish-brown. When
fresh and unblown the ground colour is a delicate pink owing to
the yolk showing through. They will not desert the nest even if
the eggs be taken, but will lay a second, and if this be taken, even
a third clutch in the same nest.
1
BOMBAY NATUBAL IIISTOllY SOCIETY.
85.— THE MOSQUE SWALLOW.
Hirundo eryl/iropyrjia, SyJces.
The Mosque Swallow occurs generally throughout Western India,
but is more common in hilly districts (such as Mount Aboo), than
in the open country. Most of them retire to the hills to breed about
April, but a few remain, and nests are not unfrequently found in the
plains. The nest, constructed of pellets of mud (which the bird
procures from the banks of the nearest pond or river), is of a peculiar
shape : it consists of a bulb-like chamber, five or six inches in length
at one end, with a tubular passage, sometimes eight or nine inches
long at the other, which the male continues to lengthen, even after
the eggs are laid and while the female is sitting upon them. It lias,
not inaptly, been described as retort or rather half-retort shape. It
is usually affixed to the roof of a cave, under a bridge or culvert, or
to the under surface of a projecting ledge of rock.
The nest is well lined with soft feathers, and the eggs, three in
number, are pure unspotted white, of a longish oval shape, and
average 0*78 inches in length by 0*55 in breadth.
After the birds have once selected a site for their nest, thev are
very difficult to drive away. I have often broken open nests to see
if any eggs had been laid, and they have always been repaired, and
I have eventually obtained eggs from them. To such an extent is the
constructive faculty developed in these birds, that they ofen make
two or more nests before they are satisfied, and they are known to
make a winter residence, in which eggs are never found. They are
solitary breeders.
86.— THE INDIAN CLIFF SWALLOW.
Hirundo Jluvicula, Jerd.
The Indian Cliff Swallow is not uncommon in some parts of the
Deccan, but is somewhat locally distributed ; it occurs at Satara and
Sholapur in some numbers ; near Aboo and Oeesa it is very rare; but at
Ahmedabad there are several colonies ; it is common but local in
Nassick and Khandeish, and occurs at Baroda. It has not been
reported from Sind. They are generally permanent residents where
found ; breeding twice in the year, from February to April, and again
in July, August and the early part of September.
They build retort-shaped neste of mud, but very different to those
of the Mosque Swallow, the bulb or chamber portion being affixed to
the under-surface of a shelving rock, or under a bridge, with the
NESTING IN WESTERN INDTA.
tubes hanffins down, or rather a little outwards, the whole looking not
unlike a hu^o honeycomb. These clusters of nests are often of great
size, containing from 30 to 200 nests, and are almost always in the
immediate vicinity of water.
The nests are well lined with feathers; the eggs, throe in number,
are longish ovals in shape, and average 0*7(j inches in length by
about 0'53 in breadth. They are of two different types. In one they
aro pure unspotted white ; in the other, they are more or less speckled,
spotted or streaked with yellowish-brown; these markings are not
clearly defined. The nests, especially the outer ones of a cluster,
are often appropriated by Common Swifts and House Sparrows.
39.-TE1E INDIAN SAND MARTIN.
Cofijle sinensis, J. E. Gr.
The Indian Rand Martin is common in suitable places in
most parts of Western India, but has not as yet been recorded from
Ratnagiri. It is a permanent resident, breeding from November to
March, or even later.
They bore holes in the sandy banks of rivers to a depth of
from eighteen to forty or fifty inches, according to the relative hard-
ness of the soil ; and at the end of this hole or passage, which is
enlarged, they make a slight nest of fiue grass roots lined with sofc
feathers. The eggs, three in number, are pure white, quite devoid
of gloss; they are oval in shape, and measure 0*03 inches in length
by about Q'48 in breadth.
The nest holes are not solitary, but they are much more scattered
than is usually the case with the British species.
90.— THE DUSKY CRAG MARTIN.
Coixjle concolor, Sykvs.
The Dusky Crag Martin, with the exception of Sind, occurs more
or less abundantly throughout our limits. It is somewhat solitary
in its habits, rarely more than a single pair nesting in the same
vicinity.
They have at least two broods in the year, and lay at, different
seasons indifferent parts of the couutry, but from January to March
and from July to September are perhaps the best times to search for
eggs. The nest is placed under a projection in the face of a rocky
cliff, far from the haunts of man, or under ihe eaves of a house in his
vei-y midst. It is very like that of the Wire-tailed Swallow, but is
BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
smaller, more cup-shaped and pointed at the bottom, but like it is
well lined with feathers. The eggs, three in number, are white with
numerous spots and specks of various shades of yellowish or reddish-
brown, but these markings are neither so bright nor so bold as
those of the Wire-tailed Swallow; they average about 0-72 inches in
length by nearly 0'52 in breadth. They appear to build in the same
place for successive seasons, and do not. desert the nest when robbed,
but lay again within a fortnight or even less.
98.— THE ALPINE SWIFT.
Cgpselltts rnelba, Lin.
The Alpine Swift occurs not uncommonly in mountainous tracts
throughout the district, descending to the plains during the day but
returning at night to roost. It is possessed of amazing powers of
flight, and covers vast distances daily in search of food.
Its breeding haunts were long unknown, but it has now been ascer-
tained to breed in the mountainous tracts of Nassick,*and will doubt-
less prove to do so in most other suitable places ; they breed in deep
clefts and fissures of almost inaccessible rocks; the nest is a very
solid structure in comparison with that uf the Common Swift ; it is
shallow, and is usually fastened to both sides of the fissure, which
often stretches upwards into an overhanging cliff, and it is a most
difficult nest to take. They do not seem to breed at any particular
season, but egg^, have been taken early in February.
Mr. Littledale found a colony of about eighteen nests in the face
of a smooth overhanging crag in Dutchkut, Cashmere, but they were
quite inaccessible.
Nassick, February, J. Davidson, C.S.
100.— THE COMMON INDIAN SWIFT.
Cypstllus ajjinis, J. E. Gr.
The Common Indian Swift is abundant throughout the district,
and is a permanent resident; it has several broods iu the year, and
eggs and young may be found at all seasons.
They are very accommodating iu the choice of nesting sites. Nests
may be found in any of the following situations : —
[n holes in the faces of old walls, mosques, forts, or other old
buildings; in these cases the nests are detached, unless the hole
happens to be large enough to contain two or more.
* Vide U. N. H. S. Journal, p. 47, No. 1, Vol. III.
NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA.
Under tlio oaves of bouses, tombs, &c, several nests together,
with perhaps a few detached ones.
In the doorways and under roofs of stables and other outhouses,
or between closely-set rafters.
Under the roofs of eaves they occur in clusters; often containing"
fifty or more nests, with isolated ones, or small clumps of two or
three in close proximity to the central mass.
Their nests, which take a long time to construct, are composed of
agglutinated saliva, mixed with a few feathers and straws; they are
of no particular shape, but if in a hole or other confined place, it
necessarily takes its shape ; they are at times long and narrow,
occasionally almost round, but generally they are of an irregular
oblong shape.
The entrance is a portion of the upper part of the nest left
unfinished.
The eggs, three in number, are long narrow ovals, measuring 078
inches in length by 057 in breadth. They are pure glossless white,
with a pinkish tinge when fresh and unblown.
As previously noted they often appropriate nests of the Cliff
Swallows.
102.— THE PALM SWIFT.
Cypsellus battassiensis, J. E. Gr.
The Palm Swift, is most abundant in those districts in which the
toddy palm abounds, but where these trees are absent, the Palm
Swifts arc absent also.
They breed twice a year, from March to July; the nest is
almost always placed in a furrow formed by a plait, in the under-surface
of a bent palm leaf towards the centre. It is a tiny watch pocket in
shape, composed of vegetable down, often mixed with feathers
(parrots' aud doves' especially), and is cemented to the leaf by
agglutinated saliva; the nest itself is soft, but the upper edge is haid
and cordlike. The eggs, three in number, are perfect miniatures of
those of the Common Swift, measuring 07 inches in length by about
0*46 in breadth.
Bombay, May. II. E. Barnes.
103.— THE EDIBLE NEST SWIFTLET.
Collocalia unicolor, Jerd,
The Edible Nest Swiftlet occurs on the Malabar Coast, breeding
during the months of March and April. The nests, composed of
6 B0M1UY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
inspissated saliva, are half saucer-shaped, and are affixed to the sides
of rocky caves, in sraal i clusters, but detached nests are not nufrequent.
The eo'srs, two or three in number, are, as a rule, long narrow ovals
CO* ' ' o
in shape, measuring 0-8<'i inches in length by about 0*54 in breadth ;
iu colour they are dull glossless white.
Nests of the first make are white, and are very valuble ; those of
the second are not so clear, and are mixed with extraneous matter,
and do nofc command so high a price iu the Chinese markets as the
others. Nests of the third make (which are left for the birds to breed
in) are discoloured and are much mixed with feathers, straws, &c.,
and are of no commercial value. The right to collect the nests is
sold annually by Government, but the revenue derived from it is
very insignificant.
Vingorla, Feb. and, April. G. Vidal, C. S.
104.— THE INDIAN CRESTED SWIFT.
Bcndrochelidon coronata, Tick.
The Indian Crested or Tree Swift is not uncommon at Ratnagiri,
O "
and occurs rarely all along the Western ghats. It has been recorded
from Mhow and from the hilly jungles of the Panch Mahals. It is
not uncommon in the broken hilly laud below the ghats aud along the
v O O
plain forest south of the Satpooras. It is a permanent resident where
found, breeding from April to Juno. The nest, which is small, is a
shallow half-saucer iu shape, no larger than a rupee, and is com-
posed of thin flakes of bark, glued by the bird's own saliva to the
dead branch of a tree. It is about half an inch in depth, and is
nowhere more than one-eighth of an inch iu thickness. The egg,
there is only one, is oval in shape, measuring 0"9 inches in length
by 057 in breadth, and is dull glossless white in colour.
The nest is easy to find, as the cock-bird, while the hen is sitting
for most of the day, keeps flying within a hundred yards of the neat.
lie continually calls and is answered by the female from the nest,
which is generally on a thin bare branch, from eight to twenty feet
from the ground.
Punch Mahals, May. R. Littledalc, Esq.
Western Khandcsh, Feb. to April. J. Davidson, C.S.
NESTING IN' WESTERN INDIA.
107.— THE JUNGLE NIGHT JAR.
Co-prim nig its indicus, Laih.
The Jungle Night Jar is not uncommon on the Western ghats,
and occurs also on the Aravolli Range. It breads from March to the
middle of May, making no nest, but depositing its two eggs i:i a
slight depression on the bare ground under the shelter afforded by
a low bush. They are oval in shape, measuring 1*2 inches in length
by about 0 88 ia breadth; in colour they are a pale salmon pink,
thickly blotched and streaked with purplish and olive brown.
Nassick, April and May. J. Davidson, C.S.
10S.-TIIE NILGIRI NIGHT JAR.
Caprimulgus kelaarti, Bly.
The Nilgiri Night Jar has been recorded from the Konkan ; it is
only doubtfully distinct from the Juugle Night Jar, C. indicus, and
might with advantage be suppressed. The eggs are exact facsimiles
of those of the latter bird.
Nilgiri, in Coll. H. E. Barnes.
111.— THE GHAT NIGHT JAR.
Caprimulgus atripennis, Jcrd.
The Ghat Night Jar has been recorded from the forost tract west
of Belgaum, and Jerdon mentions it from the Malabar Coast. As
usual with all the Night Jars, it lays two eggs ou the bare ground.
They are of a dark salmon colour, spotted and blotched with pur-
plish and reddish-brown; they measure l'l iuch iu length by about
0"73 in breadth.
S. India, in Coll. H- %> Barnes.
112.— THE COMMON INDIAN NIGHT JAR.
Caprimulgus asiaticus, Laih.
The Indian Night Jar is common throughout the district, and is
a permanent resident, breeding from March to September, but most
po-tfs will be found in June and July. It is common in scrub jungle,
but is rare in deep forest. The eggs (there is no nest) are two in
number, and are laid on the bare ground. They vary from a warm
pinkish stone colour to a deep salmon pink, and are clouded, blotched,
and streaked with different shades of pale reddish and purplish-
brown. They measure 1 -04 inches in length by 0*77 in breadth.
Deesa, 8fc , April and May. H. E. Barnes.
8 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
113.— SYKE3' NIGHT JAR.
Gaprinntlrjus mahratterisis, Sykes.
Sykes' Night Jar is very common in Sinrl, where it is a permanent
resident, but becomes much less common towards the South. It
breeds from February to August, laying its two eggs in a depression
on the ground, occasionally in the open, at other times under a
tussock of grass or clod of earth. They are of a light pale stone or
clayey colour, with large blotches and clouds of neutral tint. They
measure IT 5 inches in length by about 0-8 in breadth.
Hyderabad (Sind), ]8th April to 5th May. II. E Barnes.
Eastern Narra (Sind), Fed;/, to August. S, Doig, Esq..
Ill,- FRANKLIN'S NIGHT* JAR.
Caprimidyus monticolus, Frank.
Excluding Sind, Frankliu's Night Jar is more or less commonly
distributed throughout tho district, breeding in the manner usual
with the genus, from April to July. Tlie eggs are of a deep salmon
colour, exactly similar to that of the Jungle Night Jar, but the eggs
are much larger; they are spotted and blotched with pale purplish
and clayey-brown. They average 1*2 inches in length by nearly 0"So
in breadth.
Mount Aboo, June. II. E. Barnes.
Neemuch, June and July. „
Nassick, April to June, J. Davidson, C. S.
117.— THE COMMON INDIAN BEE-EATER.
Jlf crops viridis Lin.
The Common Indian Bee-eater is most abundant throughout the
entire district.
They breed in April in holes in sandy banks of nullahs, in the
sides of cuttings, and occasionally in almost level ground.
They cut a fresh hole each season, using their bills to loosen the
earth, and scraping it away with their claws. The holes vary in depth
from two to four feet or more, according to the nature of the soil,
and are barely two inches in diameter. They are cleanly cut and are
quite circular, with two little channels made by the feet of the bird
in entering and leaving the passage,
NESIING IN WESTERN INDIA. 3
There is no nest. The eggs are laid on the bare ground, in a
cavity or enlargement at the cud of the bole- They are usually
•four in number, but sometimes six or seven are fouud. Tkcy arc
almost spherical in shape, measuring 0*73 inches in length by 0*7 in
breadth, In colour they are milk-white, and are brilliantly glossy
when fresh. They seem to lay their eggs at intervals, as very often
fresh and incubated eggs or nestlings are found in the same nest.
118.— THE BLUE-TAILED BEE-EATER,
Merofs philippinus } Lin.
The Blue-tailed Bee-eater occurs sparingly throughout tho
district, but appears to be more common in Gujarat, where it breeds
during the hot weather in holes in the banks of rivers.* They also
breed in Khandcsh, making their n st-holes in the face of the
Satpooras early in Ma}-.
The eirgfs are similar to those of the Common Indian Bee-eater
Imt are larger, measuring 0'-8S inches in length by 0*76 in breadth,
Baroda, May. It- Littledale, Esq.
E. Narra (Sind), July. 8. Boig, Esq.
Khaiidesh, May. J. Davidson^ C.S.
123.— THE INDIAN ROLLER.
Coracias Tudica, Lin.
The Indian Roller, more commonly known as the Blue Jay, is
abundant throughout the greater part of the district. It is a per-
manent resident as a rule, but in some localities retires to the better
wooded tracts to breed.
They build in holes in trees, in walls, under caves of houses,
&c. The nest is a mere collection of rubbish, such as rags, fibres,
tow, &c, thrown together anyhow. The eggs, four in number,
are glossy china- white, of a broad oval shape, occasionally almost
spherical. They measure 1*3 inches in length by rather more than
an inch in breadth.
The nesting season extends from April to July, but May and Juno
are the months in which most eggs are laid.
Mr. Davidson has kindly furnished mo with the following note :
In the Satara, Poona, and Nassick ghats they arc apparently absent
during the hot weather, but breed abundantly in the Satpooras.
*Vide B. N. II. S. Journal, p. 32, No. 2, Vol. I.
10 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
127. -THE BROWN-HEADED KINGFISHER.
Pelargopsis gurial, Pears.
The Brown-headed or Stork-billed Kingfisher is the least common
of all the family, and only occurs as a straggler in most places of
the district. It has not been recorded from Sind. Mr. Davidson, C.S.,
found it breeding in Nassiek and West Khaudesh in April and May in
holes in river banks: generally about a foot deep. A female I shot in
Ncemuch in March had good sized eggs in her ovaries, and I have
also received notes of nesting holes from other places.* The eggs
are stated by Mr. Theobald to be four in number, in shape round
and pure white. He gives the dimensions as 1*09 inches in length
by 1'02 in breadth, but this is less thau egg* of the m?Tch smaller
White-breasted Kingfisher measure, and must, I think, be a mistake.
129.— THE WHITE- BREASTED KINGFISHER.
Halcyon s-mymensis, Lin.
The White-breasted Kingfisher is a common permanent resident
throughout the entire region, breeding in holes pierced in the banks
of rivers, canals, and tanks, and in the sides of wells, from March to
the end of May and again in July and August. There is no nest.
The eggs, from four to seven in nntnbtr, are deposited in a cavity at
the end of the passage; they are glossy china-white when first laid,
but soon become discoloured. In shape they are very broad ovals,
some being almost spherical ; they average 1'12 inches in length by
1-03 in breadth.
I have never found the least semblance of nest, but Mr. Baker
writing from Silchar, North Cachar, tells a very different tale. He
says, in eftst. : — "Halcyon smyrnensis a)wa}Ts build their nests hero
of moss, and generally under an overhanging stone on the bank
of some small stream, which is entirely covered in with jungle.
The people here declare that it never makes a hole in a bank, and
they do not consider it to be a Kingfisher, calling it quite a
different name." In another letter he says: — " I was halting on
the bank of a river, some eight or ten miles from Guilong, and
during the day noticed a pair of these birds constantly visiting a
place under an old rotten tree. On my inspecting it I found that
thoy had built, or rather nearly built, a nest in a crevice between
two roots. It was composed of moss with a few skeleton lcaves>
* Vide B. N. H. S. Journal, p. 32, No. 2, Vol. h
NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA. 11
and was in appearance like a Willow Wren's nest, only of course
very much larger. I did not touch the nest as I wanted to watch
the birds; so I fetched my glasses, and seated myself on a heap of
stones about fifty yards away. One of the birds soon came back
with a large piece of moss in its beak. This it commenced to jam
in between the nest and the tree, hanging on to a root all the
time and working most vigorously. There seemed to be no weav-
ing or twisting, but the bird seemed to work the nest into shape
as it went on. The nest when examined afterwards was found to
consist of layers of moss, one on the top of the other. It fell to
pieces directly it was pulled out, and T have not seen a single nest
which had sufficient consistency to stand handling." Mr. Baker
is a careful observer, and I feel certain that he has made no mistake.
This total change of habit is curious, and it would be interesting
to learn if any other naturalist has met with a similar experience.
134.— THE INDIAN KINGFISHER.
Alccdo bengalcnsis, Gm.
The Indian Kingfisher is common throughout the district except
in Sind, where it is replaced by the closely allied, even if distinct,
European Kingfisher, Alcedo ispidet. They breed during the hot
weather in holes in the banks of rivers and streams. They make no
nest, but a few small fish bones are generally found close to the eggs;
but these are ou(y castings, and are evidently not intended for a
nest. The eggs, from five to seven in number, are glossy china-
white {pinkish- white when fresh). In shape they are broad ovals,
occasionally almost spherical. They measure G-8 inches in length
by 0*63 in breadth.
lUlis.— THE EUROPEAN KINGFISHER.
Alccdo ispida, Lin.
The European Kingfisher differs so slightly from the Indian form,
that I do not consider the latter entitled to specific distinction, but
until the question is definitely settled, it must be retained. The
European Kingfisher is very common in Sind, where it is a permanent
resident, breeding during the hot weather. The eggs are not distin-
guishable from those of the Iudiau bird,
{Hyderabad Sind), May and June, 11. K, Barnes.
12 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY,
236.— THE PIED KINGFISHER.
Cerylc rudis, Lin.
The Pied Kingfisher occurs in suitable localities fehroaghorat tbt-
presidency. It is a permanent resident, breeding during the summer
months in holes in the banks- of streams and rivers. The eargfs, font
to six in number, are glossy china-white, and are usually of a broad
oval shape, but are liable to variation. They measure 1*15 inches
in length by 0'9 in breadth.
There are three or four other species of this family mostly confined
to the sea coast in the South. They are probably permanent resi-
dents-, but I can find no record of their breeding.
140. -THE GREAT HORN BILL.
Dichoceros caratns, Shaw.
The Great Hornbill is a permanent resident in the forest clad
portions of tho Sahyadri range, where it is not uncommon. They
feed principally on ripe berries and fruit, leaving their usual haunts
during the winter in search of them, They kill and eat snakes
when they find them.
They breed during the hot weather in holes in rotten trees. The
female is a close sitter, closing up the entrance hole with her own
ordure, only leaving a long narrow slit through which she obtrudes
her bill to receive the berries and other food that her mate brings
her. She does not leave the nest hole until the eggs are hatched out.
The eggs, three in number, vary in colour from pure white to pale-
yellow. They measure 2- 7 inches in length by about 1*8 in breadth.
14] .—THE MALABAR PIED HORNBILL.
Hydrocissa coronata, Budd.
The Malabar Pied Hornbill is a not uncommon permanent resident
in the southern portion of our district, but I cannot find any record
of its breeding.
144.— THE COMMON GREY HORNBILL.
Ocyceros hirostris} Scojj.
The Common Grey Hornbill has not been recorded from Sind, and
only doubtfully so from the Deccan. Generally speaking it is not
uncommon in all the well-wooded tracts of Rajpootana and Gujerat.
In the Gir forest in Katty war it is very common. It is fairly common
in the mango groves in the Nassick and Khandesh districts. It
NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA. 13
breed sduring A pril and May in the same manner as others of Hie family.
The eggs, three to five in number, arc dull-white, and are usually more
or less discoloured. They are oval in shape, and measure 1*7 inches in
length by about 1*22 in breadth.
Khandesh, April to May. J. Davidson, C.8.
145.— THE JUNGLE GREY HORNBILL.
Tockits griseus, Lath.
The Jungle Grey Hornbill is more or less common in the forest-
clad hills in the south of the district, occurring as far north as
Khaudalla.
It is a permanent resident, but I can find no record of its breeding
within our limits.
147.— THE ALEXANDRINE PAROQUET.
Palocornis eupatria, Lin.
The Alexandrine Paroquet does not occur in Sind, and appears to be
altogether absent from the South. It occurs and breeds on the
Satpoora Hills, but is rarely seen on the Satmallis in the south of
the district. I met with a large flick on one occasion only at
Neemuch, Rajpootana. The greater number if not all of the young
birds offered for sale in the Bombay market come from Central
India from hills in the Jubbulpur district, where the birds are
common. They breed in holes in trees very late in the year, nest-
lings being exposed for sale about Christmas. The eggs, four in
number, are oval in shape, measuring 1*5 inches in length by about
1*15 in breadth.
They are white when first laid but soon become discoloured.
W. Khandesh, Nov. to January. J. Davidson, C.S.
148.-THE ROSE-RINGED PAROQUET.
Palocornis torauatus, Lin.
The Rose-ringed Paroquet is a common permanent resident
throughout the entire district, breeding generally in holos in
trees, occasionally in holes in old walls and buildings, and under the
eaves of outhouses. From the middle of February to about the
middle of April is about the best time to search for nests. The eggs,
four in number, are pure glossless white ; they arc oval in shape,
pointed at one end, and measure 1*2 inches in length by about 0*95
in breadth.
7 4 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
I4D.- THE ROSE-HEADED PAROQUET.
Paloeornis purpureas, P.L. Z. Mull.
With the exception of Sind the Rose-headed Paroquet occurs
generally throughout the district, hut is much less common and is
more locally distributed than the Rose-ringed Paroquet. They retire
to the hills about the end of March to breed, but on one occasion at
Poona I saw nestlings exposed for sale on Christmas Day, which
had been taken at Khandalla.
They nest iu holes in trees. The eggs, four in number, are exact
miniatures of those of P. torquatus, measuring an iuch in length by
08 in breadth.
W. Khaudcsh, February. J. Davidson, C. S.
Saugor, C. P., March. II. E. Barnes.
151.— THE BLUE-WINGED PAROQUET.
Palceornis eolumboides, Yig.
Within our district the Blue-winged Paroquet is confined to the
Sahyadri range. I can find no account of its nesting, but great
numbers of young birds are exposed for sale in the Crawford Market,
Bombay, every hot season. The dealers say they come from the
ghats.
158.— THE SIND PIED WOODPECKER.
Picas sindianus, Gould.
This Woodpecker seems to be confined to Sind, where it is very
common in suitable places. It is a permanent resident, breeding
during March and April, laying its eggs iu holes in trees, which are
cut by the birds themselves.
The eggs, three in number, are glossy milk-white, and measure
0'85 inches in length by nearly 0*67 in breadth.
Hyderabad (Sind), March and April. II. E. Barnes.
Eastern Narra [Sind), 2nd April. S.Doig, Esq.
1 GO.— THE YELLOW-FRONTED WOODPECKER.
Picus maltraitcnsis, Lath.
The Yellow-fronted "Woodpecker is generally distributed through-
out the district, but is rare in Sind, where it is replaced to a great
extent by P. sindianus. It is a permanent resident, breeding during
February, March and April in holes which it cuts in trees. There
NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA. 15
is uo nest. The eggs, three in number, n,rc glossy milk-white oval?,
shaded delicate pink when fresh and unblown. They average 0*87
inches in length by nearly O'GS in breadth.
Deesa, March. II. E. Barnes.
Nassick and Khandesh, Feb. to April. J. Davidson* C. 8.
Baroda, Feb. to April. II, Litiledale, Esq.
104.— THE SOUTHERN PIGMY WOODPECKER.
Yungipicus nanus, Vig.
The Southern Pigmy Woodpecker occurs sparingly all along"
the Sahyadri range, where it is a permanent resident, breeding during-
February and March. It is exclusively a jurigic bird and rare,
except in the broken country b 'low the ghats.
In West Khandesh, where it is abundant, in one week in the
beginning of March, Mr. Davidson, C.S., took twenty nests. They were
almost all in thick branches, about 16 feet up a tree that had been
pollarded for rabi cultivation, and with two exceptions all contained
callow young on that date. It cuts a tiny hole in the side of a large
branch of a tree, which is generally more or less decayed. There
is no nest. The eggs, three or four in number, are glossy-white and
measure 0'67 inches in length by 0'5 in breadth.
W. Khandesh, March, nestlings. J. Davidson, C. S.
166 bis.— THE LARGE GOLDEN-BACKED WOODPECKER.
Chrysocolaptes delesserti, Malh.
The Woodpecker occurs not uncommonly all along the Sahyadri
range and adjacent forests. It is a permanent resident, and of
course breeds, but I cannot find any satisfactory account of its nesting.
It is said to breed from December to Februry in large holes, which
itcutsintruuks of trees, at various heights from the ground, laying
but a single egg, which is glossy white and of a broad oval shape.
107.— THE BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER.
Cliri/Jocula'pfes festiuus, Bodd.
This very handsome Woodpecker has been recorded from Ratuagiri
but is not common. It occurs, but very rarely on Mount Aboo and
the adjacent hills. Tt is fairly common throug;hout the ghats, both
in Nassick and Khandesh, also on the Satpooras. It cuts a very
16 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
large nest hole and breeds early, young, able to fly, having beeu
found in the Satpooras at Christmas.
It generally lays but one egg, but Mr. Davidson, C. S., on one
occasion obtained a young one and a rotten egg from the samo
nest (this was in March). It generally cuts several holes in the
tree on whieh it nests, as well as in the adjacent ones.
175.— THE SOUTHERN YELLOW-NECKED WOODPECKER.
Chrysocolaptes chlorig aster, Jcrd.
Occurs throughout the jungles in the Western Satpooras and iu
the northern part of the ghats, but is nowhere abundant. It is a
permanent resident, but the eggs do not appear to have been taken.
179.— THE MADRAS RUFOUS WOODPECKER,
Micro'pternus gularis, Jercl.
The Madras Rufous Woodpecker occurs along the Sahyadri range
and adjacent forests as far north at least as Khandalla. It is a
permanent resident, but I can find uo account of its nesting habits.
Several observers have noticed the fact of its head and tail boin<>-
generally smeared with resin, and also its habits of hammering
at ants' nests, in which most probably, like its northern congener,
M. plucoceps, it lays its eggg.
180.— THE GOLDEN-BACKED WOODPECKER,
Brachyplerniis aurantius, Lin.
The Golden-backed Woodpecker is very common throughout the
northern half of the prcsidensy. It is a permanent resident, breeding
from March to July, cutting its nest-hole in the trunk of a tree,
generally a mango or other soft-wouded one. The eggs, three in
number, are oval in shape, somewhat pointed at one end. They
measure I'll inches iu length by 0"8 in breadth, and are glossy
milk-white, with a delicate salmon tinge when fresh and unblown.
In the Deccan it appears to retire to the hills to breed.
Dcesa>S,"c.i April and May. H. E. Barnes.
181.— THE LESSER GOLDEN-BACKED WOODPECKER.
Braehypternus punciicollis, Malh,
This Woodpecker replaces the last in the south. Its nesting habits
are precisely similar.
NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA. 17
182.— THE S1ND -GOLDEN-BACKED WOODPECKER.
Brachypiernus dilulus, Bly.
This bird does not differ in any respect from B. auranlius, and
lias been rightly suppressed in most recent ornithological works.
There are several other Woodpeckers, occurring more or less
rarely, on the forest-clad hills of Western India, mostly in the south.
They are probably permanent residents, but of their nestings I can
find no record.
193 bis.— THE WESTERN GREEN 13ARBET.
Megalmma inomata, Wald.
The Western Green Barbet is not uncommon in the Satpoor and
Dang country below the ghats. It is very common at Aboo and in
the jungles of the Panch Mahals. Many observers have reported it
from the ghats, but there it is certainly less common than
M. viridis. It does not occur in Sind. It is a permanent resident,
breeding during March and April, drilling its nest-hole in a large
branch of some soft-wooded tree.
The eggs, three or four in number, are dullish-white in colour,
and measure P3 inches in length by about 0*9 in breadth.
Aboo, March to April, H, E. Barnes.
Satpoor as, March to April. J. Davidson, C. S.
194.— THE SMALL GREEN BARBET.
Megaloema viridis, Bodd.
The Small Green Barbet within our limits seems to be confined
to the Sahyadri range and adjacent forests.
It is a permanent resident, breeding from March to May, in the
manner usual to all the members of the group. The eggs, three or
four in number, are oval in shape, and measure I'l inches in length
by 0'86 in breadth.
] 97.— THE CRIMSON-BREASTED BxVRBET.
Xantholoema hcemacephala, P. L. Z. Mull.
The Cooper Smith is rare in Sind, but is very common in all other
parts of the Presidency. It is a permanent resident, breeding from
the end of February to about the middle of April. They select a
branch which, however sound it may appear externally, is always
decayed and hollow within. They cut a circular hole in this, ami al
3
38 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
the bottom of the hollow, often a considerable depth from the
opening, they deposit their eggs, making no nest. The eggs, three
in number, are long narrow ovals measuring nearly an inch in
length by about 0*7 in breadth. They are pure white.
199.— THE CUCKOO.
Guculus canorus, Lin.
I can find no authentic record of an egg of the Cuckoo having
been found within our limits, but I have no doubt of its breeding
freely on Mount Aboo and other wooded hills in Western India as
I, in common with other observers, have procured young birds that
must have been bred in the vicinity. Mr. Davidson, C.S., says that
old birds pass through Dhulia in Khandesh in June, at which time
they call vigorously, and in the Satpooras in July a dozen may be
heard calling in a morning. Again in August and September,
numbers, both young and. old, pass through Dhulia southwards,
showing that they must have been bred in the Satpooras at that
time.
203.— THE INDIAN CUCKOO.
Cuculus mieropf.erus, Gould,
Is found throughout the ghats from May to August, and its
metallic cry can be heard from a considerable distance. It is a shy
bird and undoubtedly breeds at this time.
205.— THE COMMON HAWK CUCKOO
Hierococcyx varius, Valil.
Is a permanent resident in the northern portion of Khandesh, and
occurs in Nassick at the end of the hot weather and during the rains.
It appears to lay frequently in the nests of the various Babblers,
as eggs and young have been taken from them in the month of July
by Mr. Davidson, C.S.
212.-THE PIED CRESTED CUCKOO.
Goccystes jacobinas, Bodd.
The Pied Crested Cockoo is a monsoon visitant, and occurs more
or less commonly throughout the district, but is much more abundant
towards the north, becoming comparatively rare in the south. It
breeds soon after its arrival, placing its egg as a rule in a nest of
one of the malacocerci*
* Oapt. Sadler look an egg Erom a nest of Iora zci/lonica during the rains at Baroda.
NESTING IN. WESTERN INDIA. 19
The eggs, I cannot say how many are laid, are glossy spotless blue
in colour, darker or lighter in different specimens, They are roundish
ovals in shape, measuring 094 inches in length by 0*73 in breadth.
The eggs can be distinguished from those of the Bush Babbler
by their spherical shape, and from those of the other Malacocerci
by their smaller size, but the only really authentic specimens are
those extracted from the oviduct of the female. A single egg, as a
rule, is laid in each nest, but Mr. Littledale once found two Cuckoo
eggs and one Babbler's in the same nest, but this was an exception,
and I am not aware of any other collector meeting with the same
luck.
The eggs of the rightful owner of the nest are not destroyed by
the parent Cuckoo, but as the young Cuckoo is the sole occupant
of the nest, he probably makes away with his nest fellows as soon as
they are hatched.
Mhou; October. H. E. Barnes,
Deesa, June to August.
Hyderabad (Sind), August. „
214.— THE KOEL.
Eudynamis honor ata, Lin.
With the exception of Sind, where it is rare, the Koel is very com-
mon. It is usually a seasonal visitant only, but in some districts it
appears to be a resident. They lay their eggs in the nests of the
Common Crow, usually one in a nest, occasionally two, but I once
found three, but as these eggs differ from each other, they were
probably the produce of different birds. Mr. Davidson, C. S., on one
occasion found four eggs in a crow's nest, evidently from the markings
the eggs of two birds, but this was late in the year, after the Koel's
eggs had been persistently taken, and the number of crows which
had not hatched off was very few.
Mr. Littledale also found four eggs in a nest, vide B. N. H. S.
Journal, p. 32, No. 2, Vol. I.
I have never found the crow eggs broken, but others have ; in these
cases, I believe the eggs to have been broken accidentally. The visit
of the female Koel to the nest is a hurried one, and when her presence
is detected by the crows, her departure is still more so, and eggs
are fragile.
20 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
There can be no doubt that the young koel ejects the young crows
from the nest, as I once found the latter on the ground, under a tree*
in which was a crow's nest, that on examination was found to be
occupied by a solitary nestling koel. The eggs vary much both iu
colour and size ; pale sea-green, oily-green, dull olive-green, and
dingy stone coloured varieties all occur. The markings are olive,
reddish-brown, and dull-purple. They average 1*2 inches in length
by 0*92 in breadth.
216.-THE SMALL GREEN-BILLED MALKOHA.
Rliovodytes viridirostris, Jerd.
Within our limits the Small Green-billed Malkoha seems to be
confined to the extreme south, where it is said to be a not uncommon
permanent resident.
Mr. Davidson, C. S., got a nest from Malwa in July containing
two eggs, vide Bombay Gazetteer, 1880.
217.— THE COMMON COUCAL.
Ceutrococeyx rufipennis, III.
The Common Coucal or Crow Pheasant is abundaut throughout
the district, with the exception of Sind, where it is replaced by the
closely allied C. maximus. It is a permanent resident, breeding
from May to August, making a large, irregular, globular-shaped
nest, generally domed. The materials used in its construction are
sticks, twigs, grass, &c. It is placed in the centre of a thorny
thicket or high up in a tree. In the former position it is well
hidden, but in the latter it is more conspicuous, but not always easy
to get at. The eggs, usually three in number, are broad, white,
chalky ovals, rather pointed at both ends, measuring l-43 inches in
length by rather less than T17 in breadth.
217 quints.— THE SIND COUCAL.
Ceutrococeyx maximus, Hume.
This bird is a common permanent resident near Hyderabad and
other parts of Sind, where it takes the place of G. rufipennis, breed-
ing about the same time, in the same manner, and laying precisely
similar eggs.
Hyderabad (Sind), July to Sept. H. E. Barnes.
Narra {Sind}, June to July. S. Doig, Esq.
A CREEK OF THE KONKAN. 21
219.— THE SOUTHERN SIRKEER.
Taccocua Uschenaulti, Less.
Within oui- limits the Southern Sirkeer seems restricted to the
south-west, extending as far north as Khandalla. It is a permanent
resident, and Mr. Vidal, C. S., obtained eggs, but I can obtain no
description of them.
220.— THE BENGAL SIRKEER.
Taccocua sirliee, J. E. Gr.
Excluding that portion of the Presidency south of Bombay, and
perhaps the province of Siud in the north, the Bengal Sirkeer is
fairly common in the remaining portion of the district.
It is a permanent resident, breeding from May to August, making
its nest in a fork in some thick bush or densely foliaged tree. It is
a large flatfish structure, composed ot twigs, lined with green leaves.
The effo-s, two or three in number, are exact miniatures of those of
the Crow Pheasant. They measure P39 inches in length by about
1*01 in breadth.
W. Khandesh, May. J. Davidson, C. S.
222.— THE CENTRAL INDIAN SIRKEER.
Taccocuat affinis, Bly.
I must confess to a great amount of scepticism regarding this
bird's title to specific distinction, but Captain Butler records it as
"not common in Sind," so it ought to find a place in this paper.
I met with it at Saugor in the Central Provinces, when I obtained
a nest containing a single egg ; this I left undisturbed, expecting to
obtain a full clutch, but the bird forsook the nest. This egg does
not differ from those of T. sirkee, except that it is a trifle larger.
A CREEK OF THE KONKAN.
By W. F. Sinclair, C.S.
{Read at the Society's Meeting on the 10th Feb. 1889.)
I BAVJ2 to describe to you a voyage on a creek of tho Konkan ; that
is, on the estuary of one of the numerous rivers rising in the ghats,
or between them and Arabian Sea, and flowing westward into that
sea. These arc, throughout the Konnkan south of Bombay, the main
22 BOMBAY NATUKAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
highways of heavy traffic. The tides, flowing not only np and down
the creeks, but up and down the coast, are as good as two slow
trains a day each way ; and the usual alternation of land and sea
breezes tends still further to facilitate the fine-weather coasting
traffic.
The waters which I have chosen to illustrate to-day are those of
the great Janjira fiord and of its northern branch, the Malati Creek,
which is the mouth of a small and nameless stream rising in the
Habsan plateau. Suppose that we are standing early on a cold
weather morning at the bottom of a saucer-shaped valley in this
plateau, perhaps five miles across. All round the hills rise to nearly
a thousand feet above us, their summits usually hog-backed or flab,
their flanks sloping and thickly timbered. A couple of exceptional
crags show the ruins of old-time fortresses against the sky. The
bottom of the saucer is cleared and cultivated, and in its very centre
is a patch of salt marsh, partly covered with mangrove scrub. Into
this projects a little rocky point, on which is our position.
The in-coming tide of the creek at its foot, and a couple of coast-
ing craft loading up with fuel for Bombay, are the only signs of the
neighbourhood of the sea, which is, indeed, nearly twenty miles
away by the course. Off the landing place our own boat is lying
ready, and the dinghy comes ashore for us. For in these creeks it
is good navigation to get over the shallowest water against the last
of the flood, and we have less than an hour left of that. Wo draw
only three feet ; the coasters, which draw six, are beneaped ; that
is, they must wait for a spring tide to get away.
That you may understand what follows, I must describe the party.
The captain, fully clothed after his fashion, squats in the very stern
to steer. Four men are at the oars amidships, and two forward use
long bamboo poles, much more efficient things in shallow currents.
These are got up like the gentleman in Midshipman Easy, on the
principle of duty before decency. A clout, a cap, and a knife (hung
round his neck) is the outfit of each ; whereof we shall presently
see the reason. For the purpose of destruction wo require a couple
of sporting griffins, who are posted one on each bow, with strict
injunctions to keep the muzzles of their guns out board ; and the
courteous stranger is invited to take his seat aft beside the commander
of the expedition, who has now the honour to address you. Lastly,
the ever-useful Don Domingo is busy making coffee over three sticks,
A CREEK OF THE KONKAN. 23
burning in a little box full of sand. There is no awning, it would be
much in the way, and afloat the direct rays of the sun are weakened
by tho rising though invisible vapour, and less dangerous than
those reflected from tho surface, which seem to burn through the
eye into the brain. Against these wo are armed with smoky
spectacles, but don't want them so early in the morning, for our
voyage is Westward Ho !
As we push slowly down against the flood, we meet a shoal of grey
mullet playing and jumping, and the boys quarrel as to whether or
no they are salmon-trout, but are told that there are no trout
in India, and to keep their eyes open and mouth shut. Presently
a crack opens in the edge of our saucer, and we head south-west-
ward through a wooded gorge, the bottom of which, not half a
mile wide, is chiefly occupied by the creek and its mangrove
swamps. The neap-tide has failed to cover a little sandy islet,
and on it a dozen grey and white birds, rather larger than snipe, sit
still and close together. As we come up, they fidget and rise, and
in an instant the gunner on that side lets fly at them. A couple fall
nearly ahead of the boat ; we steer for one and pick it up with a
landing net, and a man jumps over board and retrieves the other.
Tho griffin who has not shot them, rebukes his fellow griff for
shooting " snippets," who retorts that they are just as hard to
shoot as "snipe" and "A vis sapidissima in patina."
He has not much Latin, this boy ; the other has none, but
refuses to consider himself shut up, and appeals to the quarterdeck.
Wo find that one bird is a red shank and the other a green shank.
Both are large sandpipers of the genus Totanus, and have been
waiting on the bank for the ebb. Most shore birds, and especially
the sandpipers and dwarf plovers, have this habit, feeding alone
or in small and scattered flocks on the foreshore, and packing for
repose at high water. Both of our birds are good for the pot, as
implied in their slayer's Latin tag.
As wo pass on, we find on similar banks several small flocks of
curlews, and what our men call young curlews, and so they look,
but they rise with a single sharp note, often and quickly repeated,
wrhich marks them for whimbrel, a smaller bird and more delicate
eating. The tide is now with us, and the water has widened and
deepened so we get in the oars and hosit the sails to the morning
land wind, keeping on the outside curve of the stream, where the
water is deepest and we can steer pretty close to the mangroves.
24 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
These, by the way, are true mangroves, very different from the small-
leafed, greyish Avicennia of Bombay harbour. Their great stacks
of roots are hidden by the flood-tide, but the laurel-like leaf and
heavy scent of the flowers filling the air of the creek distinguish
them at once.
There are lots of small birds flattering indistinguishable in the
trees, and on the outer boughs every here and there a blue kingfisher.
Our griffins prepare to make war upon these, talking about hats ; but
we disapprove of killing pretty little birds to put in hats, and check
them, observing that there is fitter game ahead, where the glasses
show a snake-bird, which looks almost white in the morning sun, the
sign of plumage in good condition. As the boat closes with him, he
rises and flies off before her ; the gunners grumble, and are told to
hold their tongues and wait a minute ; sure enough, about half
a mile ahead the bird turns and comes back almost over the
boat. A couple of men have already slipped into the dinghy astern
with a landing net, and as they hear the shot, slip the painter,
while the sail-trimmers jump to their feet and put the boat under
bare poles in an instant, and the stern grapnel goes overboard
with a splash.
The bird is only winged, and the chase would be a long one, but
he has foolishly dived with the ebb tide and comes up near enough
to the boat for a second shot to catch him in the head and neck,
and in a minute more he is in the landing net, the grapnel coming
up and the sails coming down. The shot has put up a flock of teal
a mile ahead, which wheel about a little and then settle, as the
bowman observes, just where we got a couple two years ago, in
a back water behind a little island. As we come down outside,
we anchor, man the dinghy, and send a gunner ashore to stock
them there, and he gets a couple. Meanwhile Domingo has done
skinning the snake-bird, and the handsome scapular plumes are
pressed between two old cigar-box boards lashed with twine, the
rest going over board to be presently picked up by a brahminy-
kite that has been following us. He can hardly lift the carcase,
but at last manages to strand it on an island.
Here the creek opens into a triangular lake, with sides of about
a mile each, and we fall in with a couple of fishing canoes, and
chuck a rupee into one of them. Thereupon the fisherman begins
to chuck mullet aboard us till it is clear that the supply exceeds the
demand, and we call out to '"vast heaving" It is getting near
A CREEK OF THE KONKAN. 25
breakfast time, and the mullet come in handy, so the gunners are
-called aft and the meal cooked and served — a trifle roughly perhaps.
Suddenly, while every one is busy with his plate, there is a
tremendous rush in the air and splash in the water not half a cable
off. One's first idea is that of a bolt fallen from the blue; but
before the spray has well got back to the surface, an osprey emerges
from it with a two-pound mullet in his claws and sails off to an islet,
where his breakfast-table lias been established for many generations.
As the boat rounds it, the scene is extremely beautiful. A new
lake, near six miles long and four wide, opens before us, the shore
still mountainous and well wooded, the islands covered with
mangrove. The wind has now shifted to the westward, and the
boat is close-hauled, but makes good way with the help of the
ebb. Tbe gunners have not gone forward after breakfast ; but
presently there is some stir and muttering in the bows, and the word
is passed aft ot " Rohis," that is flamingoes. Sure enough the
field glass shows a flock of large, white birds swimming in deep
water nearly a mile ahead, and the boat goes about twice to get a
good weather-gauge of them —always necessary in sailing to birds.
We get out a rifle, for it is likely enough that they will not allow
us within small -shot range, and at about eighty yards they close
together and rise in a cloud, but one falls to the double shot, and is
presently aboard and being admired as he deserves. Not only is
he strange in shape and beautiful in colour, but a very good bird
for the tabb, being, it must be remembered, simply a great
outlandish goose.
We have now a head wind and but little left of the ebb tide that
has favoured us so far. The canvas dinghy is folded up and hauled
aboard and oars got out to windward, and although the noxt islet
shows us a group of oyster catchers on its rocky beach, and a family
of otters are diving and playing at the edge of the mangrove swamp,
the guns are covered and stowed away. As we round the next
point leaving the lake behind there comes into sight ahead a great
black mass of towers and walls standing sheer out of the creek and
beyond it a water horizon, and we run up our tiny flag. It is ten
to one if the fortmen can see its colours at all ; but our sail is of a
cut unusual in these waters, and presently there is a movement
visible on one of the towers, a great flag rises slowly on its halyards,
and a puff of smoke hides tower and flag for a moment, to be followed
by another and another, until we have got our proper greeting.
4
26 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
It is a voice out of the past, for the guns that spoke it bear the
initials and crown of C. R. S., that is Carolus Rex Succire, and the
date 1665 ; and the fortress itself is the island of Janjira, and we are
here in touch with the ] 7th century. But if I were to tell you of
all the other things that are to be seen hero and hereabouts, we
should, I think, be in touch with the 20th before the end of the
chapter; so for the present I must stop.
OUR IIYMENOPTERA.
By Robert C. Wroughton.
The principal object of this paper is to try to awaken an interest
in a group of insects, mostly small and with little in their appear-
ance to catch the eye ; but regarding which nevertheless it is the
simple truth to say that of the living inhabitants of this earth they
rank next to ourselves in point of intelligence. The wonderful
instincts of the Honey Bee are common property, and we all know
that some kinds of ants keep slaves, while others herd cows ; but
many points in the habits of even the common house ants are
mysteries still, and of the ways of the countless Wasps, Ichneumons,
Mason Bees, Leaf-cutters, and others of the tribe which swarm
about our houses, and build their mud huts on the walls, or take
possession of key-holes, and rear their families under our very eyes,
we know absolutely nothing at all. It is not tint you and I know
nothing : nobody does. About the great majority of these insects
nothing has ever been recorded. It would be a lasting glory to
this Society if we could give the world some account of the habits
and life-history of our local species, and it would be a lasting
source of delight to every individual member to got once for all
thoroughly interested in such a subject ; but at the outset there
is a difficulty which deters us all, a barrier which few have the
means or the leisure to surmount. It is this, that if wo make a
collection, we cannot name our specimens, and if we make observa-
tions, we cannot record our facts without names. The classi-
fication of the Indian Hymenoptera is a pathless waste, without a
book to light us through it, or a museum to which we can go for
guidance. In these circumstances there is only one thing to be
OUR HYMENOPTERA. 27
done. We must get together a collection of our own, arranged and
named, to which each private collector may go to compare and
name his specimens, with this object I have been working for some
years, and with the help of friends have gathered together about 500
species, which are roughly classified and a few of them named.
Alarge number have been sent to England and will soon return,
I hope, with their baptismal certificates : the rest are in a cabinet
in this room. What I ask for now is help — help in collecting speci-
mens and help in collecting facts. Specimens may be pinned, and
kept in corked boxes, like butterflies, or popped into spirits, or
put into a small bottle with dry sawdust (which typifies the classi-
fication). Facts to be of any value, must be accompanied by the'
insect to which they refer. What I should like most is to see many
of our members making collections for themselves, and I need not
say how glad I should be to give them any help in my power. One
department of the subject which I specially commend tolady mem*-
bers is the keeping and rearing of ants. Ant houses are easily
made, and Sir John Lubbock's well known book will give many
hints on the management of these pets.
I will now ask your attention to a very sketchy account of the
classificatiou of the order of insects called Hymenoptera, which may
serve as pegs on which to hang a few notes about each principal
group. I am afraid yeu will find the subject dry : I cannot make it
otherwise ; but even the pegs on which we hang our clothes are dry.
Insects, or the ' insecta,' as now recognised, are distinguished by
having in the perfect state only 2 antenna), only G legs, and the body
divided into 3 parte, viz., head, thorax and abdomen.
As a rule the life history of an insect comprises four stages, viz., 1st)
the egg, 2nd the larva, 3rd the pupa, 4th the imago. These stages-
are sometimes very sharply distinct as in the butterflies, sometimes
indistinct, though traceable, as in the Grasshoppers, while sometimes-
they are completely lost as in the mysterious parthenogenesis of
the Aphidae. As a rule insects in the imago stage are winged,
but there are many exceptions to the rule of which the workers
among the ants and the domestic flea are familiar examples, the
latter too familiar. More than a century ago Linnaeus basing his
classification mainly on the character of the wings, divided the
insecta into 7 orders, viz.: —
1. Coleoptera, or sheath-winged, i. c, Beetles.
2. Newoptera3ov nerve-winged, i. e., Dragon flie3, white ants, &e.
28 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
3. Hymenoptera, or parchment-winged, i. e., Bees, wasps, ants.
&c.
4. Lepidoptera, or scaly-winged , i. e., Butterflies and moths.
5. Hemiptera, or half-winged, e. e., Bugs, aphidas, &c.
C. Diptera, or two-winged, i. e., Flies.
7. Aptera, or no- winged, i. e., Fleas.
Though many changes and additions have since been proposed at
various times, yet the generally accepted classification now is the
same, in nomenclature at least, as that of Linnaeus, except that the
Aptera have been absorbed into the Diptera, and a new order,
Orthoptera, or straight-winged, has been added, immediatley follow-
ing the Coleoptera, to contain the grasshoppers, locusts, crickets,
cockroaches, Mantidce, Phasmldce, &c, which Linuaeus included,
along with the bugs, in his Hemiptera.
Kirby estimates that out of 222,000 species of insects known as
inhabiting the world, the Hymenoptera comprise 31,000, rankingthird
on the list after Coleoptera with 97,000 and Lepidoptera with 45,000.
The chief distinguishing characters of the Hijmenojytera are: —
1. Four apparently naked wings, with few veins (hence the
name from i^v^ parchment).
2. Mouth furnished with both mandibles and a proboscis.
3. Female furnished with an ovipositor often modified into
a sting.
4. Larva*, usually footless, pupae inactive.
The Hymenoptera are primarily divided into two sub-orders, viz. :—
Terebrantia, in which the female is armed with an ovipositor.
Aculeata, in which the ovipositor is modified into a sting.
The Terebrantia are again sub-divided into two groups, viz : —
Pit y topi tag a, or vegetable eaters,
Entomophaga, or insect eaters.
The word " eaters," however, does not refer to the imago or perfect
insect, but to the larva or grub form.
We may dismiss briefly the Terebrantia plujtophaga, which
comprise only two families, the Tcnthridinidce and Siricidce. In the
former the larvae feed exposed on the leaves of trees like the cater-
pillars of butterflies, while in the latter they bore in the wood. We
have no specimens of either in our collection. The Siricidai are
chiefly confined to Pine foi*ests, so we may well have none in Bombay,
but as regards the Tenthfidinidcv, though none have been found, it
does not follow that there are none.
OUR HYMENOPTERA. 29
The first family of the Terebrantia entomophaga is the Cynipidce.
They are for the most part microscopic insects, and the very large
majorit}' of those described are gall producers. " Apples of Sodom"
and " Robin's pincushion " at home are the work of cynips, while
the ink gall of commerce is the handiwork of au exotic species. No
one has worked the Bombay, or indeed to any extent the Indian
Cynipidce, so that for any of our members with leisui'e and a turn for
microscopic research there is a grand field. It is a most interesting
family, many of the species being dimorphous, and their reproduc-
tion nearly, if not quite, as complex as that of the Aphides.
The galls of the Cynipidce are said to be often much infested by
insects of the next family, viz., the Chalcididw. We have speci-
mens of a few species, but as in the Cynipidce, very many are
extremely minute. Of the specimens in the Society's collection, No.l
(Leucospis atra) Avas brod from pupae of the commom Bombay but-
terfly, Delias eucharis. Another is parasitic on a small Mason Bee,
which may be found during the rains in the Dekhan busy constructing
its nest in the holes and cracks of every wall, and lately I have reared
a large species from the nest of a wasp (R. litidulum).
The next family, the Ichneumonidce, is a very large one, no less
than 1,200 species having been described by one European writer.
A very large proportion are probably parasitic on the larvae of
various Lepidoptvra, but no observations as to the life history of Indian
species have been recorded : indeed few, if any, seem to have been
named. At any rate some of the commonest in the Society's
collection when sent home to the British Museum were said to be
undescribed.
The Braconidce are a small family which has lately been separated
from the last, the differential character being chiefly the comparative
length of the various antennal joints, and the soldering together
of the 2nd and 3rd fragments of the abdomen in the Braconidce.
Some of the Braconidce are very minute, and are parasitic on the
Aphidce-
The Evaniidce, or at any rate the commoner species of the family,
are parasitic on the cockroach. E. Iceuigate in our collection is a
very common Bombay insect, haunting our bathrooms, and a most
extraordinary looking insect it is; the abdomen is very small and
attached by a pedicle, or stalk, appareutly to the nape of the neck.
The last family of the Terebrantia is the Chrysididce. By some it
has been proposed to form it into a distinct group under the nam©
30 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
of Tuhuliferec , but this view has not been generally accepted. The
Chrysididee are known as Ruby-tailed Flies, Emerald Wasps, &c.
Some of the European species are a lovely rose or flame colour.
We have a great number of specimens in our collection, but their
classification, even into genera, is very obscure. The Chrysididee
are all parasitio, ordinarily on other hymenoptera, the solitary Mason
Wasps being specially victimized. In order to provide for their
young they resort to "lurking-house trespass." The ichneumons
by means of their ovipositors pierce the skin of the victimized larvse
in whose body the eggs are laid and on whom the ichneumon larvae,
wheu hatched, prey. The Chrysididee act quite differently. The
female hunts about until she finds, say, a wasp building its mud nest,
and there she sits down to wait. I have watched the manoeuvres of
a chrysis during nearly an hoar. Each time the wasp quitted the
nest to seek more building material, chrysis advancad rapidly to take
stock of progress made, retiring each time to her lurking place
about six inches off. At last the wasp had completed her nest and
put the finishing touches, and started off to search for the larvas
with which it was to be provisioned. This time chrysis, after enter-
ing and surveying the nest, came out, but instead of returning to her
lurking place, she backed into the newly-made nest, and no doubt,
laid her egg after which she came out and flew away. When a
chrysis has thus laid her egg' in a newly-finished nest, it is unsus-
piciously provisioned by the builder who also lays her eggs therein.
The larva of chrysis, however, hatches first and consumes all the
provision, and the rightful occupant thus dies of starvation, and the
cell which should have produced a wasp produces a chrysis.
The second sub-order, viz., the Aculeeda (or Stingers) is divided
into four groups or main divisions, viz.: —
1. Heterogyna containing the ants.
2. Fossores (Diggers), containing all the rest, except
3. Diploptera, i. e., the Wasps.
4. Anthophila, i. e., the Bees.
The Heterogyna comprise only the Formicidce or ants, and are
divided into the following three families : —
1. Formicinw, which are ants proper and have no sting, but
many of which bite severely, as, for example, the common red, 2Fco-~
-phila smaragdina, who sews up mango leaves for a habitation, and
seem* to be able intuitively to select for attack the softest part of
any person invading his haunts. The common big black ant of
OUR IIYMENOTTERA. 31
our bungalows (Camponotus ardeus) (with liis country cousins
sylvaticiis and callidus), as well as his deadly enemy the small black
ant, whose name I do not know, but who seems to spring in hun-
dreds from nowhere when sugar has been left about, are all
Formicina. To which, also belong the ants which at Mabaleshwar,
Matheran, &c, trace out white paths on the ground.
2. Ponerince, which like the Formicince, have only one node, or
knot, on the abdominal stalk, but they sting most severely. There
do not seem to be very many species of Ponerince. The common
species is a large insect living under stones in comparatively small
communities. Its sting is quite as severe as that of a bee.
3. Myrmecince, which are very numerous. They have two nodes
on the abdominal stalk. To the Myrmecince belong all the various
kinds which harvest grass seed ; also the ant which, living under
ground, raises concentric mud rings round the mouth of its nest'
In another species of the Myrmecince, common enough in the
Konkan, the workers are very miuute, but the queen is a compara-
tively gigantic insect, being f in. long. This species has at least two
classes of "soldiers" of different sizes, the smallest of which would
make half a dozen of the miuute workers. As far as I have been
able to discover, this species is stone-blind ; in fact, as far as the
worker is concerned, has no eyes.
I have seen a column of these ants in course of migration. A
number of workers went ahead and budt a covered way or tunnel
in which the main body travelled, dragging with them dead earth-
worms, beetles, &c. It was curious to notice that in this commis-
sariat-transport work a willing hand was lent by the smaller-sized
soldiers. When, however, I broke down the tunnel, a halt was called,
and parties of workers set to work to repair the damage, but as
this manual labour, though fussing about a great deal, the soldiers
were too proud to assist. The larger soldiers were evidently purely
fighters, for they did not help even in the transport of provisions.
I believe this ant to be a species of the genus Pheidolor.
There is another insect very common in Bombay, and which in its
female or queen form swarms about the lamps at certain seasons.
It is a palish brown ant, with a large unwieldy body. It belongs
to the J)orylidce, as to whose place among the hj/menoptera there
does not seem to be unanimity of opinion. While some place it
as a distinct sub-division of the Heterogyna, some go to the other
extreme and class it with the Ponerince.
82 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
It is not necessary to tell the members of this learned Society
thrvt the ants are social, living together in large communities. Each
community consists of females or queens, males, and workers
(which are undeveloped females). In some species there is a fourth
class, viz., the soldiers, which, like the workers, are modified females.
The female ants have got the name of queens, I imagine, from the
analogy of the bees. In an ants' nest, however, there are a number
of queens, and from the researches of Sir J. Lubbock and others,
it appears that ants have not acquired the art of " manufacturing ;*
queens at pleasure, as the bees are known to do. An ant community
consists principally of workers with, in some species, a proportion
of soldiers. Certainly in some species, and probably in all, however,
there are seasons of the year when there are queens, while, as far
as 1 know, in all species the males are found in the nest only just
before the nuptial flight, from which they do not return. The
queens and males are at first winged, but at the conclusion of the
nuptial flight the queens lose their wings. I have seen it stated
that the queen having lost her wings wanders about until she is
found by workers of her species, who take charge of her and com-
mence the building up of a new community. It may be so with
some species, but Sir. J. Lubbock's experiments give little support
to this theory, and I have more than once found a queen of
Camponotus callidus unattended by workers and brooding over a
small number of pupa?, no doubt the product of eggs laid by her
and the germ of h new community.
We commence the next group of the Acidoata with the Mutillidce.
They are often called "solitary ants," from supposed resemblance
in the shape of the female to a huge ant. The female mutilla is
wingless, ordinarily covered with down, and usually gorgeously
coloured with rings and spots of gold, silver, or crimson on a brown
or black ground. The male on the other hand is usually dull coloured,
and is winged. A very great number of species have been
described and named, but in a very great majority of cases only the
male or the female of each species is known, aud there is no doubt
that with further investigation nearly half these species must be
merged iu the other half. Very little seems to be known of the life
history of mutilla. The general opinion seems to he that the female
makes burrows in sandy soil, provisioning her nest with flies. I feel
certain and hope shortly to have convincing proof that some at least
of our Mutillidce are parasitic, nut by ineaus of lurking house-tres-
OUR HYMENOPTERA. 33
pass, like the Chrysididce. but by burglary on the mud nests of other
■enoptera.
The next family, the Scoliidca, is represented by specimens of a
good many species in our collection, but my attempts to investigate
their life history have all failed. The closely allied Thymidce are
almost exclusively American.
The BembecidcB comprise very few species. At first sight they
may be mistaken for wasps, which they much resemble in their
colouring, the illusion being increased by the fact that they are
gregarious. They are not however social. Each female digs her own
burrow, and a very pretty sight it is. She works exactly like a
terrier dog, loosening the soil with her fore feet and mandibles,
dragging it backwards to the entry, and then kicking it out with
her hind legs in showers to a distance of some inches. The com-
monest of our BenibecidcBi B. sulphurescens, stores her nest with
Dipt era, and probably others do the same. I have never seen the
capture of the prey by Bambex, but as her flight is most powerful
it cannot be a very difficut task.
The Pompilidos comprise a good many species, but their habits
are not well known, I have seen the smaller ones carrying spiders,
dragging them backwards, but have no idea what the larger kinds
employ to provision their nests. Some of the species of Mygnirrda
are the largest among the Ilyrneiiopterce.
In the family of the Sphegidee are included genera of widely
divergent shapes. Pelopocns, commonly known as the Sand Wasp,
is a very common form. Two species [Bengahnsis, dark blue, and
Madraspatanus , banded black and yellow,) are familiar to every
Indian resident. They build mud cells in all sorts of odd positions
in our rooms, which they ordinarily stock with spiders, though
sometimes with cater pi liars • Madraspatanus takes great precau-
tions against parasites, closing the entry to her completed cell with
a mud disc made for the purpose, but shows want of intelligence
in not using the disc a second time. Several discarded discs may
always be found below her nest. I speak from a man's point of view:
possibly she could give a satisfactory explanation of her proceedings,
and unfortunately we cannot get her opinion of the operations of
our P. W, D. It is noteworthy that I have never suceeded in
breeding chrysis from a nest of Pehpceus, and I thought that they
were proof against all but microscopic parasites ( ? Chalcididce)
until quite lately I caught a species of mutilla on a nest of Pelo-
5
34 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
'pceus, and on removing the nesb found each cell had been brokeD
into, by mutilla no doubt, in order to lay her eggs, for about
the same time from a nest of Pelopmus received from Madras I
reared a mutilla of a closely allied species. Ammcpliila may often
be seen carrying large green caterpillars, twice her own size, and
Chlorion huge crickets. All the 8phegidm bury the insects alive in
their nests, having first paralysed them by stinging them, and in this
way provide a supply of fresh meat for their offspring. Some stress
has been laid on the high development of instinct involed in the
practice, for it is stated that to be effectual the sting must penetrate
a nerve centre. I confess I should like more evidence to show that
a sting in any part of the body would not be equally effectual.
The remaining families of the Fossores, viz., Larridcc, N'yssonidwt
Crabronidcv, and Philcmthidce, contain mostly small insects.
Some of them make their own burrows, while some I believe utilize
any suitable hole or cervice. Very little or nothing however is
recorded of our Indian species. Flies, gnats, aphides are recorded
as stored by English species, and some of the larger Philanthidce
are said to destroy great numbers of bees.
The next group of the Aculeutce is the Diplopfera or Wasps, the
most striking character of which, as shown by the name, is the
longitudinal folding of the wings in repose. A very large proportion
of the solitary wasps are included in the family of the Eumenulce.
The genus Eumenes seems to me to be more persecuted by parasites
than any other of the Hymenoptera. In the local vernacular they
are known as " Kumbharin/' from their habit of building mud nests.
These they store with caterpillars, as far as I know always green,
and always of the Geouiit )■/ dee , common]y known as "stick cater-
pillars.*' Eit/menes seems to be rather muddle-headed in her architec-
ture. She usually commences by building a shapely enough cell, like
the common native earthen pot, but usually proceeds to surround this
with others sloping at all angles, and if not disturbed, renders the
whole building as shapeless as possible by an irregular layer of
mud put on at random. The idea of thus assimilating her nest to
a handful of mud thrown against a wall is a good one, but to an
ordinary mortal it would seem simpler to build roughly and irregularly
from the first. When the nest is built on a white background it is
almost invariably ornamented (?), as a finishing touch, with streaks
of chunaui. Is this meant to make the mud ball less visible ? If
so, why not completely white-.vash it? Are these precautionary
OUR HYMENOPTER.V. 35
measures adopted against mortals or against insect parasites ? It is
a curious fact that nests built on glass are always streaked with
white, hence glass is apparently white to the eyes of Ewmenes. I
have said that Eumenes is much parasited. Here is a by no means
abnormal instance. I took a nest of eleven cells. Three cells yielded
each, a beetle, three yielded each a chrysis, two yielded each, a swarm
of flies and three only yielded Eumenes. The beetle I mentioned
above has been identified for me by the authorities of the Indian
Museum at Calcutta as belono-mo- to the Mordellidce and as allied
to a European species which is a parasite on one of the European
Diploptera. Whence this race antagonism ? Another genus of
EumenidcB is Mhynchinm, of which a brown species is very
common about our rooms and makes mud cells, not building like
Jiumenes, but adapting holes and crevices of wood work, &c. A
black species, Nilididum, frequents cur verandahs and builds
her nest like Eumenes. The cells remind one of the old nursery
pictures of Ali Baba's oil jars, and are built in clusters of 20 or 30 or
jnore, the material is mud, and the whole is covered with a dark-
coloured sticky varnish, possibly intended to keep off parasites. If
so it is a failure. The Social Wasps, or Vesjndce, are represented
chiefly by three genera, viz., Icaria, Polities and Vespa. Icaria best
represents what we naturally picture to ourselves as a" wasp," except
that they have not the striped look of our English vespa. There are a
•good many species which all build ' brown paper" nests. Usually
these are of small sizes and are supported on a stalk, but one species
arranges the cells so as to form a long tapering nest a foot and more
-in length. The principal representatives of Polistes is MehraiXs,
which is not unlike our English hornet in shape, and is pale yellow
with black stripes. Hebrceus lives in immense communities, and
when in possession of a bungalow rapidly becomes a nuisance. Of
.Vespa we have two forms, viz., the common, Vespa cinta, and Yespa
indica, who gradually takes his place as we move north to the
Punjab. Cincta is the big dark brown wasp with a bread yellow
band, which may be seen in numbers about sweetmeat-sellers' shops.
Cincta is said to loot the pupas from the nest of other Vesvidce, but
I confess in my mind he is always connected with a tray of " dudh-
pendis," "jelebis,," &c, in the hands of a very dirty retail sweetmeat-
seller. Among tho Vespidce as with the ants there are three orders
or estates, the queens, the males and the workers, but among
the Vespidcc all classes arc winged.
36 BOMBAY' NATUBAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
I feel that I can drop tbe apologetic tone at length ay hen I
ask your attention to the last group of the Aculeata, viz., the
Antliophila or Bees. The Andrenidtc are solitary species of small
size and dull colouring. Many of them nest in crevices of walls,
hut some burrow in the ground. Unless looked for most of the
species are likely to pass unnoticed. The Apiclcc, in addition to the
social honey bees of the genus Apis, contain a number of solitary
genera. Megachile comprises a great number of species, some of
which are very common. M. lanata may be heard humming about
the room at almost any time of the year. She builds a tube of
mud, which is divided off into cells, each containing an egg and
a supply of " bread." This tubular nest is put in the
most extraordinary places, inside a boot left unworn for a
couple of days, among clothes exposed on a shelf, in a
gun barrel, in a shell, between books on shelf, &c, &c.
Some of the Megachile lino their mud tubes with a membrane
evolved out of themselves, but many use cuttings of leaves which are
made neatly into cigarettes, and fitted into burrows in the ground.
Though solitary, Megachile is said to be sometimes gregarious.
Be that as it may, Xylocapa, the Carpenter Bee, is almosl
always gregarious. The large holes so often seen in old dead
trees, looking as if bored with an augur, are the work of Xylo-
ca-jpa. Though a hundred and more species have been made in this
genus, to the ordinary observer the greater number are indistin-
guishable. A largo blue-black Bumble-bee, making a very loud
buzzing in its flight, is a description which will cover very many
species. There are however brown species which are crepuscular
if not nocturnal. CcrU'oxys, another genus, is said to be parasitic
in the nests of Xylocapa. It has been bred from nests of Xylocapa,
but that it is parasitic seems to me to need furthur proof. Finally,
of the Api'lcs with which the classification of our Hymenoptera
closes, we have three common species, viz., Floralis, the maker
of what is known as "fly honey,'' is the smallest. Nigro-cincta, much
larger in size, is common in our gardens, and in places is said to have
been successfully domesticated, while the giant Indica is for the
most part an inhabitant of the jungles. Building huge combs on big
-ti*ees, or on the face of precipices, this bee constitutes himself the
Raja of the whole region. Woe to him who disturbs Apis Indica
by daylight. ITe will be lucky if he escapes with his life. Like the
wasps, the Social Bees have winged workers, but unlike the wasps
BOTANY : ADDRESS TO STUDENTS*. 37
and ants, they are said to have only one queen, and to be able
in ease of need to evolve a queen from a larva, which in the ordinary
course, would have produced a worker by special feeding and
education.
I hope I have given you some idea of the variety of curious points
on which information is wanted. I will refrain from quoting a
familiar hymn to which my subject might have tempted me ; but
I will apply the moral of the honey bee so far as to point out that if
each member of this Society would contribute something, just an
interesting fact which had come under his own notice, a specimen
or a nest which he had found in his house, we should soon have a
respectable store of information on the manners and customs of
this most interesting order of insects.
AN ADDRESS TO STUDENTS OF BOTANY IN
WESTERN INDIA.
By A. K. Nairne.
It may be assumed that in our days mauy of the young English
men and English women who go out to India would like to know
something about the floral beauties which meet their eyes wherever
they turn. Many of them have known all the common flowers of
the woods and the roadsides at home, and have very likely learnt
enough of the elements of Botany to know the orders to which the
commonest or the most beautiful belong. And it seems unnatural
to them to be set down in a country full of beautiful flowers and to
get no knowledge of them. In the same way there must be many
intelligent young natives, whose education has taught them that
every plant has its name and its place in classification, and who
would therefore like to learn a little practically about Botany and
its treasures. Now ( at home the number of small books intended to
heljD beginners in the study of Botany is very great ; the number of
those which give lists of all the wild plants in England, more or less
scientific, but all simple, is very considerable, so that it is very
easy for any Englishman to get up the Flora of his native land, if
only he chooses to give the time to it. But it is very different in
India. None of these small hooks of Botany have yet appeared
here. The enquirer may, indeed, find the names, both native and
38 BOMBAY STATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
scientific, of tlie trees of any district lie may be in, in of one or other
volume of the Bombay Gazetteer, but he knows not where to turn
for information as to the many b eautiful shrubs, creepers and
herbs, which in most Indian districts call forth constant admiration,
and are many times more numerous than the trees. A list of the
botanical books available for Western India will show how very
badly off the unscientific or half-scientific enquirer is. There are
two books relating exclusively to the Bombay Presidency, one of
which, Dalzell and Gibson's, aspires to be a Flora. But five
minutes' examination of this has been sufficient for very many
men, who would not be afraid of studying something even much
deeper, if there were any chance of mastering it. But the first
thing that makes itself manifest with regard to Palzell's book is
that it requires half-a-dozen other books to make it intelligible.
There is not a word of explanation as to the plan of the book, no
description of orders, and, what is worse, no description of genera.
And the genera were (as was probably inevitable), taken from one
author or another just as it happened. The book is, in fact, a
collection of specific descriptions of plants, arranged according to
the natural orders certainly, but with (apparently) no other system
running through it. The language of the descriptions is unneces-
sarily difficult, the native names of plants are given very rarely, and
some of the commonest trees in the country are not named at all
except by their Latin botanical denomination. The other local work
is Graham's " Plants of Bombay," a mere sketch unfortunately,
though easily recognizable as the work ofa great master. Butjudging
by the difficulty of getting this work ten or fifteen years ago, I should
fear that by this time it is almost unattainable.* When we turn to
the Botany of India generally, we naturally begin with Hooker's
Indian Flora. And, indeed, there is no other single work from which
we could hope to get information as to ail, or nearly all, the plants
to be found in Western India. But apart from the fact that the work
will probably not be completed for some years, its very great range
• The author soems to be unaware of the publication, in 1S8G, of the 25th volume
of the Bombay d'a^etteer, containing — "Useful Plants of the Bombay Presidency," by
T. C. Lisboa ;" Botany of the Bombay Presidency," by Surgeon-Major W. Gray,
L.M.L.Ch.; " List of Gujarat Trees " from Mate ials supplied by G.H.D. Wilson, Esq.,
G. C. S., and Lieut.-Colouel T. G. McRae, which articles to a great extent, though
not fully, supply the want the author complains of. 1'he Hou. Mr. Justice Iiirdwood's
"I.i-t of Plants of Mathcran and Mahableshwar,'' published in this Journal, iflso
affords great assistance to students of Botany for these particular localities. — G. C.
BOTANY : ADDRESS TO STUDENTS. 39
renders it almost useless for any but a professional botanist. Pago
after page is taken up with descriptions of plants found only in the
Himalayas, or Ceylon, or Java, or the Straits, so that those which
belong to what we may call India proper, are in a way crowded
out. But this is not the only objection. The great expeuse of the
work is a fatal one as regards ordinary students. Then also as to the
grouping of orders. Many will have noticod that the old division of
exogens into Thalamlfiorce, Cahjclfiorm and Oorolliflorcv does not
appear, and where one is always wanting more light to take away
even a little of what there was before is a distinct hardship. But
the absence ©f these divisions does not mean that they have been
abandoned, but that they are assumed to be known, for I was told
at Kew that the Indian Flora, like all others prepared there, is based
on Bentham and Hooker's " Genera Plantarutn," and in this not only
are these three great divisions of orders given, but a fourth is in-
troduced, Discifloree, and the orders are also arranged in groups
subordirate to those great divisions. Added to this the similarities
and differences of each order from its immediate neighbours is there
given, and this every one will acknowledge to be most valuable.
But the" Genera Plantarum" is quite out of the reach of the ordinary
botanical students, for, besides being a large and very expensive
work, it is written in Latin. * Thus thei'e is practically nothing
systematic as to India generally which the unscientific botanist can
turn to to help him in identifying the plants of the Bombay Presi-
dency. I ought perhaps to mention Professor Oliver's little book
C First Book of Indian Botany ") which is intended to teach the begin-
ner the orders common in India, and which might therefore, to some
extent, make up for the deficiencies of Dalzell and Gibson. But
I never found it of much use, the descriptions, I think, are too diffi-
cult, the examples given far too few ; it is, in fact, too much the
■work of a professional botanist, and it smells of the Herbarium
rather than of the open contry. If it had gone entirely on the lines
of Lindley's " School Botany " (for England), an old and valued
* I feet bound to add, to prevent any one takiug trouble to get the inform-
ation, that neither the division Discifloree, nor the subordinate groupings of orders,
will be found of any use to the ordinary student. For there are almost as many
orders without conspicuous discs as with them in Discifloree and some orders with
conspicuous discs (e. g, Myrtaeees, Uiiilellif rm and Aralincra',) are left in Ohlyei-
Jtortc. And the subordinate groupings of orders I found useless, becau&e in the first
place the definitions are full of alternatives, and in the second place the distinctions
depend mainly on such obscure po'nts as the number of cells in the ovary, position
of the ovules, nature of the albumen, and so on.
40 BOMBAY NATUBAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
friend, I suppose, of many besides myself, it would have been most
useful, and would have given any young student a good start; but
it is quite different.
I have not set down this list of difficulties merely for the sake of
making a wail, or to induce young botanists to give up their hopes
and their studies till better days come. But I lately came upon some
thing which I thought might help some of those who are painfully
struggling (as I did for many years) to identify the plants they
meet with one of Dalzell and Gibson, with the help of other books,
like the invaluable work of Roxburgh, which contains just a few
Bombay plants. The work I mean is Rousseau's (i Lettres Elemen-
tairessurla Botaniqne." (Vol. 4 of Rousseau's Works, Lahure's edn.,
Paris, 1857.) He began by simply showing the difference between
a monopetalous and a polypetalous corolla, and then chose six of the
largest orders to explain and illustrate. He took, of course, those of
the large orders which are most fully represented in France, three
monopetelous and three polypetalous. Thejr were (in his order)
Liliaccce, Cruciferce, L zguminosce, Labiatce, Umbclliferce and Composite.
The fourth is what I shall have chiefly to speak about, so I will here
only say that it was not the order Lahiatce, but a group ; the name
of 'Fleurs en gueule' being given by Rousseau to all flowers having a
two-lipped corolla and didynamous stamens. Now, of the other
orders described by Rousseau and mentioned above, Nos. ], 2 and
5 are not sufficiently common in Westernlndia to serve our purpose,
Lcgumiuosa1 and Composite are, and it would be easy to take, three
other orders (or groups of orders) common here, and thus to describe
generally within a very reasonable compass and in a simple classifica-
tion a very considerable portion of all the plants of the Presidency.
Rousseau's idea was that if the student learnt up these great orders
to begin with, so as to know the species common in his own coun-
try, and to be able to recognise other species of the same orders
when found elsewhere, this would give him such a start that he
would have no difficulty in going on, and would little by little learn
to distinguish most of the orders. It will be easily seen that such
a system as this is quite opposed to the ordinary modes of teaching
scientific botany, and may be objected to accordingly. But the
answer to that is that the ordinary modes of teaching imply that the
student will be able either to study the science in a systematic way
more or less at his leisure, or else to have a good supply of scientific
books to refer to. That this last condition cannot be fulfilled in
BOTANY : ADDRESS TO STUDENTS. 41
W. India I have shown j and as most of the students whom I am
thinking of in writing this paper are scattered about the Presidency
often in out-of-the-way districts, it is not at all likely that they will
be able to supplement their scanty scientific education by attend-
ance at lectures or resort to libraries. Now one of the chief reasons
wby botanical books are repulsive and botanical classification diffi-
cult, is from the chief distinctions of orders and genera bciug taken
from the smaller parts of the organs of generation of the plants,
and so almost always involviug microscopical details. If plants
could be classified by such prominent parts as the petals or tbe
leaves, a great part of the difficulty to beginners would be avoided,
and a great many barbarous looking words gob rid of. I do nob of
course mean that this can be done; but the classification of Liuna3us
depending on the number and arrangement of the stamens and
pistils, is far easier for beginners than what is called the natural
system; but it has, unfortunately I think for people situated as tbose
for whom I am writing are, been almost entirely abandoned.
I propose in this paper to work a little on Rousseau's lines with
the view of helping students not far advanced in the identification
of the common plants aroud them. I shall in this paper bring
together all the orders containing flowers with bilabiate corolla :
aud didyuamous stamens, showing where they agree and where
they differ, and shill then describe, as shortly and simply as is
possible for identification, a certain number of the commonest and
most remarkable species found in W. India. I put it this way,
because it is clear that plants attract the attention of ordinary
observers either by being very common without reference to there
being anythiug attractive in them, or by being very conspicuous,
though they may not be common.
The following are the characteristics in very simple language of
the whole group of plants of which I am writing. Corolla niono-
petalous, i.e., all in one piece, the lower part (and generally the
larger part) being a tube, whether broad or narrow, the edge of
the flower (at the top of the tube), which vary very much in size,
being variously cut, not symmetrically, but more or less into an
upper and lower lip.* I should mention that Rousseau made a
* Take as examples of a very narrow aud a vory broad tube tb.3 corolla of
Achimenes aud Gloxinia, respectively; and as examples of a very strongly and a
very obscurely two-lipped corolla, that of Salvia aud Lantana, respectively, remem-
bering that between these extromes there are any number of variations.
6
42 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
further distinction of labiate and personate corollas, the iirst term
signifying (with him) those with the lips well separated as in the
Ocimums ftulsi); the second, those with the mouth closed, as in the
English snapdragon (Linaria). But I think it better not to make
this a distinguishing mark, though, of course, this difference must be
noticed.
The orders respresented in W. India, which have, partially or
entirely, flowers of this sort, are the following: —
Scrophidarinea, Orobanchacea, Gesneracccc, Bignoniacece, Peda-
UnccB, Acanthacece, Verbenacece, Labiatce. When these orders are
described, it will be seen that they all have special characteristics
of their own though agreeing in the common characteristics
already mentioned.
1. Scrophidarincce contains a large number of genera. All these
known in W. India (except one shrub found only in Sind) are
herbs, the greater part rather inconspicuous. The leaves are either
opposite or alternate, the stems generally round, the fruit generally
a many-seeded capsule.
2. Orobanchacece is a small order of leafless parasiticplants that can
scarcely be mistaken for anything else. The whole plant is
generally of a uniform hue, most often brown or purplish, the stem
has a few scales on it which could scarcely be mistaken for leaves.
There are only six species in ~W. India.
8. GesneracecB is also a very small order, the five species known
in W. India being all rare. They are herbs or undershrubs with
characteristics very similar to those of Scrophidarinece.
4. Bignoniacece. Trees, mostly large ones, and conspicuous
generally by the large size of leaves, flowers, and fruit, the latter
being pod-like. None of these trees can be called common, but all
are remarkable. There are some well known climbing Bignonias in
gardens.
5. Fedalinecc. A very small order of herbs, of which only two
are found in W. India, both described below.
6. Acanthaceos. Mostly shrubs, very many of them very strong
smelling and viscid, like the well-known Karvi. The flowers in this
very large order are most often crowded together in spikes or
racemes, surrounded with very many bracts. The leaves are always
opposite.
7. Vcrbcnacm. Mostly trees or shrubs, the subordinate charac-
teristics not very clearly delincd.
BOTANY: ADDRESS TO STUDENTS. 43
8. Labiates, Aromatic herbs (rarely shrubs), with square stems,
opposite leaves, and an ovary composed of four deeply-separated
lobes, which can always be seen at the bottom, of the calyx tube
by. pulling off the corolla. These develope into a fruit of four one-
seeded nuts (very small) remaining at the bottom of the calyx tube.
This peculiarity of ovary and fruit distinguishes the order from all
others (except some genera of Boraginece, which in other respects
are quite different), aud there is no order more easily recognised.
To it belong all the mints, lavender, rosemary, sage, salvias, &c.
Now of these orders what has been said above of Nos. 2, 3, and 5
will be sufficient for the beginner. As to the rest, if he finds a tree
with this peculiar form of corolla and arrangement of stamens he
will know that it belongs to order 4. If a shrub with flowers closed
in with many large bracts it probably belongs to No. 6.. Any other
shrub probably to No. 7. If a square stemmed aromatic herb, with
the peculiar ovary mentioned above, it certainly belongs to No. 8.
Any other herb probably to No. 1, though each of the other orders,
except No. 4, has some herbs. Thus the field for identification is
very much narrowed.
It only remains to give a list of the common or very conspicuous
species found in W. India belonging to these orders, and possessing
the peculiar form of corolla and arangement of stamens we are
concerned with; for it must be remembered that in the large orders
here given there are a good many plants which have either a
regular corolla or else five or two stamens, or in some cases four
equal ones. With these we have no concern in the present arrange-
ment, but in two genera of Acanthaceoe here given the upper lip
is wanting.
[Note.— In these descriptions, D. signifies Dalzell and Gibson's Bombay Flora ;
II. Hooker's Indian Flora ; Native names in Italics.]
Bilabiate flowers with didynamous stamens.
I. — Order Scropholarine^.
1. Linaria, — Corolla with mouth quite closed, and a spur below
the lower lip.
L. ramosissima,—A smooth delicate plant much branched and
prostrate ; flowers yellow, solitary, long-stalked ; leaves triangular,
more or less lobed. Deccan and elsewhere. Throughout India, H.
Any one would recognise this from its likeness to the English
snapdragons, both of garden and hedge.
44 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
2. Lindenxergia, — Calyx bell-shaped ; corolla with upper lip
broad, lower 3-lobed.
L. urticcvfulia, — A very downy plant, growing generally on
walls ; flowers yellow, solitary, or in pairs, the throat spotted ; leaves
small, ovate, serrate. Throughout India H.
3. Stemodia, — Clayx more divided than the last ; corolla as in
the last, but the throat nearly closed.
S. vlscosa, — An erect, hairy, sticky, strong-smelling plant with
square stems; flowers dark blue; leaves stern clasping, ovate or
fiddle-shaped. Common in Deccan, Konkan and Gnzerat, especially
on rice fields in cold weather.
[Note. — In some respects this looks like one of the Labirtrc, but a glance at the
ovary and fruit will show that it cannot belong to that order.]
4. Torenia, — Calyx tubular, winged or keeled ; mouth of corolla
dilated, lips far apart.
T. asiatica, — Plant with dark blue or violet flowers, the lips of
different shades ; leaves triangular, crenate. This is the plant often
called " Belgaum Violet " — not common, I believe, except in gardens.
There are two other species still less common and smaller.
5. Vandellia, — Yery small herbs ; upper lip of corolla broad ; con-
cave, lower 3-lobed, spreading ; upper pair of stamens arched, and
the anthers joining.
V. Crustacea, — A diffuse smooth plant, with square stem ; flowers
light purple ; leaves oval, coarsely crenated. Common , but inconspi-
cuous. Throughout India H.
6. Striga, — Small rough herbs, usually with square stems ; calyx
much ribbed ; corolla tube bent.
S. euphrasioides, — Flowers mostly axillary and solitar}7, sometimes
spiked, white, with a superficial resemblance to the English Euphra-
sia (Eyebright); leaves linear, rather long ; bracts lanceolate, longer
than the calyx. Common. Throughout India, and sometimes grow-
ing two feet high. H. Another species, S. orobanchuides, very com-
mon in the S. Konkan, is parasitic on roots of other plants, and
is of a reddish hue all over.
7. llamphicarpa, — Corolla tube long and slender; lobes nearly
equal ; lips obscure; capsule beaked.
It. long [flora, — A small pretty plant, with pure white flowers, very
large for the size of the plant, generally solitary ; leaves divided into
many linear or thread-like segments. Very common in S. Konkan,
growing in grass, and apparently all over the Peninsula of India. H.
BOTANY : ADDRESS TO STUDENTS. 45
8. Sopiubia, — Corolla short tubed, broad mouthed ; lobes much as
in the last.
S. delp/iinifulia, — A handsome plant with pinnatifid leaves and
filiform segments ; flowers axillary, solitary, or iu pairs, large rose-
coloured, the throat darker.
Konkan and Guzerat. Throughout the peninsula. EI. He makes
it otow as high as three or four feet. I have not seen it more than
half that.
[Note, — In the two last the much divided leaves, very uncommon in these orders.]
II. — Order Orobanchace^e.
1. Mginetia,— Calyx spathaceous, deeply split in front; corolla
tube broad; lobes nearly equal and very small.
2Et. Indica, — Dull purple all over, like a tobacco pipe standing on
end, the large curved flower forming the bowl. Konkan, Khandalla,
&c. Throughout India. H.
2. Orobanche , — Flowers in spikes or racemes ; upper lip of corolla
erect ; flower o-lobed.
0. Indica (Phelipcea I., D.) — Dull purple or blue, growing on
tobacco and mustard plants.
III. — Order Gesnerace.e.
Gloxinias and Achimenes, in gardens.
IV.— Order Bignoniace^e.
As these are all trees which can be easily recognised by their
native names, it seems unnecessary to give descriptions of them here.
1. Oroxi/lum Indicum (Calosant hes I., D.) — Taitu. Konkans and
Ghauts. Throughout India. H.
2. Dolichandroiie falcata (Spaihodea /., D.) Netasing, Marsingi,
Guzerat, Konkan and S. M. Country.
3. Heterophragma Roxburghil, Waras. Common on the Ghats
and elsewhere.
4. Stereos per mum chelonoides. {Heterophragma ch., D.) — Padel,
pddri. Ghauts and S. Konkan. Through moister India. H.
5. S. xylocarpum (Blgnonia x., D.) — Kharsing, bersingi.
Ghauts, Konkans, &c.
6. Milling Ionia hortensis, — Native of Burma, but planted about
the roads in Poona. A grand tree.
46 BOMBAY NATlTtAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
V; — Oiieer Pedaline^:.
1. Pedaliiun, — Capsule hard, spinous, indehiscent.
P. murex, — A low thick-stemmed succulent herb ; flowers small,
yellow, solitary ; leaves oval, obtuse, sometimes slightly lobed ;
fruit ovoid, with 4 conical spines from the base. Gohru.
Sandy shores of Guzerat, Kattywar, and N". Kofikan.
2. Sesamum, — Capsule without spines, 2 to 4-valved.
S. Indicum, — Erect, slightly hairy, flower very like foxglove,
varying in colour from purple to rose and white, with an offensive
smell; capsule oblong, erect. Commonly cultivated. "Til tilli,
jinjali." (" Open Sesame" — Arabian Nights.)
3. Martynia diandra} — An American weed with large cordate glu-
tinous leaves and handsome flowers, much like the last ; is pretty
well naturalized. Vinchu dhara.
VI.— Order Acantrace^e.
1. Thunbergia, — Climbers ; * calyx very small, covered by 2 bracts;
lobes of corolla nearly equal; capsule round below, beaked above.
T. fragrant, — A pretty climber with rather large pure white
flowers, and large ovate bracts ; leaves oblong, acute, slightly lobed.
The minute calyx has 12 teeth, which is an easy distinction. Kou*
kans pretty common. Eri-vel.
T. grandijiora and T. alata are two garden species, the first one
of the largest climbers, with very large and beautiful pale blue
flowers ; calyx a mere ring ; the latter much smaller, has bright buff
flowers, with a dark throat, often called " Black-eyed Susan."
2. Kygrophila, — Herbs ; calyx segments narrow, one pair of sta-
mens, sometimes imperfect or obsolete.
H. serpylhtm (Physichihiss., D.), — A small creeping plant, covered
with stiff grey hairs ; flowers rather large for the size of the plant,
bright blue, the lower lip blistered and spotted with white ; leaves
nearly round. Konkans, he. At Lanowlee, in the cold weather,
the rice-fields are covered and coloured with this. Rcin-te-ivan.
II. svinosa {Asieracautha lovgifolia, D.), — A stout rough plant,
with blue flowers; sessile, in whorls of lanceolate leaves and thorns.
Lower lip of corolla with a yellow spot. Very common in swamps.
Throughout India. H.
H. salicifolia is very like this, but smaller every way. Grows in
the same situations.
* Several species of erect shrubby growth ate cultivated in gardeus._G. C.
BOTANY : ADDRESS TO STUDENTS. 47
3. Ruellia, — Herbs or underslirubs ; bracts larger than the calyx ;
corolla lobes about equal ; capsule solid below, bearing large thin
seeds in the upper part.
R. prostrata (Dipter acanthus dejectus, D.) — Prostrate or strag-
gling and climbing in hedges; flower solitary or nearly so, purple
or blue bell-shaped ; leaves long, petioled, ovate, often acute ; bracts
like the young leaves.
Very common in Guzerat and the Konkau. (Query, Deccan ?)
4. Strobilanthes, — Shrubs or herbs ; calyx deeply 5-cleft ; corolla
tube bulged out.
Note. — H. has no less than 14f> species of this genus, and it ia exceedingly difficult
to make which our Bombay species ought to be. But I have very strong authority
for identifying the only very well known species as
8. callosus, — which includes D.'s 8. Grahamianus, the late shrub
so common at Mahableshwar and known as karvi, very strong-
smelling and viscid; flowers in large thick spikes, large and hand-
some, deep blue, hairy within.*
5. Blepharis, — Rough creeping or prostrate plants, with leaves in
whorls and crowded bracts ; corolla with short fleshly tube, upper
lip wanting, lower 3-cleft.
B, asperrima9 — Straggling along the ground with weak straw-
coloured stem, every part covered with bristly hairs; flowers blue
or white, sessile; bracts whitish with green veins; sepals four in two
unequal pairs. Very common on the Ghats, less so in the Konkan,
Pahadiatgan.
B. hoerhavifoUa, — Flowers white, pale blue or pink, with
yellow spot on the lip; bracts edged with bristles; leaves in
fours, lanceolate. Common in Guzerat and elsewhere.
6. Acanthus, — Sepals and corolla as in the last.
A. ilicifolius (Dilivariai., D.), — Small, handsome, thorny shrub,
with leaves like holly, prickly, and large bright blue flowers;
corolla lip nearly entire ; bracts small, ovate. Nigur. Very common
in salt marshes; sometimes called Sea holly, but not to be confound-
ed with the English plants of that name. (Eryngo.)
* This is the early flowering showy species common on the Ghats flowering in
October.
S. pcrfoliatus, with thin spikes glandular bristly narrow bracts, and dark blue or
purplish flowers: flowering in January, and
8. iwiocephalus, with thick heads, broad bracts and dull white flowers, flowering iu
January, are both ve'-y common in the ravinea at Khandalla. Botli are very viscid
and strong smelling. — G. C.
48 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
7. Barleria, — Shrubs or large herbs with showy flowers; sepals
in opposite pairs, the outer pair much the largest ; corolla lobes 5,
often divided 4 and 1, two of the stamens often imperfect.
B. prionitis, — Shrubby and thorny; flowers spiked or wliorled,
rather large, buff, soon falling off; larger calyx segments ovate,
spinous, pointed ; bracts subulate; leaves narrow at both ends.
Kholeta. Very common.
B. montana,- — -Large smooth plant ; flowers large and beautiful,
solitary, sessile rose-coloured, mauve or blue : smaller calyx seg-
ments and bracts very small, linear.
Bombay, Konkan, and Grhats. Not uncommon.
There are several other species, one with blue another with white
flowers, botli very large ; but none are at all common but the two
given above.
8. Asystasia, — Underslirubs ; sepals narrow ; corolla lobes five,
about equal.
A. coromandelliana, — Erect or procumbent, much branched; flowers
in long, loose, one-sided racemes, yellow, blue or pale purple ; bracts
linear ; leaves ovate, acute. Common.
A. violacea, — All softly hairy, with large violet flowers, the lower
lip dark purple and spotted, is very doubtfully distinct from the
last. Dr. T. Cooke calls it very common at Matheran, less so at
Mahableshwar.
9. Lepidagathis, — Calyx of two large and two or three small seg-
ments; corolla tube swelling in the middle; limp decidedly 2-lipped.
L. cristata, — Prostrate hairy leaves; calyx segments and bracts all
bristle pointed; flowers in dense round heads near the root, pale,
streaked darker.
Guzerat, Deccan, &c.
Note. — There are many common members^ of this order which have only two
stamens, and are therefore not mentioned here.
VII. — Order Verbenace.*:.
1. Laniana, — Straggling shrubs; with small flowers in heads;
calyx small, entire or slightly lobed ; bracts large.
L. camara, — An American plant, now very common everywhere,
straggling and climbing, with square prickly stems and pretty flowers
in roundish heads, pink, orange or lilac, and of many shades in the
same plant. The whole smells very strongly of black currants.
* The pink and white varieties doubtless belong to an indigenous species. — L,
indica, Roab, {I. alba D.).—G. C.
BOTANY : ADDRESS TO STUDENTS. 49
2. Lippia, — Like the last, but fruit a capsule instead of a drupe.
L. nodifiora, — A small creeping plant, tough and hairy ; flowers
in ovoid heads, very small, pale, arranged so closely as to look as
if on a common receptacle {Composite) ; bracts many, overlapping.
Common in grassy places. Abundant throughout India.
3. Premna, — Trees or shrubs ; flowers small, often polygamous,
calyx cup-shaped, surrounding the drupe.
P. coriacea, — (P. scandens, D.) — A large strong smelling climber;
flowers greenish white, in large panicles ; one of the lobes of the
corolla much larger than the rest ; leaves very large, pointed, shin-
ing. Chdmbdri, Bhansar. Konkan and Ghats.
P. latifolia, — Is an erect shrub, with flowers and leaves very
much like the last. Common near the sea, and called by the same
name as the last.
4-. Gmelina, — Flowers large ; corolla tube short ; calyx bell-
shaped.
G. arborea, — A tree hairy in most parts ; flowers brown and yellow,
in racemes ; lobes of corolla broad, roundish, curled back, the lower
are much larger and protruding. Shewan, Kumar, Gumbd, Kon-
kan. Less common in Deccan.
5. Vitese, — Flowers small ; calyx as in the last, but more or less
enlarged in fruit ; corolla decidedly 2-lipped.
V. Negundo (V. bicolor, D.) — Tall shrub, leaves 3 or 5-ffoliate,
grey, leaflets lanceolate, the underside with the branches white
and downy ; flowers in terminal panicles, lilac or light blue.
Nirgund.
I should call this the commonest shrub in the Konkan : very com-
mon also on the Ghats.
VIII. — Order Labiate.
I. Ocimum, — Flowers in whorls of 6 to 10, racemed or spiked; calyx
with upper tooth very large, running down into the pedicel ; corolla
tube short, upper lip equally 4-lobed.
0. basilic-urn, — Erect, nearly smooth ; spikes long ; flowers white,
pink, or purplish. Sabza. " Sweet basil." Commonly cultivated
0. sanctum, — Softly hairy, the whole plant often purplish ; corolla
very small, pale purple, hardly longer than the calyx. Kula tulsi.
Bam tulsi is 0. gratissimum*
7
50 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
2. Lavandula, — Leaves much divided;* flowers in spikes ; upper
lip of corolla bifid, lower trifid.
L. Burmanni, — A tall plant ; leaves bi-pinnatifid ; segments linear ;
flowers dark blue or white, in dense spikes. Gorea. Common in the
Deccan.
L. Gibsoni (L. Perottetii, D.) is like this but more hairy, and
the leaves pinnatifid. It is found only in the hills above Sattara,
and one or two similar places. Both these are so like the English
garden lavender, both in appearance and smell, as to be at once
identified, f
3. Pogostemon, — Flowers very small, many together in whorls,
spiked ; corolla lobes 4, lower usually the largest ; filaments bearded
and exserted.
P. parvifiorus, — Strong, coarse, half-shrubby plant, mostly smooth,
with purple stem and branches ; flowers whitish, in close pj^ramidal
heads. Has a strong smell of black currants. Pangli. S. Konkan.
Very common. There are several species so much alike as to be
not easily identified. Park, commouly cultivated, is P. patchouli .
4. Bysopltylla, — Small plants with generally whorled leaves •
flowers dense, in spikes ; corolla equally 4-lobed.
D. stcllata, — Slightly hairy ; leaves linear, 5 to 7 in a whorl ;
flowers red or purple. Marvel.
5. Konkan, Belgaum, &c. Very abundant on rice fields in the
cold weather.
H. gives eight species of these, but there is a great similarity
between them all. One, D- my osur oleics, found at Mahableshwar,
Sheival, has the leaves not whorled.
5. Colebroohia, — A densely woolly shrub ; corolla lobes 4 j about
equal.
0. oppositifolia, — Leaves in threes, elliptic, narrow at both ends ;
flowers minute, dirty white, in very small dense spikes, suggestive of
Indian squirrels' tails. Bdhmani,dasai,dasari, kaj/tar. Very com-
mon on the Ghauts and Konkan hills.
6. Anisomeles, — Tall, coarse herbs ; upper lip of corolla erect,
entire, lower broad, spreading,
A. Ueyneana, — More or less hairy all over, stem and branches
acutely 4-angled ; leaves ovate, crenate ; flowers of no beauty, white
* In Indian species. — G. C.
t The leaves, however, are very different.— Or. C.
BOTANY : ADDRESS TO STUDENTS. 51
or greenish, partly tinged with pink, in one-sided cymes. Very com-
mon in Salsette and the Konkau generally. Chaiullidra.
A. ovnta,*— A large handsome plant, with soft-downy leaves, ovate,
crenate; flowers in dense whorls, spiked light 'with deep purple
lower lip.
Common in Guzerafc, Deccan and Konkau,
7. Leucas, — Generally hairy or woolly plants of no beauty ;
flowers white ; upper lip of corolla erect, hooded, lower spreading,
with very large middle lobe; calyx with 6 to 10 teeth.
L. sfclligera, — A tall plant with flowers in large dense whorls ; calyx
with 10 soft and spreading teeth. Ghaut, Konkan, &c. Very common
at Matheran. Burumbi, Guma.
L.aspera, — About 6 inches high, rough andhairy; whorls of flowers
small aud dense ; calyx curved, with oblique mouth and short teeth.
Ttimba.
Common on the seashore, phiins of India. H.
L. linifolia, — Very like the last, but larger and nearly smooth;
leaves linear or oblong.
This is the common species of cultivated fields in Guzerat, Deccan
and Konkan.
There are several other species less common, one only.
L. biflora, — With flowers not dense. The genus is very easily
known.
8. Leonotis, — Flowers in dense axillary and whorls, with many
slender bracts; upper lip of corolla long hooded, lower very small,
spreading, concave ; calyx 8 to 10 toothed.
L. nepetifolia, — A strong annual 6 to 8 feet high ; flowers orange
coloured, hairy; calyx teeth bristly; leaves ovate, crenate. Matisul,
ckri. A doubtful native, but tolerably common and very con-
spicuous.
In conclusion, I ought perhaps to say that I assume that any one
wishing to identify a plant by the aid of these notes will first set to
work to make out the order to which it belongs, then the genus :
will, in fact, work downwards from the greater divisions to the
lesser. This method teaches one much more than merely running
through all the species in the hope of hitting on the identification
by some one or two marked features. And speaking more generally,
I should say that I hold to the natural orders most faithfully, only
wishing that other descriptive helps should be added to aid the
student in what must always be to the beginner the very difficult
52 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
. .— . — ' — ■ ■ ■ rrf
work of identification. I should also add that those who are
acquainted with the botany of the whole Presidency may very possibly
think that the species chosen for description are not in all cases
the commonest or most conspicuous. On this point opinions will
mo doubt vary, but it must be remembered that this is a mere sketch,
and that I claim nothing but a very fallible degree of accuracy.
NOTES ON BIRDS OF QUETTA.
By A. T. H. Newnham, Bo. S.C., F.Z.S.
It is with some reluctance, seeing how little I have to say, that
I have commenced to put to paper the few observations I was
enabled to make during a short residence of three or four winter
months in Quetta ; but as it is by an accumulation of such scraps
that we arrive at definite results, I shall endeavour to comply with the
request of our Honorary Secretary to write something for our
Journal.
This last winter in Afghanistan was comparatively a mild one,
and in consequence the duck weTe somewhat late in putting in an
appearance, so that it was not until the end of January that one
heard of anything like decent bags being made. A wonderful shot
was made by a sporting Colonel in the garrison, which, I think,
deserves recording. He came suddenly upon a bunch of six duck
round the bend of a stream, and firing as they rose brought down
the whole lot. Presumably they must have all risen in one straight
line with their beards in a row, but it was a singularly lucky shot.
Teal and gadwall are not unfrequently met with in the river beds,
but the other species of duck seemed to keep more to tanks and
larger sheets of water. I had sent to me no less than three
specimens, all drakes, of that uncommon and beautiful little duck,
the Smew (Mergelhis albellus), and a very tedious job 1 found it
skinning them, as they were mere balls of fat.
Sand Grouse were not so plentiful as they should have been, and
were exceedingly shy: the commonest sort was the Imperial
(P. arenaries). Of the Pin-tailed Sand Grouse (P. alchata) I only
saw one flock, and that was quite close to the Fort. They were the
first that I had ever seen, and I could not make them out at all at
first, but took thein for plover of some sort. They flew at a
NOTES ON BIRDS OF QUETTA. 53
tremendous pace, faster even than the Imperial, and during their
wheels in the air showed a clear white expanse of underwing.
They were endeavoUriug to settle to feed, hut were persistently
bullied by the ravens, and obliged to move on. I was thus enabled
to get a couple of good specimens as they came over me. I could
not find out that the Sand Grouse up there had any fixed drinking
place, as in Cutch and Sind : probably there was too much water
about, and they drank wherever the fancy seized them.
I saw part of the skin of a Sand Grouse shot by a Warrant Officer
of the Garrison, which, I think, must have belonged to P. UcJifen-
steinii, which does not seem to have been recorded from S. Afghan-
istan before. A fair number of Woodcock [3. rusticola) were shot
in or about Quetta this last winter. The first fell to my lot on
November 11 (rather an early date for them), and the same day I
saw two others. The exact number that were shot in the season
I have no account of, but I should say between twenty or thirty.
I heard of one man shooting as mauy as sis in one day, but accounts
of shikar must be received with caution. They invariably come in
about the beginning of December, that is, the main body of them,
and either move on or get exterminated ; anyhow, they are not
often seen after January. There were one or two favourite spots for
them, but as often as not they were put up out of small gardens,
and I even heard of one having been knocked over wirh a stone by
a Tommy in the cemetery a year or two before.
There were three Solitary Snipe (G. soliinria) shot this last
season, all in the Surkab, Pisheen, a broad strip of marsh and tama-
risk bushes, between two ranges of hills. Unfortunately I could not
succeed in getting hold of a skin for preserving before they had been
plucked. In the same place was procured a single specimen of the
English Water Kail (B. aquaHcus), which I do not see recorded in
Col. Swinhoe's list of the birds of S. Afghanistan.
Chukor (0. chvhar) and See-see {Ammojperdix Bonhami) are the
other items which help to make up the scanty bags, generally made
within a radius of fifteen miles of Quetta. By all accounts the last
severe winter killed off a great number of these birds, so that now
they are comparatively scarce. The See-see is extraordinarily fond
of his own particular spot of ground, and you may rely upon finding
him there time after time. As the winter advances, however, they
disappear somewhere, where, I could never satisfactorily make out,
but probably into lower lying country. About the migration I
54 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY,
shall say nothing, as I did not arrive in time for the autumn
departure and left before their return, but the following is a list
of some of the migrants, which remained the wiuter through in
Quetta : —
Wagtails (IT. alha personata), Redstart (R. enjthronota), Black-
throated Thrush (T. atrogularis), Wheatears (S. Morio, deserts),
Bunting {E. leucocephala, huitoni). Accentor atrogularis, Starling
(S, vulgaris), Larks (A. cristata and M. bimaculata, Pipit (A,
trivial is) .
One of the features of an Afghan landscape is the enormous
number of ravens (C. Lawrenci). They sit everywhere uttering
their peculiar notes, one a deep guttural bell-like note, and the other
much more musical, resembling the noise made by pouring wine out
of a bottle. They come into Quetta to roost in enormous numbers,
as there are no trees worthy of the name to be found outside, but
before roosting they sit about on the ground in flocks, perfectly
blackening the ground where they are. In the early morning before
sunrise they may be seen quitting their roosting-place to disperse
themselves all over the country in quest of food.
In company with the latter, or sometimes associating with pigeons,
fly flocks of the Hymalayan Chough (Fregillus graculus) with their
peculiar cry and wild eccentric flight. The familiar English magpie
too (P. rus'ica) is exceedingly plentiful at Pisheen, though I never
saw one at Quetta, and may be seen in the Surkhab by sixes and
sevens at a time, flitting from rock to rock.
I was rather surprised to see one day, so late as December, a
common green parrot (P. torqnatus) flyiug overhead. I had
never heard ot them being fouud so far north before, so concluded
it must have been an escaped bird. However, a few days later, I
saw a pair flying together, apparently enjoying the severe weather,
and these had not the appearance of recently caged birds at all. It
would b9 difficult to say what they could have found to eat, as the
trees were perfectly bare at the time, unless they subsisted on what
grain they could pick up in the bazaars.
One small bird which I saw up there particularly attracted my
attention, and though I tried very hard to procure a specimen for
identification, I was unable to do so, chiefly owing to its restless
habits, and to the fact that it went over tha worst ground on the
side of the hills which it could have possibly picked out. Perhaps
some of our readers may be able to recognize it from my descrip-
(/^ L((>, S*
Instance of Teratology in the Brinjal or Egg
Plant (Solatium Melongena)-
(Triple fruit from a Single flower.)
BRINJAL OR EGG-PLANT. 55
tion, viz., about the size of a Stone Chat, and possessing the same
habits, of a uniform greyish mud oolour, with black-tipped tail
and a little white about the head. The thing, however, which attracted
my notice most of all was its power of imitation. I heard it myself
imitating most loudly and distinctly the common grey partridge.
In fact, the first time it completely took me in. A man in the
Engineer Department there informed me that he had also heard it
imitate a puppy squealing so truthfully, that his dogs became
quite excited and began hunting about for tho supposed puppy in
distress. It then commenced crying like a peewit. It should come
from some country where the grey partridge is found, as it could
not very well have picked up the cry of the latter in Afghanistan,
where the grey partridge does not, as far as I know, occur; but at
the same time I do not remember ever reading about powers of
mimicry in any bird answering to the description of this one,
which is found in the same localities with the grey partridge
(0. pondicerianus) .
Another beautiful little bird, not uncommon in the rivers in
Afghanistan, is the Red-winged Wall-creeper (Teichodroma muraria),
an Alpine bird. It has wings of a lovely crimson and black, the
first three primaries being strikingly spotted with white. It is
very confiding and will run up a bank in its quick jerking way
within a few feet of you, uttering its shrill pipe.
I will now conclude these few observations with the hope thab I
may be able at some future period to contribute something of greater
interest than the bleak hills of Afghanistan can afford.
INSTANCE OF TERATOLOGY IN THE BRINJAL OR
EGG-PLANT {SOL ANUM MELON GEN A).
(See illustration.)
Triple Fruit from a Single Flower.
This form of teratology is not common. The pistil — the part of
the flower which develops into fruit— is more subject to suppression
than to multiplication. This is believed to be due to the position
of the pistil in the centre of the flower (where it is subjected to
pressure) and also to the fact that it is the last developed of the
parts of the flower. Instances, however, do occur in which the
carpels are increased. In tho present instance there seems to be a
56 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
simple multiplication, so that the calyx, instead of holding in its
cup one fruit, has three distinct ovaries which are developing into
fruits.
Curiously enough, Sir J. D. Hooker says that the Solarium
Melongena, when it escapes from cultivation, often becomes intensely
prickly, and the fruits on the single flower stalk may vary from
one to five ! This looks as if a multiplication of fruits was, in the
case of the Brinjal, a result of degeneration.
India, with its exuberance of vegetation, is probably teeming
with instances of teratology. Some of the readers of the N. H. S.
Magazine might send specimens, or descriptions of specimens, which
may occur in their own experience. The double cocoanut is known
to occur, and whether there is simply an increase or a diminution of
the ordinary structures of the plant, or a change into some other
structure, we are assured that many instances of teratology might
be sent to our Honorary Secretary during the next few months,
which would show how common are the various instances of
teratology which are to be found in this country.
D. M.
SPORTING RAMBLES ROUND ABOUT SIMLA.
By J. C. Anderson.
(Bead at the Society's Meeting on 16th January 1889.)
I will suppose that you have a short holiday in October or
November and find yourself at Simla. The first want you will
feel — at least I always did — was to get out of it without unnecessary
delay : those distant snows and forests are too alluring. Some
preparations must, however, first be made. In the first place, you
must have dogs. Any dog with a nose will do, and it is strange
how many dogs have noses, though few of them know it. A fox-
terrier, or bull-terrier, trained to use his nose and thoroughly well
in hand, is as good for this work as a spaniel or setter, — better I think
in many respects, — as he is lighter and not so easily fatigued on those
steep rocky hillsides; on the other hand, it must be admitted, he has
usually a way of helping himself to pheasant that has to be guarded
against. The best dog out of a regular pack of all sorts that it fell
to my lot to see was a tiny, mean-looking, yellow fai — the most
veritable cur you ever set eyes upon — and yet with a nose that was
8P0RTINQ RAMBLES ROUND ABOUT SIMLA, 57
truly marvellous, combined with a judgment that would have
adorned the bench. A shikaree, too, yon will want — a man who can
work the dogs, and who has some knowledge of the country and the
sport to be found there. Tents, of course, if you are going to leave
the road and the bungalow. They must be small and light, and, like
all the rest of your luggage, capable of being carried on mules or on
men's backs. If you are going for a short holiday only, with no
definite plans made for you by some friend on the spot, I should
advise you to stick to the Thibet and Hindoostan high road (a
pathway from 3 to 12 feet in width), on which for over 100 miles
there are good bungalows, distant some ten or twelve miles from
each other. Shooting all that you can reach from these bungalows
on either side of the road, you may, if you are keen and in good
trim, cover a great quantity of very fairly good ground, and you will
be incomparably more comfortable than you could be in tents, with
the thermometer at nights well below freezing-point. A servant,
too, you must have who can cook, and has some experience of
marching in those districts and knows the language of the people.
And, lastlv a man who can skin birds. Such a man can almost
always, I believe, be got in Simla for a salary of Rs. 15 or Rs. 20 a
mouth, and it adds enormously to the pleasure of a ramble in a new
country to be able to collect specimens as you go along. Here
before you are some of the birds which I collected on my first visit;
to Simla, and many more might have been collected. It is scarcely
worth while in October or November taking a rod with you, but
there is no harm in taking a small trout rod, a few flies, and one or
two small flying spoons, which you can get at Luscombe's, of Allah-
abad, better than anywhere else that I know of. I have not fished
myself, being told that at that time of the year it was useless; but a
forest officer, whom I met last November, told me he had just
caught several smallish fish in the Giri in the direction of the Chor
(a big hill not very far from Simla), — I think he said with a fly. If
your visit should be in May or June, certainly take your fishing
tackle. Both in the Giri to the east and the Sutlej to the west the
Indian trout [Barilius bola) and mahseer (though not of any great
weight) are to be caught and give good sport. So at least I am
informed on the very best local authority. At that time of the year,
when the upper rivers are full with the melting snow water, the
rish ascend the smaller, tributary streams, and descend when the
water begins to run line again at the end of the rains, say in
8
88 fiOtfBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
September and October, after wliicli the fish must be looked for in
the bigger waters in the plains below. I Would advice you to take
a rifle, though it is quite possible you may find little' or no use for
it. It depends, of course, a good deal on the direction in which
yon go, and how far. If you are simply rambling round about
Simla, which is all that I am now supposing you to intend to do,
and nearly all that I can myself pretend to have done, you may not
possibly see a four-footed creature bigger than a jackal or a fox.
By the way, a Simla fox (Vutpes mototarms) in autumn (and even
more so in winter, I believe) is a beautiful creature. It has, as you
see here, a lovely coat and a noble brush : it makes a very handsome
tug when properly mounted. There are, however, bears there, and
in some places a good many. I have heard of as many as five being
shot in one day close to the road. I mean the Himalayan black
bear (Ursus tibetanus) ; the brown bear of Cashmere (Ursus
isahellinus) is very rarely, if ever now, met within this neighbour-
hood, though I believe there was a time not so very long ago when
it was not so scarce. The Barra-singh of Cashmere {Cervus cash-
Trtirianus) too is another animal which used occasionally to be seen
in this district, but has been crowded out by the multiplication
of guns. Goral, however (Nemorhcpdus gorai), a small species of
mountain goat you will find in some places, and those not far from
Simla, pretty plentifully, I believe. I have heard local sportsmen
speak disparagingly of goral shooting a3 very tame work, and, to
judge by some accounts of it I have heard, it must often be so. My
own experience was as small as it well could be, but the one I
saw and shot, on the only occasion I ever went after goral, gave me
as pretty an afternoon's walking and climbing on a steep hillside
among oaks and ferns aud rhododendrons and grand grey crao-s as
one could well wish to have. If your larder is low, you will
not despise goral ; a laddie of goral is by no means to be
contemned, even if you do not strictly follow the advice a serjeant
pensioner gave me, to be " sure and hang it three weeks, Sorr."
Tahr and burrehl and even ibex you may meet if you go far
enough ; but I will not say how far that may be. I never saw any
of them though I have come across pugs (on a retired part of
Hattoo, I think), which doubtless belonged to one or other of them.
I could not make out from my shikaree to which. It is not your
rifle then you must depend upon for your sport, but your gun. For
this you may always find some occupation pretty well anywhere in
SPORTING RAMBLES ROUND ABOUT SIMLA. 59
that neighbourhood. If you must havo big bags, you will almost
certainly bo disappointed ; if you are content with a grand day's
walk and a moderate bag, hardly and honestly won, you need
scarcely ever be so ; and, of course, it is to the pheasants that you
will chiefly look to provide you with your amusement and fill your
larder. Wherever there are trees or even bushes, though it be on
the very roadside, you feel you are not quite safe from one or other
of that game and handsome family. The pheasants that you may
expect to meet at this season of the year are practically four only,
unless, indeed, you go somewhat further afield than I am now
contemplating your doing. These are the monal (Laphophorus
impegamus), the kokiass or pukras (Pucrasia macrolopha), the cheer
(Phasianus wallichi), and the white-crested kalij (Euphocanus
albocristatits). The handsome jewar or so-called " Argus Pheasant"
of that region (Ceriornis melanoscep/tala) , one of the tragopans (we
had a live specimen in these rooms lately), is still, I believe, to bo
met with in the higher regions of forest, somewhat more remote
from Simla, but not except quite as an exception within the regions
I am now considering. It is a shy bird apparently, of somewhat
meditative, if not gloomy disposition, favouring the darkest depths
of the remotest forests. Yet curiously, as pointed out by more
than one writer on the subject, it seems to be the most easily tamed
of all the Hymalayan pheasants ; while the kalij, which in its wild
state seems scarcely happy far away from the sound of the human
voice, is the most difficult.
The moonal and the kokiass, and specially the former, are dis-
tinctly forest birds, loving the dark dense forests of deodar, juniper,
and yew, while the oheer and the kalij prefer somewhat more open
ground interspersed with woods of pine oak and rhododendron, with
a thick undergrowth of bushes, ferns and grasses. The moonal I
have not found at a much lower elevation than 7,000 feet; tho
kokiass seldom below 6,000 feet ; from 5,000 or lower to 7,000
seems to be the favourite regio?! of the cheer and the kalij. Though
all four birds are now, I believe, universally regarded as pheasants,
you will see from the specimens I have before me that they differ
from one another very considerably in character. There is no
mistaking the cheer with his typically long tail for anything else
than a pheasant. A cock cheer in form and feature, though not iu
colour, differs very slightly from the cock pheasant of our English
covers, and is about the same weight, say 3^ lbs. The kokiass is
60 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
evidently a near relation, being a typical pheasant in all respects,
save that he is wanting in the long tail feathers. But the mooual,
with his gorgeous blue, green, copper, and bronze tints, his peculiar
upright crest, and his compact thickset body, and strong, short legs,
evidently adapted for digging, is obviously as nearly related to the
peacocks as he is to the pheasants; while you have only to look at
the tail of the kalij to see his relationship to the next sub-family at
the other end of the scale, viz., the gallinrc— comprising the jungle
fowls, tirebacks, &c. All four birds seem distinctly to prefer shade
to sun and clamp to dryness. The neighbourhood of running water
seems almost an essential with all of them. In short, such as the
fern is in its choice of locality, so is the pheasant ; the two aro
evidently firm friends. As with trout and many other fish you are
pretty sure to take day after day behind the same stone or in the
same eddy, so it was I found, not always for any apparent reason
with these pheasants. There wrere certain spots, for instance, on
the road from Narcanda to Bhagi (which, by the way, passes
through one of the grandest pieces of forest scenery I suppose to be
seen on any roadside in the world, where the deodars must some of
them be quite 200 ft. high, with their dark sombre green veiled in
many cases from top to bottom in the flame-coloured leaves of the
Virginia creeper). There were certain spots on this road, where in
my visit of three years ago I was sure day after day to find a bird or
two in spite of the fate that had overtaken their predecessors at the
same spot it might be only the previous day. On visiting the same
locality last November, there, in the very same spots, I nearly
always found birds. The mooual, the koklass, and the kalij seem
to spread themselves pretty indiscriminately over the area where
the conditions they require aro to be found. It seems curiously
otherwise with the cheer. One little valley may hold cheer, and a
dozen all round, where apparently the conditions are precisely the
same, may not hold a single one. I have heard of residents of Simla
shooting regularly for years together all round the neighbourhood,
and never so much as seeing a single cheer, and then subsequently
coming on them by chance one day in some place not previously
shot over though perhaps quite close to Simla and always thereafter
finding them in the same place year after year. I was fortunate
enough on this last visit to Simla to be shown one of these
haunts of the cheer, from which these three specimens I have
here were secured. The ground corresponded very accurately
SPORTING RAMBLES ROUND ABOUT SIMLA. Gl
with the description of the favourite locality of the cheer given
by Messrs. Hume and Marshal in their well-known work. The
hillside on which they were found was composed of a Dumber of
little cliffs one above the other, each perhaps from 20 to 30 feet
high, broken up by ledges on which one could barely walk,
thickly set with grass and bushes, aud dotted sparingly with
more or less stunted trees, with curious roots hanging down
the little cliffs and long trailing arms of scarlet creeper. I
had a red setter aud three spaniels with me. The setter was put to
rauge over the whole hillside ; men were stationed at various points
to mark down the birds while we sat on a knoll opposite and looked
on, a deep ravine lying between. It was a pretty sight to see the
dog working half-way up the hill. Soon there might be seen,
scuttling up hill at an amazing pace, across the little open glades
between one clump of brushwood and another, a family party of
some five or sis cheer, their heads down and long tails drooping:
rJ 'he dog soon overtook and flushed them, and then all eyes were
wanted to mark down each bird. The birds have pitched in various
places only a little lower than where they were flushed, having
wheeled round to the right and left soon afcer they had got on
way. You cross the ravine and ascend the hill on the other side.
You find it is much stifFer work than it looked, requiring a good
head and a careful use of your feet. At last you get to the destined
spot below bird number one, and as close as you can convenient I v
get thereto, it may be 20 yards or it may a 100 or more. You have
a most insecure footing, and you are not quite sure that your gun
going off will not remove you from it ; but you mean to have a shot
at that cheer, though you perish in the attempt. The shikaree
climbs up still higher to flush the bird with the spaniels at his heels.
After a good deal of beating of bushes and inciting of the dogs,
a great fluttering is heard overhead, but it may be out of sight.
The next moment a mighty rush as of some archangel, in a hurry ;
you spin round, let off your gun, and upset yourself, all in the
twinkling of an eye ; and if you get that bird, it is probably, as
Mr. Hume remarks, not the first time you have shot cheer. If you
do not get him, he is again marked down, probably on some lower
slope of the same hill, where you may with perfect confidence leave
him till you have looked up/ by a similar process to that first
described, the other birds originally flushed. It is curious how
close these birds will sit when put up once or twice. You may
62 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
leave them half ail hour and fiud them under the very bush you
saw them pitch in j and you may beat that bush, or cause it to be
beaten, till you are on the point of being convinced the bird must
have gone, when up it gets almost under your very nose, and shoots
with tremendous velocity down hill. This grand bird is, as I have
already stated, even now very scarce in the neighbourhood of
Simla, and I very much fear it will soon disappear altogether ; its
ways and habits laying it open to complete extinguishment more
than do those of other pheasants. The rest, I think, will always be
sufficiently able to take care of themselves, a wise Government now
protecting them in the breeding season, in common, I believe, with
all game birds of that z'egiou, I must not detain you long on the
subject of the three other species of pheasants I have mentioned.
As to the moonal, it is more easy for me to be brief, inasmuch as
the bird is now comparatively scarce in any easily accessible part
of the neighbourhood of Simla, and it is certainly by no means
true now, and of that locality, whatever may have been the case
when (i Mountaineer" wrote (so often quoted by Mr. Hume and by
Mr. Barucs), ' ■ that the most indifferent sportsman will fiudlittle diffi-
culty in gettiug the moonal."" This is because it has been and is so
much shot for its gorgeous plumage, a small piece of which, a lady
tells me, costs as much as a guinea or more at a fashionable West End
bonnet shop. The man I had with me this year to skin what I shot
told me he had himself skinned some 2,000 last season for one firm
of exporters in Calcutta, the majority of which, I believe, came from the
neighbourhood of the Char — -a hill some twenty miles (as the crow flies
from Simla, but somewhat rugged and inacessible and removed from
any good road. From what little I have seen of this bird I can quite
imagine that the best sport with it would begot by shooting it, as sug-
gested by "Mountaineer/' with a small rifle. Such a rifle as the '320
or *o80 bore, Winchester, which Mr. Fhipson is exhibiting here, aud
which I have lately had opportunity of proving to be a wonderfully
accurate and reliable little weapon. The bird has a habit, when first
flushed by dogs, of getting into a bare branch of some lofty tree,
and thence abusing with great loquacity the disturbers of its peace.
"While so engaged, yon may approach to within some £0 or 100
yards of it by utiug the cover of intermediate trees, aud at that
distance it affords a good mark for such a weapon. It is difficult to
approach near enough for an effective shot with a shot gun, and the
bird is so very wideawake (though " Mountaineer" somewhat
SPORTING RAMBLES ROUND ABOUT SIMLA. 6*3
quaintly assures us that there is nothing of guile in its nature) that,
when once ou the wing, it seems to have a very good notion of
•where the guns are and how they are to be avoided. I once saw
the sight that seems to have impressed '* Mountaineer" so, and small
wonder — a cock moonal, his peacock-erect sailing across a valley,
with all his gorgeous plumage shivering and shimmering in the sun
with a curious vibratory movement, A very living glittering rain-
bow it was : a sight that almost took your breath away. I Was with
a companion who did not shoot himself and would rather discourage
shooting in others. 1 am happy to say, though, that he could play
as good a knife and fork game as any of our party when a pheasant
was on the table. " What on earth is that ? " he said. " Why, that
is a cock moonal," said I, somewhat testily, a bird he knew I very
much wanted to get a specimen of. " And do you mean to say you
would be brute enough to shoot that glorious thing?" he asked ; and
for once I almost doubted whether there might not be something in
what he said. The kalij and the koklass I will dismiss with but a
few words, not because there is not much to be said about them, or
that they are unimportant to the Simla visitor. Quite the contrary
is the case. They will form the mainstay of your larder and give
you most of your sport. Both birds, if not old roosters and properly
kept (you can hang them well nigh a week at that time of the year),
are most excellent eating, every bit as good as an English pheasaut
in my opinion. And both give excellent aport. The two are found
in somewhat different ground, as I have before stated, but the mode
of shooting them is much the same. The guns are below and the
dogs and one or two men above. The ever welcome short bark,
followed by a hurried "clinking" of the frightened bird, is heard
above, " Ata, Sahib," " Ata, Sahib/' rings down through the trees,
followed almost instantaneously by a rushing thunderbolt to your
right or left, or coming straight for you out of the trees in your
front ; then somehow your gun goes off, and, if you are on the spot
that morning, a crash is heard through the tops of the trees below
you, and your faithful retriever is soon seen proudly wagging his
tail with the bird in his mouth. You do not very often come across
either of these birds collected together in more than twos or threes.
Sometimes, however, you will be fortunate enough to light on a
regular " hot corner," and have five or six down on you more rapidly
than you can well load. Those are moments to live for. The joy
of battle is yours. Every nerve is braced, every sense strung at
64 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
its highest pitch. You feel you are being stormed, and that you
must rely solely on the keenness of your own eye and the steadiness
of your pulso. Perhaps, when all is over, you smile at your own
excitement : yet many things you may forget before you forget
those few moments. Both these birds are amazingly quick on the
wing, and almost invariably fly straight downwards ; sometimes
indeed a bit too straight. It is as much as you can do sometimes
to avoid being knocked down by a bird you have just shot. I have
had the shikaree at my side bowled over like a ninepin and rendered
considerably foolish in this way. When flushed by dogs alone, both
these birds will often at first, especially iu the afternoons, perch on
some tree, whence they will keep up their excited cackling for a
considerable time. This is the moment of your shikaree's reward ;
you give him your gun and he stalks ventre- d-terre (the favourite
attitude of the Duke of Wellington, according to the French books
of my }routh) through the trees, and pots the bird on the bough.
It is wonderful what eyes these men have for a bird in a tree ; they
will often see them in passing without anythiug having occurred to
cause them to expect to see a bird there, and it is almost certain
that their efforts to make you also see the bird will be altogether
unavailing. Many and many a long day spent on their own account
with just one cunning little dog and some old "shooting iron'1
is, I fancy, the secret of it. On this topic, however, you will not find
your shikaree prepared to be over-confidential. Nearly related
to the pheasant is the red-jungle fowl {Qallus ferruginew). If
you keep to the higher ground, 5,000 ft. and over, you will not come
across this bird; but down in some of the valleys, especially near
the rivers (if you are fishing), this bird, I am told, in many places
gives good sport. We come now to the partridges. In this family
there is one bird at least that deserves most honorable notice.
This is the chuker or red-legged partridge (Caccabis chukor), a
very near relation of, if not identical with, our friend the
" Frenchman " ( Caccabis c/rceca). This bird will test all your powers
of walking.all your boasted acciu^acy of shooting, all your endurance,
and all your patience. Open, broken ground in the neighbourhood
of cultivation is their favourite resort, on which, while still, they
are exceedingly hard to see. If they were not such arrant chatterers,
they might perhaps have a comparatively great life of it. There
must be an awful struggle for "the last word" amongst chukors. I
fancy they must sometimes quite welcome the gun as an occasion
SPOUTING RAMBLES ROUND ABOUT SIMLA. 65
for changing the subject. Your shikaree takes base advantage of
this little weakness of the chulcor (which, however, they only indulge
in early and late in the day while feeding). He sends men out to
mark them down very early in the morning-, while the grey snows
are still asleep, and the stars are flashing their last and brightest in
the clear black sky. Poor fellows, wrapped ,in their blankets, how
cold they seem when you come up with them some hour or two later,
when the sun is just touching the hill top ! Then, directed by your
watchmen, you begin to look up one of the coveys they have marked
down for you, working round and below the birds, and then very
quietly walking them up. These birds are very strong and take a
good deal of shot. They get up wonderfully smartly and are off in
every direction. If yon secure a right or left, you are to be
congratulated. Your men all over the ground are on the look-out
to mark down the birds which almost invariably separate, and often
go some considerable distance before they pitch in some bush clump
of grass or scrub. You must lose no time in looking up each group
one by one ; if yon hive more than one gun, the guns should
separate and divide the walk, as success in making a bag of chukor
depends on leaving the birds no time to regain their composure.
Constant and rapid disturbance seems to make the birds a bit
'* mazed," as they say in Devonshire, and increases your chance. But
shoot as you will, and walk as you will, probably you will not be too
pleased with your performance when all is over and done, not at
least while you are still a novice at chukor shooting. A chukor,
I may add, is excellent eating. The only other partridge I recollect
seeing on these hills is this very handsome little bird you see here —
one of the wood or hill partridges (Arboricola iorqueolas). It is
essentially a forest bird. You may expect to find it where you
would find the (arboricola or torqusolas) pheasant. This specimen
I shot in the Bhagi forest: ii was dusk, the bird was alone, aud it
flitted through the trees and pitched on a bare bough, some fifty
yards off, in such a way that I almost thought it must be some
species of owl. My shikaree told me these birds were pretty
numerous in that neighbourhood, but I cannot remember having
seen more than that one. Other partridges as well as quail are
to be got in the lower regions of the valleys. The last game bird
I will mention is our old friend the woodcock {Seohpax rusticola).
This bird is occasionally met with near Simla as early as the end
of October or beginning of November, when working for the kalij
66 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
pheasant; but it is then, at any rate, decidedly scarce. I do not
doubt that a few weeks later there must be a good number of them
scattered about in the neighburhood, but the forest in most places
is so extensive, that the birds are hard to find. In the not very
distant Knlu Valley, I have been told on the best authority that
the woodcock shooting; in the winter is first-rate. Such then is the
sport you may expect to find in a ramble round about Simla. If
time had allowed, I should like to have said something as to the
delights there prepared for the artist and the botanist. Without
being exactly either, your daily ramble is a continual feast to the
eye. You are gladdened by the red and golden autumn tints of
the chestnut, the walnut, the wild pear, and wild cherry; the deep
dark green of the deodar is here and there aflame with the scarlet
virgiuia creeper; the soft grey of the steep crags, ever and anon
breaking the monotony of the dark foi-est, is a perfect marvel of
mosaic in purple and madder, carmine and orange — scarlet, green,
and ochre. Underfoot it is well nigh in some places all fern, the
maiden hair and the exquisite parsley fern being the most con-
spicuous ; on the open hill sides you recognise your old friend the
silver-stemmed raspberry and the bright yellow and scarlet clumps
of the barberry ; you sloop to pick a lingering wild strawberry
beautifully powdered with white crystals of frost, or a modest white
violet, or mauve marguerite ; and when the day's delights are at
last all over, and the last lingering flush has left the snows, you are
back at your bungalow, where a roaring wood-fire awaits you, j^ou
have a good dinner of Welsh mutton (it is nearly as good) and
roast pheasant, smoke the pipe of peace, muse or talk a bit over the
cheerful flame, pile on the logs and tumble into bed.
AT MALTA TO AND FROM INDIA.
By Capt. E. F. Becher, R. A., F. Z. S.
The homeward and outward traveller has generally a longer or
shorter stay at Malta ; the popular attractions, as held out by the
native tout, are the Palace, St. John's Church, Dried Monks and
San Antonio Orange Gardens ; but there are other attractions to
any one with a leaning to Natural History. Of course, the market
should be visited. Six a. m. is none too early, because many of
AT MALTA TO AND FROM INDIA, G
rj
the birds brought in aro at once plucked; every bird that flies is
slaughtered, when possible, and brought to the market ; and, of course,
during the spring and autumn migrations these are in great variety.
Any small bird is a Bnccafico, aud though I have spent some years
in the Mediterranean, off and on, I yet have not a clear idea what a
Bcccafico proper is, but I believe that it is the Garden Warbler (8.
salicariu). A curious ornithological dainty, which the Maltese
are especially fond of, is a portion of the back of a hen, with the
adherent well-developed ovaries.
I obtained once in the market a specimen of a Stone Curlew, and
on dissection the whole of the stomach cavity was filled with one
large snail (Helix vermiadata). This bird's gullet must have been
most distensible to have got it down. Many birds are brought to
market alive. Amongst others, the Yellow Wagtail (M'.flava). This
bird is easier tamed than any other bird I know. The Maltese clip
their wings and keep them in their shops and kitchens iu order to
catch flies. One I had within five days of capture would come to
me and feed out of my hand, and whenever I was skinning a bird, he
would always come on to the table and catch the flies, which always,
of course, were present in numbers. On one occasion he got a little
tow entangled in his claws; so I had to hunt him down, catch him
and disentangle it, which would have frigliteued any other bird, but
when I put this wagtail down, he just shook himself and went on
pursuing flies on my table as usual. There is a fair collection of
birds in the Museum of. the University. To view this all you have
got to do is to walk inside the University building, which is
close to the market, and ask permission from the Professor of
Natural Science or any one else. There is a MS. catalogue, but
some of the birds, notably a Lark or two, are incorrectly labelled.
The Isabelline Nightjar (0. wgyptius) should not be overlooked, as
only few European killed specimens are in existence.
There is also a collection of land shells there, but I forget
whether the Maltese shells are separated, but I think so. The land
and fresh water molluscs of the Maltese Group though small (not
much above forty) are most interesting, six, viz., II. melitensis, Fev.,
E.Sfraiti, Pfeiffer, Clausilia scalaris, Pfeiffer, C. mamotica, Gulia,
Physa melitensis, Ben., Paludina melitensis, Ben., being peculiar to
the Group.
The characteristic fossils of the ?vJalta formations are Echino-
derms, and probably a collection can be seen here. Another object
C8 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
to be looked for is a specimen of the black variety of the Common
Green Lizard. The latter is common all over Malta, but on the islet
of Fifla, which is a mere rock, it is replaced by a black variety. The
raison d'etre of this black variety is not, I believe, properly ascer-
tained ; but Professor Giglioli, of Florence, writes that he has
invariably found that our Common Lizard (P. muralis) constantly
presents dark varieties in islets adjoining small islands. This islet of
Fifla is also a breeding place of the Manx Shear water (P. anglorum)
and also, I believe, of P. griseus. When I visited it in April I only took
eggs of the former, though I captured and let go again one or two of
the latter. But as Fifla is not likely to be visited by the voyager, I
■will sav no more about it. A walk round Manoel Island is interesting,
poking about at the edge of the sea. After rain some fresh water
pools are left amongst the rocks; in some of them may be seen a
large Entomostracan, at first sight like some bivalve swimming
about: this is Estheria melitensis, and any observations concerning
it are worth noting.
Another interesting stroll is on the rocks beyond Ricasoli. Many
fossil shells and echinoderms, &c, will be seen in situ, and perhaps a
shark's tooth or so, the Malta formation being a great repository of
the latter. The Malta rocks can be divided into 4, the upper being
a coral limestone and below this sand. No. 2, marl. No. 3, sand-
stone. No. 4, semi-crystalline limestone, but for more detail I would
refer to Ltith Adam's book on Malta and Spratt's Geology of Malta,
which can be seen in either the Garrison or the Public Library.
The great geological feature is the large fault across the island,
forming the Benjemma height. A good way of occupying spare time,
better than by loafing about Valetta, is to take train to Notabile and
then drive to St. Paul's Bay. A very good idea of the island can thus
be got. At St. Paul's Bay, just opposite the little island of Salmone
is the restricted area for Clausilia scalaris before mentioned. This
Bay is — '* When it was dny they knew not the land but they
discovered a certain creek with a shore into which thay were minded
if it were possible, to thrust the ship * * * and falling into a
place where iwo seas meet they ran the ship aground. * * * " This
place is said to be the strait between Salmone and the maiuland.
Books to read on a voyage are often inquired for. If before reaching
Malta the History of the Knights of Malta can be read, it will add
much to the interest of the place, especially to those who can picture
the past in the present. Just inside the Gate of St. Elmo is a small
MISCELLANEOUS. ^9
chapel, in this chapel the Knights being driven to the last extremity
and nearly all wounded, received the last Sacrament, and then went
out to die. the wounded being propped up in their places. A
hand-to-hand fight in the grand harbour, the combatants swimming,
is an episode not likely to be repeated in modern days.
MISCELLANEOUS.
EOMBAY BUTTERFLIES.
To the Editor of the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society.
Sir,— The following note of captures made last year may interest your ento-
mological readers. I find on reference to my diary that between 1 2th August and
23rd September I had secured on Malahar and Cumballa Hills alone 50 different
species of butterflies and 34 different species of moths.
On 26th August I caught in the compound of the house in which I live on
Cuniballa Hill, two specimens of Danais dorippus, of which Mr. Aitk en writes at
page 127 of the first volume of the Society's Journal, that there is only one
specimen in the Society's collection, and that he has never met with it in Bom-
bay, but believes it to be an occasional variety of Chrysippus; and of which Mr.
Newnhain writes at page 220 of the same volume that he ha.d seen two speci-
mens in Cutch and heard of a few more at Mandvie. I have never seen any
other specimens than the two I c.iught, and believe with Mr. Aitken that they
are merely an unusual variety of a very common species, Danais Chrysippus.
On 23rd September I caught, about half mile beyond the upper end of the
Vehar Lake, a beautiful specimen of Myrina Atymnus, the only one I have ever
seen, of which the Society appear to have no specimen, and which Drury notes
as " rare " among Indian butterflies.
It may also interest some of your readers to know that during the last week
in July the shy white-browned bulbul, Ixos Luteolus, built in a hanging basket
of ferns under my porch, and laid two eggs, of which I took one. The hen
continued to sit on the other, but laid no more, till unfortunately a careless passer-
by struck the basket, upset the nest, and broke the egg, when the hen deserted
I never saw the cock bird abuut the nest after the eggs were laid. — Yours, &c,
W. E. HART.
Cumballa Hill, Bombay, 2Clh March 1889.
A BIRD-CATCHING SPIDER.
When Madame Merian mentioned in her " Insects of Surinam " the existence
of a bird-catching spider in the Settlement, her account, though believed at the
time, was discredited shortly afterwards, and her statement set down as untrust-
worthy and exaggerated. No spider, it was believed, either caught or preyed on
birds, and experiments were tried with the arachnoid in question {My gale avxcu-
laria) by Langsdrof, MacLeay and others to test the truth of her assertion and,
70 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
resulting in failure, the whole account was rather summarily set down as a fabri-
cation, pure and simple. Later on, however, M. Moreau de Jounes, who spent
many years of an observant life in Martinique, and was consequently well quali-
fied to speak on the habits of these huge spiders, bears out Madame Merian's
account, and distinctly states that " it climbs on the branches of trees to surprise
the Colibris (humming birds) and the Certhicu flaveola." M. Palisot de Beauvais
also asserts that M. Blundii is known to kill and devour birds, and Percivalin his
account of Ceylon says the same of M. fasciata. That spiders of the genus
Myyale do catch and eat birds is, I think, now pretty well acknowledged, and the
following account given to me by a lady, in whom I can repose the utmost con-
fidence, will serve as another case in point to establish tliis fact : —
A few years ago, a pair of martins* built their nest in the verandah of this
lady's house on the Shevaroy HiHs, and, as she always takes a lively interest in
animate nature, she allowed the birds to remain undisturbed, and watched with
keen interest the process of building and incubation. On coming out one morning,
however, she was surprised to find the parent bird missing from the nest, and on
looking about the verandah her eyes fell on a huge spider with the bird iu its
clutches. Summoning her husband to her assistance she bade him despatch it, but
bird and spider were so mixed up that this was no easy matter, and the arachnoid
escaped into its den in the wall. On examining the bird it was found that the
skin only was left, the breast and other portions having been completely eaten up.
The spider had evidently caught the bird at night (the usual hunting hours of
the Mygalida?), and had carried it along the rafters, a distance 2§ yards, to the
entrance to its abode and there eaten it. The spider in question, from the des-
cription given of it, must have been M. fascia ta, a species not unknown on the
Shevaroys.
A. W. MORRIS.
ENGLISH NOMENCLATURE FOR INDIAN BUTTERFLIES.
To the Editor of the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society.
Sir, — It must have struck many people, besides myself, as very strange that
we have as yet no English name for our Indian butterflies, except, perhaps, a very
few for insects resembling English ones. In England the majority of common
butterflies have one, if not more popular names, more or less appropriate, and some
even poetical and beautiful. These names are principally derived from some strik-
ing feature in their appearance or peculiarity of habit. Surely our Indian butter-
flies are not so devoid of peculiarities that ouringenuity cannot snpply them with
some simpler, more expressive names than long, double barrel Latin ones, which
convey nothing of the insect's appearance or habits. I think, if anything, our
Indian butterflies possess a much more varied life history and distinguishing
peculiarities. Another useful point to be gained also would be that we should learn
* Judging from the birds that have now built in the same spot these must have
been C. concolor.
PROCEEDINGS.
71
a gTeat deal more about the life history of butterflies, as many keen observers of
nature would send notes and observations, who now omit to do so, as, not knowing
the scientific name, they are at a loss to distinguish the butterfly of which they
wish to speak.
What I would suggest then, is that various well known lepid'pterists should be
written to with a request to send a list of suggested names to be laid before a
Committee of our Society, who would accept the ones which seemed to them the
most appropriate. A list of names so selected might then ba printed and circu-
lated for information to various Natural History Societies.
Of course, I do not for an instant suppose that these names 'will be accepted
generally at onoe, or that it is an easy matter to name such a mass of butterflies ;
but at any rate it would be a beginning, and I think our Society might fairly claim
to have done good service in the cause of Indian entomology if we caused a stand-
ard list of English names to be published.
A. NEWNHAM,
Bombay S. C
Toona, 23rd March 1889.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY.
Pkoceedings of the Meeting hexd on 16th January 1838,
The usual monthly meeting of the members of this Society was held on Wednesday
the lfith January, Dr. D. MacDonald presiding : —
The following new members were elected :— Mr. Srimant Hanmantrao Gopalrao
(Sai Lashkar Saheb Bahadur), Dr. Eduljee Nusserwanjee, Captain J. F. C. Thatcher,
Mr. E. 0. S. Baker, Mr. C. F. Elliott, Mr. Ed. Wimbridge, Mr. Cursetjee N. Servai,
Mr. H. L. Harvey, C.S., Lord Colin Campbell, Mr. P. R. Wilson, Mr. R. N. Mant,
and Colonel Merriman.
Mr. H. M. Phipson, the Honorary Secretary, then acknowledged the following
contributions to the Society's collections : —
Contributions during December.
Contribution.
Description.
Contributor.
1 Lizard ...
• ••
Hemidactylus sykesii
Mr. E. H. Aitkea.
A Porcupine's Skull
• ■•
Hy8trix lencura ...
Mrs. Scott.
1 Snake
t ••
Passerita mycterizans
General LaTouche.
1 Snake
• • .
Typhlops porrectus...
Mr. B. F. Farnhain.
An Elephant's Skull
• • *
Elephas indicus
Mr. T. Drewett.
A Lion Monkey
• •
Macacus silenus ...
Mr. Cowasji D. Limji.
A purple-capped
Lory
(alive)
• ■ •
Psittacus domicella ..
Mrs. M. C. Turner.
1 Starred Tortoise (alive) .
Testndo elegans ...
Mr.iH. E.James, C.S.
1 Mongoose (alive) ...
• • •
Berpestesgriseus ...
Mr. H. R. Cobbold.
Several Birds' Skulls
..
From Khandalla
Mr. F, Prideaux.
Minor Contributions. — From Captain Shopland, Mr. M. P. Misquita, Mr. E. Beynon,
and Mr. W, R. Hamilton.
72
BOMBAY NATURAL BISTORT SOCIETY.
Contributions to the Library.
Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, in exchange. Prooeedinga of the Royal
Society of Victoria, Vol. I.. Part I., in exchange. Prooeedinga of the Linnsean
Society of the New South Wales, Vol. III., Parts II. and III., in exchange.
Mr. J. D. Inverarity exhibited three very fine heads which he had lately received
from Nova Scotia, viz. : — A moose (Alces malckis), a wapiti (Cervus canadensis), and
a Rocky Mountain sheep (Ovis montana).
Mr. Tytler exhibited a picture of " a tiger's head '' (life size), replicas of which
were to be had for Rs. 100 each.
The Honorary Secretary also drew attention of the members to the " Shikari Bed.'»
This bed, which weighs only 20 lbs. complete, was exhibited by Mr. John Wallace,
C. E. Similar ones to be obtained at Rs. 25 each, on application to the Clerk at the
Booms of the Society. Mr. J. C. Anderson exhibited a collection of birds from
Simla, which were greatly admired and afforded valuable illustration to his interest-
ing paper on " Sporting Rambles round about Simla."
Proceedings ov the MfeTing held on 19th February 1889.
The usual monthly meeting of the members of this Society took place on Tuesday,
the 19th February, Dr. G. A. Maconaohie presiding.
The following new members were elected: — Mr. F. A. Spencer, Mr. Stanley Tyler»
Mr. G. C. Gilder, Mr. Max Dcnso, Mr. A. Taylor, Mr. A. Abercrombie, Mr. Douglas
Bennett, and Mr. T. D. Little.
Mr. H. M. Phipson, the Honorary Secretary, then acknowledged the following
contributions to the Society's collections: —
Contributions during January.
Contribution.
Description.
Contributor.
1 Jungle Fowl
Gallus sonnerati
Mr. A. Taylor.
A quantity of specimens ol
Quartz Crystals from
Mr. H. W. Barrow.
Parol.
1 Indian Barn Owl ..
Strix javanioa ...
Mr. J. Spinner.
A quantity of Shells
From Karwar
Mr. Leokie.
1 Young Jackal (alive)
Canis aureus
Mr. Louis P. Eussell.
2 pairs Jungle Fowl (alive)
Gallus sonnerati ...
Mr N. S. Symons.
1 Snake
Lycodon aulicus
Mr. F. Kirby.
1 Victoria Crown Pigeon ...
Goura victorias
Victoria Ga.dens.
1 Pelican
Pelecanus crispus ...
Do.
A number of Insects
From Smbulpore ...
Mr. Mitchell.
6fi Birds' Skins
From the Punjab ...
Mr. E. V. Buck.
1 Snake ... ...
Passerita mycterizans
Mr. Alex. McKenzie.
1 Snake (alive)
Tropidonotus plunibioolor ...
Mr. H. Littledale.
1 Indian Barn Owl (alive) .
Strix javanica
Mr. E. Wimbridge.
1 Jungle Fowl ...
Gallus sonnerati
Lieut. A. F. Pinhey.
1 Avocet
Recurvirostra avocetta
Mr. J. V. Inveraiity.
A Porpoise (alive) ...
Neomeris karaelriensis
Mr. W. V. Sinclair, C.S.
2 Greenshanks
Tottamus glottis
Mr. F. Otto.
1 Scaley Ant Eater (alive).
Manis pentadactyla
Purchased.
Minor Contributions.
McMullen.
-From Mr. G. C. Gilder, Mr. F. Southwell Piper, Mr. G.
PROCEEDINGS. 73
The Honorary Secretary drew tUo attention of the members present, to an offer
v hich had been made to tho Society by Mr. Prevoct of five Jive tiger cubs, but which
it was impossible to accept.
Contributions to the Library.
«' British Museum Catalogue of Birds," Vols. I. to XII., Captain Becher, R.A.
" Sagacity and Morality of Plants" (Taylor), Captain Becher, B.A.
u Eecords of the Geological Survey of India," Vol. XXL, Part 4, in exchange.
•* The Indian Forester," Vol. XV., Parts 1 and 2. in exchange.
Exhibits.
Mr. E. L. Barton and Mr. S. Tytler exhibited a number of heads of sambur, wild
boar, cheetah, and jackal mounted by .them. The Honorary Sec etary stated that the
staff of taxidermists had been increased, so that the Society was now in a position to
undertake more work of this character than hitherto.
Captain E. F. Becher, R. A , exhibited a photograph of a black buck, with curiously
deformed horns, the result of emasculation.
The Society's Prizf.
The Honorary Secretary stated that the piiza of Rs. 100 offered by the Natural
History Society for the best animal rainting at the Art Society's Exhibition had
been eagerly competed for, and had produced a number of interesting pictures. The
prize had been awarded by the Judges to Mrs. Scott, for an excellent study of
camels.
It was proposed and carried unanimonsly, that the congratulations of the So.icty
be conveyed to Mrs. Scott for her success in winning the Society's prize.
The Accounts for 1S88.
Mr. A. Leslie, the Honorary Treasurer, then read a statement of the Sooicty's
fiuanoes f'<r last yctr, showing an income of Rs. 7,078. The accounts were duly
passed, subject to the audit of Mr. John Wallace, C. E.
FACILITY FOR LANDING SPECIMENS.
Mr. W. F. Sinclair, C.^., stated that, as the Society had experienced considerable
difficulty in landing specimens of fish — porpoises, turtles, &c, addressed to them — at
the Apollo Bunder, he begged to propose the following resolution : — " That whereas
there are occasional delays and difficulties about landing fish and other things for
this Society, the Committee should instruct the Honorary Secretary to address the
Port Trust with a view to obtaining permission to land at the Apollo Bunder any
articles plainly addressed to the Society at its Rooms, 6, Apollo Street."
Mr. Sinclair then read a very interesting paper, entitled " A Creek of the Konkan,' '
containing a graphic description of the birdj and animals seen in the estuaries and
creeks of that part of the country.
Proceedings of the Meeting held on 5th Match 1880.
The usual monthly meeting of the Bombay Natural History Society was held at
the Society's Booms on the 5th March 1889, when Mr. R. Gilbert drew the attention
of the members to tb.3 recent rules issued by the Chief Commissioner of the Central
Provinces relating to Bhooting and fishing in the rcssrved forests of thai part of India.
10
74 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
filr. J. D. Ijiven.riiy presided, and there wos a very large attendance ofmenifcers, those
present including Mr. W. Leo-Warner, the Hon. Mr. Justice Parsons. Mr. C. P. Cooper,
Captain Olivier. Mr. E. L Barton, Dr. Bank*, Dr. Weir, Dr. I). MaeDonald, Mr. J.
Jefferson, Mr. J. D. Steel. Mr. L. P. Resell, Mr. F. L. Charles, C.S., Mr. Reginald
Gilbert, Mr. M. C. Turner, Colonel Major, and Mr. H. M. Phipaon, the Honorary
Secretary.
The Secretary Laving read the notice convening the meetfr/g, Mr. Gilbert, at the
request of the Chairman, read the rules issued by the Chief Commissioner, which are
as following : —
xonncATiOJf.
The 29th November 1868.
No. C92o. — The Chief Commissioner is pleased, under Section io (i) ef Act VII. of
1878 (The Indian forest Act), to prescribe the following rales to by in force in all
" Reserved Forests" in the Central Provinces : —
I. The poisoning of water for any purpose whatever is prohibited.
II. 1. Hunting, shooting, fishing or setting of traps or snares is prohibited
except with the permission in writing of the Deputy Commissioner or »
Forest Oificer duly authorised by him or by the Conservator of Forests in
this behalf, and specifying the particular fo. est or forests to wlrch the
permission appli v-<, and the period for which it is curreat.
2. The permit mry either be general or mej restrict the holder to the
hunting or shooting"or trapping or snaring of particular species, or may p: o»
hibit the hunting or shooting or trapping or snaring of any particular species.
3. The permit shall spse'fioally prohibit the destruction or capture of
anim'ils of any species in ripest of which the Chief Commissioner has
directed the observance of a close season, during the term of such clor.e season.
4. Tlf=) pe-mit may impose restrictions npon the choice of e imping gronnds
within trn forist^, and shall in all cases specify the nambar of companions,
retainers, followers, and animals which the holder of the permit may take
with him into the forest.
5. Any permit grant cl under this nFe shall be liable at any time to be
cancelled by order of the officer granting it or of the Conservator of Forests,
and shall cease to be valid in the event of fire occurring in the forest to
which it applies.
I). Forest Officers of and above the rank of Sub-Assistant Conservator of
Forests are exempted from the operation of this rule within the limits of
their respective charges.
III. Any breaoh of the Forest Act or of any rules made under that Act by the
holder of a permit granted under Rule II., or by his retainers, shall entail
forfeiture of such permit.
IV. Nothing in these rules shall exempt the holder of a permit granted under
Bule II. from liability under the Forest Act, or any other law, for anything
done in contravention of such law, or for any damage caused by him or his
retainers.
V. The fees to bo charged for the permit issued under Rule II. shall be as
follows : —
1. A fee of one nip3e per diem for each sportainau or shikari follower
entering the Reserve.
PROCEEDINGS. 75
2. A fee of eight annas per diem for each elephant or camel entering the
Reserve.
3. When the permit authoris cs a camp to he fmmed within the limits of a
Reserve, the pay aud allowances of a forest subordinate to be depnted to
attend the camp.
F. C. Anderson,
Offg. Secy, to the Chief Commsr., Central Provinces.
Note. — The Deputy Commissioner is a Forest Officer for the purpose of this rule.
Mr. Gilbert then addressed the meeting. Having prefaced his remarks by observing
that the rules were supplied to him directly he had applied for them, Mr. Gilbert said
the part of the rules to which he chiefly objected was that relating to the payment.
of a fee of one rupee per day for each sportsman or shikari follower entering the
reserve. There might boa difference of opinion as to what constituted a shikari
follower, but he had communicated with one or two gentlemen in the Central
Provinces, and they had state 1 that th.3 definition applied to a common beater. This
was very hard, and if the. rules were strictly construed, he thought nearly every one
would be unable to shoot in the Central Provinces. Of coarse, if sportsmen employed
elephants, then they should pay a fea, for such animals did much harm to forests ;
but he quite failed to see why th^y should have to pay such fees for common beaterj.
He found on reference to Sir William [fuater's Guzettejr of India that the area of
the Central Provinces was 113,279 square mile?, aud of this 17,131 square miles
were unreserved forest, while 2,583 miles were reserved forest. The extent of the
reserved forest land was constantly being added t) by Government, aud he had no
doubt that since Sir William Hunter's book was written, it had increased by many
thousands of miles. "When he (Mr. Gilbert) was at Assirgurh last Christmas, he
met a Forest Officer just at the edge of the jungle and was told that these rules were
in Eorce, bat he did not say anything about the fjes. Hi thought a great deal might
be said in favour of hiving no rules whatever. But if, with reference to reserved
forests, Government chise to have rules, he did not think sportsmen could reasonably
object, provided permission could be easily obtained, and provided that the necessary
licence was not arbitrarily witheld by those persons who had the benefit of the
shooting in the districts for which application for licences was made. The power
given to the District Officer was very great, but, so far as the Forest Officers were
concerned, he had invariably received great assistance from them while out shooting,
and he did not believe they would be unnecessarily arbitrary in dealing with the
applications for licences. But still there was nothing said about an appeal to
anybody if such licences were refused, and if a District Odicer refused permission,
there was no remedy whatever for the sportsman. In all the circumstances he
would suggest that those present should form themselves into a Committee which
should be authorised to draw up a petition on the subject for presentation to the
Viceroy, asking that some or all of the rules should be withdrawn ; further, that the
Chairman should be authorised to sign the petition on behalf of the members.
Mr. W. Lee- Warner asked Mr. Gilbert if he knew for what object the rules had
been issued. Was it to protect the forests from fire, or for the purpose of making
a revenue ?
Mr. Gilbert replied that he had not been able to ascertain the object with which
the rules had been framed, but should imagine that they were issued partly for the
proteotion of the forests and partly for the protection of game. They could not be
7G BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY S")CfETY.
solely for tlie protection of the forests, because iu the rains there would be no
danger as far as fire was concerned. Sportsmen who weut oat shooting were not
likely to fire the forests. They had heard of Instances of sportsmen lighting fires to
get out of the way of animals, but the instances were far from numerous. The
speaker also mentioned that he had in his individual capacity sent in a memorial to
the Chief Commissioner, but it had not been replied to.
Tbe Chairman observed that he did not think they had sufficient information at
the present moment to justify them in taking any decided action in the matter. la
his opinion all that they could do was to appoint a Committee to collect information
on the subject, which could be submitted at a future meeting. He did not believe
that the rules were framed for th3 purpose of protecting the forests from fire,
because ample provision for such protection was made in the Forest Act VII. of
1878. In that Act there appeared to be three kinds c/f forests over which the
Government exercised a certain amount of protection — namely, reserved forests,
village forests, and protected forests — and he understood that the rules only applied
to the first of these — reserved forests. He knew from experience that one conld go
through a vast tract of country in the Central Provinces without coming upon a
reserved forest at all, but he believed that of late years- and this was a matter
which they should inquire into — the policy of Government had been in the direction
of turning large tracts of country into reserved forests, and probably a great many
of these tracts had never even been placed under the category of protected forests.
One of the first things they should do was to ascertain from the proper officials what
particular forests in the Central Provinces had been declared to be reserved forests.
His experience was that one always had to get leave to go into reserved forest, and
from Section 25 of Act VII. of 1878 it was obvious that such permission must be
obtained and it was also laid down that sportsmen should not allow cattle to trespass
into the forests, that they could not take a horse into a reserved forest without
permission, and that they were not to kindle or carry any fire except such as might
be notified by the officer in charge of the forest. He could not therefore think that
the rules were framed with the object of protecting the forests from fire, because this
protection was already provided for, it being laid down that anybody lighting a fiie
so as to endanger a forest rendered himself liable to six months' imprisonment.
What he objected in the rules was that they contemplated that one should not enter
a forest at all, although his camp might be miles away from it, unless permission
was obtained beforehand. The rules made it necessary that one should specify
the exact time that he was going to enter the forest and the exact number of shikari
followers that were going with him, while details also had to be given of every man
woman, and child who might be connected with the camp. This was impossibly
for anyone to do. It was absolutely impossible for anybody at the commencement of
a shooting trip to say how many shikaris should attach themselves to his camp. It
was, in his opinion, good policy not to discourage any shikari, and he himself never
dreamed of turning one of them away. If fees were to be charged, the rules should
be so framed that they should be payable at the end of the trip, when one was in a
position to give a proper return of the number of followers who had accompanied him.
The rules, as they stood at present, seemed to lay it down that they were all dishonest
and accordingly they must pay the fees in advance. He did not see the necessity for
fees at all. Of course, they would be to the advantage of rich men, because they
would tend to lessen the shooting in the jungle: but for the great mass of sportsmen
who had not succeeded in shaking the Pagoda tree, the fees were absolutely prohibi-
PROCEEDINGS'. 77
tive, and some of them would hwe to give up shooting entirely if the vales were
enforced. However, he did not think tint they should attribute the framing of the
rules to any desire on the part of forest officials to keep the shooting for themselves.
It was only natural that the men in charge of the forests should like to get as much
shooting as possible, but at the same time he might say that his experience taught
him that the forest officials were " remark ibly go d fellows." Again, he did not
believe the rules were framed to raise a revenue, because although the fees would
fall heavily upon the individuals who had to pay them, the aggregate amount
realised would be comparatively trifling. As a matter of fact, better shooting was
obtained iu the jungle, but it often happened that while a sportsman was shooting
on the borders of a reserved forest the animal went into the forest itself: and
under the present rule, if such a thiug happened, the sportsmau would have to
abandou his pursuit, unless he had previously obtained permission to enter that
particular forest, and it was very unlikely that he would be iu the possession of such
a permit. lie certainly objected to being bound to give such minute details when
applying for permission to enter a reserved forest, and he would say further that if
permission was given at all, it should be given without the payment of any fees at
all. As for having a Forest Officer in one's camp to "dry nurse"' ou^, he should
object, because if he was a friend of the o3icer in charge of the forest, he would
consider he was doing his master a good turn by thwarting the efforts of the sports-
man. In conclusion, he thought they should appoint a Committee to g<;t information
as to the particular forests to which the rules applied, aud also as the reason why
they were framed, and then thay should consider whether the Chief Commissioner
of the Central Provinces had power to levy fees for permission to enter the forests.
He did not find any express power given to the Commissioner to make any rules
with reference to reserved forests. The only provision made in the Act was f r the
punishment of persons who acted in contravention of any rules the Local Govern-
ment might from time to time proscribe with reference to hunting, shooting, and
fishing. There was, however, another seotion — 31 — in the Aot which enabled the
Local Government to make rules to regulate huntii g, shooting, and fishing; but this
applied only to protected forests. He might also point out that it had been ruled
in more th in one court, that where power to regulate was given, it did not mean
power to prohibit. The Committee must first get accurate information, aud then
it might be considered if the legality of the rules could be questioned. If it could
be questioned, the member; would question it. If not, theu they must take all
possible Bteps to prevent the rules operating harshly upon the large number of
sportsmen, who already found the ordinary expenses of shooting quite heavy
enough for their pockets.
Colonel Major suggested that application might be made to have the rules held in
suspension till the present season was over.
The Chairman thought that Colonel Major might submit a resolution to th\t effect.
Mr. Gilbert : Then you are not in favour of drawing up a memorial at present ?
The Chairman : I do not think we have sufficient material to enable us to do so.
Mr. Gilbert : The Committee can get the material and then draw up the memorial.
The Chairman : I think we may empower the Committee to take such steps as
they deem desirable after they secure the information.
Mr. Lee-Warner then moved the following resolution : — " That the Chief
Commissioner be informed that the recent regulations fur sport in the forosts of the
Central Fiwiuces have been considered by this Society, and that he be invited to
78 Bombay natural history society.
suspend the operation of them for the present season with a view of further
consideration of their details ; tit tho same time he be invited to acquaint the Society
with the principal objects with which the lules are framed, in order that the Society-
may co operate to effect the policy of preserving the forests and the game which he
has in view, without incurring the risk which they fear that the regulations in their
present form involve of piohibiting all sport." Mr. Lee- Warner remarked that,
although there were rnoie important forests in Bombay than in the Central Provinces
Government hail not found it necessary to issue any such rules as had been issued by
the Chief Commissioner. Some time since rules were made in the Kolhapore State
to the effect that no one should enter the forests without permission, and they
operated most injuriously, for when sportsmen were shooting in the jungles adjoining
Kolhapore, they found themselves pulled up while following their animal by the
village officers, who asked, " Where is you permission ?" while the patels and oth-r
officers thought it necessary to throw every obstacle ir. their way. On it being
represented to the Kolhapore State ihat the British Government imposed no rules,
the authoiities there at once withdrew their rules, and now they would always give
permission to enter the forests.
Colonel Major seconded the resolution, and it was carried.
The Chairman next proposed, " That the Secretary of the Society be instructed to
communicate this resolution to the Chief Commissioner, Central Provinces."
This was seconded by Mr. L. P. Russell and adopted.
Mr. Gilbert moved, '• That on tha reaeipt of a communication from the Chief
Commissioner, the Secretary he authorise! to call another meeting of tho Society in
order that the same may be considered, with a view, if necessary, to further action
bidng taken in the matter."
Captain Olivier having seconded the motion, it was agreed to.
The Honorary Secretary here stated that he had received letters on the subject
from a la-g: number of gentlemen residing up-country, including Colonel Coles,
Captain FicharcUou, Mr. J. Davidson, C.S., Mr. Eobert Wroughton, Captain Becher,
R.A., Captain T. Macpherson, and General Anderson. Those letters/ he intimated'
would be careful Iy considered by the Sub-Committee when appointed.
The proceedings then terminated with a vote of thanks to the Chairman.
An adjourned general meeting of the members of the Bombay Natural History
Society was held on the 29th M arch 1889 at their Booms in Apollo Stieet, Fort, for
the purposa of considsring a letter received from the Chief Cimmissioner of the
Central Prjvinjes, in reply to the Society's communication to sport in the Central
Provinces.
Mr. Inveracity, who presided, called uptn Mr. H. M. Phipson, the Honorary Secre-
tary, to read the following letter received from Mr. Laurie, the Secretary to the
Chief Commissioner of the Central Provinces, which letter was also accompanied by
a list of rules framed for the protection of game in the above districts.
Camp, 23rd of March 1889.
The Honorary Secretary, Bombay Natural History Society.
Sir, — I am directed to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 7th instant, wit
its enclosure, regarding the rules recently laid down by the Chief Commissioner for
regulating hunting, shooting, fishing, &c, in the reserved forests of the Central
Piovinoes.
PKOCEEDIKGS. 7(J
2. The Chief Commissioner observes from tho repot of the discussion at the
meeting of the Society on the oth March, which you hare forwarded for his information
that the main objection taken to the rules was the supposed incidence of the scale
of fees. It had already come to Mr. Mackenzie's notice that there was misunder-
standing upon this point; and as it never was his intention to throw unnecessary
difficulties in the way of bond fide sport, he had, before your letter readied him, directed
the preparation of an addendum to tho rules as originally issued pioviding for tho
levy of reasonable fees upon term permits, and making it clear that beatc.sand
camp followers did not come withiu the purview of the rules. These additions
rules were pub ished in the Central Provinces' Gazette of the 9th March, aud I am to
refer your Society to notification 1595 of that date. (Copy enclosed.)
3. This practically disposes of the difficulty raised at the meeting of jour Society;
but as the members are anxious to know the principal objects with which the
rules have been framed, I am to communicate the following remaiks for their
information ; —
4. The forests of the Central Provinces aro, generally speaking, in a very back-
ward and unsatisfactory condition. They have been seriously injured by indiscri-
minate felling during many generations, aud require the most careful treatment and
conservancy to restore them to anything like a healthy state. The efforts of the
department to foster natural reproduction are, however, constantly frustrated by
the occurrence of extensive fires, which are frequently no doubt kindled and spread
by local graziers with a view to clearing the ground for fresh grass, hut are ruinous
to the young forest growth. Large sums are now spent annually on measures of fire
protection in the more valuable blocks; and as funds become available and the local
establishments are organized, the fire protected area will be year by year extended.
The Chief Commissioner has withiu the last two years taken steps to impress upon
owners of land near the Government forests their responsibility under the law for
doing nothing to carry the risk of fire into or near the forests. But his efforts in thh
direction and the work of the forest establishments have frequently been frustrated
by the breaking ou*; of fires within the forest blocks themselves ; and it is a fact that
these fires have in more than one instance boen coincident both as to time and place
"with the movements of shooting parties within the reserves. It may be that the
sporLsmen or their followers were not directly responsible for the mischief done,
though a partially extinguished camp fire, or even the careless throwing away of a
match or the end of a lighted cheroot, would, in these extremely dry districts, bo
enough to start a smouldering, which the least wind would fan into a fire beyond all
human control. But the fact remains that if fire protective measures are to have
any effect, the more valuable blocks must at certain seasons be absolutely closed
to outsider, or admission must only be granted under close supervision and suitable
restiictions. There are, however, thousands of square miles of reserves to whioh in
their present state sportsmen may be admitted more freely ; but experience has shown
that it is eve -y where desirable to know what persons are worry ng about the forests
at any given time, and this knowledge can only be secured by a fystem of permits.
5. I am to remind the Society that it is not only gentlemen of the status of its
members who seek to exploit the game of the Central Provinces forests. They are
infested by gangs of native shikarees from all parts of India, whom it is at present
impossible to tr.ice and identify in the event of enquiry being necessary regardin"
any of their proceedings. Government rules oanuot discriminate between sportsirea
of different nationalities or grades of society.
80 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
6. To the fees in themselves the Chief Commissioner attaches comparatively
little importance. They constitute, however, a useful anil simple riheck upon the
entry of persons of a clas^ which it is moib difficult to control, Whil9 they are not so
heavy as to be a serious tax upon any respectable spo'tsman, European or nsitive. A a
to the right of Government to levy fees for permission to shoot in its forests, there
can hardly be any serious question, if it is remembered that a reserved forest is
merely permanent Government estate, in and over which all outside jights and
easements have been extinguished or commuted by process of law, the whole produce
of which (as forest produce is defined in the Act) is Government property, and
trespass in which, if access is forbidden, is a punishable offence. Government already
lets ita fisheiies, and the right to collect ho/ns and hides. It has a perfeotly indefeasible
right, in the Chief Commissioner's opinion, to close any forest block to outsiders,
or to say that it will admit them on any terms, pecuniary or other, which it chooses
to prescribe. Nearly all the Government forests of the Central Provinces were
declared reserves shortly after the the passing cf Ait VII. of 1878, and if large arena
have hitherto been practically neglected, this has been due only to the weakness of
the establishments and the impossibility of extending a sti ict couservanc}' to the
whole or even any very great portion of them all at once.
7. But the rules have other objects besides the preventron of fires. As above
expla'ne'i, the forests of these provinces have for years been freely exploited by large
numbers of native shikarees for trade purposes. Bi.ds have been shot and snare 1
fur their feathers. The hinds, does, cows, and young of harmless game have been
destroyed ruthlessly for their skins. Men of the class observe no close season, and
jinn cm us interest'Bg and valuable species are now on the verge of extinction. The
Chief Commissioner hopes by the system cf permits in course of tin e, and as expeiiencc
is gained, to do something to check this and put matters on a better footing. This,
he feela sure, is an object in which he will carry with him the sympathy of the
Bombay Natural History and of all true sportsmen. If the Society would communion to
to him any information at its disposal regardii g the proper clo'e season of the
different species of birds and game known in the province, he would welcome it. He
fin Is much discrepancy and doubt existing on this question.
8. For the rest, the Conservator has been instructed to work the rules in a
reasonable and liberal spirit, with du« regard to the primary object which they have
in view. Special facilities for the destruction of dangerous caruivoia will be afforded
as far as possible. Any temperate representations regarding the operation of the
rules in individual cases or generally will alwv.ys receive the Chief Commissioner's
early attention. But as th;s year the province is suffering from a continued drought,
and the ftrests are in a specially r'angerous condition, Mr. Mackenzie must decline
to «u8j end the operation of the rules as suggested by the Society. Any delay in giving
effect to them might involve serious conse jueuccs. He is responsible to the Govern-
ment of India for his management of the forest?, and Lc must adopt on bis own
responsibility, and subject only to the control of the Governor General in Council,
euch measures as appear to him called for in the public interest. He can share that
responsibility with no non-official person or society, though he is always ready to
accept information and suggestions from such a body as you represent.
?'. The onl , other point which it is perhaps desirable to notice is theexemption of
Forest Officers from the necessity of taking out permits. The Chief Commissioner
would have supposed the reasonableness if this would havo been self-evident, but, one
of your members, he observes, takes exception to it in a letter to the Bombay Gazette
PROCEEDINGS. 81
The officers whose duty it is to protect the forest and decide on the grants of permit
to outsiders (including all other Government officers from the Chief Commissioner
downwards) could hardly be called upon to issue permits to themselves. The
Deputy Commissioner is in these Provinces, owing to the paucity of the trained stiff,
in charge of large areas of the district forests, and can fairly claim exerrpt '< n a
himself a Forest Officer. No other exemption in favour of officials is permitted
Any Forest Offioer found protecting or preserving the shooting in a forest for his own
purposes would, the Society may be sure, be very severely dealt with.
I am, &o. ,
L. K. LAURIE,
Offg. Secretary to th? Chief Commissioner, C. P.
Mr. Gilbert considered that as the Chief Commissioner had expressed willingness
to listen to any suggestions the Society was preparjd to make, it would be advisable
to appoint a Committee of the members to reply to it. He should personally like to
make a few suggestions, and he had also a number of letters from friends which
oontained suggestions, that he considered might be submitted to the Commissioner.
Mr. Inverarity, on the other hand, considered that as the letter they had received
contained a very satisfactory reply to their communication, it was not advisable to
make any suggestions, as the scale of charges was, as modified, moderate enough to
satisfy any true sportsman, and should nob raise any complaint, for, as far as ho
could see, the rules would prevent what he called the "native pothunters" from
shooting anything they met. He, furthermore, understood from the letter that it
was simply intended to enclose certain areas in order to protect them from fire. He
believed that was always done, and as the areas so enclosed were not very large, he
did not think it would much matter. For, as far as the Society was concerned, he
did not think they had much ground for complaint, as the rules would tend to the pro-
tection of game and the expulsim from the shooting ground of that class of native
shikar who shot indiscriminately at small game and over water, regardless of a
proper close season. He considered such shooting should be prohibited during the hot
months. He did not see how the Society could make any suggestions to the Commis-
sioner regarding the working of the rulei for they had done all that was necessary
in the matter. He therefore suggested that the Secretary of the Society be in-
structed to reply to the Commissioner's letter, thanking him for the courteous answer
he had given to the Society's oommuuication, and expressing their gratification that
the Chief Commissioner's rules are not intended to restrict sport in the Central
Provinces.
This proposition, on being seconded by Mr. Taylor, was carried n°»i con., the pro-
ceedings concluding with the customary compliment to the Chairman.
No. 1505. — The Chief Commissioner is pleased, under Section 25 (i) of Act VII. of
1878 (the Indian Forest Act), to add the following Rules to those published in Noti-
fication No. 6925, dated the 29th November 18S8.
82
BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
VI.— Permits for shooting only may be granted at the periodic rates speoified
below, instead of at the daily rates payable under Rule V :—
Period.
Periodic rates.
For each
sportsman
or shikari
follower.
For each
elephant
taken into
the Reserved
Forest.
For each
camel
taken into
the Reserved
Forest.
From the 1st July in any one year to the
31st October in the same year
From the 1st November in any one year
to the end of February in the succeeding
year ,
From the 1st March in any one year to
the 30th June in tbe same year .
For one month within the period from
the 1st July to the 1st October as above
For one month within the period from
the 1st November to the end of February
as above ••
For one month within the period from
1st March to the 30th June as above ...
la.
a.
P-
5
0
0
25
0
0
50
0
0
2
8
0
7
8
0
15
0
0
Rs.
a.
P-
5
0
0
5
0
0
5
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
0
Rs. a. p.
5 0 0
5 0 0
5 0 0
2 0 0
2 0 0
2 0 0
N. B. — (a) A charge for the pay and allowances of a Forest Subordinate, as pro-
vided by Rule V. (3), will also be made when camping in the reserves is allowed.
(b) The charge provided by Rules V. and VI. for elephants and camels will only
be made in the event of camping within the Reserved Forests being allowed.
VII. — For specific purposes and in special cases permits may, with the previous
sanction of the Conservator, be granted without charge.
VIII. — Nothing in the preceding rules shall debar the disposal by auction-sale,
contract, or otherwise of the fishing or shooting within any Reserved
Forests or portion of a Reserved Forest.
Explanations.
(a) Shikari follower in these rules means a person who is taken into the Reserves
for the purpose of killing or catching game, and is not merely an attendant on the
holder of the permit. The intention is that eaoh <: effective gun " of the party should
pay the fee. Persons employed by the holder of a permit in tracking, marking down,
or beating for game (where this is allowed) are not Shikari followers within the
meaning of Rules V. and VI.
(b) The holder of a permit is allowed to remove from the forest any game
shot by him.
(V?) Shooting will not ordinarily be allowed within " fire protected forests " during
the hot season.
L. K. LAURIE,
Offg. Secy, to (he Chief Commr.,
Central Provinces.
M \ '
M . E
r os. Chrome litlv.Lo
290 . HYPOTHYMIS AZUREA , Bodd.
The Kici.ck-na.ped Blue Fly -
JOURNAL
OF THE
BOKBAT
Hatttpl ItetoM ^ntitty
No. 2.] BOMBAY, 1889- [Vol. IV.
NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA,
(Continued from page 21.)
226.— THE VIOLET-EARED RED HONEYSUCKER.
Mtliopyga vigorsi, Sykes.
This beautiful bird occurs all along the Ghats, straying from
there a little in the .cold weather ; it is very common at Khandalla,
where it is a permanent resident, breeding during the latter part of
the rains, making a hanging nest, a great deal larger than that of
the Common Purple Honeysucker. Mr. Davidson says that in the
only two cases in which nests came to his notice, they contained
three eggs and three young respectively. The eggs resembled those
of the Amethyst Honeysucker, but were considerably larger, and
had a hair line round the larger end, such as is common in some of
the Wagtails.
232.— THE AMETHYST HONEYSUCKER.
Cinnyris zeylonica, Lin.
This is the common Honeysucker of the Deccan, and is very
abundant at and near Bombay. Mr. Davidson says that an
immature specimen was named by Mr. Hume from a lot of Cinnyris
usiatica sent by him from Khandesh, but that he personally never
identified one from there, and that even in the Nassick district he
never noticed it further east than Nassick itself, and that similarly
in Sholapur it did not come farther east than Pandharpur.
12
84 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCJ'ET Y.
It probably breeds twice or often er during the year, as nests are
found at all seasons, but September is perhaps the best month to
search for them.
A capital description of the nest is given by Mr. Vidal, C. S., in
his Ratnagiri Birds, published in the Bombay Gazetteer for 1880,
which I cannot do better than reproduce : —
"Their nests are beautiful, hung from the slenderest twigs, and
rocked to and fro by every breath of wind. The nest is pear-
shaped, narrowing in the middle, with a side entrance shaded by a
tiny overhanging porch. The materials are the finest grass lined
with soft down, and the nests are on the outside prettily decorated
with-chips of wood, spider webs, dried flowers, cocoons, and anything
else that pleases the fancy of the diminutive architects. They lay
two, occasionally three, tiny greenish-white eggs, speckled with
minute brown spots. The Jujube tree (Zizyphus jujuba) is a
favourite place for the nest, but they are very fearless, often buildiDg
in verandahs and house porches." Mr. Davidson observes that they
very rarely lay three eggs ; I myself never found more than two.
The eggs measure 0'65 inches in length, by about 0*47 in breadth.
Dadur, Sj'c, Bombay, August and September. H. E. Barnes.
South Konkan, Jan., March, April, September. G. Vidal, C.S.
233.— THE TINY HONEYSUCKER.
Cinnyris minima, Sykes.
The Tiny Honeysucker occurs on the Sahyadri range, extending
as far north as Khandalla. It is not uncommon at Matheran. It is
a permanent resident, breeding during September and October.
The nest is pendant, of an oval shape, very similar to that of the
Purple Honeysucker, but smaller. The eggs, two in number, are
longish ovals in shape, and are of a greyish or greenish-white
colour, freckled and mottled with greyish and olive- brown ; the
markings are generally thicker at the large end, forming a cap
or zone. They measure 0-62 inches in length by about 0*42 in
breadth.
I have never found a nest, and the eggs in my collection came
from the Nilgiris, but Mr. Davidson found a nest containing a
young one just hatched at Matheran in February, and remarks that
the nest was made of green moss,
NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA. 85
234. -THE PURPLE HONEYSUCKEll.
Cinnyris asiatica, Lin.
This Honeysuker is generally distributed throughout Western
Iradia, but is much more common in the North, where, indeed, it is
the only representative of the genus. They commence to breed
early in March, and nests maj'be found quite up to the beginning of
the rains. The nest is pendant, shaped something like a florence
flask, or oval with a taperiog neck. This is suspended from the tip
of a slender branch or twig. All sorts of materials are made use of
in constructing the nest : fibres, cobwebs, hair, fine grass, bits of
straw, lichens, dead leaves, dried flower petals, pieces of rags, &c,
are all used, and are neatly and compactly woven together. It is
well lined with soft vegetable down. The nest at a short distance
resembles one of the bunches of cobwebs, so commonly met with
on trees and bushes.
The entrance, which is on one side, about half way up, is shaded
by a canopy, beautifully adapted to keep out the rain. It is worthy
of notice that in Sind, where the rainfall is scanty, this canopy is
altogether absent, or only just indicated. The eggs, two or three
in number, are dingy little ovals ; the ground colour is greenish or
greyish white, usually almost obscured by greyish-brown or greyish-
purple ill-defined markings.
They average 0*64 inches in length by about 0*46 in breadth.
The nests are too common to need detailed dates.
The nest is occasionally found in the centre of a large dusty cob-
web ; and would escape detection, were it not for the fussy habits of
the parent birds.
235.— THE LARGE PURPLE HONEYSUCKER.
Cinnyris lo tenia, Jerd.
Within our limits this is the least common of all our Honey-
suckers. It appears to be restricted to the Ghats and adjacent
forests ; it also occurs sparingly in the neighbourhood of Bombay,
where Mr. E. H. Aitken found it breeding in his garden in Novem-
ber. Of this an account was given at p. 52, No. 1, Vol. II., of the
B. N. H. S. Journal. He describes the nest as very similar to that
of Cinnyris zeylonica, but much longer, measuring quite ten inches.
Unfortunatly he delayed taking the nest, which, on examination,
was found to contain one young one and a much incubated egg.
8C) BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOC1ETV.
This was of a dirty brownish-white ground colour, the smaller end.
beino- thickly covered with dull-brown spots which passed into
larger confluent blotches and formed a cap at the larger end ; he
does not give the size of the eggs.
Oorun, Bombay, November. E. H. Aitken, B. A.
238.— TIOKELL'S FLOWER-PECKER.
Dica'um eryihrorhynclms, Lath.
This Flower-Pecker is not uncommon all along the Sahyadri range
and in the forests adjacent ; it occurs also at and near Baroda. It
has not as yet been recorded from Abu, but doubtless occurs there,
having probably been overlooked on account of its diminutive size,
plain colours and arboreal habits. It is a permanent resident,
breeding during March and April, making an egg-shaped nest
composed of soft silky down and vegetable fibres, which is suspended
by its smaller end to a twig ; it is often well concealed by leaves.
The eggs, two or three in number, are pure glossless white, of a
narrow oval shape, measuring 064 inches in length by about 0*42
in breadth. Mr. Davidson says, that " this bird appears to me to
be a western form ; I only got it sparingly close to the extreme west
of the district. In Nassick, due south of this, it was very common in
the western talookas, but rare or absent in the east.'
W. Nassick, February, March, and April. J. Davidson, C. S.
Khandalia, April. H. E. Barnes.
Baroda. H. Littledale, Esq.
239.— THE NILGTRI FLOWER-PECKER.
DiccBum concolor, Jerd.
Within our limits this bird seems to be confined to the extreme
south-east. It is probably a permanent resident.
240.— THE THICK-BILLED FLOWER-PECKER.
Piprisoma agile, Tick.
The Thick-billed Flower-Pecker has been recorded from Ratnagiri;
it is rare in West Khandesh, but is common in all the western dis-
tricts of Nassick. and therefore most probably occurs more or less
commonly throughout the Sahyadri range. It crops up again at
Baroda. Jerdon records it from the Deccan and the Malabar
Coasts. They are, I believe, permanent residents wherever found,
breeding during March and April, making a beautiful bag-shaped
NESTING IN WESTERN JNDJA. 81
nest, hung over a twig, at a short distance from the end ; the
entrance hole is in front, at right angles to the twig, never in the
side. The materials composing it are soft, fluffy vegetable down,
spider webs, and flower petals, firmly felted together ; it is very soft
and pliable, and is of a dull uniform pinkish colour. I have never-
seen any other type than this, but my experience is not a very
extensive one, being confined to Saugor, C, P., where the bird is
common, and where I have taken many nests. The nest, although
so neat and compact, does not take long to make. I watched a
bird with a small piece of spider's web in its beak, and it stuck it
above my head on a twig — in fact, I saw the foundation laid. The
next day at about the same hour the nest was shaped, and on
the fourth day the first egg was laid. The eggs, three in number,
are longish ovals, measuring O'Qo inches in length by 0'4 in breadth ;
in colour they are rosy-pink, streaked, blotched, and speckled with
claret and brownish-pink ; the markings are usually much more
numerous at the larger end. Occasionally the ground colour is white,
but the markings are the same. Twice I have found a pure white
egg in the nest, with two others of the usual colour.
Baroda, May. H. Littledale, Esq.
Nassich, End of February, March, April. J. Davidson, C. 8.
Saugor, C. P., 18th Feb. to 10th May. H. E. Barnes.
253,— THE VELVET-FRONTED NUTHATCH.
Dendro'pliila frontalis, Horsf,
This beautiful Nuthatch occurs in the most southern portion of
the district, where it is very rare. Mr. Davidson says that it is not
uncommon in the Dangs and broken country west of the ridge of the
Ghats in Nassick. I can find no record of any eggs having been
taken within our limits ; the eggs in my collection were taken on the
Shevaroy hills, still further south.
They are broadish ovals in shape, measuring 0*67 inches in length
by about 055 in breadth, and are white speckled and blotched with
rusty red.
Shevaroy Hills, March. W. M. Daly, Esq.
255.— THE INDIAN HOOPOE.
TJpupa ceylonensis, Reich.
The Indian Hoopoe is a common permanent resident in the Deccan
and southern portion of the district generally, becoming much
88 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
less common further north, where it occurs only as a visitant : it
has not as yet been recorded from Sind. It breeds during March,
April, and May in holes in trees, in banks and in walls, making little
or no nest; the eggs, from five to seven in number, are rather
narrow ovals pointed at one end, measuring 0-^7 inches in length
by 0-66 in breadth ; they are pale greyish blue when fresh, but
become darker and dingier as incubation proceeds. The beaks of
the nestlings when first hatched are short, and it is interesting and
amusing to watch the rapid growth.
A specimen shot by me at Saugor has a bill 3*46 inches long
at the gape, or about an inch longer than usual.
Poona, March. H. E. Barnes.
Sholapur, April and May. J. Davidson, C. S.
256.— THE INDIAN GREY SHRIKE.
Lanius lahtora, St/hes.
The Grey Shrike is a common permanent resident throughout the
greater portion of Western India ; it is less common in the south-
west, and appears to be altogether absent from Ratnagiri. It breeds
from February to July, making a deep cup-shaped nest in a fork in
a small tree or bush, generally a thorny one. The materials com-
posing it are various, almost anything and everything being made
use of. The eggs, usually four in number, occasionally five or six, are
broadish ovals, pointed at one end, measuring 1'03 inches in length
by 0'79 in breadth ; the ground colour is a very pale greenish -white
(sometimes pale stone), spotted and blotched with different shades
of brown and purple ; the markings are often most numerous at the
larger end, forming an irregular gap or zone.
Sholapur, ~]
Nasik, *>Feb. to March, and June and July. J. Davidson, C.S.
Khandesh, J
Veesa, Neemuch, fyc.s Feb. to July. H. E. Barnes.
Hyderabad* Sindh, March to May. „
Baroda, April to July. H. Littledale, Esa.
257.— THE RUFOUS-BACKED SHRIKE.
Lanius erythronotus, Vig.
The Rufous-backed Shrike is a common permanent resident
throughout the greater portion of the district, breeding from March
NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA. 89
to August, or even earlier. The nest is very similar to that of the
Grey Shrike, but is smaller ; the eggs, five or six in number, are broad
ovals in shape, pinched iu at one end ; they average 0*92 inches in
length by 07 in breadth ; the ground colour is a very pale pinkish
stone, but is subject to much variation. They are spotted and
blotched with purplish and pale-brown. Mr. Davidson informs me
that this bird does not breed in the Sholapur district, though it is
a common breeder in Satara, Nassick, and Khandesh.
Hyderabad, Sind, May to Jul//. II. E. Barnes.
Neomuch, fyc, <!yc, Juno to Aug. ,,
Baroda, May to July. U. Liitlcdale, Esq.
260.— THE BAY-BACKED SHRIKE.
Lanius vittatus, Val.
The Bay-backed Shrike is a very common permanent resident
throughout the greater portion of the district, but like the last is
much less common in the south. They breed from May to August,
making a neat, compact, cup-shaped nest composed of grass stems,
roots, &c; it is usually placed in a fork in a small tree, but occasion-
ally at the junction of a large branch with the trunk. The eggs,
four in number, sometimes five or six, are broad ovals, pinched in
at one end, and average 0*83 inches in length by 0-65 in breadth.
The ground colour is pale brownish-stone, or pale-creamy, feebly
speckled and spotted with brown and purple. The markings
occasionally form a ring round the larger end.
Poona, May to Jidy. H. E. Barnes.
Hyderabad, Sind, June to Aug. „
Neemueh, March to Jidy. „
Nassick and Khandesh, March to July. J. Davidson, C. S.
Baroda, March to June, H. Littledale, Esq.
265.— THE COMMON WOOD SHRIKE.
Tephrodornis pondicerianus, Gmel.
The Common Wood Shrike is very abundant in all suitable
localities in the district ; it is a permanent resident, breeding from
the latter end of February to May, making a compact cup-shaped
nest, composed of grass roots and fibres bound together with spider
webs ; it is placed in a fork in a tree ; occasionally in a bush. The
eggs, three in number, rarely four, are broadish ovals in shape,
90 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
measuring 0-75 inches in length by 0'6 in breadth. In colour
they are greenish- white or creamy-stone, thickly spotted and
blotched with yellowish- and reddish-brown, with occasional under-
lying patches of pale inky purple ; the markings are usually more
numerous at the larger end,
Hyderabad, Sind, April. H. E. Barnes.
Konkan, February. G. Vidal, C.S.
Nassick, March and April. J. Davidson, C.S,
Kliandesh „ ,,
Baroda, March. H. Littledale, Esq.
267.— THE LITTLE PIED SHRIKE.
Hemipus picatus, Sykes,
The Little Pied Shrike is rare, and is apparently confined to the
Sahyadri range. It has been recorded from Savantwadi, in the
Southern and Western Khandesh, in the northern parts of these
hills.
Mr. Davidson writes as follows : — " This little Shrike is not un-
common in the Satpooras (Khandesh), but is, in my experience, rare
in the Ghats. I took a nest just under the crest of the Ghats, in
West Nassick, on the 25th May 1887. The nest was on the upper
side of a horizontal branch of a tall silk cotton tree, near the tip of
the branch. It was a large pad of moss, bound round and to the
branch with spider webs, and was lined with fine grass. It is the
shallowest nest I have ever seen* The eggs were miniatures of those
of the Common Wood Shrike."
268.— THE BLACK-HEADED CUCKOO SHRIKE.
The Black-headed Cuckoo Shrike is absent altogether from Sind,
and is very rare at Abu, but becomes more common further south.
It is a permanent resident, but wanders about a good deal during
the cold season. It breeds from June to August, making a shallow
nest, composed of thin twigs and grass roots bound together with
spider webs. The eggs, three or four in number, are longish ovals,
pointed at one end, measuring 0'85 inches in length by 0'66 in
breadth ; they are pale-greeuish white in colour, boldly marked
with spots and streaks of brown.
Wassind, Bombay, July. H. E. Barnes.
Baroda, June and July* H. Littledale, Esq.
Dhulia, W. Kliandesh) June and, July. J. Davidson, C.S.
NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA. 91
270.-THE LARGE CUCKOO SHRIKE.
Graucalus macii, Less.
The large Cuckoo Shrike is rare in the northern portion of the
Presidency, but is more common towards the south. It breeds at
various seasons in different parts of the country, and may perhaps
have two broods in the year. The nest is placed high up in a thick
fork, or on a horizontal branch in a lofty tree, and is of a shallow
cup shape, composed of thin twigs, grass bents and moss, bound
together with spider webs. The eggs, two or three (often only
one) in number, are longish ovals, of a pale- greenish stone colour,
streaked, spotted, and blotched with brown, with underlying clouds,
of pale inky-purple. They average 1'22 inches in length by 0'9
in breadth.
S. Konkan, February and March. G. Vidal, C.S.
Saugor, C. P., May to August. H. E. Barnes.
Baroda, August to October. H. Littledale, Esq.
Nassick, May. J- Davidson, C.S.
Khandesh, August. ss
272.— THE ORANGE MINIVET.
Pericrocotus jlammeus, Forst.
The Orange Minivet is a permanent resident, and is not uncom-
mon, all along the Sahyadri range, from the extreme south of the
Presidency, to as far north as the hills in Khandesh. It does not
occur in the plains.
It breeds during June, July, and August, making a small compact
nest, composed of fine twigs and grass roots, covered on the exterior
with small lichens ; it is neatly and compactly built. It is a difficult
nest to find, being placed in a fork in a slender bough, at some
height from the ground. I have been unable to procure any eggs,
as the only nest I have ever found was unfinished. I intended
returning a week or so later, but was prevented by illness. The eggs
a,re said to be of a pale-greenish ground colour, streaked and spotted
with yellowish-brown.
Khandalla, 3)st July. H. E. Barnes.
276.— THE SMALL MINIVET.
Pericrocotus peregrinus, Lin.
The small Minivet is generally distributed throughout Western
India, whei'ever there are high trees. It is a permanent resident,
breeding at the commencent of the rains,
13
02 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
The nest is a compact neat little cup, composed of fine twigs and
fibres, highly ornamented with bluish-grey lichens and small flakes
of bark, bound together with spider webs ; it is usually placed in
a slender fork, sometimes on a horizontal bough. The eggs, three
in number, are broadish oval in shape, measuring G'67 inches in
length by about 0'52 in breadth. In colour they are greenish or
pinkish-white, profusely marked with bright brownish-red spots
and blotches, with an occasional underlying spot of faint inky-
purple.
277.— THE WHITE-BELLIED MINIVBT.
Pericrocotus erythropygius, Jerd.
The White^bellied Minivet is altogether absent from Sind, and
does not appear to have been recorded from Ratnagiri ; in most
other parts of the Presidency it occurs as a more or less rare
straggler. It is much more common in Khandesh, as the following
note by Mr. Davidson will show : —
" This is the minivet of the barren scrub-jungle that grows on
the rocky hills in Khandesh and Nassick, and there this bird is very
common. I have noticed it also in the Satpooras. It breeds in
low bushes all through the scrub-jungle in July, August, and
September, laying invariably three eggs, long shaped, often olive
green, with longitudinal spots on them."
The eggs in my collection, received from this gentleman, are
broadish oval in shape, and are very pale greenish-white in colour,
profusely streaked longitudinally with clayey-brown.
278.— THE KING CROW.
Buchauga alra, Herm.
The King Crow, or Common Drongo Shrike, occurs throughout
the district; it is a permanent resident, breeding from May to August,
but nests are occasionally found both earlier and later. The nest is
usually placed in a fork of a tree at some height from the ground,
and is composed of grass stems and roots neatly and compactly
woven together, but so thin at the bottom that the contents are
easily seen from below. The eggs, four in number, are of three dis-
tinct types, the most common being pure white, with spots and specks
of reddish and blackish-brown ; another, almost as common, has
the ground colour a pale salmon, richly spotted and blotched with rich
brownish and purplish-red. The third type (which I have only mot
NESTING IN "WESTERN INDIA. 93
with in the Central Provinces) is a pure glossless white, quite devoid
of markings. They are oval in shape, somewhat pointed at one end,
measuring about an inch in length by three-quarters in breadth.
280.— THE LONG-TAILED DRONGO.
Buchanga longicauda, Hay.
The Long-Tailed Drongo occurs on the Sahyadri range, where it
is a permanent resident, Mr. Davidson procured it in Khandesh,
but I do not think that it breeds in that district ; it is altogether
absent from the northern half of the Presidency, or only occurs as
a very rare straggler.
They breed during May and June, making a neat cup-shaped nest
of grass and fibres, bound together on the exterior with cobwebs ;
it is usually placed in a slender fork in a tree at some height from
the ground. The eggs, three or four in number, are similar in shape
to those of the Common King Crow, but are usually much more
highly coloured, and average rather smaller.
281.— THE WHITE-BELLIED DRONGO.
Buchanga ccsrulescens, Midi,
So far ag I know, Mr. Davidson, C. S., is the only ornithologist that
has procured the eggs of this bird, and he has kindly furnished me
with the following note : —
"This bird wanders all over the Presidency in the cold weather,
as I have found it everywhere, even in Sholapur at that season. It
leaves for the hills early in the hot weather, and breeds, so far as
I am able to judge, always in March and April, and not as one would
naturally expect, in the rains. According to my experience, it only
breeds in thick jungle among the hills. The eggs, three in number,
are pinkish, spotted, and blotched at the thicker end with purple.
They are rather smaller than those of Buchanga atra, and more
resemble those of Buchanga longicauda.''*
Ahrani, Khandesh, April (fledged yoimg). J. Davidson, C. S.
W. Kalwan, Nassick, March and April. „
W. Bagln, Nassich, May [young). „
282.— THE BRONZED DRONGO.
Ghaptia amea, Vieill.
The distribution of the Bronzed Drongo, in the Western Presi-
dency, is similar to that of the Long-tailed Drongo, but it appears
94 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
never to descend to the plains. It is said to be a permanent
resident in the Ghats, but I can find no record of a nest having been
found within our limits. Elsewhere thej breed about March,
making a broad saucer-shaped nest, composed of fine twigs and
grass, which is placed in a slender horizontal fork, to which it is
attached by vegetable fibres and cobwebs ; pieces of lichens and
small cocoons are often used to ornament the nest. The eggs, three
or four in number, are obtuse ovals in shape, of a fawnish-white
ground colour, blotched with fawn and reddish-brown, principally
at the larger end ; occasionally they are white, with a few reddish-
brown specks. They average 0*91 inches in length by about
0'6o in breadth.
285.— THE MALABAR RACKET-TAILED DRONGO.
Dissemurus paradiseus. Scop.
The following note from Mr. Davidson, C. S., is all the informa-
tion I can collect regarding the nidification of this handsome bird :
" This is a forest bird, very common in the forests of Xanara and
in the Dangs (the hilly country west of Nassick). I have noticed it
also in the cold weather in the plains- forest near Taloda, in West
Khandesh. It makes a largish nest near the top of a high tree
in jungle, and lays two or three eggs, of the same type as those of
Buchanga longicauda, but larger and much more highly coloured,
some specimens being blotched all over with purple and pink of
various shades *'
Dangs, W. Nassick, May and early in June. J. Davidson, C,8.
Ka-nara, May. „
287.— THE ASHY SWALLOW SHRIKE.
Artamus fuscus, Vieill.
The Ashy Swallow Shriko has been recorded by Mr. Vidai from
Ratnagiri. He remarks : " Not uncommon in the cocoanut gardens."
Mr. Davidson found it to be common in the cocoanut gardens in
Kanara, and also in the Panchmahals, in Gujarat. I procured it at
Elephanta in May, where it was breeding. The first nest I found was
situated in the crown of a palmyra between the leaf stems ; another
was in a hole, half way up a palm tree. I was unable to climb the tree
myself, and unfortunately could not induce anyone else to do so.
A specimen I shot had the testes very much enlarged, so this must be
the breeding season.
NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA. 1)5
The eggs have been described as white with a greenish tinge,
having large brown blotches at the larger end; another type is
creamy white, with a broad ring of pale yellowish-brown spots, and
clouds and specks of very pale lilac at the larger end. They average
0'95 inches in length by about 0*71 in breadth.
288.— THE PARADISE FLYCATCHER.
Muscipeta paradisi, Lin.
With the exception of Sind,* where it is very rare, the Paradise
Flycatcher occurs more or less commonly throughout the Presidency,
but retires to the hilly and more wooded portions to breed during
the hot season. The nest is a very handsome one, cup-shaped, and
is composed of fine grass, fibres, moss, &c, firmly bound together
with cobwebs, and ornamented on the outside with small white silky
cocoons. It is seldom more than about one-quarter of an inch thick,
except perhaps at the bottom. A favourite place for it is a pendant
bamboo spray at a point where a few twigs spring up perpendicularly,
some of these being incorporated with it. I have found them in
similar positions on the outer branches of mango trees ; occasionally
it is placed in a fork, when it assumes the shape of an inverted
cone. The birds appear to breed in both phases of plumage, some-
times one bird is chestnut and the other white ; at others both are
chestnut. At Abu, where the birds are common, I never saw one in
the white plumage, but at Saugor, in Central India, the white ones
were most numerous. The eggs are usually four in number, but I
have found three much incubated, and Mr. Littledale once found
five ; but this is, I think, a most unusual number ; they are oval
in shape, somewhat pointed at the small end, and measure 0'82 inches
in length, by about 0*61 in breadth. The ground colour is pinkish-
white, sparingly dotted with brick red; these spots often form a cap
or zone at the large end; some of them much resemble warm-coloured
eggs of the Common King Crow, but are of course much smaller.
Neemuch, June. H. E. Barnes.
Saugor, C. P., May, June and July. „
Baroda, May, June and July. H. Littledale, Esq.
Mysore, May and June. J. Davidson, C. 8.
*A specimen was shot at the Munchur Lake, and I obtained another at Hyderabad,
Sind. These are, I believe, the only recorded inst ices of its occurrence in that
Province.— H. E. B.
96 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
290.— THE BLACK-NAPED BLUE FLYCATCHER.
Hypothi/mus azurea, Bodd.
The Black-naped Blue Flycatcher occurs more or less commonly
all along the Ghats, descending at times to the adjacent forest tracts ;
it is very common at Khandalla, where it is a permanent resident,
breeding during June and July, The nest is usually placed in a
small fork on the outside of a tree, at a moderate height from the
ground; it is a deep massive cup, composed of grass stems, roots and
moss, compactly woven together, and lined with fine grass. It is
coated on the outside with cobwebs, with which small pieces of
lichens, dead leaves, and cocoons are incorporated. Mr. Davidson,
C.S., who found several nests in July on the Ghats in Khandesh, thus
describes the nest : — " It is a very beautiful structure, a deep cup,
generally attached to the side of a single hanging twig. Its sides
are beautifully ornamented with the white nest of some spider, the
pattern being so regular in some cases as to resemble lacework."*
The eggs, four in number, are oval in shape, measuring 0*68 inches
in length by about 0-53 in breadth. The ground colour varies from
white to buffy or salmon-pink, and they are speckled and spotted
with red and reddish-pink, with an occasional spot of pale-purple.
They are very variable both in size and colour.
Khandesh, June, July and August. J. Davidson, C. S.
Khandalla, June. S. E. Barnes.
292.— THE WHITE-BROWED FANTAIL FLYCATCHER.
Leucocerca aureola, Vieill.
The White-browed Fantail is common throughout the region,
excepting Ratnagiri and the more hilly and wooded tracts, where it
is replaced by the next species. It is a permanent resident, and
breeds from February to August, but March and July are the
months in which most eggs are to be found. They have at least
two broods in the year, and, if undisturbed, use the same nest for the
second brood. The nest is usually placed on the upper surface of a
horizontal bough, and is difficult to find, as it appears to be a mere
excrescence on the branch, with which it assimilates in colour. In
shape it is a rather deep cup, about one and a quarter of an inch
* The nest figured was taken by Mr. Davidson at Khandesh.— H. E. B.
NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA. 97
in diameter, and rather more than an inch in depth. It is rarely-
more than one-quarter of an inch thick. It is generally composed
of fine grass and vegetable fibres, coated on the outside with spider
webs. After their eggs are laid, these little birds become very
courageous, darting out and attacking any birds that approaches the
nest, no matter how large. The eggs, three in number, are broad
ovals in shape, and vary from white to dingy creamy-white or
pale-yellowish-brown in colour, with a belt of greyish-brown
and faint inky-purple spots round the large end. They average 0*66
inches in length by 0*5 in breadth.
Neemiich, February to August, H. E. Barnes.
Too common to need further details.
293.— THE WHITE-SPOTTED FANTAIL FLYCATCHER.
Leucocerca leucogaster , Cuv.
The White-spotted Fantail Flycatcher is found in various parts
of the Deccan, and is very common in the neighbourhood of Bombay,
also at Ratnagiri, and again at Abu. Generally speaking, this bird
replaces the preceding in hilly and well-wooded tracts. It has not
been recorded from Sind. It is a permanent resident, breeding from
March to July and even later. The nest is placed in a fork, in
some low thick bush, generally a couranda or in a mango or other
tree, at some height from the ground. The nest is composed of the
same materials as the last, and resembles it in appearance, but a few
straws are left hanging from the bottom, giving the nest an un-
finished appearance. The eggs, three in number, are broad ovals in
shape, of a ibuffy-white colour, with a zone of lavender and brown-
ish spots towards the larger end. They measure 0*67 inches in
length by about 0*52 in breadth, but are subject to much variation.
Abu, March and April. H. E. Barnes.
Bombay, March to July.
Baroda, July. H. Littledale, Esq.
Khandesh, May to July. J. Davidson, C. S.
Nassick, June to July.
Satara, June.
306.— TICKELL'S BLUE REDBREAST.
Cyornis tickelli, Bly.
TickelPs Blue Redbreast does not occur in Sind, but has been
recorded as more or less rare from all other portions of our district.
98 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
It is a permanent resident in the hilly and wooded tracts, but is
merely a cold weather visitant elsewhere. They breed at the end
of the hot weather or the commencement of the rains, making a
compact, cup-shaped nest, composed of grass and leaves, lined with
fine grass, which is placed in hollows in banks, or between the
roots of trees, sometimes in crevices or niches in old walls. The eggs,
three or four in number, are oval in shape, measuring 0*76 inches
in length by 0*56 in breadth. In colour they are dingy greyish-
white, closely freckled and mottled with reddish brown ; some of
them are so thickly marked that they appear to be dingy olive-brown
throughout.
Nasnch, June to August. J. Davidson, C. S.
Khandesh „ „
Saugor, G. P., May and Juno. H. E. Barnes.
ROUGH NOTES OF TRAVEL AND SPORT
IN KASHMIR AND LITTLE THIBET.
Under the above title, Professor H. Littledale, of Baroda, has
printed for private circulation a very graphic and amusing account
of his experiences while in search of sport, on the northern side of
the Himalayas, in 1888.
We have been allowed to make the following extracts, the first
of which will give our readers some idea of the competition which
exists between sportsmen, in order to secure the most favourite
shooting ground, — in this case, Dutchkut nullah in Little Thibet.
March 26th. — Marched from Cheelan via Dars and Kerrim to
Godhaie. At first no road ; snow very heavy ; floundered waist-deep
for some miles. Below Kerrin snow light and path fairly good.
Dined and slept at Godhaie ; got flour, milk, and fowl . . . Had
written so far after turning in at Godhaie in a lumber room of the
lambardar's house. At 9 P. M., just as we were falling asleep, a
messenger came in from my shikari Nibra to say that the two
sahebs who were pursuing us had just arrived at Dars, and that
one was pushing on at once for my nullah ! No time for delay, so up
we got, ordered four ponies to be got ready immediately, dressed,
prepared some food for next day, put on our great coats and
mufflers, took a blanket each, and started ! Only two ponies had
ROUGH NOTES OF TRAVEL AND SPORT. 99
come, and I was the first to descend from the village to the path
below. What should I see in the moonlight but an ulster-clad
figure, striding aloDg the path just before me ! " Stealing a march,"
thought I, as I sang, out, " Good evening." The ulster turned round
as if pierced by a bullet ! But I draw a veil over the harrowing effort
at conversation that ensued. Each of us dissembled our joy at
meeting so unexpectedly ; and the ulster soon fell behind, to make tea
(a euphemism for getting a pony and pursuing <me), and T. and I
rode on, feeling that we had our work cut out for us, as the ulster
was, we both agreed, •' a d — d nippy chap," and we should have to
go ahead if we meant to win.
Many times we had to dismount, and drive our ponies before us
across the steepy path, where a single false step might be fatal.
Once a lot of stones came clattering down on us from above as we
were scrambling across a steep slope of debris and a stone about
six inches in diameter grazed my shoulder and nearly sent me down
the slope. We were pretty " nippy " ( I thank thee, T., for
teaching me that word ) in getting across that slope, steep though
it was ! A night-ride via Mykiel to Astor is very picturesque, but
otherwise undesirable. T. and I reached Astor at 6-30 A. M. Our
men got in at 8 o'clock, having also ridden all night ; and said the
ulster had got a pony and was riding on too.
March 21th. — Wre had breakfast in Astor fort ; a jemadar there
was most kind in bringing us firewood, eggs and milk ; and while we
were waiting for fresh ponies, which (the tahsildar said) had to be
brought from a village three miles away, we saw, to our dismay and
anguish, that nippy ulster riding gaily past on a fresh pony that he
had obtained just outside the fort ! The agony of those three hours
we waited for the ponies ! However, I did one thing that somewhat
assuaged my torments. I got the tahsildar to send a smart boy on to
Harchoi and Duskin, and have fresh ponies ready for us at both those
stages on the way. Eight well did that youngster nip ! At 11
o'clock one pony turned up, and the other was "ata," so, as it was
my nullah that was in most deadly peril, T. very generously let me
take the first pony, and, throwing my blanket over the rough saddle,
off I galloped down a steep mountain goat-path ; but the pony was a
sturdy one, and took me along well. Ten miles passed quickly
but still the ulster was not in sight ; he had nearly three hours'
start, and a good pony, and made use of his chance. A little beyond
Harchoi the fresh pony met me — a little rat of a thing, about eleven
14
100 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
hands high, but with the heart of a thorough-bred, the most spirited
little pony mare I ever rode ! After an hour's hard riding I was
evidently gaining on the ulster : his pvgs (I have a good eye for
pugs) were beautifully fresh, and at length, on rounding a corner,
there was the beloved object just rounding the next corner, not
quite a mile ahead ! His pony was clearly dead beat, but he was
nipping on gamely, and got to Duskin first. When I got to Duskin
I found the reserved pony was not up to racing form, and there was
no other, so I booked the Duskin pony for T. The ulster was down
in the valley a mile below, wacking the lambardar, who (I heard
afterwards) refused to produce a fresh pony. The little pony's
owner agreed to let me take her on to Turbyling, a vision of five
rupees if I won, illuminating the dim but glorious vista of his future.
Off I galloped along a flat stretch of road for four miles, the pony-
wallah cutting along after me. From the hill-top I cast a last
longing, lingering look behind : no sign of the ulster, so I had now
recovered my original start. But there were fifteen miles to be
done, the last ten on foot, alone, and in the dark, and I did not feel at
all sure of the result. No use trusting to the adversary giving in;
he was much too experienced a traveller to let himself be outraced
by a mere griffin ; there might be more of his night marching tactics,
and I resolved not to stop till I was fairly in my nullah that night.
Just beyond Dogni I let the plucky little pony go back. Her
owner fell at my feet when I gave him the five rupees ! It was
sunset, and I had to traverse the precipitous Ramghat alone and in
the dark, until 8 o'clock, when the moon rose. On I plodded, with
my blanket over my shoulder, hardly able to walk, parched with
thirst, up and down, across shingly slopes, along sheer precipices,
a weary way indeed. At times I felt quite done, and lay down on
the path to rest my back, and thought of chucking away the blanket,
but the rattle of falling stones from the cliffs seemed- to me to be
approaching footsteps, and I was up and off again.
Like one that on a lonely road
Doth walk in fear and dread,
And having once turned round walks on,
And turns no more his head ;
Because he knows an ulstered sakeb
Doth close behind hirn tread ?
So on I toiled till at last the last ascent was over, and I stood in the
" cauld blast " on the summit of the pass, and could see the Ramghat
rope bridges, two dark lines far below, crossing the white foaming
ROUGH NOTES OF TRAVEL AND SPORT. 101
Astor river, there rushing to its junction with the Iudus. There
was not a sound from the lonely path by which I had climbed. I had
only a mile or two further to go, so I rested for a bit on a rock,
and then began to desceud the track. Suddenly I heard a deep
growl, and saw a black object move on the rocks about 15 yards
below me! "A bear," thought I; and picked up a big stone, with
which I let drive. A thump, a yowl from a dog ! and up jumped
some men from the rocks beside which they had been sleeping.
The situation was soon explained. They were travelling from
Gilgit to Astor, and were resting there on the ridge. " Give me
some water, I am dying of thirst "; and I soon had a little gourd
to my lips, and drained it. Then they offered me bread, but hungry
though I was, I could only tackle a few mouthfuls. I gave the man
who gave me the water a rupee, and asked him to guide me down
to the fort, which he did; and he also let me keep the little gourd as
a memento of a most blessed drink. It was 10 o'clock when the
Ramghat sentries finally made up their minds not to shoot, but to let
me pass the fort and bridge; and in another half hour I was asleep
on the sand beside a rock, with my blanket over me, careless of
ulsters and night marches indeed, for I was^in my nullah at last !
March 30th. — Twenty-three oorin (Ovis vignei) came down close
to the hut last evening. Unluckily my binoculars are with the heavy
kit, now at Astor, and I have only four cartridges with me.
At midday I set off along the Boonji road to look for oorin.
A large herd — about 40 — came downhill, crossed the plain, and went
down to the Indus to drink. While I was stalking them a shot in the
distance set them off, and I fired two shots at the leading ram, about
400 yards, as they stampeded. The shots fell very close — not more
than a foot away. The herd went quietly up hill aud began feeding
on the slopes. Mamdu and I sat down behind a rock and watched
them for about an hour ; they fed over a ridge, and into a ravine.
"We hurried up the slope they had quitted — about 500 yards'
climb — and, peeping over the edge, saw them on the opposite side of
the ravine, about 250 to 800 yards off, and somewhat below us.
Aimino- at the biggest ram, I fired, and hit him in the flank ;
and with the left barrel hit him again in the neck ; still, he went on,
and I had no more cartridges. After going up some rocks he lay down
but bolted again a short distance when Mamdu got near him.
I signalled where he had gone, and Mamdu got down to him, and
caught hold of liim ; but up he jumped, and Mamdu let go! He
102 BOMBAY NATUKAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
went about 50 yards down, and fell over, dead ; Mamdu got down
to him, and. halalod him (low down, to save head skin). The horns
measured 24^ inches. The festive tiffin cooly hoisted the body on
his back, Mamdu taking the head. Joyful prospect of mutton-
chops. Had a beastly scramble down the steep path in the dark, but
got in safely.
March 31st. — Busy skinning, &c. The head skin very skilfully
taken off by Mamdu. Irides pale yellow. (Several very pretty
little birds about ; a little black and white bushchat and a white-
winged redstart (Pratincola caprata and Buticilla erythrogasira)
keep at work just in front of the door. It is quite a week since
I have seen my cook; left him at Boorzil to follow with the kit when
we pushed, on. In the meantime my culinary implements and
materials are : A Warren's broiler, a small kettle, a concave iron pan
for baking chupatties, a leather hotel (chagut) for water, two plates
and two tumblers of enamelled iron, two forks, one knife, three
spoons, pepper and salt case, pot of Liebig, tin of Epp's Cocoa, and
the following supplies from Boonji : A block of sugar, some crystals
of rock salt, J 4 lbs. of coarse gritty flour, a bag of dried apricots
(called hobaini), several dozen eggs, and some fowls. The eggs in
various stages of decomposition. Besides there is the oorin, which
is really very good mutton. Now what more does the hunter want
in the way of wittles! As to the process of making chupatties, it is
too awful. Mark Twain's " I pass " comes to mind as one watches
the wily native patting a lump of dough to and fro in his filthy hands,
but the final product is not bad( though, like old port, I fancy there
is a good deal of " body " in it.
April 9th. — A foi'aging day. The cook announcing that the larder
is empty, I resolve to go for the oorin seen the previous day. Ofoourse,
not an oorin was seen all day, and so the poor dog got none. I
rested on a ridge overlooking Boonji plain, and while grazing about
me, a tiny little leveret, about three days' old, came hopping up to
me as I sat still, and squatted down a yard from me. I easily
caught the little thing, but it squealed so that I let it go soon, and
off it scampered among some stones. There are many ram chikore
(Tetraogallut himalayanas) on the hill, and they are pairing — an
affair that evidently requires very great eloqueuce on the part of the
male bird. Lower down there are chukor (Caecabis chuhor) scattered
about, some already in pairs. No Markhor seen to-day.
April \Atli. — Got the Markhor to-day that I had seen the first day
ROUGH NOTES OP TRAVEL AND SPORT. 103
I went oat; disappointed to find that his horns were only 25 inches
after all. We went up the nullah as on the 11th, and I spotted them,
three males, two females, about half a mile above us. They went
up a ravine, and we followed, but a drifting cloud covered the
nullah, and we took the left bank while they had gone up the right.
We worked up till, at 5-30 p m., Nibra saw one on the other ridge
far below us. He and I crossed three ravines, and quickly got to the
place, but the breeze (as usually at sunset) had shifted, and they
winded us and were 200 yards otf in the next ravine where I thought
I was just 20 yards from them. The sun was right in my eyes, but
1 hit the old fellow as we went up the opposite ridge. I had put up
the 200 yards' sight, and N. said I had hit him in the hind leg, so
I thought 1 must be low (found afterwards I had smashed his hip),
and put up the 250 for the left barrel. This went just over his back ;
'he was limping slowly along the edge of a steep sheer rock, and,
lowering the elevation to 200 , I fired again, and plugged him fair
in the middle ribs, and over he went, heels over head, right down
the precipice, about 800 feet from rock to rock. The core of his
left horn was broken, and his skull and jawbones were in fragments.
With the left barrel I knocked over one of the smaller ones, but
he only fell a few yards, picked himself up, and went out across
a glacier on to a bed of deep snow in which we lost sight of him.
(I got him when the snow melted, and found that the horns were barely
18 inches, so I threw them away.) These were my first Markhor,
but now I shall be able to judge better of the right size to shoot at,
and will spare the small fry.
April 15///. — Right up the hill tops, along the very crags where
those six old ones had gone the other day, but we only saw the
surviving young male of yesterday and some female Markhor.
The number of Lammergeyers (GypaStus barhatus) one sees is quite
surprising. I saw one nest, but could not get at it. Two ram
chikore alighted on a rock within ten yards of me, and never saw me.
The male bird went on bowing and waltzing and crooning to the
female, just like an old cock pigeon ; then he would throw his head
back and scream ! So he went on for quite five minutes, until a
Lanimergeyer sailed overhead, when the pair flew screaming awray.
April 11th. — Path up nullah, partly along river bed, partly on the
face of a cliff, very bad going. The way the coolies, with loads of
80 lbs., get up these places is quite marvellous. I find even a rifle too
cumbersome for some of the bits these men scramble up, loads and
104 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
all. It is very warm here at midday, the rocks being quite bare and
the valley narrow and steep ; but after sunset an icy wind comes
sweeping down from the snows above, and there is a continual rattle
of stones. They fly in regular volleys, leaping 100 feet at a time,
kicking up a cloud of dust and crashing like a battle. Many animals
are killed thus, and occasionally men too. Hence the choice of a
camping-ground is a matter requiring deliberation, and it is always
safer to avoid the river-side and get up on a ridge, even though
water may have to be brought up. I saw to-day, at 9,000 feet, the
first pair of blackbirds — there was no mistaking the dear old "ouzel
cock with tawny bill, " and they seemed to be preparing to nest
hereabouts.
I did not think of shooting them ; but I find from Jerdon, Vol. I.,
p. 527, that if I had done so it would have settled a doubtful point
of ornithology. One has to put aside zoological researches that
require shooting, if one wants any game to remain in the nullah.
Another old friend I met on the way up, was a wild raspberry bush
just coming into leaf. I also caught a black lizard, red speckled
beneath, and he is now "spirited away" with sundry snakes for a
friend.
April 18th. — Cloudy morning; started up hill to explore new
ground ; rain came on, but we persevered. Saw a pretty white-
headed red-start (B. hodgsoni), and watched the little dippers
(Hydrobata sordida). (I at other times saw H. asiatica and H.
cashmiriensis plunging into the turbid swift flowing torrent, and
timed their dives, the longest being 43 seconds). The red-start kept
on spreading out his tail (like a fantail flycatcher), and making darts
at flies on the face of a rock. While climbing some rocks at 10,000
feet an old hen ram chikore flew up clucking from a ledge of rock
about ten yards above me. " Eggs," thought I, and scrambled up
to the place, and there was the nest, about a foot in diameter, in a
sheltered little crevice, a few twigs as a foundation for a thick layer
of her own grey feathers ; and sis. eggs, very like capercailzie eggs,
but larger. Nibra told me that they lay 18 or 20 eggs, but as these
eggs were hard set and very trouble: ome to blow, that old bird had
laid all her eggs clearly, and unless hens club together occasionally
(as I think weaver birds and munias must sometimes do, and sonic
of the phasianidce), I fear Monsieur Nibra was telling one of his not
infrequent " corkers." Well, allowing 12 days' incubation, and six
days for laying the six eggs, this snow-hen must have had her
ROUGH NOTES OF TRAVEL AND SPORTS. 105
nest ready on April 1st, of which'sportsmen take note. Saw no
Markhor to-day.
April 22nd. — Had not climbed far up the cliff when Mamdu spied a
Markhor on the sky-line half a mile above us. The wind was down
hill, so we watched him, a fine old fellow, with wide sweeping horns,
and saw that he was accompanied by one young male, — evidently our
missing two of yesterday morning. Up we scrambled, and luckily
found on a flat rock a shallow pool of rain-water, three-fourths of a
pint perhaps, which we shared. Much refreshed, we were climbing on,
keeping to the left out of sight of the Markhor, when Mamdu said
"a man is coming down towards us.'' And so there was, Rehman
with another cooly bringing food, &c. I at once said to Nibra,
" Get over to that rock ; the markhor will come down from those
men" ; and the moment we got to the ridge, N. excitedly exclaimed
" Banduk jaldi kholo — markhor bilkul nazdik hai !" (" Uncase the
gun quickly — the markhor is quite close.") We ducked down ; I had
the rifle out in no time and shoved in cartridges; but the old fellow
had caught sight of my hat and turned back, and was bolting down
the rocks as hard as he could leg it, about fifty yards off. Aiming
steadily I let drive, but thought the thud sounded as if the bullet
had smashed on a rock, so 1 ran across to give him the left barrel,
when he should re-appear in the nullah far below. There was a great
clattering of stones, and down he came, but not galloping! Rolling
and rolling, on and on dead as a nail, for about 300 yards he rolled
and then lay in the nullah, with the stones still dancing past him
that had been loosened by his fall. " Got him, Nibra." " kSalaam,
salaam, Saheb ! " from the delighted shikari. Rehman and the
other cooly come down as we are " bucking" about this bit of good
fortune, and we send them down to take the trophies, while we pitch
into the chaguls, and tea and grub. Then we light a fire behind a
rock. . . . Here he comes, out with tape: — ■
Horns, round curve, 43^ inches.
„ circumference, H4 ,,
A fine old billy-goat and no mistake. Despite his tremendous fall
and roll, the horns are uninjured, but the skull is cracked and the
lower jaw smashed to bits.
April 24th. — Shortly after starting at six, I saw three old male
Markhor. While stalking them I found that the sportsman in the
adjoining nullah of Shaltar was simultaneously stalking the same
animals.
106 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
We met, and resolved ourselves into a friendly boundary
commission, with the result of proving that my visitor was at present
camped and pursuing game within the limits of my nullah : but as
he had not up to date been successful in getting a Markhor, I asked
him to finish the stalk and went to camp.
In the evening I went down my ridge, and fired at and missed a
good Markhor. He was lying down, and I could only partly see his
head, about 100 yards below me. If I had only had the patience to
wait, he would have stood up and died, but his kismet was good, and
Zeus, the son of Kronos, took awTay sense from me, and I fired at, and
missed the little patch of neck that was visible.
We used to call this Markhor the "Dost" ("friend'') afterwards,
as he always turned up at that place when wanted, and a little male
(he who had been with the big one I shot) attaching himself as
scout to the old fellow, my men called him the " police-wallah," he
was so vigilant. I never got that old " Dost," but he disappeared,
and I fear got into trouble through going round into Shaltar once
too often.
Ajwil 28th. — I made a really good stalk to-day, and shot a fine
Markhor, 38| inch horns, girth 10^, divergence between tips 33.
The morning was fine, but the aneroid had fallen to 20"15. and
clouds gathered at 8 A. M. 1 had intended going towards Ramghat,
along the ridge of the hill, and sent Nibra off at 7, to scout for that
old fellow I missed so idiotically the other day. He came back soon
to say there was a herd of Markhor in the west ravine, about 800
yards lower than the camp. By this time the sky was quite over-
clouded, and the wind all over the place, so, though they were
splendidly placed for a stalk, I refused to attempt it, and waited
till 1-30 at the camp, hoping against hope for a steady wind up
hill. At 1-30 the sun came out overhead, the sky cleared at once,
and with the increased surface heat the breeze began to come up
fairly steadily, though still veering a little now and then. However,
I decided to chance it, and down I went with the two shikaries,
leaving Rehman on the cliffs above to watch; with great care,
frequently tossing pinches of dust into the air to test the wind, we
clambered down the spur. There were three female Markhor high
up in the ravine ; then a single one lower, as a link ; and then three
males still lower down, lying together asleep in the middle of the dry
stony bed, here about 200 yards broad (I should mention that the
branch of side ravines are usually dry, as more stone than
ROUGH NOTES OF TRAVEL AND SPORT. 107
water flows down them). When about 500 yards from the
markhor, we got full in their view, but by crawling very slowly,
in our grey puttou clothes, over the faces of the steep rocks,
we managed to get to 350 yards without attracting notice. Then
it was plain sailing down a gully to about 200 yards, whence,
leaving Mamdu with the alpenstocks, we carefully de-cended about
thirty yards further. Crawling out on a rock we peeped over. Not
a single markhor was to be seen ! Every one of the three males had
vanished. How we blessed the wind ! We must have been winded ;
but where had they gone to ? We scanned the nullah up and down,
but in vain. At last some slight movement on the rocks opposite,
about 250 yards away, caught my eye. Yes, there was a female
markhor lying down quite at her ease — she suspected nothing. And
then we gradually made out our three friends — one big and two
moderate sized ; they had climbed about 50 yards up the precipice
facing us, had comfortably ensconced themselves in holes under
stones, and were just settling down for a siesta. The biggest fellow
was not comfortable enough, so he got up, butted a smaller male out
of his bed, and lay down in it. The small one, much disgusted,
went on a little further. We meanwhile were in full view, but got
across about fifteen yards of a ledge, while the fighting was going on,
and so behind a yew tree. Here we waited. Then the big one
jumped up, and followed by one small one came quickly down the
rocks to have another feed of the green grass below. We crawled a
few yards more, and found that we could not get an inch nearer
without being seen. The three females were right below, 150 yards
off. The big one walked across and joined them. My chance had
come. Lying flat out on the overhanging rock, I put my hand back
for the rifle, which N. drew from its cover, and passed up to me.
Quietly loading it I took careful aim at the markhor's shoulder as he
stood broadside to me, and slowly pressed the trigger. At the shot
he swung round and made a bolt. 1 fired again hastily and missed
by a few inches. After going about 30 yards he stood with his back
to me and I fired a third time. I felt sure I had hit him, but he
hopped up the rocks opposite, and then Nibra said " his shoulder is
broken ; he is going on three legs." He climbed about 20 yards,
slowly pausing several times, and then fell head over heels down again
into the nullah. Taking my penknife (the shikar knife was behind
with Mamdu) N. scrambled down and halaled him. When I got
across, Nibra pointed to his left shoulder, all smashed with th«
15
108 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
express bullet. That was shot No. 1. Turning him over, I showed the
sceptical shikari the other bullet hole, right through the lower part
of his back. A good stalk well ended, and pointing the moral that
if the wind is unfavourable one should wait till the clouds roll by.
The camera did not get down till 7 o'clock, when I photographed
the old fellow, using full aperture and giving 45" exposure, but the
negative even with that proved to have been under-exposed. By
the way, let me warn photographers in these altitudes that double
or treble Indian exposures may, and, indeed, often must, be given
with ordinary plates.
May 2?irf. — Right down to the bottom of the valley there is snow ;
here at the tent-door it is a foot deep, and the weight on the canvas
(I am in a tiny single fly-tent, six feet by four, and four high — weight
25 lbs.) was so great that I had several times to thump the roof to
make the snow slide down. The ridge beside which I am camped
is composed of masses of shattered and sharp-pointed rocks ;
when masked under a layer of snow, climbing across them is far
from pleasant, or indeed safe. As the weather seemed more
promising, we set out along this "path," however, and with
difficulty getting down to a broad shelf to the S.- \V., saw below us
eight male markhor, with but one moderately big one, say 30". We
also saw the " Dost,"' but he was on his usual inaccessible beat, and
after spending four hours in trying to get up to him, we had
to leave him in peace. Then we worked down a spur, ending in a
sheer precipice not far above the river. From above, one could
not see the face of the cliff; it was too steep and rugged ; but beyond
it, on a large boulder below, a female markhor was standing sentinel,
and I concluded that the herd of eight males must be near. Climb-
ing down to the left we got on a ledge of rocks that gave us a view
of the face of the cliff : and there five of the animals were lying on
small ledges here and there in the very middle of the precipice — a
place that no four-footed creature but a wild goat could have possibly
approached. The wind had been rather unsteady all day, and
soon a female gave her note of alarm. The five males on the cliff
began moving down, and I was aiming at the biggest, fellow, that
was highest up, when Nibra said, " not at that : fire at the second
one." As he had been looking through the binocular, I thought
I had probably mistaken the big one, and so I fired (180 yards) at
the second markhor as I was bid. Over he went, right down the
cliff, a fearful depth to fall, quite 400 feet sheer drop. Mamdu by
ROUGH NOTES OF TRAVEL AND SPORT. 109
going round a mile got down to him, and my disappointment can
be imagined when I found that the 30-inch one had been let off,
and that I was the possessor of a 22^-inch head, through taking my
precious shikari's advice. The body and bones were all shattered,
but the horns, massive looking, were not damaged.
May 9th. — Went up ridge towards the east ; not much snow to
climb through. The three big ones that had been fired at by my
neighbour were spied far up in the precipices above us ...
We are now on a level with the three, about 250 yards off, but I
mean to make it 50 yards before I fire, having about 100 yards of
deep snow to cross, and 100 yards of a glacier to get down, and
then some rocks to climb ! . . . They do look three rippers,
and one must be forty-five at least ! Had a hard climb over the
snow slope, which was steep and slippery, and soft in places, though
only once up to my elbows, but at last the yew-tree near them,
the destined firing point, is reached, and I peer through the thick
foliage. The big fellow is there some 60 yards off, lying down
on a pinnacle of rock and gazing (with that sad far-away look one
often notices in these animals when watching them through a tele-
scope) down into the valley : the other two are not visible, being
lower down, between him and me. I was not very steady I fear,
but it looked too easy for any doubt of success, and taking aim
through the yew boughs, I tired. The old fellow fell backwards
and out of sight. "Mara " I cried to Nibra, and jumped up for
the left barrel, just in time to whang it fair into the bigger of the
other two markhors as they dashed past about 30 yards off, and
over rolled number two. Having duly halaled him, we went up for
number one. He had vanished, and there was that fatal and
perfidious bullet's mark an inch too high ! Horried sell — a miss
through sheer cocksureness : number two is a handsome markhor
however. Horns 31 inches long, 12 inches girth, 30 spread ; a clean
graceful head.
Photographing the slain took a few minutes, and then leaving
Nibra to look after the trophies, I took Mamdu and Rehman with
me, and went down hill intending to take up the tracks of the
big one and perhaps come on him. After descending about half
a mile, we had a careful survey of the valley with our telescope and
two pairs of binoculars, I made out a markhor, a small male, lying
on a rock about quarter of a mile off, and somewhat below us, and
then we made out others. They were on a sort of rocky plateau,
110 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
with a few yew-trees stretching their arms from crannies, and a deep
stony nullah lay between. We could not make out any big one,
bat it was mid-day, and big ones would then have been lying in the
shade and probably invisible, so we worked down carefully to a
ridge that gave us a good view and a good place to stalk from,
and watched. At 5 o'clock the markhor had fed down to the steep
bed of the ravine between us. and were crossing to our side. 1 had
got a glimpse of what seemed a big markhor earlier in the afternoon,
but he was among some yews. I could not see his head, and we did
not again catch sight of him, but on the strength of the doubt
I resolved (luckily) not to fire at anything even medium-sized. Care-
fully working down the crags, now and then in full view of the
unsuspected herd below, who were too intent on the young grass
to be very watchful, I got to within 200 yards, and found that the
herd had increased to thirty, by additions from our side of the ravine,
but that out of ten males there was only one head worth a bullet,
and it was only 27 or so. Accordingly I decided not to fire, but to
follow the herd closely as they fed across ridge after ridge, and
just watch the animals without alarming them, though they
were scarcely fifty yards off. It was now 7 o'clock, but the wind
was still steady ; and the sun was sinking behind the hills of Gor,
and I was beginning to reflect that I was likely to be belated and
have a lodging on the cold ground instead of dinner, the Asian,
and bed. Suddenly Mamdu whispered : " There is a big fellow on
the edge of the slope" ; and there, indeed, was my very friend of this
morning, a grand old shaggy white-haired long beard, with horns
sweeping straight up from his stately head ! He was standing in
the shade of a yew about 300 yai-ds off, below and opposite. He
seemed to ignore the great herd passing him, and came slowly down,
the slope as the band of youngsters worked up it. The darkness
was falling fast, and I feared that the herd would not be all across
the ridge before it became impossible to shoot. I looked at my
watch — it was five minutes to eight, as the last small one passed over
and out of sight. The big fellow had moved down below some
rocks, but I had a good notion of his whereabouts, sol hastened very
circumspectly down the steep grassy hollow, avoiding the numerous
loose stones as well as I could. Now a bent stick thirty yards off
seemed in the gloom to be his horns, and I paused ; but a look with
the binoculars showed that it was not the veteran, so down I crept
with rifle at the ready, to the edge of the rock, beneath which
HOUGH NOTES OF TRAVEL .AND SPORT. Ill
itnn--n"i-iliniv j.i.— , , ,. -■*-.... - .... ■- . . - .... -.,- „,. - *
I expected hi tn to be. He was there not twenty yards below me, and
our eyes seemed to meet at the same moment ! Off he bolted ; and
with as much steadiness as I could I aimed at the vanishing white
object, and fired. He did not even swerve, and I quickly fired again
but he galloped on round a boulder and out of eight. Mamdu (who
was clo^e behind) said he thought the first shot had hit him, and
1 had that sort of instinctive feeling1 the rifleman knows of having1
been on both shots; but in the gloaming one could not be sure, and
it was with no little trepidation that I descended to enquire. We
soon caught sight of him, standing about 100 yards off at the base
of a cliff, partly hidden by a yew-tree ; and sitting down I fired,
when he made a rush, and vanished beyond the free. Coming up,
after few moments of suspense, Mandu said : '* Got him." And there
he lay, quite dead with bullet No. 1 in the middle of his back, No. 2
chipping a little bit off his right horn, and No. 3 through his shoul-
der and heart. He is a burra wallah to look at, and does not belie
his looks, his horns being 46 inches round the curve, 13 inches in
girth, and 30^ inches between the tips. A prize, indeed ! We soon
had a fire blazing and made ourselves ready for the night. We had
no blanket, but it was not cold ; there was a little water in the cha-
gul, which, with some scraps of tiffin remaining in the basket,
and the invariable pipe, sufficed for dinner. I could not sleep, how-
ever,— hating this sort of lodging on the cold ground— and spent
the night, as usual on such occasion, in smoking and adding fuel to
the fire. The old billy-goat favoured us with a "bouquet de bouc"
more powerful than pleasant whenever the zephyr came round from
his vicinity • but " bukri bonus est odor qualibet ex re," as Vespasian
might have observed had he been present, and I would not object
to such a perfume distilled from such a stalk, every day of the year.
Yet I must say that I never felt less keen to take a wild animal's
life than I did to slay that magnificent old markhor ; he looked so
dignified and venerable with his flowing grey beard and noble mien,
that I could not help thinking him like one of those reverend
patriarchs that Blake had drawn so well in his Book of Job, or
Flaxman in his Dante ; but the primaeval savage in me prevailed,
and the noble old chap succumbed to Holland and Holland, after
escaping in the morning.
May 10th. — Having had no dinner and no sleep, the climb up was
tiresome; but things have an end, and I got in, dined and break-
fasted, and went to bed. In the afternoon I put arsenical soap on
112 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
the headskins, and packed them and the heads for their journey to
Mahdoo, the eminent taxidermist (or mochi) at Srinagar.
May 13th. — - The evil destiny of the female sex, with the best
intentions in the world, to get their male relations into trouble,
could hardly be better illustrated than in the case of inarkhor. It
is the females who are always on the watch, while the males are
snugly asleep under some rock ; we see Sister Anne on her watch-
tower, and so discover the abode of old Blackbeard. To-day I have
been up to the highest crag over the Ramghat valley, climbing from
6 to 12 o'clock, and have only just found game. About a mile
below me, on the edge of the cliffs about the river, when we had
given it up as hopeless, and were planning to go after ibex to»morrow,
out walks a cautious female, looks round, skips up on a smooth
round rock, and settles herself to survey mankind from Astor to
Ramghat. Couched on the rock, she is watching the hillside closely,
but we have been watching longer than she, and her eyes won't light
on us just yet. Perhaps in the coming by-and-bye we may meet for
a brief ecstatic moment. Nothing to do now, but lie in a crevice of
the rocks from 12 till 4 or 5 o' clock, when the family will come out
to graze . . . Family dou't come out, so we call on them, and
find only one small (18") gentleman and three ladies at home. Sleep
under an overhanging rock comfortably enough.
May 21st. — A long day's work. Started at daybreak across the
valley, descending to river, and finding a practicable path up the
opposite cliffs after several failures. Then struck along ledge of
cliffs about half a mile below the ibex, 31 in all, intending to have
a go at the markhor first. After climbing for 3| hours to the
shoulder where the markhor had shown themselves yesterday after-
noon, we sighted them about a mile below us in a steep ravine. It
was too far to go down again, so we went on for the ibex. The two
biggest bucks and two females were in a small ravine near us, say
600 yards off, and the rest of the herd were scattered about, some
lying down, some feeding, some skipping about and playfully butting
at one another. It was my first sight of ibex near at hand, and I
was surprised at their appearance, my idea of an ibex having been
based on the picture of a European ibex that (taken from the Old
Shekarry's Sport in many Lands and Cassell's Natural History) does
duty for Sibirica in Sterndale's Mammalia. Instead of an agile,
slender, gracefully- stepping-* creature, I found the buck ibex to be a
heavy yellowish brute with short brown legs, a very massive barrel-
ROUGH NOTES OF TRAVEL AND SPORT. US
shaped body, almost pig-like in his gallop, and with shaggy flanks and
neck and beard. Neither in mien nor gait is he such a fine-looking
animal as the markhor ; at the same time his activity is equal to the mar-
khor's. The two big fellows got angry about something or nothing,
and had a very serious butting match for full five minutes. After
it, to our great disappointment, for they had been splendidly placed
for a stalk, they set off, about 11 o'clock, to join the rest of the herd,
and went along the hillside for quite a mile and a half, some of the
females going too, and others remaining scattered about, thus
blockading us completely. As the day wore on, they mostly lay
down to sleep, lying quite flat on the sides with head thrown back,
and all four legs stiffly stretched out, not doubled under them,
basking in the sunshine. So we had to sit behind a rock and watch
the big ones loafing on and on, further away from us, while we dared
not budge lest the scattered females and small males should discover
us. Over a distant slope the big ones went, and gradually the others
followed, all passing out of sight, except five females that seemed
disposed to sleep all day. But at 5 o'clock they too rose and quickly
trotted after the herd and over the slopes, and the coast was clear at
last, so far as we could judge. The ground, however, was a network
of stony ridges and ravines, with yew-trees and thickets here and
there, and we could not tell whether all had gone or not. However,
as we had two miles to go, over rugged ground, we started. When
half way, two shrill whistles above us from four females that had
been lying higher up, and had winded us, showed that we were
caught ; but though they repeated their signal five or six times, they
made uphill instead of following the herd, and we went on. At the
crest of the ridge we had to wait once more, as the big ones were
far below, feeding, and three females were lying close to us. The
wind came steadily up, though it was now 7 o'clock, and soon the
three sentinels rose and went down to the herd below. We followed,
keeping below skyline on the outer side of the ridge, and soon got to
within fifty yards of where the big ones had last been seen, but there
was no sign of them anywhere. Some females saw me peeping over,
stared suspiciously for about four minutes, while I kept quite still,
trying to catch sight of the big ones, who were somewhere close by.
Then the wind veered, a general stampede took place, and out bolted
in the crowd the two big fellows from right below me ! As 1 stood
up to get a clearer view, the boughs of the yew caught the sling of
the rifle, and so checked me for a second or two, and the big ones
114 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
had got to the other side of the ravine, about 130 yards off, when
I fired, only the bigger of the two being in sight. I had the old 12-bore
rifle in my hand, the Express being behind as a second rifle in case
I got more shots, as often can be done with ibex, and aiming steadily
I fired. The ibex bolted at once, and I could not fire the left
barrel, he having got into a hollow that hid him ; when he re-appeared
about 200 yards off, I fired two shots with the Express, but went
high, Nibra said. The herd made uphill, but the big one took
a downward course Once he slipped and staggered, and I exclaimed
" he is falling," but he recovered himself and went on, and Nibra
said I had missed him clean. He disappeared over the edge of a
cliff, and did not re-appear. I watched the others for a bit and then
asked where the big one was. They said he had not yet come out
of the ravine, and then exclaimed, "there he goes, not hit." He
climbed slowly along the face of the cliff, aud then pulled up on a
sloping rock, in full view of us, about 500 yards off. We were
watching him with our glasses, and all at once ejaculated "khun ! "
(blood); a great gush of blood was streaming down the rock from
him. He lay down for about five minutes, then painfully rose, walked
three or four yards, and lay down again, the blood crimsoning the
cliff beneath him. He was hit, and hit vitally and hard. Old Joe
Lang had gone straight as usual. We followed, but tbe ground was
so bad that we had not got to the cliff when darkness came on. It
was impossible to get further over such dangerous ground in the
dark, so we made ourselves uncomfortable for the night, under a yew-
tree, and lit a fire. At 2 A. m. a heavy thunderstorm came on, wetting
every stitch of our clothes in five minute?, and we passed the rest of
the night very miserably indeed, drying our steaming blankets and kit.
May 22nd — At daybreak, just as we were getting ready to start,
we heard a terrific crash from a precipice far overhead, and some
fifty tons of enormous stones came thundering down, several passing
right over us, so swiftly that only the whizz was heard, but the stones
not seen ; and soon after, a single stone plunged right in our midst,
ploughing a hole in the ground a foot deep and spinning on to the
river half a mile below I Having made tea, we proceeded to search
the precipices for the lost ibex -a wrearisome perilous quest, and
unsuccessful, the rain having washed off every stain that had yester-
day incarnadined the rocks, and obliterated every footprint in the
gravel and sand. Our only hope now is in the crows and vultures.
By watching them we may yet be guided to the place.
KOtXJH NOTES OF TRAVEL AND SfoRT. 115
May 30th: — Up ridge to point over Shaltar. Saw a tent there.
1 had expected to tind Slialtar unoccupied, and have a few days
round it ; so went down my boundary. No sign of the markhor seen
yesterday; worked towards home, but low down, carefully exploring
ground; saw nothing all day, but in the evening came on them just a
quarter of a mile below my tent I There were 53 markhor there (the
three herds packed), only eight males and only two of those worth shoot-
ing! Leaving the fussy shikari, I made a fair stalk alone, but had
to cross a ledge of rock about 200 yards from them, and full in view,
when a female gave the alarm. I ran forward as they made up the cliff;
they came across my front, working up the steep sheer cliff. When
they were opposite, about 180 yards off, I fired and hit the biggest
one; he stood on the rock motionless, and as I did not feel sure of his
being sufficiently hit, 1 fired the left barrrel, and down he tumbled.
The two bullet holes formed a figure of eight in the skin of his
shoulder. I had rested the rifle on my hat when firing, so there
can be little doubt that those two barrels shoot together, and are a
credit to Holland and Holland. His horns^ were only 24 inches,
but massive.
May dlst. — Having now got ten markhor (measuring 46, 43|, 40,
38£, 34, 28, 25, 24, 22£, and 18 inches), and the weather being very
hot, I mean to take it easy and loaf back to Kashmir. I shall per-
haps pick up some ibex on the way in Derrell or Loyen Harda. If
not, I do not much care, as I shall come this side again, and spend a
winter over the passes, and try for some specially big heads up
beyond Grilgit or in Chilas.
June 8th, — Started up nullah, for one last day at the ibex. Found
nest and three eggs of the White-browed Bunting (Emberiza cia) ;
nest on ground beside a tuft of grass. Shot male — somewhat greyer
on head than are European specimens. 1 fancy a transitional form
to the Eastern E. Stracheyi. B. cia is common in these parts.
(Jailed on Mrs. (Jhukor, but she had deserted her nest, so I took it,
12 eggs, quite fresh.
June 9th. — Up to glaciers early. Climbed from 10,800 up to
14,000 feet along front of the ibex cliff. Ibex not within reach yet.
I must sleep on cliff and make a two-days' climb. Saw a lovely
bird, of which I noted the description at the time, and find it is
Accentor immaculatus, the Maronne-backed Accentor. Jerdon says
it has hitherto been only sent from Nepal and Darjeeling. It was
at 13,000 feet in Dutchkufc, where I saw it only once. Also saw a
16
116 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
lot of so-called Snow Pigeons (C, leuconota) . They were breeding
at 12,000 feet in clefts of the chasm down which the right branch
glacier stream flows, but out of reach. The Alpine flowers now are
in full bloom; a more enumeration of them would be too long (even
if I could name one-tenth of them); from every nook and corner of
the rock they peep, and on the mountain meadows the air is sweet
with perfumes. It is delightful to meet so many old friends among
the flowers. The forget-me-nots form mirages of blue, they grow so
thick in places.
June ] 1th. — Started up ibex cliff at daybreak; got right on top and
along ridge to 15,600 feet, a beastly climb, along the face of a
precipice 1,000 feet sheer in parts; made me squirm to look down.
On the very top there were two little grey guinea-pig-like animals,
some species of Lagomys. Their home was in a crevice under some
icicles. Sterndale gives a number of species, but I am bringing
back one of this sort for the Bombay N. H. Society to identify.*
June 2lst. — Goorkhot to Chougam. Shot a mountain fox (V.
montanus), or vixen rather. She was stalking some chukor when I
interposed. Came along Ruttu plain opposite Mir Mullick nullah,
a very fine valley, with pine forests and snowy peaks. Splendid view
of Nunga Parbut or Dayamur, nive canclidum from head to foot.
Qot to a hamlet and had the tents pitched just as heavy rain came
on. I have just been watching a curious veterinary operation. One
of the baggage ponies being footsore, the Bota ( = Tibetan, if
Bootan, Bodpa = Tibet, — &c), heated a large flat stone in the fire,
making it very hot. He then placed some green leaves (gathered
from a sort of Coleus apparently) on the stone, made the pony place
his fore-hoofs on the herbs and poured water over them), thus caus-
ing a cloud of vapour for some minutes, the pony standing quiet
and seeming to enjoy his vapour footbath.
June 23rd. — In bed with a badly sprained ankle, which puts an
end to my shikar, I fear. Yesterday we had arranged to move the
lighter camp up the nullah, and a man was to come to show us the
place where a bear had been seen lately. At 4 p.m. a villager
rushed up to say that a snow bear was at that moment killing
the sheep on the hillside opposite Dirrell village. We were off
at once, and on reaching the huts could see the bear on the
grassy slope above some sheep and goats, while a herdsman was
*Eoyle's Pika, or Boyle' a Mousvj-Hare, Lag amy s roylei. — Editok.
ROUGH NOTES OF TRAVEL AND SPORT. 117
hastening towards the place to drive the bear away. We pushed
on, having to make a detour to cross two bridges, when suddenly
a general cry from the village of " he's killing the man" made us
tear along as hard as we could go — I leading, and the two shikaries
scuttling after with the rifles. When we got to the shepherd — a
boy of sixteen — we found him unhurt, as the bear only charged past
him, but so confused that he could not tell us which way the bear
had gone. We reconnoitred the hillside for a long distance, but in
vain, and while scrambling up the slopes in chaplies (for my supply
of grass-shoes had run out) I slipped and twisted my ankle, and again
gave it a second and worse twist when descending. The pain was
most acute, and now ibex are out of the question.
After four days in bed I could walk a few steps, so June 2Qth, I
hired the lambardar's pony to take me up the nullah on khubber of
a bear. Foot very tender still, but I can bear the pain if I can also
pain the bear! Started at 1 o'clock on the pony, taking the *500
Express only. After going about two miles up, came to a little
branch nullah where I pulled up, and sent the pony down to the
river to wait for me. I waited till 6, but only a fox turned up about
3 o'clock, barking several times, and then coming down to within
sixty yards to inspect me and show himself off — a handsome fellow,
with very bushy white-tipped tail, pale rusty face, and creamy yellow
fur — his winter coat. As there was no sign of the bear, I rode
further up the valley to look for another bear that was supposed to
be there. He too was not at home. Turning round at sunset I
began to ride homeward. We had gone about a mile, when the
village-boy, who was with the pony, pointed to the opposite side of
the valley, and ejaculated " Harpat I" I was off the pony in an in-
stant and made the boy sit down and stop gesticulating. There was
the bear, about quarter of a mile off. Leaving the pony behind
some willows, I told the boy to wait there, and with my glasses J
soon made out a second, and then a third bear, and found that it
was a family party of mother and two cubs, all coming down to the
river to drink. There were trees scattered about, and the wind was
the right way, so when the men came up with the rifle, I had no
difficulty (bar the lameness) in getting to the river bank unperceiv-
ed. The old bear suspected nothing, but fed here and there, his
silvery gray coat glistening beautifully in the ruddy glow of sunset.
Between us was the torrent, the bear about 25 yards away in a
thicket. I lay down on the bank behind some shrubs, and waited.
118 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
There was a small open space opposite which they would cros3 to get
to the water. On they rambled, the old one leading. She is coming,
my own, my sweet : a branch of a pine partly shelters her, so have
patience, eager heart ; here she is broadside on ; bang ?
She fell over at once, and I jumped up and gave the left barrel to
a youngster, but I could not see whether I hit or not. The old one
was still struggling, so I gave her another shot as a quietus. Send-
ing the men across, they had to go up higher to a snow bridge. I
went down the bank about 20 yards with Rehman and climbed a
lofty pine-tree that gave a view of the opposite thicket, as I thought
the other small bear might be about. We climbed alternately, hand-
ing the rifle up from one to the other, until a high branch was reach-
ed on which I perched myself, and discerned the back of a youngster.
Aiming carefully I fired, and turned him over, dead. Looking with
the glasses, I could then see dry blood on his fur ; the former shot
had taken effect too. In the hope of the other youngster returning,
I waited until it was too dark to see the foresight, when I
descended and rode back to camp, my ankle happily none the worse
for this little tamdsha. As I was still too lame to climb I decided to
march slowly back from Dirrell. On the way I looked into Loyen
Harda nullah for a couple of days. There were plenty of fresh bear
pugs, but I saw no bears. However, I got two shots at musk deer,
and secured both, two young males.
SHORT NOTES ON THE ODORIFEROUS GRASSES
{ANDROPOGONS) OP INDIA AND CEYLON, WITH A
DESCRIPTON OF A SUPPOSED NEW SPECIES.
By Mrs. J. O. Lisboa.
(Read at the Society s Meeting on 7th August 1889.)
There is great uncertainty about the number of odoriferous
grasses growing in India, on account of the confusion in which the
subject has been involved by various botanists and writers, who,
overlooking varieties caused by cultivation or otherwise, have un-
consciously multiplied species.
This can only be cleared up by a practical botani st who has
travelled all over India and Ceylon, or had before him a collection
of plants from these countries. There is no doubt that when he
ANDPOPOGON ODOHATUS. (Sp. Nov.)
Described by Mrs. J. C. LISBOA in her "NOTES ON THE ODORIFEROUS
GRASSES OF INDIA AND CEYLON."
ODORIFEROUS GRASSES OF INDIA AND CEYLON. 119
comes to describe the order Graminece in his Flora of British India,
now in course of being written, Sir J. D. Hooker will, with the
materials in hand, throw much light on the subject.
The present contribution is intended as the description of an
Andropogon which I think is a new one ; and does not presume to
clear up the obscure points about the scented grssses which may
exist in India, for my knowledge of Botany in general is poor and
limited to a few tracts of the Bombay Presidency.
Before I describe this Andropogon to you, let me briefly mention
those that are already more or less known. We find the following
growing wild or cultivated in different parts of India and in Ceylon,
and yielding aromatic oils and other scented products.
1st. Andropogon Nardus, Linn. — This is a magnificent looking
grass, with leaves glaucous, large and attenuated at the end ; the
stem six feet high or even more, with a long drooping panicle
about two feet or more in length consisting of numerous panicled
branches. According to General Munro, the distinguishing features
of this grass are its rufous colour, short spikes, and narrow leaves.
This plant, which is said to grow wild in Ceylon, is also met with in
certain parts of the Madras Presidency, particularly in the South-
ern portions near Travancore, It is also cultivated in Ceylon and
Singapore, whence considerable quantities of the oil distilled from
it finds its way to the European markets, where it is known under
the name of Citronelle oil. (See a beautiful drawing by Trimen and
Bentley in their work on Medicinal Plants, p. 297.)
2nd. Andropogon Citratus, DC. — This grass yields the Lemon
grass oil, or oil of verbena of commerce. In India it is found in
gardens, and appears to occur only in the cultivated state,
although it is stated that in Ceylon it may be seen growing wild
side by side with the first-mentioned species. The close resemblance
it bears to the former would seem, however, to suggest the idea that
it is only a cultivated variety of A. Nardus.
The specimen on the table, collected in the garden of the Bishop
of Damaun, at Colaba, belongs to this plant, which is also shown in
plate 280 given by Wallich in his Plantar Asiatics Rariores, under
the name of Andropogon Schcmanthus. Andropogon Oitratus is
known to the natives of India under the name of OU-cha (green
tea), and is in fact, used at times for aromatizing this beverage and
flavouring curries. An infusion of the leaves is used as a diaphoretic
120 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
in febrile cases, and also in flatulent affections. Tbe oil is used
internally for allaying vomiting and gastric irritability in case of
cbolera. It is also used externally in rheumatism.
Tbe properties and uses of the last-mentioned species, A . Nardus,
are similar to those of Andropogon Citratus.
3rd. Andropogon laniger, Desf. — (See Fodder Grasses of the Plains
of North- Western India, by Duthie, plate 23.) This grass, known
as woolly Andropogon, grows extensively in the northern coast of
Africa, from Egypt to Algiers. It is also found in Arabia, and in the
north of India. According to Mr. Duthie, it is common on cultivated
land in Sind, the Punjab, Ra jputana, and parts of the N.-W. Provinces,
and it is also recorded from Thibet at an elevation of 1 1,000 feet. I
had only one specimen (now lost) said to be from the Deccan. It is
not ascertained whether this grass is distilled for the production of
its oil, but its roots are sometimes used like kashas in the manufac-
ture of tatties.
4th. Andropogon versicolor, Nees. — This grass exists in the more
elevated parts of the Central Provinces of Ceylon. Mr. Thwaites
says : — "The inflorescence of this species has, when crushed between
the fingers, a rather agreeable aromatic odour. The essential oil
appears to be situated principally at the base of the spikelets.'1
5th. Andropogon Schoenanthus, Linn. ; A. Martini, Roxb. ; A.
Pachnodes, Trin. (Sp. Graminearum. Vol, III., plate 327) ; A.
Nardoides,Nees; A. Calamus Aromaticus, Royle (Illst. of Him.
Bot., plate 97), a variety with dense inflorescence.
This grass, named Ginger grass by Europeans, is known to natives
as Rosa, Rosha, Rose, etc. etc. It is of all the Andropugons the
best known.* It appears from the Bombay Gazetteer, Vol. 12, that
in Khandeish people distinguish two varieties, one with bluish, and
the other with white inflorescence. This is what the Gazetteer says : —
" Another important branch of distilling is the preparing of oil from
the forest grass known as Rosha {Andropogon Schamanthus), which
is of two kinds, one with bluish and the other with white flowers.
The oil produced from the first is of a green colour, and is called
Sophia, that from the other is white, and is called Motia. The Motia
oil fetches a higher price than the Sophia. Both grasses grow
*In their work above alluded to, Trimen and Bentley say :— "There is still great
confusion amongst the species of Andropogon affording grass oil." As a proof we
may point to the many names which the Rosha grass, as truly stated by them the
best known and widely distributed, hav received from botanists.
ODOKIFERODS GRASSES OF INDIA AND CEYLON. 121
freely though not very widely in many open hill-sides in West
Khandeish, especially in Akrani."
An intelligent Parsi, who some years ago farmed a field in
Khandeish for distilling oil from this Andropogon, tells me that
there is no such thing as blue or white varieties ; that the grass
which bears bluish-green and white inflorescence when young
becomes red when ripe. This accords with my observation regarding
the changes of colour which this Andropogon undergoes as it grows
in the Deccan and Konkan. When young, the hairs of its spikelets
give it a peculiar greenish-blue or whitish appearance, but when
it grows older the whole of the inflorescence with the bracts, or
floral leaves, especially when these are exposed to or dried in
the sun, becomes reddish, as anybody can verify this fact on
their way to Poona at the end of the rainy season, and from the
several specimens laid on the table collected in the Deccan, Thana,
and Khandeish. Those of the last place and the two bottles of oil
were kindly sent to me by a Government officer. On examination
you will find all the Khandeish specimens to be of a reddish-brown
colour, and the kind of oil named Motia, is of a rather clear golden
colour, resembling olive oil, and the Sophia, turbid or reddish, not
white, as stated in the Bombay Gazetteer, There are also on the
table specimens received faom Nasik, the inflorscence of which ia
of a beautiful admixture of bluish-white and reddish colour.
Now the question is whether the two varieties, blue and white,
mentioned in the Gazetteer, are coloured red by age. It is probable
that the same plant may bear inflorescence bluish-white and red at
different stages of its growth, and the colour and density of its oil
may vary according to the process of distillation employed, or
according to the age at which the plant is cut.
It may also happen that instead of varieties there may be distinct
species. Roxburgh, in his Flora Indica, describes an aromatic species
under the name of A. Iwarancusa. Some botanists, however, think
that this description applies partly to A. laniger and partly to
A. Schatnanthus. Others believe that there is in Northern India a
grass with white hairs, which, though closely allied to A. Schcenan-
thus, is a distinct species.
Fliickiger and Hanbury, in describing in their Pharmacographia,
p. 662, the uses of grass oil, say.-—" Grass oils are much esteemed in
India as external applications in rheumatism and other such affec-
tions ; Rusa oil is said to stimulate the growth of hair. Internally
122 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
grass oil is sometimes administered as a carminative in colic, and an
infusion of the leaves of lemon grass is prescribed as a diaphoretic
and stimulant. In Europe and America the oils are used almost
exclusively by the soap-makers and perfumers. The foliage of this
large odoriferous species of Andropogon is used in India for
thatching ; it is eaten voraciously by cattle, whose flesh and milk
become flavoured with its strong aroma.
" But the most remarkable use made of any grass oil is that for
adulterating Attar of hose in European Turkey. The oil employed
for the purpose is that of A. S chcenanthus, Linn., and it is a curious
fact that its Hindustani name is closely similar in sound to the word
JRose. Thus under the designation Rusa, Ro-wsa/i, Rosa, Rose, or
Roshe, it is exported in large quantities from Bombay to the
ports of Arabia, probably chiefly to Jeddah, whence it is carried to
Turkey by the Mahomedan pilgrims. In Arabia and Turkey it
appears under the name of Iclris Yaghi, while in the Attar-producing
districts of the Balkan it is known, at least to Europeans, as Geranium
oil or Palmarosa oil. Before being mixed with attar, the oil is sub-
jected to a certain preparation, which is accomplished by shaking it
with water acidulated with lemon-juice, and then exposing it to
the sun and air. By this process, recently described by Baur, the oil
looses its penetrating after-smell, and acquires a pale straw colour.
The optical and chemical differences between grass oil thus refined
and of attar of roses are slight, and do not indicate a small admix-
ture of the former. If grass oil is added largely to attar it will pre-
vent its congealing."
Dr. Dymock, in his interesting work, " the Vegetable Materia
Medica of Western India,'' says : — ''The annual export of Roosa oil
from Bombay to the Red Sea ports and Europe exceed 40,000 lbs. ; it
is much used by the Arabs and Turks as a hair oil. The Bombay
dealers know nothing of its being used to adulterate Otto of Roses.
In India sandal-wood is used for the purpose." The learned doctor
makes no mention of the two varieties of Roosha grass and their oils
described by the Gazetteer.
All the Andropogons mentioned hitherto belong, as you will
perceive, to the section called Cymbopogon. There are, however,
two other species also found in India which belong to the section
Gymnopogon, one of these is Andropogon, muricatus. This is a tali
grass, plentiful in the moist plains of Southern India, particularly
Bengal. The ancient rulers of the country appear to have levied an
ODORIFEROUS GRASSES OF INDIA AND CEYLON. 123
impost upon its cultivation. This grass is known on this side of
India as Valeru and Vala, and is used in some provinces as a thatch-
ing material or as fodder. When young, it is eaten by buffaloes.
The roots, named Kashas, are used in making the fragrant fans and
tatties. It is said that the roots are exported to Europe, where
they are employed in perfumery, and they are used in India in
cases of fever, in the form of an infusion, &c.
In the Jhang Settlemont Report it is stated that its tough roots
are used in making ropes, and also that the brush employed by the
weavers for arranging the threads of the web-baskets are made
of the stems. In Oudh a perfume called liar is extracted and used
medicinally. (See Dymock's "Vegetable Materia Medica" and
Duthie's "Fodder Grasses," plate 24.)
All the Andropogons mentioned above have been described by
various authors, but the following, as far as my knowledge and
reading go, has not been described by any ; I have therefore named
it A. odoratus.
It is known to the natives as Gawat WedL I came across it
whilst arranging plants and dissecting spikelets of grasses for
Dr. Lisboa.
Description. — Culm erect, 3 — 5 ft. high, sometimes branching
from the lower part, glabrous ; nodes long bearded. Leaves
lanceolate, cordate at the base, acute or acuminate, with a few long
hairs; the lower cauline and radicle leaves long, the upper small,
but their sheaths very long. Ligula small. Spikes numerous, erect,
branched, pedicellate (the pedicel of the lower spikes longer),
and congested at the end of a long peduncle without a sheathing
bract and forming an f erect, dense, ovoid panicle. The rachis,
pedicel, and the spikes covered with long silky hairs. Spikelets
nearly two lines long, of a purple colour, the sessile and the
pedicellate nearly similar ; outer glume of the sessile spikelet rather
thin, many-nerved, somewhat obtuse and covered with long silky
hairs, with a pit in some spikelets of the same plant and absent in
others; second glume as long as the first or a little longer, but broader,
thin, and keeled ; third glume thinner and hyaline ; fourth glume
smaller or an awn \ — 1 inch long, with an hermaphrodite flower at the
end of the pedicel. Pedicel of the pedicellate spikelet covered with
white hairs, but the spikelet almost free of hairs. Outer glume stiff,
with five or more nerves, not prominent, almost obtuse; second glume
thinner, with three nerves, somewhat broader, but as long as the first ;
17
124 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
third glume hyaline, smaller ; fourth glume very small, hyaline or
none : no awn ; at the top of the pedicel throe stamens, not well formed
and not as large as in the hermaphrodite flower.
This grass is common at Lanowli, on the right side of the station,
in the fields beyond the woods, where it grows along with Pollinia
tristachya, Thw., Ischcemun laxum, R, Brown, Arondinacea
Nepalensis, Trim., and other annua] grasses. The purple-coloured
spikes of A. odoratus and Pollinia tristachya, congested at the end of
long peduncles, form a most elegant and beautiful feature of the
scenery of the field towards the end of the rainy season. It is said
to be not uncommon at Khardi, Thana, I have found it in the
collection received from this district.
From the description and from the specimen laid on the table, you
will see that this Andwpogon belongs to the section Gymnopogon,
and is different from all other aromatic Andropogons, and as I believe
it to be a new species, I have called it, as stated above, A. odoratus.
The leaves and the inflorescence also, when pressed between the
fingers, emit an odour altogether different. If you examine the
small quantity of volatile oil, of a beautiful golden yellow colour, which
is on the table in a tiny little glass-tube marked A. odoratus, and
compare it with that of A. Martini in another similar tube, also on
the table, extracted by Mr. Prebble of Messrs. Kemp & Co., you
will certainly pronounce that the odour of the new species is soft,
sweet, and more agreeable than that of A .] Martini ; and if it be
manufactured on a large scale, with great care and by an improved
process, if practicable, it may prove superior even to that of
A. nardus and A. citratus.
Chemical analysis could not be undertaken, because the quantity
of the oil extracted was too small for the purpose.
CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO THE PROTECTION
OF INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS IN THE INTERESTS
OF AGRICULTURE.
Bengal Chamber of Commerce,
Calcutta, 31«/ January 1888.
No. 90 of 1888.
From S. E. J. Clarke, Esq.,
Secretary, Bengal Chamber of Commerce;
To Sir E. C. Buck, Kt., C. S.,
Secretary to the Government of India, Revenue anil Agricultural Departments.
Sir,— The Committee of the Chamber of Commerce desire me to hand yot»
INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS. 12*
copy of a letter, dated 5th January, from Mr. John Rudd Rainey, Zemindar of
Khulna, and copy of the Englishman of 31st December, containing a report of
a lecture delivered hy him before the Agricultural and Horticultural Society of
India. With reference to these papers, I am to say, that a reconsideration of Act
XX. of 1887, "An Act for the Protection of Wild Birds and Game," for the more
effectual protection, in the interests of Agriculture, of insectivorus birds would have
the support of the Chamber of Commerce. — I have, &c»,
(Signed) S. E. J. Clarke,
Secretary.
From Jno. Rubd Rainey, Esq., F.R.G.S.,
Proprietor of Khulna Estate, Rainey Villa, Khulna;
To S. E, J. Clarke, Esq.,
Secretary to Bengal Chamber of Commerce, Calcutta.
Dated Rainey Villa, Khulna, the 5th January 1888.
Sir, — I have the honor to request that you will be good enough to submit for
the consideration of the Bengal Chamber of Commerce the accompanying copy of
the address delivered by meat a meeting of the Agri-Horticultural Society on the
29th ultimo, on the "Effectual protection of insectivorous birds in the interests of
agriculture," and with reference, thereto, I beg to offer the following remarks : —
2. That in this essentiaRy agricultural country, anything calculated to promote
agricultural interests in it will, undoubtedly, advance the interests of the teeming
millions, the tillers of the soil ; and as the Bengal Chamber of Commerce
have always taken a deep interest in all matters concerning the welfare of the
people of this country, and especially interested themselves in the interests of the
vast body of agriculturists in times of famine and other calamities, 1 hope fchia
influential body will support the good cause I am advocating, and make a repre-
sentation to the Government of India on the subject, in order to move the Su-
preme Legislature to pass a more liberal measure in the all-important interest
of agriculturists.
3. That as the Government, on account of financial embarrassment, have
imposed taxes which are highly obnoxious to the masses, and notwithstanding
the deservedly profound respect universally entertained towards the present
head of the Supreme Government, it is straining the loyalty of the subject to
the utmost extent, hence anything calculated to increase the agricultural pros-
perity of this country is also calculated to relieve the Government from this
financial pressure.
4. That as His Excellency the Viceroy has always'evinced his desire to follow
on the lines of the agricultural policy of his distinguished predecessor aid
late lamented countryman, the Earl of Mayo, we have every confidence that any
fitting representation made to him regarding any legislating measure being re-
cast, in order to avert such terrible calamities as famines and the enormous
misery resulting therefrom, would not fail to meet with the consideration that
this important subject deserves.
5. In conclusion, I have to say that I do not speak on this matter only as a
sportsman and naturalist, but also as an extensive landholder ia Bengal, whose
]26 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
practical experience of Agircultural questions extends over a period of more
than a quarter of a century. — I have, &c.
(Signed) Joun Rudd Rainey.
(True copy.)
J. E. S. Clarke,
Secretary.
(True copy.)
G. A. Andrews,
Registrar,
Revenue and Agricltural Department.
THE PROTECTION OF INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS.
At a meeting of the Agri-Horticultural Society on Thursday, Mr. Jno. Rudd
Rainey, F.R.G.S., delivered an address on the "Effectual protection of insecti-
vorous birds in the interests of agriculture." He said : — As this Society has, ever
since its foundation, extending over a period of well nigh three score and ten
years, been foremost in bringing forward and discussing all subjects likely in
any way to promote agricultural interests in this country, as well as advocating
such measures as are calculated to prove conducive thereto, hence I venture,
as a member of it, to introduce this by no means unimportant subject to their
notice with the view of inviting a discussion upon it at this meeting, and
persuading the Society to move the Government to pass an enactment for the
effectual protection of insectivorous birds in the interest of agriculture. I am
more especially induced to do so now, as the recent promulgation of a legisla-
tive enactment (Act No. XX. of 1887), entitled "An Act for the Protection of
"Wild Birds and Game," fully recognises the fact that the destruction of insec-
tivorous birds injuriously affects agriculture, and endeavours to mitigate the
evil, but not to any appreciable extent. This, of course, is not sufficient. The
utter extermination of insectivorous birds will, no doubt, be thereby prevented
but what is really wanted is something more, — the effectual protection from
destruction of these useful, nay, valuable, birds to agriculturists.
In America, to quote from the " Report of the Commissioner of Agriculture"
for 1870, p. 510, " The laws passed in 1859 and 1860 to protect wild game from
indiscriminate slaughter, and to prevent the reckless killing of insectivorous
birds, gave great satisfaction. Farmers and fruit-growers believe in the wisdom
of these laws, and are determined they shall not be violated with impunity."
It being now an admitted and well-known fact, that insectivorous birds are
the best friends of agriculturists, it is therefore altogether unnecessary for me
to lay any stress upon this point. But it may be stated that, in India, where
insects are so various, numerous, aud prolific, the destruction they commit on
growing and ripening crops is simply incalculable, so much so that a stipula-
tion is sometimes inserted in agricultural leases to the effect that no reduction
of rent on account of destruction of crops by insects will be allowed.
To anticipate any argument that may be advanced regarding certain insects
being not oidy harmless, but absolutely useful to crops, I may here state that I
am not unmindful of the fact now well known to Botanists, thanks to Sprcngel,
INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS. 127
who, towards the end of the past century, enunciated his ideas on the connexion
of flowers and insects, ;that some insects are useful for the fertilisation of flowers,
and in a few cases the latter are absolutely indebted to insects for their pro-
pagation; the red clover, for instance, would not produee any seed at all if it
were not for the good offices of the humble bee, which, being provided with an
elongated proboscis, is able to effect an entrance into the flower to extract the
nectar, and thus carries with it the pollen, which is inserted in the flower next
visited by it. And with reference to this, who amongst us, I ask, has not read
the following beautiful lines of Cowper in his " Task, The Garden "?
" Large foliage, overshadowing golden ilowers,
Blown on the summit of the apparent fruit.
These have their sexes, and when summer shines
The bee transports the fertilizing meal
From flower to flower, and even the breathing air
Wafts the rich prize to its apparent use."
But while the function of the nectar or honey generated in the flower is doubtless
designed by Nature to allure insects, and thereby to insure cross fertilisation, as
just pointed out, by far the greater number of species of insects do not subsist
simply on this saccharine secretion ; they feed on the tender leaves and flowers.and
imbibe the very life-blood or sap of the growing plants, as well as devour the seed
while yet in its embryotic state, which often, in the case of the rice-crop, for
instance, causes a partial failure of this food-grain, and contributes to some extent
to scarcity and famine. For instance, the sis poka, whenever there is cloudy
weather, attacks the paddy crops and causes great injury by eating the sis or "ear"
of the paddy grain, whence it derives its name. Next the mau poka or " honey
insect," which devours the seed in its embrj'otic state, and leaves no grain at all,
but only the husk or chaff, — not cum grano salis, as I speak from an extensive
personal experience; I hope I do not tire your patience, but may be permitted to
relate here an amusing illustration of this fact. A late Lieutenant-Governor of
Bengal, the versatile Sir Richard Temple, mentioned to me some years ago, on his
arrival at Khulna after his inspection of that tract of country in Eastern Bengal,
which was then devastated by the cylcone, that the Deputy Magistrate,
Bagerhat had informed him, that the reason of the paddy that season being in
certain parts of bis sub-division all in husk and having no grain, was owing to
these insects having, as he expressed it, "drunk up the milk of the seed of the
rice-crops there" : Sir Richard, of course, was at a loss to understand what was
really meant, when I explained to him what I have above shewn.
Perhaps some persons may be inclined to think that the preservation of
insectivorous birds would result in the total extermination of all insects, useful
and destructive alike, so I may point out that Nature, in her wise provision for
the protection of all things created, has happily provided against such a contin-
gency, by supplying to those insects most exposed to danger from birds, forms
and colours assimilating to the plants on which they are found, and that they thus
obtain some appreciable protection from their enemies of the feathered tribe : the
most striking illustrations of insects being in some measure insured against danger
by their similarity to plants are of course those of grasshoppers walking leaf-
128 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
insects (genus Phyllium of Entomologists), and the various members of the
curious family Phasmidaz, all common to this country.
Now, taking it for granted, that the preservation of insectivorous birds is
necessary in the interests of Agriculture, — for the Legislature has even
acknowledged this fact — let us proceed to consider whether the measures
adopted are adequate for the purpose or not. In order to do so it will be
necessary to refer to the speech of the Hon. Mr. Scoble, the Legal Member in
Council, when moving for the Bill introduced by him to be considered and
passed, as well as to refer to the provisions of the Bill itself.
At a Meeting of the Supreme Council, held at Simla on the 20th October last,
the Hon. Mr. Scoble said, "a general consensus of opinion was in favour'' of the
Bill, and that " where objection has been taken, it has been, not to the principle
of the Bill, but that it does not go far enough," which clearly demonstrate that
although legislation on the subject was most opportune, it might, in fact, ought to
have gone a good deal further than it actually did. He then went on to say :
" We have endeavoured to meetthis objection to some extent," and no doubt so,
but altogether insufficiently. That the Bill "will also admit of protection being
given to insectivorous birds "isnodoubt correct, but to so very limited an extent
that it certainly will not, as the Hon. Member contended, " sufficiently "protect
agricultural interests, "by empowering Municipal and Cantonment authorities to
make rules, fixing a close season for any kind of wild birds, and imposing a
penalty on the possession or sale of such birds," of course, only within such limits.
The Act per se is very simple and brief, containing no more than four sections
in all, and the penalties imposed for any breach of the rules framed under its
provisions are by no means severe, only small fines being leviable in respect
thereof. But such as they are, they wouldno doubt adequately act as a deterrent,
if the limits within which the rules are to have force were extended to the whole
of British India, and not merely confined to the areas of the different
Municipalities and Cantonments comprised therein. Within such areas there is
little land under cultivation as a rule, and to prevent the destruction of insectiv-
orous birds in them will be of little benefit to agriculturists generally
throughout British India.
Again, the Hon. Mr. Scoble in his speech, already adverted to and quoted
in some parts, says —
"As this is a tentative measure, we have not thought it desirable to give District
Boards the powers conferred by it on Municipal and Cantonment authorities."
But, at least as regards insectivox-ous birds, why should the Act be considered
a tentative measure ? These birds.it cannot be gainsaid, do a vast deal of good to
agriculturists in protecting their crops from the ravages of destructive insects,
and while " the rural population are " — to quote the words of the Lieutenant-
Governor of the Panjab cited by the Legal Member — " sorry to see them
destroyed, the only persons interested in the trade are the exporters, and a few
professional netters and snarers employed by them." Are the interests, then, of
the vast body of agriculturists in this essentially agricultural country to be
sacrificed to this limited and significant class ? There can be but one answer to
this question, and that, of course, an emphatic negative. It thus beiiovej the
INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS, 129
Government, in the interest of the teeming millions, the tillers of the soil, to
extend the provisions of the Act throughout the length and breadth of India.
1 hope that what I have here advanced will induce the Society* to make a
fitting representation to the Government on the subject, in order to move the
Supreme Legislature to pass a more liberal measure in the all-important interest
of agriculturists.
No. 1014 of 1888.
General Department;
Bombay Castle, 28th March 1888.
Forwarded to the Director of Land Records and Agriculture for the favour of
report.
J, DeC. Atkins,
Under-Secretary to Government.
No. 807 of 1888.
Poona, 8th May 1888.
Report ,
The important point to clear up is, it appears to me, what game birds or birds
used for food are insectivorous. I regret I am Unable to furnish this informa-
tion on which I think depends for its utility any opinion that can be given.
My own impression is that the birds which are usually shot are either gram-
inivorous, such as, I believe, partridge, rock-grouse, quail, or if not gramini-
vorous, as wild duck and snipe, are not purely insectivorous, or at any rate
do not make their preservation of much assistance to the agriculturists. What
birds are snared I do not knoAv. Accurate information on these points would,
no doubt, be given by Mr. G. W. Vidal, C. S.
2. It appears, however, that the application of the Act even in municipalities
and cantonments only, will do more to check indiscriminate slaughter than is
thought by the writer of the paper in the Englishman. His remark that the
agricultural area within cantonment or municipal limits is trifling, misses the
point. The game sold in towns or cantonmnts is brought from areas far outside
the civic limits, in fact, very seldom from within them. Enforcement of the
Act will therefore, I think, give some protection to wild birds over an appre-
ciably wide agricultural area.
3. But as regards cantonments especially, the existing provisions are not
sufficient. The checking of sale will not stop soldiers, for instance, shooting in
the breeding season. This can be stopped best by a system of licenses— not to
be granted during close season.
4. Without the information specified in para. 1, 1 can give no opinion regarding
the extension of the power to Local Boards. The conferring of such powers
would at least be popular in certain localities, for instance, in parts of Gujarat,
where Jain feeling is strong.
130 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
5. I am, however, strongly of opinion that no more should be done than the
mere prohibition of sale and restriction by license.
J. Mum Mackenzie,
Acting Director, Land Records and Agriculture.
No. 1615 of 1888.
General Department ;
Bombay Castle, 16th May, 1888.
Forwarded to Mr. G. W. Vidal, CS., for favour of information upon the
points specified in para. 1 of the Memo. No. 807, dated 8th May 1888, from
the Director of Land Records and Agriculture.
E. Lawrence,
Acting Under-Secretary to Government.
No. 6192.
Poona, 28th September 1888.
In returning the above correspondence, the undersigned has the honour to
express his regret for the delay which has occurred in answering the reference
made to him.
2. As far as Mr. Vidal's experience goee, no insectivorous birds are snared on
this side of India, the preservation of which can confidently be declared to be
necessary in the interests of agriculture. Most of the birds which are snared to
any considerable extent, leaving purely aquatic birds out of consideration, are
graminivorous birds, such as partridge (including the common grey partridge and
the painted francolin), peafowl, sand grouse, quails (including the grey quail, the rain
quail, the bustard and button quails, and two or more species of bush quail or
dwarf partridge) ; bustards and florikins, which are more insectivorous than grami-
nivorous, are also ruthlessly snared wherever they can be found. But these
together with the birds above mentioned will all presumably receive partial
protection under Act XX. of 1887.
3. If the undersigned may venture te express an opinion on the general
question raised in the correspondence, no sufficiently exact knowledge is at present
available, (1) as to the particular irjsects whose destruction is needed, or (2) as to
the particular species of birds whose services can be counted on to fulfil the
desired object, to make any special action in the matter other than a blind
experiment.
4. Mr. Rainey, it will be observed, has not even attempted to name the species
of birds whose special preservation in the interests of agriculture he considers
necessary, and Mr. Vidal doubts Very much if any one living could supply this
omission. Great numbers of the birds whose chief habitat is found in highly
cultivated tracts are graminivorus, as well as insectivorous. As a matter of fact,
such birds are not snared in such quantities as to upset the balance of nature,
or to have any appreciable effect on agriculture. But assuming that special
protection of such birds would reduce the damage done by insect pests, these
OUTBREAK OF SURRA FEVER. 131
birds with their numbers increased, and the supply of insect food proportionately
diminished, might prove quite as destructive to the crops as the insects they had
exterminated, and it would be difficult to decide on which side the balance of
advantage to the cultivators would lie.
5. For instance, the rosy pastor is a well-known destroyer of locusts, and
at the same time he is himself a rapacious consumer of millet ; should he be
specially preserved or specially destroyed ?
6. The obvious conclusion, in the opinion of the undersigned, is that the
special protection of such birds in the interests of agriculture would be just as
likely, if it had any effect at all, to do harm as good.
G. W. Vidal,
Collector of Poona.
MEMORANDUM ON AN OUTBREAK OF SURRA FEVER
AT THE STABLES OF THE BOMBAY TRAMWAY
COMPANY, LIMITED.
By F. C. Rimington.
Attached hereto is a statement giving particulars of 14 horses
belonging to the stud of the Bombay Tramway Company, which
were attacked with Surra Fever in the months of November and
December 1838. In addition to the record of the outbreak
supplied in that statement by our Veterinary Surgeon, we think it
well to add a few remarks : —
Locality and Description of the Stahles.— It will be observed
that of the 14 cases of surra, 10 cases have come from the
Company's Parel Stables. That stable was constructed in 1886,
with accommodation for 174 horses, and the actual average
number of horses kept there during the two months, when the
outbreak prevailed, was 174. The stables are situated on the
Parel Road in the northern and most inland quarter of Bombay.
They are bounded on the north by an enclosure about 5,000 sq.
yards in area, which is used as a vegetable market, and skirted
on three sides by lines of brick-built chawls ; on the south by
an open space reserved for purposes of a proposed new station
by the G. I. P. Railway Company ; on the east by the Parel Road,
on the other side of which are the Victoria Gardens ; and on the
west by the G. I. P. Railway track, beyond which again, for
some distance, there is open land. About 2,000 ft. from the
stables the Flats commence : open, low-lying vacant land which
18
332 BOMBAY NATI'RAL IirSTORY SOCIETY.
extends for several miles, and the greater portion of which is
nnder water during the monsoon. For the 2| years the stable
has been in use, there has, up to last November, hardly been a
single case of fever there. The stables are splendidly ventilated.
The drainage is on the surface system, and could not, we believe,
be better. The stalls and all the stable fittings are kept
most scrupulously clean. Bad smells are unknown. The tem-
perature at Parel generally ranges 2° lower than at Colaba,
especially at night. The Colaba Stables are situated in the Colaba
Causeway. To the north is a large piece of maidan, belonging to
Government, sometimes submerged during the monsoon for a few
days at a time ; to the south are Goods stations and yards
belonging to the two Railway Companies ; to the east, the Colaba
Causeway road, with the sea about 600 feet beyond ; to the west,
open maidan with the sea distant about 1,000 ft. The average
number of horses stabled at Colaba during November and December
was 574. The drainage of the stable is inferior to that at Parel,
being on an underground system. Great care is, however, taken in
flushing the drains, and keeeping the premises scrupulously clean.
The ventilation of the stables is good. Fever has often been
prevalent in these stables in October and November, but the number
of fatal cases has been few, and the disease has usually dis-
appeared as soon as the " cold weather " set in.
To sum up : the number of horses kept at Parel is less than one-
third of that kept at Colaba ; the interior sanitary arrangements at
the former are superior to those at the latter ; the record of fever
cases at the former has, up to November last, compared most
favourably with that at the latter : the temperature at the former
averages 2° lower than at the latter. Notwithstanding all these
facts to the credit of Parel, 10 horses have been attacked there
during the recent outbreak -of surra, against 4 horses attacked at
Colaba Stables.
Feed and Water-supply. — (a) Feed. The Company's horses
get from 12 lbs. to 15 lbs. grain per day, according to size. The
majority of the horses attacked with " surra "fever were horses
receiving 15 lbs. grain-feed. The feed in question was composed
of a mixture of 8 parts, viz., 3 parts gram, 3 parts barley,
1 part koolti (boiled), and 1 part Indian-corn. Their hay-feed was
12 lbs. per diem. The hay is grown on black soil in Guzerat. Like
all Indian hay it is jungle hay, not raised on drained land. The
OUTBREAK OP SURRA FEVER.
133
grasses we prefer and chiefly employ for bay are Mosi, Daroia, and
Zinjva (known in the Deccan as "She«ra"). From August to
middle of October, in accordance with our custom for many years
past, the horses received from 2 lbs. to 4 lbs. green grass daily,
grown in the neighbourhood of Bombay. They also receive daily
1 lb. hran and 1^ oz. salt.
(l>) Water. The water used in the stables and everywhere on
our lines is all from the Municipal Reservoirs at Vehar and Tuisi ;
Colaba stable is supplied with Tuisi water, and Parel stable with
Vehar water. We had the water used at the latter stable and at
the watering stations on the line near there analysed by the
Government analyst, Dr. Lyon. The following is his report upon
it: —
"Statement showing the results obtained on examination of four
samples of water forwarded December \Sth, 1838, by the
Superintendent, Parel Stables, Bombay Tramway Co.
"Samples labelled —
No. 1. Parel Terminus.
No. 2. Parel Stable,
No. 3. Byculla Rridge, N. Side.
No. 4. Byculla Bridge, S. Side.
1
2
3
4
Grains per gallon.
7-70
•91
8-40
•91
6-30
4-20
•84
Parts per million.
•04
•02
•02
•02
• 1Q
1 -18
•21
•17
"Sediments.— In all scanty, chiefly vegetable debris. A few
" paramonia in No. 1.
"From these results all four appear to be samples of water very
'* similar in quality to the ordinary Vehar supply of Bombay.
'* The Albumenoid ammonia results are perhaps very slightly higher
" indicating slightly more organic contamination. Were the case
" one of an outbreak of fever among human beings, I should say
134 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
'* that it was very improbable that any connection existed between
"the outbreak and the water supply."
Climatic Conditions last Year. — The monsoon last year was an
unusually light one, the aggregate rainfall being 59 inches against
an average of 75 inches. In September scarcely any rain fell, the
total fall registered that month amounting to 3h inches only.
There was no rain in October, and the temperature which through-
out the month was unusually high, touched a maximum of 93° in
the shade. Early in October portions of the city were visited
with a mosquito plague. The innumerable quantity of these insects
in the air indicated something unusual in the climatic conditions,
or in the condition of the marshes which skirt Bombay. The
weather commenced to get cooler in November, and in the middle of
December cold N.-E. and N.-W. winds set in and have since
continued, the former blowing during the night and the latter
during the day.
Breed of the Horses attacked. —The Company had last October a
stud of 739 horses ; of these 570 were Australians, and 169 hordes
of Asiatic breeds. Of the 14 horses attacked with "surra" in
November and December, 13 were Australians, and 1 was a Persian.
The majority were young horses, well bred, and in excellent
condition.
The Symptoms and Course of the Disease. — As a rule the pre-
sence of the disease was first detected by the horse going off
feed, and looking dejected and weak. An eruption of Urticaria
was found on the skin in a few cases. On examining the animal
the pulse was found high, generally 50° to 60°, the temperature
102° to 104°, and the lungs, usually, and heart sometimes,
affected. If a gelding there was often some slight swelling
of the sheath. The membrane was invariably a pale yellowish
grey colour, and the anus in some cases extremely relaxed. In
a few cases, but not in all, a few blood spots were observable on
the membrane of the eye. As a rule when treated with fever
medicines and antiseptics, the horse quickly improved, the
temperature falling to 100°, to 101°, and the appetite returning.
The swelling of the sheath did not, however, in any case entirely
subside, and the pulse continued high. The horse would remain
in this improved condition for a few days, eating well and
looking well. A relapse would then set in, the temperature again
rising to 106°, to 104°, or occasionally higher, dropsical swell-
OUTBREAK OF SURRA FEVER. 135
ings would appear along the abdomen, and especially between
the forelegs. The horse, although feeding well, would now
commence to lose condition. In many cases renewed trouble would
be observed at the lungs and heart. The majority of the horses
attacked exhibited these alternate improvements and relapses, the
animals wasting gradually away, until utterly worn out. In two
cases, however, death ensued four days after the disease had declar-
ed itself. In these cases the affection of the lungs was extremely
severe, the horse would hardly feed at all, and the whole appearance
of the animal was very distressed. One horse attacked with the
disease, a rather coarse -bred Waler, in very fine condition, lost flesh
but slightly before death. The specific" surra " microbe was found
in the blood of this animal by Mr. Pottinger, A, V. D. The same
gentleman examined microscopically the blood of some of the other
cases, and was generally successful in finding the microbe, but not
invariably so. The results of the post-mortem examination are
given in the Veterinary record of the cases hereto attached. In all
these post-mortems the black colour of the blood was a very
noticeable feature.
The Treatment adopted. — The system of treatment adpoted in
the majority of cases was that recommended by Mr. Pottinger,
and consisted of ^ii Hyposulphite of Soda and 3i Nitrate of
Potash given in the drinking water ; 30 drops of Carbolic Acid
in Ji Rectified Spirits given three time daily as a draught. We
also tried Arsenic, Aconite, and Sulphate of Quinine in large
doses. We cannot claim for any of these medicines that they
seemed to exercise any control k over the disease. Certainly they
did not arrest its course. Every horse attacked with " surra" has
either died or had to be destroyed. As a precautionary measure
we isolated the horses suffering from it.
Preventive Measures adopted. — As soon as we were satisfied
that "surra" had appeared amongst our horses, and that the causes
producing it seemed in especial force at our Parel stables, we
carried out a most careful and thorough examination of the watering
and drainage arrangements at that stable. The results of the
examination of the water have been given above. The stable
drainage was found in good order, no stoppage anywhere; all drains
clean and free from smell. A drain in the neighbouring property
to the north was, we found, not working well, and we had it
attended to. We disinfected the stables throughout ou more than
136
BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
one occasion with phenyle and water, 1 part to 50, sending showers
of it through tbe air in every direction from a manual fire engine, and
thoroughly drenching the roof and stable fittings. Carbolic powder
was also sprinkled in all the stalls, and sulphur and tar burnt in
braziers in the passage ways. "We noticed that the majority of the
horses attacked had been standing in portions of tbe stable most
exposed to the N.-W. and N.-E. winds, and tbat it was since tbose
winds had turned cold in the evening and at night that the outbreak
of " surra " had occurred. With a view to obtaining thorough
ventilation in the hot weather our stables at Parel are very open in
their construction, and although the Venetians, with which the sides
are fitted, are closed at night, it occurred to us that at certain
places the horses were more exposed than they should be to the
night winds. To provide against this, we effectually protected the
horses from all apertures whence these winds could enter and blow
upon tbem, and considerably increased the warmth of the stables at
night by the erection of bamboo and matting screens across the
principal entrances. We also gave all the horses standing at Parel
a light course of antiseptic medicine. For three days each horse
had daily 5ii Hyposulphite of Soda and 5i Nitrate of Potash mixed
with his evening grain feed. These preventive measures were carried
out the latter part of December. It was during the last week of
that month tbat we set up the screens, &c, which effectually pro-
tected the horses at Parel from cold winds. Simultaneously we
introduced stringent regulations at Colaba for the complete protec-
tion of the horses there, and maintenance of a more even temper-
ature in the stables at night. Since the 1st January we have so far
had no fresh case of " surra."
Possible Causes of the Outbreak. — The professional opinioin as to
the source of " surra" expressed by the Government Veterinary
officers, Mr. Burke, Mr. Evans, and Mr. Steel, in their treatises
on this disease is that the parasites which give rise to it enter the
horse's system either with his food or his water. In the
Company's stables, the water-supply, pronounced a pure and
wholesome one by the Government analyst, is the same as has
been in use for several years past, and no alteration has been
introduced into the character of the grain and hay feed. The
drainage of the Parel stable, where two-thirds of the "surra"
cases occurred, is exceptionally good, much better than the
drainage at Colaba stable. Immediately to the rear of stables
OUTBREAK OF StTKRA FEVER. 137
at Parel there is a depot for manure. The dung both from Colaba
and Parel is transported there. Thence it is daily removed by
carts. A portion of it remains there throughout the night, but
none of it remains there longer than the morning subsequent to
the day of its receipt. At our old stables at Byculla a similar
depot existed, but the manure remained there for three days before
removal. At neither stable has the existence of this depot hereto-
fore been a cause of unhealthiness. The fever record of the Parel
stables for the two years of their existence prior to last autumn has
been an extremely satisfactory one, very much more favourable than
the record at Colaba. We cannot therefore find anything in the feed-
ing of the horses, their watering, or the drainage of their stables,
which would account for the outbreak. All these conditions, in so
far as they affect the horses' health, have been, to the best of
our belief, precisely the same these last four months as during
the many past years when "surra" was unknown to us. We
therefore seem directed to seek in some special climatic and
atmospheric conditions for the explanation of the outbreak,
October and November last were notoriously exceptionally
unhealthy months in Bombay. Malarial and typhoid fevers
were prevalent, and many cases ended fatally. Unusually
unhealthy months for human beings, they would appear to
have been usually unhealthy for horses also. The outbreak
of " surra " fever was not confined to the Company's stables.
Several horses attacked with it were sent to the Governmen
Veterinary Hospital, and others to the private Veterinary establish-
ments in the city. Probably, a far larger number died in their
owner's stables. Amongst the cases observed we have not heard of
a single recovery. Taking all the above facts into consideration,
the opinion we have been led to form is that there was some
specially unhealthy influence in the atmospheric conditions this last
autumn, which predii-posed horses to this particular blood-poison-
ing fever, and that the specific cause which developed the disease
into activity in the horses attacked with it was getting chilled from
exposure to the cold northerly winds which during the latter half of
November and the month of December blew in the evening and
at night. This is the conclusion to which we have been led as the
result of our own experience of the disease. In support of this
opinion we have the following facts : — (1) that the horses attacked
were found to have been especially exposed to cold night winds by
138 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY' SOCIETY.
their position in the stables, or nature of their work. At Parel
stables, where the majority of cases occurred, alterations in the
buildings were in progress. The south wall of the stable had
been taken down in order to increase the number of stalls
in that direction. This open condition of the premises on that
side, while it did not expose the horses to any unwholesome wind
(the south wind only blowing in the monsoon time, and being a
warm one) tended no doubt to increase the draught through
the stables from the north, and to lower their temperature at
night. (2) That since the time when we introduced measures
for protecting the stables from the northerly winds (a period
of five weeks), no fresh case of "surra" has occurred. The last
case at Parel stables appeared on the 29th December. It was
on the 30th of that month that we completed the arrangements
for excluding cold winds. (3) That the Parel stables, where nearly
three-fourths of the cases occurred, were, until recently, in conse-
quence of their system of construction, more open and considerably
colder than the stables at Colaba. (4) That there is nothing
ascertainable in the feeding or watering of the horses, differing from
the feeding or watering during previous years when " surra " was
unknown to us, which can, in our opinion, in any way account
for the outbreak.
In connection with the exposure of the horses to cold winds and
our opinion that chill to the system therefrom resulting was the
immediate factor producing activity in the disease, we may mention
that out of 8 horses working as "helping" horses on the Byculla
Bridge, no less than 3 were attacked with " surra, " and of these 2
were attacked upon the same day. Compared with the work most of
our horses do, the work of these particular horses was light, and they
were in specially good condition and of exceptionally fine physique.
These horses are attached as additional horses to help in pulling
cars up the inclines on the Bridge. After pulling up a car they
return to the little waiting-sheds provided for them at either end
of the Bridge, and stand, usually about 5 minutes, until another car
approaches. On examining these sheds, we found them a good deal
exposed to the north wind. We have now protected them ; but it is
easy to understand how in the early morning, or between 7 p. m.
and 11 p. m. at night, these horses, after getting warm at their
work, would be specially liable to chill when standing waitiug in
sheds, until recently not very well protected from cold winds.
OUTBREAK OF SURRA FEVER. 139
In the plains of A.merica it has been noticed that in certain
thinly populated districts where fever was prevalent, the intro-
duction of railway tracks and the passage of trains has modified
the sanitary conditions. The theory in explanation of this fact
is that the displacement of air caused by the rapid passage of
the train creates a vacuum and consequent draught, and that a rush
of fresh air is in this way introduced. In other words, the train
produces a sort of artificial wind. The track of the G. I. P. Railway
passes immediately behind our Pauel premises, distant only 75
feet from the stables. About 2,000 feet further to the north the
Flats commence, and are crossed by the trains. In this memorandum
we are anxious to enumerate ail possible influences which may have
shared in the production of the recent outbreak of " surra." It is
perhaps worthy of consideration whether the Gr. I. P. Railway track,
which very shortly after leaving the marshy land of the Flats, passes
our Parel stables on their N.-W. side, does not act as an air-channel
from the one to the other. The line of horses standing next to the
railway was the line in which the " surra" was by far the most
prevalent.
A conjecture has been put forward by some Veterinary
authorities in India that there is a connection between "surra"
and rats. A parasite has been found in the intestines of rats
which is similar to the parasite noticed in the blood of horses
suffering from " surra.' ' It is suggested that where rats have
access to grain, it becomes contaminated with their excreta,
and that when used for horses' feed the parasite may in that
way be conveyed into the horses" stomachs. In view of this
theory we think it right to mention that although the greater
portion of our grain is kept in paved godowns, and we do our
best to exclude rats, yet we know that both before and after
the grain is received by us rats do frequently get at it. But
before our grain is used for horses' feed it is carefully cleaned,
both by hand and through a machine. We ourselves cannot,
from our own observation, favour the rat-infection theory, If the
source of the disease is due to grain getting mixed with the exxreta
of rats, why is the appearance of the fever limited to certain seasons,
and why should it appear only in certain years ? For the past
14 years it has been unknown in our stables, and during those
19
140 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
years our stocks of grain and hay have been less well protected from
the incursions of rats than they have been the past 12 months.
We have now we think exhausted all we are in a position to
state with regard to our own experience of "surra" fever. We
submit these few remarks on a veterinary subject as proceeding
of course from a non-professional pen, and while we trust to be
pardoned any mistakes into which we may in consequence have
fallen, we hope that our experience may be of value to those
who are making this disease a subject of special study. As a
large owner of horses, this Company is deeply interested in researches
which have for their object the discovery of a remedy for this
most fatal form of equine fever#
Bombay, 7th February 1889.
OUTBREAK OF SURRA FEVER.
141
Veterinary Report on 14 Cases of Surra Fever in the
Bombay Tramway Company.
a
w
in
PQ
xt r, 3
S"o^
M
M-S^
<y
© i; -^
02
««*
Treatment pursued.
o
o
Eesults of Post-
mortem..
1C>
11
Australian,
Da ...
11
8
11
11
11
11
Do. ..,
Do. ...
Do. ...
Do. ...
Persian ..
Australian.
Do. ...
Do. ...
Do. ...
Gelding.
Mare
Gelding.
Do.
1888.
Oct. IS
21
31
1G
12
Do. ...
Do. ..
Do. ...
Mare ...
Gelding
Do. ...
Do. ...
Mare ..
Do. ..
Nov.
12
18
19
Fever draughts and Sulph.
Magnesia and fever balls.
Fever draughts, fever balls
Also 1 oz. Hyposulph.
Soda, \ oz. Pot. Nitras.
water, 30 drops Carbolic
Acid. (3 times daily in 1
o«. Spts, of Wine), Sulph.
Quinine.
Fever balls, fever draughts,
and alt. balls. Sulph.
Quinine.
Fever draughts, fever balls
Also 1 oz. Hyposulph.
Soda, \ oz. Pot. Nitras,
water, 30 drops Carbolic
Acid. ( 3 times daily in 1
oz. Spts. of Wine). Sulph.
Quinine.
Fever balls (§ dram), Digi-
' talis, fever draughts.
Fever draughts & Aconite.
Fever balls and draughts,
alt. and ton. balls Hy-
posulph. Soda, Pot. Nit.,
and Carb. Acid as above.
Died
3-11-88.
Died
4-12-88,
Dec. 1 1
„ 16
Gelding.
Mare
Do.
Geldim
10
17
17
23
29
Died
26-11-88
Died
2-12-88.
Fever draughts.
Fever balls and draughts,
alt. and ton. balls. Hy-
posulph. Soda, Pot. Nit,
Carb. Acid and 3 grs.
Arsenic (twice daily).
Fever balls, 1 oz. Hypo-
sulph. Soda and \ oz. Pot.
Nit., 30 drops Garb. Acid
(3 times daily).
Fever and stimulating
draughts fever and ton.
balls.
Fever balls, 1 oz. Hypo
sulph. Soda and % oz. Pot.
Nit., 80 drops Carb. Acid.
(3 times daily).
Fever balls and 3 g.
Arsenio (twice daily).
Fever balls and draughts,
alt. and ton. balls, Hypo
sulph. Soda, Pot. Nit.
Carb. Acid and 3 grs
Arsenic (twice daily).
Died
25-11-88
Died
21-11-88
Died
10-1-89.
Died
15-12-88
Died
U-l-89.
Died
4-12-88,
De-
stroyed
16-1-89.
De-
st royed
22-12-88
Died
13-1-89.
De-
stroyed,
16-1-89.
Lungs found diseased.
Lungs found diseased ;
blood impure.
Lungs and heart found
diseased ; blood impure.
Lungs found diseased ;
blood impure.
Lungs found diseased.
Lungs heart, and kid-
neys found diseased.
Lungs found very much
diseased ; kidneys
slight, all other organs
all right ; all mem-
branes pale.
Lungs found diseased.
Lungs very much dis-
eased ; blood very im-
pure.
Heart, lungs, and liver
found dit eased ; blood
impure.
Lungs shrunk and tuber-
cled ; stomach and
large intestines very
much inflamed ; liver
enlarged and sodden ;
heart very much dis-
eased ; blood impure.
Lungs, liver, and heart
found diseased ; blood
impure.
Lungs very much dis-
eased ; liver hard and
congested ; stomach a
little inflamed ; mus-
cles all wasted, and
blood impure.
Blood dirty and dark ;
stomach a little inflam-
ed and large ; intes-
tines very much ; lungs
slightly diseased.
J. T. KODGERS/V. S., in Veterinary charge.
142 UOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
RECORDED INSTANCES OF CHILDREN HAVING BEEN
NOURISHED BY WOLVES AND BIRDS OF PREY.
By Jivanji Jamshedji Modi.
(Road at the Society's Meeting on 7th May 1889.)
The wolf is, as its very name shows, a ferocious and blood-thirsty
animal. The word is the same as the Sanscrit Vrka (Z. Veherka Pe and
P gurg and Lat. Vulpes), and comes from an old Aryan root, vraec,
( 5^3" ), to tear off. Though by nature a ferocious animal as implied
by the root of the word, it is susceptible of entertaining towards
mankind maternal or human feelings. This paper is intended to
describe a case of this tender feeling as recorded in India, and to
state a few similar cases, as narrated in old classical literature, of
wolves and birds of prey.
I was travelling in Northern India in the early part of
1887, and when I was at Agra at the end of March, I was attracted
to a place known as the Secundra, which contained a tomb of
Mariam, a Christian wife of the great Akbar, who had, in accordance
with his views, of tolerating different religions, taken to his
harem wives of different nationalities. I went there to see if
there was anything specially Christian in the tomb of that queen, as
there was something specially Hindoo in the royal chambers of his
Hindoo wife at Fatehpur Sikri. Though I saw nothing there specially
Christian, I was delighted with my visit to that place, as 1 saw
there a man who was generally known as the wolf-boy. A boy
of the Secundra Church Mission Orphanage, which is located
there, drew my attention to this man, whose history reminded me of
what I had read in classical literature of ferocious and blood-thirsty
animals turning at times tender and kind-hearted. 1 will describe
the history of this boy in the words of the Rev. Mr. Lewis, who
published a short history of the Secundra Orphanage in 1885. He
says of this boy: — " On February 4th, 18o7, he was sent to the Superin-
tendent of the Orphanage by the Magistrate of Bulandshahr, with
the statement that he had been taken out of a wolf's hole or den.
Some natives, it turned out on further enquiry, had been travelling by
some unfrequented part of the jungle in the Bulandshahr districtand
had been surprised to see a small boy, of five or six years of age, walk-
ing about on his hands and feet. On drawing near to see this strange
sight, they were amazed to see the boy disappear quickly within the
interior of a largo hole, which, on close inspection, turned out to be
WOLVES AND BIRDS OF PREY. 143
the dwelling-place of some wild beast. Finding that all efforts to
unearth the boy were fruitless, and fearing to venture in after him,
they eet off to report the unusual occurrence to the Magistrate
Saheb of Bulandshahr. This gentleman on hearing the story des-
patched messengers to the spot, with instructions to light a fire at
the mouth of the cave, so as to force out the occupant of the hole
by means of the smoke. This was done, and on the blinding and
choking fumes making their way into the furthest corner of the
hole, a fine snarling she-wolf sprang forth with a bound, and after
scattering the bystanders in considerable terror, rushed away for
safety and dear life. A moment later the boy too came forth, when
he fell an easy prey to those intent on securing him. On conveying
him to the Magistrate, the boy was found to be speechless, imbecile,
and as near an approach to an animal as a human creature can pos-
sibly be. Vegetable food was offered to him ; but this he refused.
And it was only when meat was placed before him that he would eat.
Finding it impossible to ever make the boy rational and useful, the
Magistrate forwarded him to Secundra, with the request that he
might be allowed an asylum there. "
This is the short history of the boy as given in the book referred
to. Though wanting in the most ordinary intelligence, he seemed
to be sensible of many things. He is reported, in the book in
question, to be sociable and unselfish, and "always willing to share
his numerous gifts with any one caring to have them. " Owing to
the lateness of age at which he was brought to the Orphanage he
could not be taught to speak, though the attempts of the authorities
o£ the Orphanage in other respects have been successful. At the
time when I saw him he was asked by a boy of the Orphanage, by
means of signs, to walk like a wolf. He did so on his hands and
feet. Then he made me some signs which were interpreted to me
as a desire to have some money for smoking cheroots, of which
1 was told he was very fond. At the time when he was first brought
to the Orphanage he walked like an animal on his hands and feet,' but
he was soon taught to walk erect. At first he did not allow clothes
to be put on him. He tore and threw them away ; however, he was
soon brought round to the use of these. His desire for raw meat only
as food was gradually subdued for that of vegetables and ordinary
cooked food. He is very ugly in appearance. It is supposed that
the boy musf have come across the path of a she- wolf, and that she,
having lost her young ones, treated him with motherly kindness
144 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
and care in place of her little ones ; or that she must have stolen
the boy from the side of his mother, as is very frequently the case
in the poor cottages of many villages in the North- Western Provinces,
and then, instead of devouring him, must have entertained some
attachment for him.
The Rev. Mr. Lewis says that the Secundra Orphanage has been the
home of two other wolf-boys and one wolf-girl. My attention was
kindly drawn by a friend to the proceedings of 1875 of the Bengal
Asiatic Society, before whom a paper was read on a similar subject
by the geologist, Mr. V. Ball. This paper contains a short account
of one of the two boys referred to, supplied to Mr. Ball by the Rev.
Mr. Erhardt, the then Superintendent of the Secundra Orphanage.
The account says of one of the boys that "he was brought to us on
March 5th, 1872. He was found by Hindus who had gone hunting-
wolves in the neighbourhood of Mynpuri, had been burnt out of
the den, and was brought here with the scars and wounds still on
him. In his habits he was a perfect wild animal in every point
of view. He drank like a dog, and liked a bone and raw meat
better than any thing else. He would never remain with the other
boys, but hide away in any dark corner. Clothes he never would
wear, but tore them up into fine shreds. He was only a few
months among us, as he got fever and gave up eating. We kept
him for a time by artificial means, but eventually he died."
Mr. Erhardt says further on : "Neither of the above are new
cases however. At the Lucknow mad-house there was an elderly
fellow only four years ago, and may be there now, who had been
dug out of a wolves' den by a European doctor, when I forget, but
it must be a good number of years ago."
Ancient classical literature holds before us several cases of such
miraculous escapes of children at the hands of ferocious animals and
birds, like the wolf and the eagle. The case of Romulus and
Remus is well known to many of us. A.mulius, a king of Alba
Longa, who had deprived his elder brother, Numitor, of his rightful
claim to the throne, being fearful lest the heirs of Numitor might
rise against him, caused his son to be murdered and his daughter
Silvia to be made a Vestal virgin. Silvia, being violated by Mars,
gave birth to two sons, Romulus and Remus, who, together with their
mother, were ordered to be drowned in a stream of the Tiber,
whence they were carried by a she-wolf, who had come there to
satiate her thirst, and who, feeling an attachment for them, suckled
WOLVES AND BIRDS OF PREY. 145
and nourished them. Their discovery at the wolf-den by Faustulus,
the king's shepherd, led to their ultimate return to their grandfather
Numitor and to the foundation of Rome.
Tradition has attributed to Zoroaster a miraculous protection at
the hand of she-wolves. When a child he was stolen from his house
by some evil-minded persons, who predicted a great blow to their
evil cause at the hand of the child when it came to age. They took
the child to a den of wolves at a time when the ferocious beasts were
absent from their home, killed* their young ones, and placed the
child there, with a view that the wolves on their return, finding their
young ones thus killed, might wreck their vengeance upon the
child. The wolves on their return seeing what had taken place
at first grew furious, but soon after took the deserted child under
their protection, until it was discovered and taken home by the
mother, who was wandering in search of the child.
Old classical literature gives us other instances where young
children were nourished and brought up, not by wolves, but
by ferocious birds. Firdousi, the great Homer of the East, in his
well-known Persian epic, the Shah-nameh, says of the father
of Rustom, the great national hero of Iran, the Hercules of Persia,
that he was brought up by a ferocious bird, called Simorg, which,
according to the great Persian historian, Sir John Malcolm, is the
same as the bird Rokh, and which according to some authors is
the same as the Griffin, and according to others the same as the
Phoenix. It was called Simorg (i. e., 30 birds), because it was
thought to be as strong singly as 30 other large birds combined.
According to Firdousi, in the time of king Minocheher, the wife
of Sam, the Persian General, gave birth to a son, whose body
was all covered with gray hairs like that of an old man. Just
as William II. was surnamed Rufus, from the redness of his
hair, just as Pyrrhus was so called from the yellowness of his
curls, and just as the family of Julius Cassar derived its surname
of Csesar from the fact of its founder having a thick curl of hair
(Lat. caes-ar-ies, Sans. if.^, kesa), so this child of Sam was called
Zal-i-zar, i. e., golden-haired old man. The great Persian General
Sam disliked this ugly-looking child, and thought that it brought
shame and disgrace upon the family, so he sent the child
away to the Caucasus to be exposed on Mount Elburz. "While
there the bird Simorg came to prey upon it, but instead of
devouring the child, had compassion on it, and took it to its own
146 BOMBAY NATURAL HTSTORY SOCIETY.
abode and nourished it with drops of blood from other young animals
that it killed. The child was nourished by the bird till it grew up
to be a boy, and was taken away by the father, who was always
labouring under the stings of conscience for his cruelty towards
the child.
Firdousi thus describes the interview between the child and the
ferocious bird : —
" Chu Simorg ra bache shud gursne,
Beparvaz bar shud buland az bane
Bebordash daman ta be Elbourz kuh
Ke budash dar anja kanam-i-garuh
Suye bachegan bord ta beshkarand
Bedan nale-i-zar-i-u benegarand
Bebakhshud Yazdan-i-niki dehash
Yaki budani dasht andar bavesh
Khodavand meheri be simorg dad
Nekard u bekliurdan as an bache yad
Negeh kard Simorg ba bachegan
Bar an khurd khun az du dideh chegan
Shesfaft in he bar-u fekand and meher
Bemandand khireh badan khubcheher
Shekari ke nazuktaranbar guzid
Ke bishir mehman hami khun mazid, "
i. e., "When the young ones of the Simorg got hungry, the
bird went flying from its nest into the air. It carried it (i.e., the
child) rapidly to the Elburz mountain, where there was the nest of
its family. It carried it to its young ones, so that they may devour
it, and see the excessive weeping of the child. God the bestower
of goodness favoured the child, because there was a long life in
store for it. God gave tenderness of heart to the Simorg and
therefore it did not think of devouring the child. Simorg and
its young ones looked to the child which was shedding tears from
both its eyes. It was marvellous that they showed kindness to the
child, and were struck with astonishment at the good-featured child.
It (Simorg) selected for the child, delicate and young animals so
that the host may taste their blood instead of: milk."
Again, the Greek writers also speak of a Persian prince Achas-
mines being nourished by an eagle. So was Zanymedes, a beanti"
iul boy of Phrygia, nourished bv an eagle.
Semiramis, the founder of the Assyrian empire of Ninevah, was
MISCELLANEOUS. 117
miraculously preserved and fed by doves. Her mother, Derceto, of
Ascalon, in Syria, being ashamed of her frailty with a Syrian youth,
exposed this infant child in an open piano, where she was preserved
and nourished by doves till she was discovered by some wan-
dering shepherds, who took her to Simmas, the chief shepherd of
the royal herds. It was from this Simmas that she derived her
name of Semiramis. Her surpassing beauty first made her the
wife of Onnes, one of the king's generals, and then that of the king
himself.
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES.
SERICULTURE IN INDIA.
THii foil wing interesting letter has been addressed by Mr. S. Cimliffe Lister
of the Manuingham Silk Mills, Bradford, and the Lister Grant, Dehra Dun, to
Mr. Wardle, of Leek: —
Bradford, January 2nd, 1889.
I have read with great interest Mr. Makerji's letter to you, published in the
Report of the Silk Association. You are already aware that it was not niy inten-
tion to have said or done anything with regard to my sericultttral experiments
inDehraDuu andthePunjah, until the coming crop had been ascertained; but
we have nowgot an official appointed by the Indian Government, and as time is of
importance, I have thought it might be of use if I shortly and roughly sketched
out what has already been done, and also what I think might bedone to maintain
and develope sericulture in India. It is evident that Mr. Mukerji has much to
learn when lie says "again it is an industry which must necessarily be in the hands
of native peasant, " &c, and further says, <l and it is impossible for foreign capitalist
with hired native labour, to succeed in this industry." Such then is the opinion
of Mr. Mukerji to-day, and such may be said to be the universal opinion, that
sericulture is impossible on any other lines than those which have been followed
for thousands of years in all silk-producing countries, both in Europe and in Asia,
and yet with all this weight of authority against me, backed up by the experience
of ages, I am prepared to demonstrate, to show and prove, beyond all question
and doubt, that labour, guided and controlled by capital and knowledge, can
produce cheaper and better silk than has hitherto been done by cottage cultiva-
tion. Thus you have diametrically opposite opinions, and opposite systems, which
time and experience can alone show which is right. I have tried both systems,
and have paid dearly for my learning, and therefore can speak with some authority,
and I am fully persuaded that this great problem is now completely mastered, and
that the future of sericulture in India is thereby assured. Nothing, therefore,
could give me greater pleasure than that Mr. Mukerji, or any other official,
should go and see for himself what isbeingdoneat Lister's Grant, and examine
and test everything relating to the cost and the quality of the silk produced. If his
report is, as I believe it will be, satisfactory, then another year I should prop
20
148 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
that the Silk Association should send some one along with a Government official
and should again examine and test everything relating to the cost and quality of
the silk produced, and so prepare the way for its being carried out on aniuch larger
scale by British and native capital. The time for the silk crop is close at hand,
arid, from its commencement in the first or second week in February, only requires
from 30 to 40 days to complete it, so that either Mr. M. or some other expert
appointed by Government, might easily devote a month to testing the results.
A considerable portion of the mulberry plantations are now in fair bearing, and
surround the rearing houses, and we are provided with seed of the first quality,
beingthe produce of Italian and French breeds, reared on the estate, so that there
should be and can be no difficulty in testing everything. For this I have patiently
worked year after year, and at last the time has come. I have said, give me
fulcrum, and I can move the sericultural world. Give me labour sufficiently
trained ; seed free from disease ; plantations of sufficient age ; and rearing houses
adapted for the purpose (and without this it is all labour in vain); and then there
can be no difficulty in obtaining the most positive, accurate, and undeuiable result.
There are certain things of great importance that we have already tested and
proved. First, that disease, when the worms are properly fed and attended to, is
unknown to us ; second, that the seed of the Italian and French Bo?nbyx mnri
reared in the Dun, gives just as good cocoons as in Europe, and, so far, does not
appear to degenerate. Last year we compared the two, and found that the cocoons
raised from our own seed were quite as good as those from importedEuropean seed.
We have therefore ceased to import any, and rely altogether upon our own ; and
last year, Mr. Farrant, the manger, to whom much of our success is due, in a
small experimental way raised four crops of the ordinary polyvoltine Bengal sort
without so much as losing a worm. Such have been the results of intelligent and
careful cultivation, and I am perfectly satisfied that disease, about which we hear
so much, is only another name for ignorance, neglect, dirt and rearing houses
altogether unsuited for the purpose.
I am not proposing to write a treatise on sericulture (I must leave that to those
who have more time at their disposal) ; but the whole art and mystery may be
expressed and enforced in three or four simple rules. First, sound seed ; seconds
air, space, and cleanliness ; third, regular feeding; fourth, suitable rearing houses.
And where do you find these conditions in the native cottage ? I have never seen
anything of the kind ; they may exist, but I again say, I have never seen them.
Air, space and cleanliness the worms must have, or disease is certain. Then comes
regular feeding, and at night, if possible, as we find that the worms are healthier,
spin sooner, and make much finer cocoons, with night feeding.
Mr. Bose, Secretary of the Gurdaspur Board, is right, when he says (and he has
evidently taken infinite pains) : "My own impression is that the prevalence of
disease was far more owing to the want of care, the negligence and generel ignor-
ance which prevail amongst rearers than anything else." At last, the Government
officials are beginning to find out what I have long since discovered, that it is
impossible to rear silk-worms in dirt accompanied with neglect. And he says ; —
' They never care to make the rearing houses airy, and to keep them clean."
Under such conditions it is clear sericulture is utterly impossible. Give what
■MISCELLANEOUS. 149
prizes you will, it is all money thrown away. Mr. Dane, Deputy Commissioner
Gurdaspur, says— "The first prize for foreign seed cocoons fell to Lister & Co.,"
and further on he says — " it seems somewhat absurd" (I should think it does)
" to award over 1,000 rupees' worth of prizes for a total out-turn of silk of such
trifling value, viz, Rs. 6,415." And what is more if they gave every shilling
in the Indian Treasury they would not be one bit nearer. All the wealth of
India can never make silk-worms thrive in the hands of dirty, careless, ignorant
native reavers. I have paid for my learning, as for several years I joined the
Government in giving prizes; but I soon saw that it was a perfect waste of time
and money. Then it was that I determined to try what could be done by having
everything carried out in a proper, business-like manner ; and I am now, as I
think, on the point of having a great success, after years of trouble and expense.
Just a word with regard to cottage cultivation, and then I have done. Where
mulberry trees abound and the climate is suitables, cottage cultivation should be
possible, provided the native rearers are supplied with sound seed, and, above all,
are taught how to use it. A certain number of intelligent, trained rearers,
going from house to bouse, might soon bring about abundant success; but it is
quite useless to offer prizes to men who know nothing of sericulture, and who
are totally ignorant of the fundamental fact that silk-worms cannot be reared
excepting with sufficient air, space, cleanliness and regular feeding.
A BLACK TIGER.
No authentic record exists of a black tiger having been seen or killed in Bengal
so I am informed. Black leopards are well known, especially in the Madras
Presidency and in the Straits Settlements, and I have heard of them in Bengal,
though I never saw them alive there (except in the Calcutta Zoological Gardens).
But before I go hence and am no more seen, I wish to state that I and several
others saw a dead black tiger at Chittagong, and from the entries in my diary,
which was pretty regularly kept, I know that it was in March 1846. The news
was brought into the station that a dead black ti^er was Lying near the road
that leads to Tipperah, distant about two miles from Chittagong. In the early
morning we rode out to see it, but several of the party — Sir H. Ricketts, Mr.
Fulwar Skipwith, Captain Swatman and Captain Hore — are no longer alive, and
I cannot produce any eye-witness to attest my statement, although several
friends to whom I have written recollect that they heard something about it at
the time.
I remember perfectly well that the body of the animal was lying in the low
bush jungle about twenty yards south of the road, and we dismounted to go
and look at it. It was a full-sized tiger, and the skin was black or vei'y dai'k
brown, so that the stripes showed rather a darker black in the sunlight, just as
the spots are visible on the skin of a black leopard. The tiger had been killed
bv a poisoned arrow, and had wandered away more than a mile from the place
where it was wounded before it lay down to die. By the time that we arrived
the carcase was swollen, the flies were buzzing about it, and decomposition had
set in, so that those of our party who knew best decided that the skin could not
be saved. I was young and inexperienced, but Captain Swatman, who was in
charge of the Government elephant kheddas, and Captain Hore (afterwards Lord
Ruthven), of the 25th N. I., were well-known sportsmen and had each of them
killed many tigers. No doubt was expressed about the animal being a black
150 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
«
tiger, and I have often mentioned the fact in conversation from time to time.
For several weeks before we saw elie dead bodyr the natives had reported that
there was a black tiger which infested the range of hills behind the military
cantonments at Chittagong. More than oneer whea the hearclsman brought
word that it had killed a cow, Captain Swjitman sent an elephant and howdak
for me, and we beat through the jungle in vain for it. Probably our tactics
were bad as we invariably went right up to the body of the murdered cow, and
the tiger sneaked off on hearing the noise of the elephants into the extensive
and impenetrable coverts. We did not attach any importance to the native
statement that the tiger was black, as we supposed that this was merely an
exaggeration. So also, when a report came in through the native police that a
manhad been killed by a blaek tiger in a large village about three miles to the
southof the hills behind the cantonments we supposed that the epithet " black"
was only a fanciful description of the animal. Whenrhoweveyr we had seen the
black skin of the dead tiger, we concluded that the native authorities had not
been drawing on their imagination when they used the epithet " black."
I cannot ventiue to offer any explanation why this tiger's skin was black.
It is well known that there is considerable difference of colous in the skins of
ordinary tigers-. Some skins have almost a light yellow ground, whilst in
others the colour approaches- to a dark chestnut-red. Some people attribute
this variety of colour to the character of the jungle in which the animals have-
lived, and this has a sort of probability in it ; but the age of the tiger may
have also something to say to it, and a beast which was of a dark red in its-
prime may turn to a lighter colour when it grows old. It was my good
fortune during the last forty years to see many move tigers, both wild and in
eaptivity, than falls to the lot of most men in Bengal. I can testify that on
the churs of the Ganges and Brahnmpootra, when shooting during the hofe
winds in the end of March, through the remains of the burnt grass and
charred stalks, that the animals seemed to vanish before our eyes. Many
authorities have written that the skin of a man-eating tiger is usually mangy and
dull in colour. There were two man-eating tigers caught and sent to the
Calcutta Zoo, whose skins were in perfect condition and of a rich colour.
There wasafine tigress abotvt five years old with a clean and well-marked skinr
whose career I had to cut short, as she had taken to preying on the villagers-
©f a place near Dacca ; so that these cases were exceptions to a general rule.
But I have no doubt that it is quite true than many old and mangy tigers, with
decaying teeth and claws, become man-eaters. The reason is simple. A human
being is the in< i st facile prey for a tiger. One grip on the slight neck of a
woman and all is over. There is no striking with pointed horns or kicking with
sharp hoofs, as the tiger finds when he is killing a deer or a cow. And who
shall say whether a healthy young woman is more tender and wholesome food
than the rlesh of a sickly old coiv, half-starved in the jungle ?— C. T.
BuckLand, F.Z.S., in The Field.
NOTE ON A TALKING BULBUL.
It is well known that the common, or Madras Bnlbnl, as ie called (Pycnonotus
, irrho/ix), makes a veryamusing pet, and is held in high estimation by some of
tbe oat i'Tes of the country, especially the M ussulmans, for its pugnacious qualities
MISCELLANEOUS. • 151
great care being bestowed on its training for combative purposes, but it is not as
generally known, I doubt if known at all, that its imitative intelligence is on a par
with that of the parrot and other " talking " birds. I was not aware myself that
these birds could talk, till some years ago I found it out by something of an acci-
dent, and having been the possessor of the bird in question, I can speak from per-
sonal experience. Some years back, when in one of the northern districts,
of the Madras Presidency, a Mahomedan assured me that the Bulbul could talk,
and informed me that he had had several which could utter various Hindustani
phrases, but as I had reared a number of them, and in no instance knew of any
that went beyond their whistle, I could not believe him. Anyhow, as he seemed
quite confident of what he told me, I determined to give his statement a fair trial,
and he having brought me a young bird a short time afterwards, I straightway put
it to school. I could not, however, have been very industrious with my bird
pupil, for it never picked up a single sentence of my teaching, but what I failed in,
a parrot accomplished. Both these birds occupied the same quarters, and whether
it was knocked into its "hard-bound brains " by the parrot's continual chattering
or not, I cannot say, but it gradually began with " Polly, Polly, Polly, Polly, "
and eventually could say," Pretty Polly, prttty dear; twenty guineas for pretty
Polly," and other such hackneyed expressions of bird-lore, with head bent down,
tongue protruding, and wings expanded, antics for which thtse birds are famous. It
would utter sentence after sentence which, though not very distinct, were quite
as intelligible as the talk of a parrot and other birds. Like most pets, my poor
bird came to an untimely end through the carelessness of the servant, who left
the cage door open one night, so that the next morning I found it destroyed by
that pest, I had almost said of creation — the rat.
Yercaud, April 1889. A. W. MORRIS, F. Z. S.
THE RED ANT.
By E. H. A.
The ways of this remarkable insect are not so well known as they deserve to be
Most of us have made its acquaintance at times m the jungles, but these casual
introductions have left no desire for closer intimacy. 1 think, therefore, that a
short account of the Red Ant at home, uiiillustrated by live specimens, may be
interesting.
The insect I mean is about half an inch long, and of a light red, or orange-
brown, tint. Its scientific name is Ccimponotus smaragdinus, or " the emerald ant,"
and Kirby says it is remarkable for its green colour. The explanation of this is
probably that the first specimen which found its way to Europe was a queen, for
she is green and is a handsome and striking insect We are more concerned with
the worker, and may stick to our familiar name. The red ant, then, is not a house
ant. It does not enter our dwellings and plunder our stores. Neither is it a
ground ant. It makes neither burrows nor hills. It is entirely arboreal, making
its nest among green leaves, which it draws together with a material like silk, or
cobweb. As to its food, it seems, like most ill-tempered people, to need very
little. I have never seen the red ant storing any thing, but they swarm about
corrinda bushes during the fruit season, and often enclose the berries in their leaf-
cells. They do the same with other fruits, and I have seen them in attendance on
152 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
aphides. But it would be rash to infer from this that they subsist on nectar and
sweets. A friend of mine, and a valued member of this Society, had a tame eagle
killed by them and that it was killed for the table admits of little doubt. I believe
they devour young birds and every other living thing that falls in their wav and
cannot escape Considering how few trees on the western ghauts are free from
them, it seems a wonder that birds can find places to buildtheir nests. From what
I have seen I am inclined to think that a good many nests are deserted on account
of them. The red ant appears to be as active by night as by day This is a point
in which the various species of ants differ very much from each other. Some never
come out of their holes at night, while some regularly retire for a siesta at noon
and doubtless some are wholly nocturnal.
But that which distinguishes the red ant from all other ants, and indeed from
all other beings, is its temper. The shepherd in Noctes ambbosian^E says that
the wasp is the only one of God's creature which is eternally out of temper ; but
the shepherd did not know the red ant. Nor did I till lately. I thought I did, and
by painful experience too. I had often had reason to notice how they appear to
have intimation beforehand of your intention to pass that way. How they rundown
every branch that stretches across the path, and wait with jaws extended, how they
fling themselves on you, or drop from above, and scorning to waste their strength
on your hat or clothes, find out the back of your neck, and bury their longsickle
shaped mandibles in your flesh ; but I lately discovered that all this was only the
ABC of their ferocity. One evening I found thata countless multitude of red ant
had collected about two trees close to my tent and were making a thoroughfare of
one of the ropes. I thought it best to discourage this, so I got some kerosine oil
the best antidote I know for insect pests of every kind, and dipping a feather into
it, began to anoint the rope, thinking in my simplicity that they would not like to
cross the oil and would be obliged to find another road. There was a perfect storm
of indignation. They rushed together from both sides, and threw themselves on
the oiled feather in the spirit of Marcus Curtius. They died <>f course, but others
came on in scores, panting for the same glorious death, and I had to "give up my
idea of dislodging them by kerosine. T determined then to try tobacco, for I had
always supposed that man was the only animal which could endure the smell of
that weed. I lighted a cheroot, and steadily blew the smoke where they were
thickest. Never in my life have I seen anything like the frenzy of passion which
followed the first few puffs. To be attacked by an enemy of which they could not
lay hold seems to be really too much for them. In their rage they laid hold of
each other, and as a red ant never lets go, they were soon linked together by headj
legs, and antennae into one horrible, red, quivering mass I left these, and going
to another place, offered the end of my cheroot, with about an inch of ash on
it. Several seized it instantly The heat killed them, but others laid hold of their
charred limbs, and by their united strength they positively wrenched off the ash
which remained hanging from the tent rope, by their jaws, while scores hurried
from both sides, with fiendish fury, to help in worrying it. I then presented the
hot end. The foremost ant offered battle without a moment's hesitation, and
perished with a fizz, but another and another followed and I saw plainly that I was
beaten again, for the cheroot was going out, while their fury only burned the more
MISCELLANEOUS.
lo3
fiercely. I retired, and after taking counsel with the captain of my, guard, made a
torch of straw and patiently smoked them to death all along the rope. Tlien I
attacked the root of the tree where they were thickest, and left nothing but a black
waste. Half an hour later fresh myriads were carrying off the charred remains of
their comrades. They took them up the tree towards their nest, whether for food
or burial rites I cannot say. It was now getting dark, so I gave up my enterprise;
but before going to bed I brought out a lantern and found them calmly passing
up and down my tent ropes as before. I had done everything I could short of
burning down my tent, and they remained masters of the field.
It. may interest members of the Anthropological Society to know that the
jungle people in the Canara District eat the red ant. They take down the whole
nest, and pounding ants and larvae together, make them into curry. The blood,
or juice, of the red ant is, as might be expected, intensely acrid, and it is said that
the fumes which rise from them as they are being pounded make the eyes of the
operator smart, so what the sensation of eating them must be is scarcely think-
able. It must be like a torchlight procession going down one's throat.
MEMORANDA.
By IT. Littledale, Baroda.
Malformed Sambur Horn- — I am sendingfor exhibition at the next meeting of the
Society a sambur-horn — or perhaps a pair of horns joined together — that I have
picked up in the jungles east of Surat. These horns seem to have dropped
naturally from the head. They are the strangest looking pair I have ever seen,
and seen different from any yet figured in the Journal.
The Ami or Arm {Wild Buffalo).— The Arna or Wild Buffalo and the Gaur, or
Indian Bison, do not inhabit the same jungles as a rule, and to the minds of the
natives there can be no difference worth considering between them. Hence I
ask is the name Arna or Ami the same word as Rani, the Bheel name for the
bison being Rana paro or Rani Bhains, that is, Forest Buffalo ? For Rani of
Matheran. Then Ami Bhainsa and Rani Bhains would be the same name
applied to different animals {Bos ami and Bos gavaeus). Such instances of
confusion are common in Indian nomenclature.
The metathesis ar and ra is common too. One instance occurs to me : in Kash-
mir the natives call a tree darkhat, whereas the correct form is darakht I believe.
The derivation of Arna from the Skt. Array ak seems less probable than this
conjecture.
The Great Indian Flying Squirrel. — I find that this animal is nocturnal in its
flights. Last full moon, I was sitting up in the jungle, and one of these squirrels
glided from tree to tree near me. It mounted with curious loopings of its body
(as some caterpillars climb) from the very foot to the highest spray of a Kadai
tree, then launched itself in a curving glide towards the next tree, rising a little
when about three yards from it, and taking the trunk about three feet from the
ground : the length of flight from GO to 80 feet, I should say.
Bear killed by Tiger. — I was after a bear for some dayrs in May, but it was
missing from its accustomed haunts. At last we found it, or rather its claws,
and a few bones, in a tiger's cave. It was a big bear, with claws qtute 3 inches
outside curve, but the tiger had certainly shikarred it, and eaten every bit of it!
Ic4
BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
The Wild Dog and the Tiger. — I found that the old story of wild doss killing
tigers existed in the following form in the Surat jungles. We were talking of a
pack of eleven wild dogs that had been killing a sambur close by, and I said to my
shikarri, " Shoot them if you can." " No," said the Yasava Patel of the village,
"these dogs are my gods : they kill tigers for me." I asked him further, and he
said that the dogs— a large pack of them— tree a tiger, then two dogs mount
guard, and the rest go away hunting;; then two more come and relieve guard, and
so on, till the tiger dies of hunger in the tree. ( It is in Rice's Indian Game
from Quail to Tiger that a similar account is given, and a still more wonderful
yarn of the tiger dying in the tree, afraid to come down because one wild dog
had got spiked on a piece of wood below, and months afterwards the two
skeletons were found — the tiger's in the tree, and the dog's sticking on the
spike at the foot on the ti'ee !)
Carbolized Arsenical Soap. — Instead of putting camphor in arsenical soap, let me
recommend that one ounce of pure carbolic acid be added to every pound of the
mixture. This carbolised stuff if applied fresh to the lips, &c, of a skin, will
prevent all decomposition. This is much better than the old arsenical soap, and I
beg to present the suggestion to all shikarries.
PARASITIC TREES.
On the south side of Chakdara, an outlying Dnng village, some 20 to 30 miles
east of Bardoli, in the Surat District, is to be found a rather curious case of
parasitism.
The parasite is a Sterculia urens (Karaia kangdoli), and the victim is a Schlei-
cheria trijuga (Kosim). The Kosim is a large bifurcated tree, old and hollow. A
branch on one of these forks was cut off. On the stump of the branch a young
Karaia established itself, and at the present time has attained about the size of
the original branch, with the appearance of being a regular graft. It flowers
profusely, and did so when first found three seasons ago. Its present thickness is
considerably greater than the head of the thickest headed man, with his pagri on.
The pagri itself is about the diameter of the parasite, which is seated at a height of
twelve feet or more.
The Ficus family of course are, without exception, so far as I know them, the
lowest of greedy parasites, but though the Sterculia has a suspicious viscid and
plastic appearance in its manner of flowing over inconvenient stones, in its throwing
out of large knobs, and in covering up wounds, yet it is not often found parasite
at least in the Dangs, and the present instance is perhaps worth recording. It
would be interesting to know where the roots are now, how the Sterculia will
manage, as its trunk grows inconveniently large; and whether it gets blown down
along with the Kosim, or succeeds in establishing itself in the ground down the
interior of its supporter. The tree is just on the west side of the road, at the
point where it begins to descend from the plateau to the river bed.
E.G.
Madias, Eundall's Road, 17th April 1889,
Miscellaneous. 155
A CORRECTION.
To the Editor of the Journal of the Bunbuy Natural History Society.
Dkar Sir, — In your Journal No. I., Vol. III., for 1888, you kindly inserted a
list of Burmese Butterflies caught by me. As it was not practicable to submit
the proof to me, I regret to say that a good many errors crept in, and I should
feel much obliged if you could tind room to insert the following corrections and
additions : —
No. 3. D. aglcea, Cramer, this should be D. nielanoides, Moore.
E. midamus, Linnajus, should be E. linmei, Moore.
E. subdita, Moore, should be E. binghatni, Moore.
42(a) M. duryodana, Felder, Beeling.
Curetts bulis, Doubleday.
Allotinus alkamah, Distant.
A unicolor, should be Paragerydus horsfiehlr, Moore.
Tarucus pliniws, Fabricius.
Varieties of N. ardates.
No.
16.
No.
19.
No.
42(o
No.
97.
No.
100.
No.
101.
No.
109.
No.
No.
121 ;
122 S
No.
123.
No.
124.
No.
\-2ti.
No.
133.
No.
134.
No.
137.
No.
141.
No.
151.
No.
157.
N. prominens, Moore.
N. macrophthalma, Pelder.
Catochrysops enejus Fabricius.
Megisba malaya Horsfield.
Lycamesthes bengalensis, Moore.
Drupadia boisduvam, Moore.
Spindasis syama, Horsfield.
Nilasera subfasciata, Moore.
Rapala sphinx, Fabricius.
No. l(»8(ct). Catopsilia gnoma. Fabricius, Reeling.
No. 172. Terias rubella, AVallace.
No. 175. Terias Hecabeoides, Mene'tries.
No. 185. Pierids soracta. I cannot account for this name occurring in the
list ; it has never been, met with in Burmah to my knowledge.
No. 200. P. onpape, Moore.
No. 252. Suastus swerga, de Niceville.
Hoping the above will not be found too trivial for insertion,
Yours faithfully,
Madras, Ylth April 1889. E. Y. WATSON.
PROPOSED ENGLISH NOMENCLATURE FOR INDIAN BUTTERFLIES.
The following letter appeared in the Asian on 11th June 1889 : —
Sir, — You publish in your issue of May 28th a note on a paper read before
the Bombay Natural History Society by Mr. A. Newnham, B. C. S., on the
abovenamed subject. With due deference to that gentleman, I think he has
somewhat underrated the difficulties arising from such a proposal, and has rather
exaggerated the benefits that would accrue from its adoption.
21
]5G BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
But he is wrong, however, in disparaging the use of the " long double-barrelled
Latin'' names which at present distinguish our Indian butterflies.
From a scientific point of view, such a nomenclature, though, no doubt, somewhat
" heavy," is a necessity as much in the study of butterflies as in any other branch
of Natural History.
At home, where we have only some sixty odd specimens to deal with, it has been
easy enough to affix appropriate popular names to the several species, but I would
remind Mr. Newnham that the 'double-barrelled Latin" names are in no way
extinct, and were the original ones. They are, of course, the only ones used by
naturalists when discussing the subject. In my opinion it would be a much harder
tax on the memory to be able to recall some hundred popular nicknames, than to
remember the specimens by their generic and specific names, for the use of the
generic name supplies a cue to the specific name.
Mr. Newnham has apparently a prejudice against these long-sounding Latin
strains, and has passed them by rather too casually, for he has failed to observe any
indications of appearance or habits in them. I select a few out of the many to
support my argument.
P. leucocera, Castalius interruptus, Telicota bumbusa, E. unclular's, Abisara
svffusa, Zizera pigmea, Junonia asterie — all denote either appearance or habits.
There are hundreds of others named on the same principle. Many have been
named from the locality in which they appear to frequent, some from the original
discoverer, and others have been named " poetically and beautifully," and it is
precisely these latter which are of little use to the investigator and collector-
Provided poetry and beauty are combined in a name, with some indication of the
habits or appearance of the insects, it is all right; but mere nicknames, such as the
" Leaf" butterfly or the " Camberwell Beauty," are useless and undesirable. With
regard to the former nicknames, I shall have something to add later on.
One specimen, Bedamia cxclamatiotris, appears to have been so called from the
many ineffectual attempts (accompanied by strong language) to capture it !
Our Indian butterflies possess, no doubt, as many peculiarities as their English
relations, but these peculiarities have yet to be noticed and recorded in the majority
of cases before any suitable and expressive names can be permanently chosen. Some
of the more well-known species have received popular names, either from amateur
collectors (? I refer to those who purchase boxes of butterflies to send home or
decorate rooms with), or from the soldiers and school-boys up-country, such as the
Rose butterfly, the Leaf, &c, &c. This latter, I believe, is really Kallima inachis,
but there are several others to be found in India" exactly alike" (except to the eye
of an expert)," only a little different," as Pat would say. Does Mr. Newnham
propose that all such butterflies should be called " Leaf" butterflies ? For, if not,
a man would still require to be a naturalist to be able to distinguish them, and, if
so, then we should get very puzzled in identifying the exact insect caught unless
wc saw it, whereas if he uses the scientific name there is at once an end to all
doubt as to its identity. I do not see (and should like to see the matter thoroughly
investigated! how such an introduction would in any way further the work of
naturalists in this country ; and it is to them we must look to complete in time a
branch of Natural History which receives h very scant attention or interest at the
MISCELLANEOUS. 157
hands of the general public The hitter would, I have no doubt, learn the names
of a few more specimens by the introduction of a popular English nomencla-
ture, but whether fcbey would take any further practical interest in the subject is
extremely doubtful. If I have missed any points which Mr. Newnham suggested
I hope he will enlighten me further on the subject, which is oneof great interest
to all who wish to see the " Indian butterflies " occupying the place which they
deserve from their beauty and variety.
W. II. T.
CORRESPONDENCE.
PAPILJO POLYMNESTOfi IN BOMBAY.
To the Editor of the Journal of the Natural History Society.
Sir, — At page 3/ of Vol. II. of the Journal, Mr. Aitken says the Papilio polym-
neslor is absolutely unknown in Bombay, and he imagines throughout the
Konkan. It may be interesting to hirn and others to kno.v that one day this
month, a friend and I saw two in the woods of Sivildi, and within an hour,
possibly the same pair in the cemetery. They were a little ragged, but strong in
flight, and were feeding on the flowers of a large convolvulus.
In a small spot near the quarry we came upon fifty or sixty of the Danai
genutia resting on the grass and trees, and a sweep of the net at a passing Ixias
landed one and two of the former.
W. E. MELVIN.
Bombay, 4th March, 1889.
BOOK NOTICES.
The Geographicil Distribution of the Family Charadrido?, or the Plovers, Sand-
pipers, Snipes and their Allies. By Heney Seeboiim. Published by H.
Tottenham and Co., Strand.
The name of H. Seebohm is well known as a practical ornithologist of the
first rank. A perusal of his work, " Siberia in Europe, " an 1 " Siberia in Asia, "
will show that no one man can push practical work further than he has done,
and every ornithologist should read the two works referred to above. Apart
from their zoological value they are most interesting reading ; but to proceed :
In the Preface he explains difficulties which had to be overcome in the
determination of species, and the definition and limitation of genera.
The concluding words of the Preface are (referring to the book): — "It possesses
at least the merit of originality and (if the author may be permitted to pass sentence
on his own work) it does not quite deserve the critical remarks made once to a
writer, ' Your book is both good and new, but the part which is good is not
new and that which is new is not good.' "
After the Preface comes a systematic index and diagnoses in Latin, followed
by a list of plates, of which there are 21, the plates being limited to those birds
which have previously not been figured, or only figured badly.
158 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
The first nine chapters are taken up respectively with dissertations on the
Classification of Birds, the Evolution of Birds, the Differentiation of Species,
the Glacial Epoch, Migration, the Paradise of the Charadridse, Zoological
Regions, on Subspecific Forms, and the Charadridse.
Chapter X. commences the body of the work.
The contemplation of Nature is supposed to exercise a soothing influence, they
say, on the mind of man, but when the contemplators write books, it is nearly
always the case that they are no more sparing of their criticisms of those who
happen to differ from them, than are politicians, and Mr. Seebohm is no excep-
tion to the rule.
Commencing with the Stone Curlews, the Stone Cnrlew we meet in India as a
resident is separated from the European bird by the trinomial (Edicnemus crepitans
indicus, but there does not appear to be very much difference between the two.
He says the Indian Stone Curlew and the European one are connected by a series
of intermediate forms. The latter vary in length of wing from 10''' to 9", the
former from 9" to 8". In European examples the white patches on the primaries
are rarely seen on the bird, whilst in Indian examples they are rarely if ever
absent from it. The white on the outer web of the seventh primary is also much
greater in Indian than in European examples. (Edicnemus crepitans doubtless-
winters in India.
Charadrius pluvialis (the European Golden Plover) is not mentioned as an
Indian visitor, but the Siberian birds appear to pass through Turkestan on
migration, a few remaining to winter in Baluchistan, but the greater number
probably migrate as far as Africa. The Asiatic bird, C. fulvus, may easily be
distinguished by its barred tail and great axillaries.
We have the C. minor (the Little Ringed Plover) and C. minor Jerdon (Jerdon's
Ringed Plover) ; it is said to differ from the former in beiug smaller (wings
3'9 to 425 instead of 4*3 to 4" 7 in.), in having the edges of the eyelids swollen
and protuberant, and in having the basal half of the lower mandible yellow.
L<ibivanellus indicus — The Bronze- winged Wattled Lapwing and L. indicus
atronuchnlis, Blyth's Wattled Lapwing, is hard to separate ; intermediate forms-
are frequently met with; the latter may be distinguished from the former by having
the neck ornamented with a white coilnr.
The Common Curlew and the Indian form are separated under the names of
Nwnenius arquatue and N. aranatus lineatus.
N. arquatus. N. lineatms.
Lesser back white, streaked with brown. Lesser back unspotted white.
Axillaries white, more o-r less spotted with Axillaries unspotted white,
brown ,
Margins- of scapular? and leathers on the Margins of scapulars and feathers
upper baek grey. on the upper back nearly
white.
Length of bill 4\5 to 7 inrh. Length of bill 5*5 to 8 inch.
None of these characters appear to be constant, and intermediate forms are very
common.
In a note there is: — "This is no excuse for confounding the two forms together.
*s Dresser and other ornithologists have done,"
book Notices, 150
Similarly with the Whimbrels, Numeniusphceopas&nil. N. ph&opus variegatus.
Tho Common Whimbrel is not a Curlew, because its crown is plain brown
with a pale mesial streak In its eastern form the Oriental Whimbrel is the
only Whimbrel in which the lower back is much paler than the mantle.
The following is a list of the species mentioned as having occurred in India
Proper : —
JEdicnemu's crepitans European Stone Curlew.
,, recurvirostris Great Indian Stone Curlew.
Charadius fulvus Asiatic Golden Plover.
„ helveticus Grey Plover.
„ minor Little Ringed Plover.
,, Jerdoni Jerdon's Ringed Plover.
,, placidus . ..Hodgson's Ringed Plover.
,, Geoffroyi Greater Sand Plover.
,, mongolicus Mongolian Sand Plover.
„ cantianus Kentish Plover.
Lobivanellus cinerius Grey-headed Wattled Lapwing.
„ indicus Bronze-Winged Wattled Lapwing.
,, indicus atrionucharlis ...Blyth's Wattled Lapwing.
,, malabaricus Button's Wattled Lapwing.
Vonellus cristatus Common Lapwing
,, leucurus White-tailed Lapwing.
,, ventralis Indian Spur-wingled Lapwing.
Cursorius gallicus Cream-colored Courser.
„ cafomandalicus Indian Courser.
,, bitorquatus ... . Jerdon's Courser.
Glareola pratincola Common Pratincole.
,, oricntalis Oriental Practincole.
., laclea Little Indian Pratincole.
Hhnantopus melanopterus Common Stint.
,, avocetta Common Avocet.
tJo&matopn9 ostralequs .., ..European Oyster Catcher.
Ibidorliynchus strutesi Ibis-billed Oyster Catcher.
Numenius arquatus lineatus Oriental Curlew.
„ plueopus variegatus Orental Whimbrel.
Amongst the Stints, there is Tringa subminuta (Micldendorff' s Stint); its
•specific characters are iving from carpal joint less than four inches ; legs and
toes pale brown ; outer tail feathers grey.
Also Tringa pygmeea (the Spoon-billed sandpiper) which is recognized at
once by its spatulate bill. The Snipes conclude the volume.
Scolopax solitaria (the Himalayan Solitary Snipe) is our Indian form. It
lias more than 16 tail feathers, whereas Scolapax major (the Great Snipe) han
less than Id tail feathers, also the predominant colour of the four outer tail
feathers, on each side is pure white, and the median coverts are broadly tipped
with pure white ; the latter does not approach nearer India than North Persia,
which it passes through iu migration.
E. F, B.
160 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
Recent Information about the Great Auk or Garefowl. By Symington Grieve.
Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh.
This is a reprint of the Presidential address of the Edinburgh Field Natural-
ists and Microscopical Society for 1888. It is a brief sketch of the history of
the Great Auk and its extermination, with a detailed account of where its
remains, such as stuffed specimen, eggs, bones, skeleton, &c, are to be found.
The chief home of this bird used to be Newfoundland and the North Ameri-
can coasts ; we need not be surprised at its extermination, as it was a very
stupid bird, hatched only a single egg each season, and was good for food.
They are described as having been got on boardship by the ton ; they were
then salted down in barrels like herrings.
The capture of what are believed to have been the last two Great Auks took
place on the coast of Iceland, June 1884 ; its last authentic occurrence in
Great Britain was in 1821, when one was captured at St. Kilda.
Various reported occurrences of a later date are then discussed, but there is
no sufficient proof for any later record.
We then come to the record of the whereabouts of the Great Auk remains.
The following is a summary of existing remains : —
Total No. of Birds
represented.
Skins 78 or 79
Skeletons, more or less complete 21 or 24
Detached bones 841 or 851
Physiological preparations 2 or 3
Eggs 67 or 69
Of these remains, perhaps the eggs are the most interesting ; some attention
has lately been drawn to them by two having not long ago been sold by auction
in London, and having realized enormous prices ; one of these was sold in
December 1887, and was bought by Mr. Field for £168 : another was bought
in 1851 for £1, from Williams of London by Mr. H. Holland; Mr. Holland's
daughter, Mrs. Wise, into whose possession it passed, sold it in March 1888 by
auction, when it was bought by Gardiner, dealer in Natural History wares,
for £225.
In England, Lord Lilford has a collection of five eggs, and Mr. Champley of
Scarborough has nine.
To show how the prices of these eggs have risen, I will give the prices at
which some have changed hands :— 1859, £18 ; 1861, Napoleons 5 ; 1864
£24, £25, £30, £45; 1882, £110.
The pamphlet is illustrated by two woodcuts of the Great Auk, and its price
is half-a- crown.
E. F. B,
PROCEEDING:-.
1G1
PROCEEDINGS.
Proceedings of the Meeting op 7th May 1889.
The usual monthly meeting of the members of this Society took place on Tuesday,
tli-a 7th May 1889, and was largely attended. Dr. G. Maconachie presided.
The following new members were then elected:— II. II. Aga Khan, Mr. E Y.
Watson (Madras), Mr. H. S. Ferguson (Travancore), Mr. R, Gonipertz (Madras), Mr.
S. J. Stone (Punjab), Lieutenant W. J. Bythell, R. E. (Bcluchistan), and Captain A.
11. Cole-Hamilton (Secunderabad)
Mr. IT. M. Phipson, the Honorary Secretary, then acknowledged the following con-
tributions to the Society's collections •. — .
CONTRIBUTIONS DURING MARCH AND APRIL.
Contribution.
Description.
Contributor.
295 Bird Skins
1 Snake
] Snake
1 Lizard (from Ceylon)
1 Snake
'd Gil paintings of Orchids.
1 Tufted Pochard (alive)..
2 Tortoise Eggs ...
16 Bird Skius
Several Grey Jungle Fowls
Head of Four-horned An-
telope.
1 Red Lynx's Skin
1 Jungle Cat's S^iu
1 Engraving of I'rof. Pas-
teur.
1 Sea Gull (alive) ...
1 Wild 1 og
2 Scaly Ant-Eaters
1 Muntjae's Skull
1 Monkey (alive)
1 Scaly Ant-Eater (alive)...
A quantity of Shells and
Curiosities.
1 Muntjae's Head ...
1 Large Tiger-Cat's Skin
1 Monkey's Skull ...
2 Scaly Ant-Eaters (alive).
1 Cat's Skeleton ...
1 Fowl's Skeleton ...
4 Ibex Fleads
2 Markhor Heads ...
2 Barra Singha Heads
1 Glial Head
1 Thar Head
1 F..arge piece of Flexible
Sandstone.
5 Stuffed Birds
2 Snakes
A number of Snakea
1 Brown Hawk Owl (mount-
ed).
1 Indian Screech Owl
(alive).
From Assam, ..
Echis earinata
Cylindrophis maculatua
Calotes nigrilabris ...
Troj ii( h mot us plum bicolor,
By Miss Hall, Poona
Fuiigula cristata
Testudo eleg.ms
From Quetta
Gallus sonnerati
Tetraceros quadricornis
Felis caracal
Felis chaus ...
Larus ridibundus ...
Oanis rutilans
Mauis pentad actylus
Cervulus aureus
Macacus radiatus ..
Manis pentadactylus
From the I'ersia.i Gulf
Cervulus aureus
Fells vivenina
Macacus silenus
Manis pentadactylus
Articulated ...
Do
Capra sibirica
Capra me<.accros ...
Cervus cashmirianus
Ovis cyioeeros
Capra jemlaicus
From Kewara
■ From Shanghai ...
From Godhra
Ninox scutellatus ...
Strix javanica
Mr. J. Monteath, C. S.
('apt. Aves.
Mr. G. W. Vidal, C. S.
Do.
Mr. R. Wroughton.
Lieut. E Jervoise, R. N.
Mr. F. Otto.
Mr. W S. Trice.
Mr. A. Newnham.
Col. W. Scott.
Mr. J. C. Anderson.
Mr. A. Spitteler.
Do.
Mr. H. C. Parmenides.
Mr. W. F. Sinclair, C. S.
Brig.-Genl. LaTuuche.
Born in the Society's
Rooms.
I enl. Pottinger.
Mrs Charriiigton.
Mr. W. Holland.
Mr. E. Leggett.
Mr. ATicerudin Tyabji.
Mr. II. S. Wise,
Do.
Mr. S. K. Betham.
Mr. John Parmenides.
Do.
1
I
; Col. H. B. Ryves.
J
Mr. J. W. Black well.
Mr. A. J. M. Inverarity.
Mr. C. F. G. Lester.
Rev. D. R I. Brandon.
Mr. H. K. Cronan,
i»; 2
D0MI1AY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
■Contribution.
Description.
Contributor.
Skull of Indian Antelope.
A i nunbcr of Fish and Rep.
tiles.
SI Birds'* Skius
1 Monitor
1 Civet Cat
2 Panther Cubs (alive) ...
]5 Pairs of Horns
Several pairs of Horns
5 Bird Skins
1 Malabar Bed Squ'rrel
(alivo)
A quantity of Shells, &c...
1 Jungle Cock"s Skin
1 Crocodile (ave) ...
A qnantity of Beptiles, &c.
1 Pioture in Oils ...
1 [ ndian Screech Owl
1 (alive).
Female, with horns ...
From Baipur, C. P. ...
From Saugor,C. P
Varauus dracaana
Viverra malaccensi*
Felis pardus ....
Indian and African Antelopes
African Antelopes ...
From Pooaa ...
Sciurus malabaricus...
From Malabar Coast
Oallua sonnerati
Crocodilus palustris
From Ahmedabad ...
Strix javanioa
Major J. H. Yule.
Mr. J. A. Betham.
Lieut. H. E. Barnes.
Mr. G. Rayment, A. V. D.
Mr. Framji N uiabhai
Davur.
Mr. E. H. Millard.
Brig.-Geul. La Touche.
Capt. H. Gr. E. Swaync,
B. E.
Mr. A, Newnham.
Mr. P. J. FitzGibboa.
Mr. Jas. Murray.
Mr. A. F. Pinhey.
Mr. C. M. Sykes.
Dr. Bobb.
Mr. S. Tytlcr.
Mrs. A. Medcalf.
Minor Contributions from
Mr. John Griffiths, Mr. Justice Parsons, Mr. F. Otto, Mr. D. Bennett, Mr. Eduljee
Davur, Captain Butler. Captain E. Masters, and Mr. Hewett.
CONTRIBUTONS TO THE LIBRARY.
" Wilson American Ornithology," 3 Vols., and 'f Life of Frank Bncklaad," from
Mr. A. Newnham.
Exhibits.
The attention of the members was drawn to the following exhibits : —
1 wild dog's head and 1 large tiger-cat's head, mounted by Mr. Stanley Tytlcr.
A collection of shells from Perim Island, by Dr. Banks.
A photograph of the Talipot Palm {Corijpha umbracutifera), now in flower on
Malabar Hill, by the Hon. Mr. Justice Parsons.
The following papers were then read : —
'•Bird Catching Spiders." (Note by Mr. A. W. Morris.)
" Proposed English Nomenclature for Indian Butterflies." (Note ' by Mr. A.
Newnham, B. S. C.)
'• Bccordcd Iustanees of Children having been Nourished by Wolves and Birds of
Prey," by Mr. Jivanji Jamsetji Modi.
Mr. Modi quoted several somewhat similar cases, and referred to a number of
instances, in old classical literature, of children having been nourished by Wolves and
birds of prey.
Dr. G. A. Maconachie, while proposing a vote of thanks to Mr. Modi for his paper,
remarked that, there appeared to be undoubted evidence that in some cases children
had been suckled by wolves, but that the legendary accounts of birds of prey having
acted as foster-parents to human offspring were intcre^ing only from a literary
point of view and could not be relied upon.
;v
JOURNAL
OF THE
wLuJ V*a,rt^ mJ=»Vc» Am oL«f
al |pt0i|jr ^trfji
No. 3J BOMBAY, 1889. [Vol. iv.
ON NEW AND Lll'TLE-KNOWN BUTTERFLIES FROM
THE INDIAN REGION, WITH A REVISION OF THE
GENUS PLESIONEURA OF FEEDER AND OF AUTHORS,
By Lionel dE Nic&ville, F.E.S., C.M.Z.S., &c.
(With Plates A, B.)
Subfamily SATYRIN^E,
1. LETHE TRISTIGMATA, Elwes, PI. A, Fig. 4, ? .
L. tristigmata, Elwes, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1887, p. 444; idem, id., Trans. Eufc.
Soc. Lond , 1883, p 318, n. 50, pi viii.fig. 1, male.
Habitat : Sikkim.
Expanse : 9,2-6 inches.
Description : Female. Upi*erside, both tvings coloured as iu the
male. Forewing Avith the dark transverse band towards the end of
the cell enclosing a paler space, and the zigzag discal band beyond
the cell more prominent, the latter more distinctly outwardly defined
with lighter ; the submarginal series of five round spota from the costa
to the second median interspace much larger and more prominent.
Hindwing with the markings as in the male, but all larger and darker,
the ferruginous marginal line very distinct, defined on both sides by
a very fine dark line. Underside, both wings marked as in the male,
but all the bands and spots larger and more prominent, the ground
Colour strongly tinged with clear ochreous.
22
164 Bombay natural history society.
The unique female specimen above described is contained in Mr.
Otto Holler's collection, and was obtained at Kala Pookri, 10,000
feet, in Native Sikkim, on 19th July, 1888,
2. MYCALESIS (Samaria) MISENUS, n. sp., PL A, Fig. 8, £ .
Habitat : Sikkim, Kkasi Hills.
Expanse : 6 , 22 to 24 ; ? , 2*4 to 26 inches.
Description : Male and female. Upperside, both icings may be
known from ilf* nicotia, Doubleday and Hewitson (this being the
rains-form, while M. lancji, de Niceville, is the dry-season form of one
species), by the ground-colour being darker, the ocellus of the fovewing
in the first median interspace almost invariably smaller. Underside,
both wings with the ground-colour fuscous instead of pale brown, the
striations pale brown instead of ochreous. Male may be known by
the "scent-fan " below the costa of the hindwing on the upperside
being ochreous, in both forms of M. nicotia it is deep black.
Mr. Otto Moller and I independently discriminated this species as
distinct from 31. nicotia by the conspicuously darker ground-colour
of the underside ; it was only afterwards that the marked difference
between the two species in the colour of the hairs of the " scent-fan"
was noticed. "With a darker ground-colour in M. miseniis one would
expect to find these hairs darker (had this been possible) than in 31.
nicotia, but the contrary is the case.
I have described this species from three males and two females
from Sikkim obtained by Mr. Otto Moller (from April 1st to May 1st,
i.e., in the dry-season), and two males and four females from the
Khasi Hills by the Rev. "Walter A. Hamilton. It appears probable
that this species only occurs in the ocellated form, as is the case in
M. (Samanta) heri, Moore, and H. (Pachama) suarcokns, "Wood-
Mason and de Mceville. Mr. Elwes seems to have misunderstood
M. nicotia* but I think that the above remarks will enable any one to
discriminate between that species and 31. miscnus. The upperside
of typical 31. nicotia is well figured in the "Genera of Diurnal
Lepidoptera ; " I also have given a good figure of both sides of the
non-ocellated form of it (31. langi) in Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1884,
pi. iii, fig. 3, male. Mr. Elwes' figure of M. nicotia does not show
the basal striation of the underside, which is a most characteristic
feature of the species, and appears to have been drawn from a
female of 31. suarcokns .
* Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1888, p. 306, n. 25, pi. ix, fig 5, female.
NEW AND LITTLE-KNOWN INDIAN BUTTERFLIES. 165
3. YPTHIMA LYCUS, n. sp., PL A, Fig. 2, $ .
Y. motschulskii, Marshall and de Nice Wile (wee Bremer and Grey), Butt, of India,
vol. ii, p. 214, n. 202 (1883).
Habitat : Khasi hills.
Expanse: P5 to l-6 inches.
Description : Male. Upperside, both icings dark glossy brown,
cilia paler brown. Forewing with a small black bipupilled sub-
apical ocellus with a pale ochreous obscure outer ring ; a broad
oblique black patch of scales, differently formed from those on the
rest of the wing from the inner margin to the middle of the
disc. Hindwing with a small well-formed round ocellus in the
first median interspace. Underside, both wings dull brown, finely
and densely striated with pale ochreous. Forewing with the ocellus
of the upperside but larger, with an outer broad yellow ring.
Hindwing with a large subapical ocellus, a slightly smaller one
in the first median interspace, a still smaller bipupilled one at the anal
angle — in one specimen this latter ocellus is round and bears a single
pupil only — all these ocelli black, with a prominent silver pupil and an
outer yellow and lastly a fine dark ring. Female, paler throughout
than the male, but does not otherwise differ except in the absence
of the " male mark," and the geater prominence of the subapical
ocellus of the forewing on the upperside.
Through the kindness of Mr. J. H. Leech, who has sent me a male
of the true Y. motschulskii, Bremer and Grey, from China, I am able
to discriminate between that species and its Indian ally. The
latter is considerably smaller, has narrower wings, darker cilia,
no dark submarginal line to either wing on the upperside, and differs
conspicuously in the hindwing on the underside being brown with
very fine pale ochreous striation; in Y. motschulskii the ground-
colour is white, with coarse dark brown striation.
As far as I am at present aware, Y. lycus occurs only near Shil-
long in the Khasi hills, flying at any rate from March to July,
and has no non-ocellated form.
Subfamily NYMPHALIN^E.
4. ARGYNNIS CLARA, Blanchard, PI. A, Fig. 6, ?.
A. clara, Blanchard, Jacqueraont's Voy. dans l'lnde vol. iv, Zoologie — Insectes,
p, 20, n. 14, Insectes pi. ii, figs. 2, 3, male (1844) ; id., de Niceville, Butt, of India,
vol. ii, p. 136, n. 428 (1880).
Habitat : Tihri Garhwal, Western Himalayas.
Expanse : ?, 2 2 inches.
166 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY,
Description : Female. Upperside, both wings with, the fulvous
coloration of the male almost entirely overlaid with dark bronzy-
greenish scales, all the black markings larger. Forewing with the
middle spot in the cell placed upon a fulvous ground, the disc with
fulvous streaks between the veins, a submarginal series of whitish
spots. JSindmng with a prominent series of rich fulvous spots, extend-
ing between the two inner discal series of black spots, no other
fulvous markings whatever. Underside, both wings as in the male.
Mr. P. W. Mackinnon obtained this species in large numbers
through his native collectors in several places in Tihri Garhwal at
considerable elevations in August. The specimens were mostly
somewhat worn ; it probably emerges about the middle of July.
Family LYCJENID^L
5. BIDUANDA CINESOIDES, n. sp., PL A, Fig. 7, £.
Habitat : Selangore, Malay Peninsula.
Expanse: &, 1*6 inches.
Description : Male. Upperside, both icings violet-blue. Fore-
icing with a marginal narrow black line ; a large round black
glandular patch of modified scales beyond the ends of the cell, extend-
ing slightly into it, anteriorly bounded by the upper discoidal nervule,
posteriorly by the second median nervule. Hindwing with an
oblique black band extending from the base of the short outermost
tail to the abdominal margin above tb_e anal notch, beyond which,
the outer margin is white, bearing a very fine black line ; the tails
white, black at their bases ; a very large intensely black elongated
patch of modified glandular scales below the costa. Cilia of the
forewing blackish, of the hindwing anteriorly blackish, posteriorly
white. Underside, forewing orange-rufous, the inner margin
broadly pale and highly polished. Hindicing with the {interior- half
orange-rufous, gradually merging into the white area of the posterior
half of the wing ; an oblique zigzag narrow black band extending
from the middle of the abdominal margin to near the end of the
second subcostal nervule, where the band is much attenuated and
turned upwards parallel with the outer margin ; beyond this narrow
band is another still narrower and more zigzag band enclosing a
ferruginous lino, with a band of metallic amethystine- violet placed
outwardly against it, the inner portion of the latter above the anal notch
enclosed by a short black lino centred with ferruginous ; a black
spot on the anal lobe, and another larger one in the first median
NEW AND LITTLE-KNOWN INDIAN BUTTERFLIES. 167
interspace just within the margin ; a fine marginal black line ; tails
as above.
Very near to the uMyrina" cinesia of Hewitson,* from Borneo, from
which it appears to differ in the presence of the "male-mark" on
the upperside of the forewing ; on the upperside of the hindwing
there is a black band in the anal region, with a considerable whito
band beyond it, which latter is not found in B. cinesia, and on the
underside of the hindwing in the inner black band being half as
wide, the outer band also much narrower, and enclosing a ferruginous
line, in B. cinesia it is wholly black ; the middle tail is also more
than one-third longer in my species.
6. ZEPHYRUS ZOA, n. sp., PL A, Fig. 3, £ .
Habitat: Sikkim.
Expanse : $ , 2'0 inches.
Description : Male. Upperside, both icings black. Forewing with
all but the outer margin (which is somewhat broadly and evenly of
the ground-colour) and the veins (which are black) clothed with pow-
dery rich metallic iridescent dark green scales ; this colour in some
lights is quite invisible. Hindwing with a patch of similar green
scales in the middle of the wing, the costa and outer margin being
broadly of the ground-colour, the abdominal margin a little paler
fuscous. Underside, both wings dull fuliginous black. Forewing
with a deeper black disco- cellular mark outwardly defined by a fine
silvery white line ; an indistinot, somewhat broad, straight blackish
discal band from the costa to the first median nervule outwardly
defined by a fine silvery white line ; an indistinct blackish submarginal
band which widens out on either side of the first median nervule, and is
there rather prominent. Hindwing with a short blackish bar near the
base of the costal interspace inwardly defined by a fine silvery white
line; a narrow disco-cellular line outwardly surrounded with white;
the usual "W- shaped discal prominent line, silvery white inwardly,
slightly defined by a narrow blackish line ; the outer margin
broadly sprinkled with white scales ; a prominent marginal large
oval deep black spot circled with orange in the first median
interspace ; an anal deep black spot crowned with orange, which latter
colour extends on one side to the first median nervule, on the other
in a narrow line for some short distance up the abdominal margin,
*Myrina cinesia, Hewitson, 111. Diurn. Lep., p. 29, n. 5, pi. xiii, figs. 18, 19, male
20, female (18G3).
168 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
where it is inwardly bounded by a fine black line and then by a line
of turquoise-blue ; a fine anteciliary white line, obsolete towards the
apex. Thorax above anteriorly clothed with hairs, which are ferru-
ginous in some lights, posteriorly with green hairs ; abdomen black
above, pale fuscous below.
This species belongs to the group whioh contains Thccla \Z&phyru&\
tsanghie, Oberthur, and T. desgodinsi, Oberthiir,* from Thibet, but
appears to be quite distinct from either. It differs from the former
in being larger ; it has no brilliant blue spots on the margin of the
hindwing on the upperside on either side of the tail, and the colour
of the underside is black, not brown. From the latter (of which the
female only is known) it also differs in the ground-colour of the
underside, and in the discal white lines being straight, instead of
outwardly convex as in T. desgodinsi, and in the presence of the bar
in the costal interspace on the hindwing, T. diamantina, Oberthur, f
which is also of this group, appears to have the green colour
on the upperside of the male less powdery, and reaches much
nearer to the outer margin. It was described from the Isle
of Askold. From the description alone Z. 50a appears to come
very near to "Dipsas "Japonica, Murray, J but that species is said to
have no disco-cellular markings on the underside, and has also a
third black spot with whitish scales in the middle between the two
large ones on either side of it on the underside of the hindwing near
the anal angle not found in my species. To judge of it also
from the late Mr. H. Pryer's figures in his " Rhopalocera Nihonica"
the male has the green coloration of the upperside much more
extensive than in Z. zoa.
A single specimen has been obtained by Mr. A. V. Knyvett on
Tiger's Hill, above Darjiling at 8,000 feet elevation, on 26th June,
1888.
7. ARHOPALA AIDA, n. sp., PL A, Fig. 1, 6 .
Habitat : Pegu Yoma ; Mergui ; Tenasserim Valley,
Expanse: 6 , 1*60; 9 , 1'45 inches.
Description : Male. Upperside, both wings shining bluish-purple,
of exactly the same tint as in A. selta, Hewitson, and A. rafflcsii,
niihi. Forewing with the outer margin broadly black (a little
* Etudes d'Ent., vol. xi, pp. 20, 21, pi, vii, figs. 54—56 (1856).
t Etudes d'Ent., vol. v, p. 18, n. 45, pi. i, fig- 1, male (1880),
% Ent, Month. Mag., vol. xi, p. 109 (1875),
NEW AND LITTLE-KNOWN INDIAN BUTTERFLIES; 16$
broader than in A. selt'i). Hindwing with the outer black margin
even, as broad as in the fore wing ; the costa more broadly black.
Underside, both icings purplish-brown, strongly glossed with purple,
all the markings prominent, a little darker than the ground-colour,
outwardly narrowly and clearly defined with whitish. Foremng
with the inner margin broadly paler ; an oval spot near the base of
the cell ; an oblong one at its middle, with a costal spot above it ; a
quadrate spot closing the cell, also with a costal spot above it ; a
discal macular band dislocated below the third median nervule, the
fourth spot nearer the margin, the two spots which follow further
removed from the margin, a large quadrate spot in continuation in
the submedian interspace ; a pair of submarginal fascia?, but more
prominent than usual. Hindmng with the usual basal annular spots,
a spot closing the cell, a discal band formed of spots arranged more
or less in pairs, the usual marginal lunular fascia?, the small anal
lobe black, a small black spot in the first median interspace on the
margin, the space between this spot and the anal angle sprinkled
with metallic^-green scales. Female. Upperside, both icings of a
lighter more bluish shade than in the male, the outer margins much
broader J otherwise as in the male.
Described from a single male (the type) captured by Major C. T,
Bingham on the Pegu Yoma, Burma, in December, 1887, and two
males and a female captured by Mr. W. Doherty at Mergui and in the
Tenasserim Valley, in the cold season of 1888-89. One of these
males differs slightly from the type in having all the markings of-
the underside rather larger and darker, and consequently more
prominent.
Subfamily PAPlLIONlM.
8. PAPILIO (Euplceopsis) TELEARCHTTS, Hewitson, PL A,
Fig. 5, ? .
P. telearclms, Hewitson, Trans. Bint. Soc. Lond., second series, vol. ii, p. 22, pi. vi,
fig. 3, male (1852); P. (Euplceopsis) telearclms, Elwes and de Niceville, Journ. A. S. B.,
Vol. lv, pt. 2, p. 433, n. 122 (1887); Isamiopsis telearchus, Moore, DeBC. Lep. Coll.
Atkinson, p. 285 (1888).
Habitat : Assam, Tavoy, Ponsekai.
Expanse : $ , 5-4 inches.
Description : Female. Upperside. Foremng brown ; costa black
basally ; a longitudinal streak in the lower basal two-thirds of the
discoidal cell, a small streak at the base of the second median inter*
170 BOMBAY NATURAL &ISTORY SOCIETY.
Space, a larger one at the base of the first median interspace, a pair of
Streaks in the submedian interspace, outwardly joined to two oval
whitish spots) a large streak on the inner margin— all greyish-
Ochreous ; the apical half of the wing including the outer third of
the cell dark brown strongly glossed with purple ; an oval spot at the
lower outer end of the cell, a discal series of seven spots, and a
submarginal series of nine — all white more or less edged with purple
of a lighter shade than tko pui'ple-glossed ground-colour. Hindicing
brown ; a streak in the cell, and eight streaks round it, one in each
intersjaace — greyish-ochreous ; a submarginal series of seven pale
ochreous-whitish spots, the upper one oval, the rest dentate ; seven
small white spots on the margin, one in each interspace. Underside,
both wings dull brown, the spots and streaks as above. Foreicing
entirely lacking the purple gloss, and the purple edging to the spots.
Antenna? black ; head, thorax and abdomen black, streaked and
spotted with white.
The female of P. tckari-hus is now described for the first time*
It is the only specimen of that sex I have seen, though the males
are by no means very rare. It is probable that both sexes
mimic the corresponding sexes of Euplo&a (Trejjsichrois) midamus-,
Linnteus (= T. linncei, Moore), which is certainly the commonest
species of the genus in the regions where P. telearchus is found;
Mr. Moore suggests that it mimics Eupkea (Isamia) splendens^
Butler (= E. rogcnhoferi, Felder). I much doubt this, as that species
is always a rare one wherever it occurs ; at any rate the female of
P. telearchus does not mimic it, the opposite sexes of E. rogcnhoferi
being superficially the same, while the female of P. telearchus differs
widely from the male in coloration and markings as do the opposite
sexes of E. midamus.
I am indebted to the Rev. Walter A. Hamilton for the loan of
the specimen described above. It was obtained by his native
collectors in the Khasi Hills below Shillong;
Family HESPERIID.^.
9. HASORA ANURA, n. sp., PI. B, Figs. 5, £ ; 1, $ 4
Habitat : Sikkim, Khasi Hills.
Expanse: £ ?, 2-1 inches.
Description: Male. Upperside, both Wings deep bronzy-brown;
the base and disc thickly clothed with long ochreous-brown hairs ;
cilia ochreous-brown, Foreicing with a minute subapical transparent
NEW AND LITTLE-KNOWN INDIAN BUTTERFLIES. 171
shining yellow dot. Underside, both icings dark brown, somewhat
glossed with purple. For&wing with the inner margin broadly pale,
a broad discal dark band free from purple gloss. Hindmng with
the basal two-thirds much darker than the outer third, the dark
portion well-defined, bearing towards the abdominal margin on the
dividing edge a small prominent ochreous spot, an ochreous ante-
ciliary line from the anal angle to the first median nervule, the
ochreous spot and line obscure in one specimen ; a prominent whitish
spot in the middle of the disc in one specimen, obscure in the other.
Famale. Upperside, both wings coloured as in the male. Forewing
with a quadrate spot at the end of the cell, an elongate one below
across the first median interspace, its inner edge straight, its outer
edge concave ; another smaller narrow spot constricted in the middle
across the middle of the second median interspace ; three increasing
subapical dots — all these spots shining translucent rich ochreous,
Underside, forewing with the spots of the upperside showing through,
the inner margin broadly bright ochreous, otherwise as in the male.
Closely allied to the common Hasora badra, Moore, from which it
differs in both sexes in having no large anal lobe to the hindwing, this
lobe beiug present in H. badra and coloured black on the underside, of
which black patch there is no trace in II. anura; the latter also is a
smaller insect ; the female differs in having the three large discal yellow
spots of the forewing considerably smaller, and of a deeper richer
yellow.
Described from two male and four female specimens in Mr. Otto
Moller's collection which shew hardly any variation. They have
been selected from ninety- three males and forty -five females of
H. badra, a very common species in Sikkim, in Mr. Moller's col-
lection. The complete abseuce of the large anal lobe or tail in
II. anura makes it distinguishable from H. badra at a glance.
There is also a specimen of this species from Sikkim in the collection
of Mr. G. C. Dudgeon, and a male from Shillong in the collection
of the Indian Museum, Calcutta. This latter specimen was submitted
for determination to Mr. F. Moore, who pronounced it to be a
variety of II. badra, but I believe it to be a good species.
I may note that the Hasora litta of Distant* is the H. coulteri of
Wood-Mason and de Niceville.f A specimen from Perak is in the
* Rkop. Malay p. 375, n. 2, pi. xxsv, fig. 4, male (18S6).
t Journ. A. S. B. vol. Iv, pt. 2, p. 378, n. 201, pi. xviii, fig. 8, male; 8a, 86,
female (1886).
23
172 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
Indian Museum, Calcutta, and differs from the type male specimen
from Cachar in possessing two minute semi-transparent yellow dots
on the disc of the forewing, and a similar spot in the discoiclal cell of
the hindwing on the underside, characters of no importance. The
true H. vitta, Butler, which is from Sarawak, Borneo, may be known
from H. coutteri by having the basal area of the hindwing on the under-
side glossed with green (rirescente) ; this is not found in H. coulter i.
10. HASORA HADRIA, n. sp.
P Hesperia badra, Butler (nee Moore), Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond., Zoology, second
series, vol. i, p. 554, n. 3 (1877) ; Hasora badra, Distant, (nee Moore), Khop. Malay,
p. 374, n. i, pi. xxx, fig. 3, male (1886).
Habitat: Perak, ? Malacca.
Expanse : £ , 2-l inches.
Description : Male. Upperside, both wings as in H. anura, minis.
Forewing lacking the subapical yellow dot (this however is a trivial
character). Underside, both wings dull brown, not slightly glossed
with purple as in FL. anura, or strongly so as in H. badra, Moore.
Hindwing with a small anal lobe bearing a black patch, in FL. anura
there is no black patch or anal lobe, in H. badra both are large.
This species is probably variable with regard to the presence or
absence of a white or greyish spot in the cell of the hindwing on the
underside, and a white or greyish streak above the anal angle, as in
the two allied species above-named ; Mr. Distant describing a "var."
of this species as lacking these characters.
I have not figured this species, as Mr. Distant has done so in his
" Rhopalocera Malayana." I have described it from a single male
from Perak in the collection of the Indian Museum, Calcutta, which
Mr. Distant ticketed " Hasora badra, Moore (var. )" I am unable
to say whether or not H. badra occurs in Malacca, Johore,
Java, Borneo, Celebes and the Philippines (localities given for
H. badra by Messrs. Distant and Butler). The true H. badra, Moore,
occurs in Sikkim, Assam, Calcutta (one female taken by Colonel Gr.
F. L. Marshall, R.E., in his room at midnight in February), Ceylon,
Chittagong, Moulmein, and the Andaman Isles (a single female).
11. PARNARA PHOLUS, n. sp., PI, B, Fig. 3, $ .
Habitat : Bhutan.
Expanse : $ > 2*4 ; $, 2-6 inches.
Description : Male. Upperside, both wings rich brown with a
shining vinous tinge, the spots translucent rich ochreous. Forewing
with three conjugated subapical spots, the first a mere dot, the next
NEW AND LITTLE-KNOWN INDTAN BUTTERFLIES. ] 73
twice as large, the lowest four times as large as the middle spot ;
two well- separated spots towards the end of the cell placed inwardly
obliquely ; a spot about twice the size of these in the middle of the
second median interspace, another much larger one completely
filling the first median interspace below the innermost spot in the
cell, another spot below this at about the middle of the submedian
interspace and touching that nervure. Cilia concolorous with the
wing. Hmdwing with a small round spot near the end of
the cell, three equal-sized spots in a straight line on the disc
separated by the second and third median ncrvules ; the base of the
wing and the abdominal margin clothed with long yellowish-brown
setse. Cilia pale yellow. Underside, both wings as above, but the
coloration duller. Forewing with the spot in the submedian inter-
space much larger, its edges diffused, pale yellow. Hindwing as on
the upperside. Antennae and legs black throughout; top of head,
thorax, and top of abdomen decreasingly clothed with long iridescent
bronze-green hairs, thorax below duller. Female, larger than the
male. Forewing with the lowest subapical spot larger than in the
male, the two spots in the cell conjoined. Otherwise as in the male-
Described from a male obtained by Mrs. Wylly, and a female by the
native collectors of Mr. Otto Moller, near Buxa, Bhutan, in August.
I know of no near ally to this fine species, the largest in the genus
hitherto described.
12. PARNARA SAEALA, n. sp., PI. B., Fig. 6, 9.
Habitat : Khasi Hills.
Expanse : £ , 1*8 ; ? , 2*0 inches.
Description : ■ Female. Upperside, both icings dark bronzy-
fuscous. Forewing with a large medially constricted spot at the end
of the cell ; an elongated spot at the base of the second median
interspace ; a much larger one towards the base of the first median
interspace, its outer end concave, its inner end convex, anteriorly
and posteriorly touching the second and first median nervules ; a
comma- shaped spot in the submedian interspace, touching the
middle of the submedian nervure — all these spots semi-transparent
lustrous white ; cilia fuscous. Hindwing with a large oval pale
yellow patch on the middle of the disc ; and a small patch on the
abdominal margin near the base of the wing; cilia rich chrome-
yellow at the anal angle, gradually shading off into fuscous
anteriorly. Underside, both wings distinctly glossed with rich purple.
174 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
Forewing with the three discal spots as above, the one in the
submedian interspace on the upperside developed into a large
outwardly- diffused white patch occupying the middle of the
inner margin ; a large chrome-yellow quadrate patch above the
spot in the cell extending from the subcostal nervure to the costa.
Hindicing with the oval pale yellow discal patch of the upper-side
developed into a broad anteriorly-increasing discal chrome-yellow
band extending from the abdominal margin to the costa, but with
a break between the submedian and internal nervures. Palpi, thorax,
and abdomen- above and below clothed with bronzy-green iridescent
hairs ; antennae with shaft black, club broken off.
The Rev. Walter A. Hamilton, who obtained the two
specimens above described, possesses the wings only of a third
specimen placed between talc of what appears to be the male of this
species captured in the same locality. In the forewing there are
two small well- separated spots in the cell instead of one large one,
the two spots below are smaller, the spot in the submedian inter-
space entirely wanting ; otherwise as in the female. This specimen
does not apparently possess any secondary sexual characters.
I do not know any near ally to P. sarala. The shape of the
wings agrees with that of the species of the genus Parnara, the
probable male having the forewing less broad, the apex more acute
and the outer margin more straight and inwardly oblique than in
the female.
13. PARNARA PARCA, n. sp., PL B, Fig. 10, ? .
Habitat : Sikkim, Khasi Hills.
Expanse: $, 1*9 inches.
Description : Female. Upperside, both icings deep vinous-brown.
Foreiving with three small subapical spots forming half a circle ;
two elongated well- separated spots at the end of the discoidal
cell ; a rhomboidal spot near the middle of the second median
interspace ; another occupying a similar position in the first median
interspace, anteriorly and posteriorly bounded by the second and first
median nervules, its inner end well rounded, its outer end convex
and the lower corner produced ; a rounded spot in the submedian
interspace touching that nervure a little boyond its middle — all these
spots semi-transparent lustrous white ; cilia from the inner angle to
the second median nervule dull ochreous, anteriorly of the colour of
the wing. Hindicing with five nearly equal-sized spots forming a rough
NEW AND LITTLE-KNOWN INDIAN RUTTERFLIES. 175
oval on the disc, the two lowest spots nearer together than the rest ;
these spots are translucent white in some lights, metallic pale brassy-
greenish in others ; cilia broadly rich chrome-yellow from the anal
angle to the termination of the third median nervule, thence to the
apex of the wing vinous-brown. Underside, both wings of the colour
of the npperside. Foremng with the spots as on the npperside ;
the dull ochreous cilia of the upperside pale clear yellow, that
colour extending a little distance on to the wing. Hindmng also
with the spots as above ; the chrome-yellow cilia of the npperside
is pale clear yellow on the underside, that colour extending irregu-
larly on to the wing membrane beyond. Antenna) with the shaft
black, becoming ochreous just before the black club ; abdomen
tipped with long chrome-yellow hairs ; rest of body, head and palpi
more or less concolorous with the wings ; femur and tibia of legs
black and clothed with very long thick and closely-set black hairs,
tarsus anteriorly black, posteriorly deep chrome-yellow, naked.
I place this species but doubtfully in the genus Pamara, all the
legs being strongly setose, being a character not found in any species
of that genus known to me. A somewhat similar character is found
in the males only of Abaratha syrichthus, Felder, A. ransonnetii,
Felder, and A. taylorii, mini, all of which possess a tuft of black hairs
over a quarter of an inch in length attached to the coxae of the front
legs, and ordinarily lying along the pectus of the butterfly between
the middle and hindlegs. These bunches of hairs are probably scent-
fans, and are, moreover, probably susceptible of erection and expansion,
but accurate observations on the subject on live specimens are desir-
able. In describing the genus Abaratha ,* Mr. Moore stated that the
legs are naked, this is certainly not the case with the front legs of the
males of the type species. Mr. Distantf is also incorrect in saying
that the hindlegs of the type species of the genus are strongly pilose,
f-his applies to the forelegs of the male only. It is also quite certain
that the species Mr. Distant places in the genus Abaratha (sura,
Moore, and pygela, Hewitson), possess a setose clothing quite different
^.0 that found in the true Abarathas : these species, I think, should be
placed in another genus. In the genus Casyajxc, Kirby, the males
have the tibia of the hindlegs extremely hairy.
P. parca is described from a single specimen in my collection
obtained by the Rev. Walter A. Hamilton in the Khasi Hills, who
* Lep. Ceylon, vol. i, p. 181 (1881).
t Rhop. Malay., p. 390 (1886).
176 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
possesses the wings of a second example placed between talc from
the same region, I also possess another female from Sikkim. I do
not know any species at all similarly marked to P. parca.
14. CHAPRA MATHTAS, Fabricius, PL B, Fig. 7, 6 .
Hesperta mathias, Fabricius, Ent. Syst., SuppL, p. 433, n. 289-90 (179$).
I have figured what I believe to be a very unusual variety of this
species captured at Pilibhit, Kumaon, by Colonel A. M. Lang, R. E.,
on 16th December, 1887. It is a male, and has a very prominent
spot in the lower subcostal interspace of the hindwing ; this spot is
semi-transparent, and shews on both sides of the wing. Mr. Elwes
refers to this rare varietal form in his paper on the "Lepidoptera of
Sikkim."* My specimen has also a pale diffused band on the under-
side of the forewing just within the dark anteciliary thread extending
from the apex of the wing to the first median nervule ; also a large
similarly-coloured discal patch on the hindwing, and a marginal band.
15. HALPE AINA, n. sp., PL B,[Fig. 8, g .
Habitat: Sikkim.
Expanse : £ , 1*36 to l-44 inches.
Description : Nearest to H. kumara, mihi,f of which Mr. Otto
Moller possesses eighteen specimens and I six, all from Sikkim.
Male. Upperside, both wings of a more tawny-ferruginous colour, due
to the entire forewing and the basal two-thirds of the hindwing being
clothed with a thick coating of long hair-like ferruginous scales placed
upon a deep brown ground. Forewing with two conjoined spots in
the discoidal cell, the upper spot answering to the single spot of
II. kumara, the lower spot twice as large as the upper ; three instead
of two increasing conjoined subapical spots; the two discal spots
much the same : the " male-mark," however, instead of being a long
continuous black streak of modified scales as in H. kumara presents
the appearance of two obliquely-placed yellow spots exactly as in
H. gupta, mihi,J which can be teazed out by a pin-point into
a quantity of fluffy material like down. Underside, both wings
coloured much as in H. kumara. Forewing with the translucent yellow
spots as on the upperside. Hindwing unmarked in eight specimens,
in one specimen with two opaque pale yellow discal spots.
Described from five male specimens in the collection of Mr. Otto
Moller, and four in my own.
* Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1888, p 444, n. 462.
f Journ. A. S. B., vol. liv, pt. 2, p. 121, pi. ii, fig. 10, male (1885),
% Journ. A. S. B., vol. lv, pt. 2, p. 254, n. 8, pi. xi, fig. 1, male (1886.)
NEW AND LITTLE-KNOWN INDIAN BUTTERFLIES. 177
16. HESPERIA HELLAS, n. sp., PI. B, Fig. 9, £ .
Habitat: Campbcllpur (Punjab).
Expanse: 1-05 inches.
Description : Very close to II. galba, Fabricius (superna, Moore,
enniidus, Butler, and evanidus, var. adenensis, Butler), from which it
differs on the uppers] de oiboth icings in the white spots being smaller
and fewer in number, the discal macular band on the hind/wing
narrower, and notably the underside of the hindwing unspotted,
but bearing three equi-distant white bands, the first subbasal,
somewhat obscure ; the second discal, with nearly regular edges, of
nearly equal breadth throughout, unbroken, extending from the
costa to the white abdominal streak ; the third obscure, marginal.
I possess two specimens of this species collected by Major J. ~W.
Yerbury. They can at once be distinguished from the very
numerous specimens of H. galba before me from Aden, Sind, and
indeed from almost all parts of India (the type was from Tran-
quebar), and from Ceylon, by the prominence and regularity of the
bands of the hindwing on the underside, especially the medial one.
In H. galba the medial band is usually continuous, but it always has
very irregular edges, it is often broken up into groups of spots,
particularly in some specimens from Aden, and is described as
characteristic of H. evanidus ; this does not, however, appear to be
a constant feature, as I find from an examination of specimens
from the Hubb river in Colonel Swinhoe's collection, which were
captured with the types of that species. Colonel Swinhoe, in his
two papers on the Lepidoptera of Karachi, records both II. galba and
H. evanidus from that city, but on a careful examination of his
series of both species I am unable to say by what character he
separated them, every gradation, as far as I can see, occurring
between typical H. galba with the medial band on the underside
of the hindwing unbroken and typical H. evanidus with the band
divided into three well- separated spots. I find the same variation
also in specimens from Aden.
Genus CELJENOERHINUS, Hubner.
Cel&norrMnus, Hubner, Verz. bek. Schmett,, p, 106 (1816); id., Plotz, Berl. Ent.
Zeitsch., vol. xxvi, p. 253 (1882) ; Gehlota, Doherty, Journ. A. S. B. vol. lviii, pt. 2,
p. 131 (18S9); Plesioneura (preoc), part, auctorum.
Forewing, costa slightly arched, apex rather acute, outer margin
convex, inner margin straight ; costal nervure terminating opposite
178 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
the apex of the discoidal cell, first, second, and third subcostal
nermles with their bases almost equi-distant, ,/bw^A subcostal with its
base half as near to the base of the third subcostal as that vein is
to the second, terminating at the apex of the wing, terminal
portion of subcostal nervure or fifth subcostal nervule with its
base almost touching that of the fourth, terminating on the outer
margin far below the apex of the wing; discoidal cell long, narrow;
upper disco-cellular nervule straight, strongly outwardly oblique,
very short; middle and lower disco- cellular nervules almost in the
same straight line (the lower a little concave), the lower a little
longer than the upper, both veins taken together strongly inwardly
oblique; second median nervule arising some little distance before the
lower end of the cell, first median nervule arising much nearer to the
base of the wing than to the point where the second median is given
off; submedian nervure slightly recurved; internal nervure short and
quickly running into the submedian nervure, with which it entirely
anastomoses. Hindwing, costa strongly arched at base then straight
to apex, which latter is somewhat acute in the male, rounded in the
female, outer margin rounded, inner margin convex ; costal nervure
almost straight, terminating just before the apex of the wing; first
subcostal nervule originating some distance before the apex of the
cell; upper disco-cellular nervule straight, very slightly outwardly
oblique ; lower disco-cellular also slightly outwardly oblique, at first
concave, then straight, a little longer than the upper disco -
cellular ; discoidal nervule very fine, straight, arising at the point of
junction of the disco-cellular nervules ; second median nervule
arising just before the lower end of the cell, first median arising
much nearer the lower end of the cell, than the base of the wing ;
submedian and internal nervures straight. Type,* the Papilio
eligius of Cramer.
This diagnosis has been made from bleached wings of both sexes
of the " Hesperia" leucocera, of Kollar, from Simla, and of the
" Papilio " eligius of Cramer from the Amazons, for the specimens
of which latter I am indebted to Dr. 0. Staudinger. All the species
of the genus settle with wide outsjaread wings, which at once dis-
tinguishes them in life from the genus Notocrijpta, mini, the species
of which rest with wings folded upright over the back. C. leucocera
*Vide Mr. Samuel H. Scndder's "Historical Sketch of the Generic Names pro-
posed for Butterflies," in Proc. Am. Acad. Arts and Sciences, vol. x, p. 137 (1875).
NEW AND LITTLE-KNOWN INDIAN BUTTERFLIES. 179
in the Western Himalayas is markedly crepuscular, I have seen
specimens over and over again flying up and down a short distance
of the bed of the Simla river with immense rapidity, so fast that
the eye can hardly follow them, settling on a leaf for a second and
then flying off again, long after the sun has set. All that are known
to me have the hindwing more or less spotted. C. eligius, Cramer,
was described, from Surinam in South America, and Felder states
that he has received a specimen from Venezuela. The similarity
in the markings of the forewing of this species to those of C.
maculosa, Felder, from Shanghai, is not a little remarkable. The
transformations of only one species are known, those of C.
spilothyrus, Felder.
(1) Cel-enorrhinus eligius, Cramer.
Papilio eligius, Cramer, Pap. Ex., vol. iv, p. 123, pi. cccliv, fig. H (1781);
Cehftiorrhinus eligius, Hiibner, Verz. bek. Schmetfc., p. 106, n. 1142 (1810) ; Eudamus
eligius, Felder, Wien. Ent. Monatsch., vol. vi, p. 182, n. 1(35 (18G2) ; Tagiades eligius,
Plotz, Jahr. des Nass. Ver. Natur., vol. xxxvii, p. 50, n. 45 (1881) ; Plesioneura eligius,
Staudinger, Ex. Schmett., p. 300, pi. c, male (1883).
Habitat : Surinam (Cramer) ; Venezuela (Felder) ; Brazil (Plotz);
South Brazil, Chanchamayo, Venezuela, Columbia, and Chiriqui
(Staudinger).
(2) Cel-enorrhinus vulturnus, Felder.
Eudamus vulturnus, Felder, Wien. Ent. Monatsch., vol. vi, p. 182, n. 165 (1862).
Habitat: River Negro, South Brazil (Felder).
(3) ? Cel^norrhinus compressa, Moschler.
Plesioneura compressa, Moschler, Verh. zool.-bot. Gesellsch. Wien, vol xxvi, p. 336,
pi. iv, fig. 22 (1876).
Habitat : Surinam.
Note — From the figure and description this species appears to me
to belong but doubtfully to this genus.
( i) Cel^norrhinus ochrogutta, Moschler.
Plesioneura ochrogutta, Moschler, Verh. zool.-bot. Gesellsch. Wien, vol. xxxii, p. 330,
pi. xvii, fig. 22 (1883).
Habitat : Surinam (Moschler).
(5) Cel^enorrhinus eritz-g^rtneri, Bailey.
Plesioneura fritz-gcertneri, Bailey, Bull. Brooklyn Soc, vol. iii, p. 'J2 (1881).
Habitat : Salvador (?), Central America (Bailey).
Note — I have not seen the description of this species. It is
referred to in the Zoological Record for 1881, Insects, p. 169.
24
180 BOMBAY NATUEAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
(6) Cel^norrhinus mokeezi, Wallengren.
Pterygospidea moTceeei, Wallengren, Kongliga Svensha vet.-atad. Hand., Lep. Rhop.
Caff., p. 54, n. 3 (1857) ; Nisoniades mokeezi, Trimen, Rhop. Afr. Anstr., p. 316, n. 210,
pi. vi, fig. 5, female (1860) ; Hesperia amaponda, Trimen, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., third
series, vol. i, p. 405 (1862).
Habitat: Caffraria (Wallengren) ; South Africa (Trimen).
(7) Celjenorrhinus bumbloti, Mabille.
Plesioneura hwnibloti, Mabille, Ann. Soc Ent. Belg., vol. xxviii, p. clxxxvii (1884).
Habitat: Madagascar (Mabille).
(8) Celjenorrhinus proxima, Mabille.
Plesioneura proxima, Mabille, Bull. Soc. Zool, France, 1877, p. 231.
Habitat: Congo (Mabille).
(9) Cel^norrhinus shema, Hewitson.
Pterygospidea shema, Hewitson, Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist., fourth series, vol. xx,
p. 322 (1877).
Haeitat : Cayenne and Calabar (Hewitson) ,
(10) Cel.enorrhinus maculosa, Felder.
Pterygospidea maculosa, Felder, Reise Novara, Lep., vol. iii, p. 528, n. 934, pi. Ixxiii,
fig. 7, male (1867) ; id., Elwes, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1881, p. 911.
Habitat: Shanghai, South China (Felder) ; China (Elwes).
Note — Plotz considered this species to be the same as the next.
Elwes says they differ considerably in the markings of the hind-
wing on the underside.
(11) Cel^norrhinus pulomaya, Moore.
Plesionetira pulomaya, Moore, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1865, p. 787 j idem, id., op. cit.,
882, p. 263 ; id., Elwes, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1888, p. 463, n.532 ; ? P. pulomaya,
Doherty, Joum. A. S. B., vol. lv, pt. 2, p. 139, n. 258 (1886) ; Hesperia pulomaya,
Horsfield and Moore, Cat. Lep. Mus. E. I. C, vol. i, p. 252, n. 573 (1857); Tagiades
pulomaya, Plotz, Jahr. des Nass. Ver. Natur., vol. xxxvii, p. 50, n.'47 (1884).
Habitat: Darjiling and N.-W. Himalayas (Moore); Pindari
valley, Kurnaon, 7 — 9,000 feet (Doherty) • Sikkim (Ehves); Darjiling
(Horsfield and Moore); South Asia (Plotz) ; Kulu ; Masuri ; Bhutan.
Note. — This species appears to differ from the preceding in
having tbe spot one-third from the base and the lower of the two
spots beyond iu the submedian interspace of the forewing on the
upperside yellow instead of white, and the cilia of the hindwing
very prominently alternately orange and dark brown instead of
dark brown intersected with white.
NEW AND LITTLE -KNOWN INDIAN BUTTERFLIES. 181
(12) Celjenorrhinus flavocincta, de Niceville.
Plesioneura flavocincta., do Niceville, Proc. Zool. Soc. Loud., 1887, p. 464, pi. xl,
fig- 9> female.
Habitat: Buxa, Bhutan [de Niceville).
17. (13) CELuENORRHINUS PYRRHA, n. sp., PI. B,
Fig. 11, 9.
Habitat : Bhutan, Assam.
Expanse: 5,1-9; ?, 2"0 to 2'2 inches.
Description : Male. Upperside, forewing dark brown, the basal
half of the wing clothed with ochreous-yellow scales; a large square
spot at the end of the discoidal cell, a rather smaller one below it
iu the first median interspace, a small one placed outwardly between
these two spots in the second median interspace, two still smaller
spots placed inwardly obliquely in the submedian interspace below
the outer angle of the second spot, the lower one sometimes want-
ing, five small subapical spots arranged three and two — all these
spots semi-transparent diaphanous white ; cilia dark brown through-
out. Hindwing dark brown, the basal two-thirds thickly clothed
with long ochreous-yellow seta), some bright yellow spots on the
disc ; cilia alternately dark brown and pale yellow. Underside,
Jurewing spotted as above, but the anterior spot in the cell continued
almost to the costa by two small white spots divided by the costal
nervure, two diffused whitish spots placed in the submedian
interspace beyond the two diaphanous spots of the upperside.
Hindwing with all the spots more prominent and paler yellow than
on the upperside. Antennce black below throughout, above with a
small portion just before the club shining silvery white, the shaft
dotted with white. Female : Upperside, forewing as in the male,
but in some specimens there is a third white spot in the submedian
interspace one-third from the base, and in some specimens also the
spot in the cell has two small whitish dots above it almost reaching
the costa. Hindwing as in the male, but the yellow spots more
prominent. Underside, -forewing as in the male, but with the pair
of diffused whitish spots placed beyond the two oblique spots in
the submedian interspace more prominent ; cilia in this interspace
often pale yellow. Hindwing as in the male. Antenna; as in the
male.
The male differs from G. mmilra, Moore, from N.-E, Bengal
(which is known to me by the description only), in having the shaft
182 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
of the antennae black anteriorly dotted with white, not anteriorly
wholly silvery-white. The male differs from G. pulomaya, Moore,
fromKuln, Sikkiin, and Bhutan in having the lower of the two spots
placed obliquely in the submedian interspace of the forewinginboth
sexes white, in C. fulomaya it is yellow. C. putra, Moore, from
Bengal, is unknown to me; the description agrees, however, with
some examples of C. leucocera, Kollar.
Described from a single male from Bhutan (I have examined the
prehensores, so am certain that the specimen is a male), and six
females also from Bhutan, one female from Chenrapunji, and one
male and three females from the Khasi Hills.
18. (14) CEL^ENORRHINUS PLAGIFERA, n. sp., VI. B,
Fig. 13, ?.
Habitat : Sikkim, Bhutan.
Expanse : £ , $ , 2'0 to 2*3 inches.
Description : Male and female. Upperside, forewing differs from
C. pyrrha, mihi, in never having a spot one-tbird from the base in
the submedian interspace. Hindwing with the spots larger, and of a
richer (more orange) yellow colour ; the alternate yellow portions of
the cilia also of a deeper orange. Underside, forewing lacking the
two diffused whitish spots in the submedian interspace beyond the
two obliquely-placed transparent spots which are found in C.pyrrh a;
otherwise as in that species. Ant entice as in C. pyrrha,
I have described this species from nineteen specimens in the
collections of Mr. A. V. Kny vett and myself. It appears to be very
constant. The sexes are very difficult to discriminate ; I have been
able to distinguish them only by an examination of the organs of
generation.
19. (15) CEL^ENORRHINUS PATULA, n. sp., PI. B,
Fig. 4, $ .
Habitat : Sikkim.
Expanse : 6,2-2; 9,2-5 inches.
Description : Male. Upperside, forewing with the white spots
forming the discal band smaller than in C. pyrrha and C. plagifera,
mihi, no spot at the base of the second median interspace, the lower
of the two spots in the submedian interspace minute. Cilia anteriorly
dark brown, posteriorly pale yellow. Hindwing with the yellow spots
on the disc larger and clearer than in either the above-mentioned
species. Cilia almost entirely yellow, instead of being prominently
KEW AND LITTLE-KNOWN INDIAN BUTTERFLIES. 183
marked with black at the ends of the veins. Antennae
with the shaft anteriorly entirely pure silvery-white, in which respect
it agrees with G. sumitra, Moore, and G. pcro, mihi. Female,
Upperside, forewing with the lower spot in the subtnedian interspace
larger than in the male, as also are the five subapical spots; a
minute spot at the base of the second median interspace. Cilia
posteriorly barely marked with pale yellow. Antennae, as in the male.
G, patula differs from the descriptiou of G. sumitra in having
two spots in the submedian interspace of the forewing in both
sexes instead of one only, the cilia are not alternately broadly brown
and orange-yellow, and the female of 0. patula lacks the yellow
costal spot above the oblique discal series of white spots on the
upperside of the forewing described in C. sumitra.
Described from a single pair from Sikkim. The female of C.
patula is unique as far as I know amongst this group of the genus
in possessing antennas that are anteriorly white, this being usually a
male character. I am certain of the sex of my type specimens, as
I have examined the primary sexual organs.
20. (16) CELiENORRHINUS PERO, n. sp., PL B, Fig. 12, J .
Habitat : India.
Expanse : 5 , 2*2 inches.
Description : Male. Upperside, both wings differ from those
of C. pyrrha, mihi, in being paler in colour. Forewing marked as in
that species, but the yellow spot one-third from the base of the wing
in the submedian interspace more prominent ; cilia broadly pale
yellow and brown. Hind wing as in G. pyrrha, but the yellow spots
on the disc smaller, and the cilia almost entirely pale yellow, only
just touched with brown at the ends of the veins, as in G. patula
and C. jlavocincta. Underside, both tvings as in C. pyrrha, but the
spot one-third from the base of the submedian interspace of the
forewing much larger than on the upperside and white. Antennas
shining silvery white anteriorly throughout, posteriorly black. Palpi
white below instead of pale yellow as in G. pyrrha.
C. pero agrees with G. sumitra in having the antennas anteriorly
white, but differs from the description of that species in having the
palpi and front of the thorax beneath white not pale yellow, and in
possessing the additional yellow spot one-third from the base and
the white spot one-third from the outer margin in the submedian
interspace of the forewing on the upperside.
184 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
Described from two male examples from Colonel G. F. L. Marshall's
collection. They are not ticketed, but I believe they are from
the Western Himalayas.
(17) Celenorrhinus sumitra, Moore.
Plesioneura sumitra, Moore, Proc. Zool. Soc. Loud., 1865, p. 787 ; ? P. sumitra,
Doherty, Journ. A. S. B., vol. Iv, pt. 2, p. 139, n. 257 (1880) ; P. sumitra, Elwes, Trans.
Enfc. Soc. Lond., 1888, p. 4b'3, n. 533 ; Tagiades sumitra, Plotz, Jahr. des Nass. Ver.
Natur., vol. xxxvii, p. 51, n. 51 (1884).
Habitat: N.-E. Bengal {Moore); Pindari valley, 7— 9,000 feet;
Chaudans, 7,000 feet, both in Kumaon {Doherty) ; Rikisum, British
Bhutan, 5 — 7,000 feet {Ehves) ; Bengal, Sumatra {Plotz).
(18) Cel.enorrh.inus editus, Plotz.
Tagiades editus, Plotz, Berl. Ent. Zeitsch., vol. xxix, p. 231, n. 32 (1885).
Habitat: Aru {I'lutz).
(19) Cel.enorrhinus area, Plotz.
Tagiades area, Plotz, Berl. Ent. Zeitsch., vol. xxix, p. 231, n. 33 (1885).
Habitat: Bengal, Celebes {Plotz).
Note — This species is quite unknown to me.
(20) Cel.enorrhinus putra, Moore.
Plesioneura putra, Moore, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 18G5, p. 788; Hesperia putra,
Horsfield and Moore, Cat. Lep. Mils. E. I. 0., vol.i, p, 253, n. 575 (1857).
Habitat: Bengal {Moore) ; Java {Horsfield aud Moore).
Note— I do not know how to distinguish this species from the
following. Herr Plotz considered them the same.
(21) Cel^norrhinus legcocera, Kollar.
Hesperia leucocera, Kollar, in Hiigel's Kaschmir, vol. iv, pt. 2, p. 454, n. 2, pi. xviii,
figs. 3, 4 (1844) ; id., Westwood, Gen. Diurn. Lep., vol. ii, p. 526, n. 18 (1852) ; id.,
Moore, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 18(35, p. 509, n. 119; Plesioneura leucocera, id.,
op. cit., 1882, p. 263 ; id., Wood-Mason and de Nieeville, Journ. A. S. B, vol.
1, pt. 2, p. 257, n. 119 (1881) ; id., de Nieeville, op. cit., vol. lii, pt. 2, p. 100,
(1883) ; id., Elwes and de Nieeville, op. cit., vol. Iv, pt. 2, p. 411, n. 162 (1886) ; id.,
Hampson, op. cit., vol. lvii, pt. 2, p. 367, n. 260 (1888) ; id., Swinhoe, Proc. Zool.
Soc. Lond., 1885, p. 146, n. 151; ? P. leucocera, Doherty, Journ. A. S. B., vol. Iv,
pt. 2, p. 139, n. 259 (1886) ; Tagiades leucocera, Plotz, Jahr. des Nass. Ver. Natur., vol.
xxxvii, p. 51, n. 49 (1884) ; Hesperia leucocerca, Horsfield and Moore, Cat. Lep.
Mus. E. I. C, vol. i, p. 252, n. 574 (1857) ; Plesioneura leucocirca, Elwes, Trans.
Ent. Soc. Lond., 18S8, p. 462, n. 529.
NEW AND LITTLE-KNOWN INDIAN BUTTERFLIES. 185
Habitat : Himalayas (Kollar and Wcstioood) ; Lower Kunawur,
N.-W. Himalayas (Moore) ; Audamaus (Wood-Mason and de Nice-
ville) ; Sikkim (de Niceville); 'Bombay (Siviuhoe) ; Tavoy and Pon-
sekai (Elwes and de Niceville) ; Sarju and Kali valleys, Kumaon,
2 — 5,000 feet (Doherty) ; Bhutan (Horsfield and Moore) ; Sikkim
(Elwes); Nilgiri Hills, 2,000 — 5,000 feet, common (Hampson) ;
Bengal (Plotz) ; Assam, Burma, Orissa, Travancore.
(22) Cel^noerhinus Simula, Hewitson.
Pterygospidea Simula, Hewitson, Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist., fourth series, vol.
xx, p. 321 (1877).
Habitat: Sumatra (Hewitson).
(23) Cel^enorrhinus munda, Moore.
Plesioneura munda, Moore, Journ. A. S. B., vol. liii, pt. 2, p. 48 (1884).
Habitat: Simla (Moore), Kulu, Kashmir.
Note — Mr. Elwes places this species with a query as a synonym
of C. leucocera, Kollar, but I think it may be kept distinct ; it is
altogether a much paler insect, with fewer markings on the hiudwing
(uone at all on the upperside) than in that species.
(24) Cel^norrhinus chamunda, Moore.
Plesioneura chamunda, Moore, Proc. Zool Soc. Loncl., 1865, p. 788 ; id., de Niceville,
Journ. A. S. B., vol. lii, pt. 2, p. 100, n. 280 (1883) ; id., Elwes, Trans. Ent. Soc.
Loud., 1888, p. 462, n. 530.
Habitat : Bengal (Moore) ; Sikkim (de Niceville and Elwes) ,
Khasi Hills.
(25) Cel.enorrhinus ambareesa, Moore.
Plesioneura ambareesa, Moore, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1865, p. 788; id., de Niceville,
Journ. A. S. B., vol. lii, pt. 2, p. 87, n. 33, pi. x, fig. 9, female (1883) ; id., Swinhoe,
Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1S85, p. 146, n. 152 ; id., Hampson, Journ. A. S. B., vol. lvii,
pt. '2, p. 367, n. 263 (1888) ; Tagiades ambareesa, Plotz, Jahr. des Nass. Ver. Natur.,
vol. xxsvii, p. 52, n. 52 (1881).
Habitat: Maungbhoom in Bengal (Moore) ; Akrain in the Sat-
puras, Coonoor in the Nilgiri Hills (de Niceville); Mahableshwur
(Susinhoe) ; India (Plotz) ; Nilgiri Hills, 2,000—6,000 feet, not
uncommon on the southern slopes, rare on the northern (Hampson) ;
Khandalla, North Kanara, Trichinopoly, Eutnagherry.
(26) Cel^enorrhinus spilothyrus, Felder.
TSudamus spilothyrus, Felder, Verb. zool. -hot- Gesellsch. Wien, vol. xviii, p. 283
(1868) ; Plesioneura spilothyrus, Moore, Lep. Cey., vol. i, p. 179, pi. Ixvii, figs. 4,
male ; 4a, female (1881) ; vol. iii, p. 534, pi. ccxi, fig. 3, larva and pupa (1887) ; id.,
Hampson, Journ. A. S. B., vol, lvii, pt. 2, p. 367, n- 262 (1888).
186 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
Habitat: Metopallium and Kunur in the Nilgiris (Felder) ; Ceylon
(Moore) ; Nilgiri Hills, western slopes, September (Hampson) .
(27) Oel^norrhinus pusca, Hampson.
Flesioneura fusca, Hampson, Journ. A. S. B., vol. lvii, pt. 2, p. 367, n. 261 (1888).
Habitat : Nilgiris, 2,000 to 4,000 feet, not uncommon, and Ske-
varoy Hills (Hampson).
Note — This species differs from the preceding in having the
cilia of the hindwing alternately brown and whitish, and from the
following species in having the white macular discal band of the
forewing broken up into spots instead of being continuous, and
ending anteriorly in two small dots on the costa; in C. nigricans
the band extends uninterruptedly to the costa.
(28) Cel^enorrhinus nigricans, de Niceville.
Plesioneura nigricans, de Niceville, Journ. A. S. B., vol. liv, pt. 2, p. 123, pi. ii, fig.
6, female (1885); id., Elwesandde Niceville, op. cit., vol. lv, pt. 2, p. 441, n. 161 (1886);
id., Elwes, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1888, p. 461, n. 527.
Habitat : Sikkim, Buxa {de Niceville) ; Tavoy (Elwes and de
Niceville)', Sikkim (Elwes) ; Khasi Hills.
(29) Cel.enorrfinlts tibetana, Mabille.
Pterygospidea tibetana, Mabille, Ann. Soc. Ent. France, fifth series, vol. vi, p. liv,
n. 24 (1876).
Habitat: Thibet (Mabille).
(30) Cel&norrhinus davieii, Mabille.
Pterygospidea davidii, Mabille, Ann. Soc. Ent. France, fifth series, vol. vi, p. liv,
n. 25 (1876).
Habitat: Moupin, Thibet (Mabille).
(31) Cel^norrhinus aqni, de Niceville.
Plesioneura agni, de Niceville, Journ. A. S. B., vol. Hi, pt. 2, p. 87, n. 32, pi. x,
fig. 4, female (1883) ; id., Elwes, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1888, p. 462, n. 531.
Habitat : Sikkim (de Niceville and Elwes).
(32) Cel^norrhinus laxmi, de Niceville.
Plesioneura laxmi, de Niceville, Journ. A. S. B., vol. lvii, pt. 2, p. 290, n. 21, pi. xiii,
fig. 5, male (1888).
Habitat: Burma (de Niceville).
NEW AND LITTLE-KNOWN INDIAN BUTTERFLIES. 187
21. (33) CEL^ENORRHINUS BUCHANANII, n. sp., PL B,
Fig. 2, $ .
Habitat: Upper Burma.
Expanse : $ , 2-1 inches.
Description : Female. Very closely allied to Q. laxmi, inihi, from
which it differs in its considerably larger size. JJ ppeuswe, forewing
with the white discal band fully twice as wide, not divided into spots,
extending uninterruptedly from the costa to the submedian nervure,
its edges very irregular, its lower portion posterior to the first median
nervule much narrower than the rest of the band j it lacks the two
small obliquely-placed black dots found towards the base of the
submedian interspace in C. laxmi. Hindwing instead of possessing
two parallel discal macular black bands has a rounded black spot
towards the end of the discoidal cell, and a discal series of six black
spots, of which the anterior one is round and well- separated from
the spot which follows it, the second spot is round, the next pair
are the largest and elongated, and the last pair smaller but also
elongated; cilia of hindwing anteriorly white posteriorly dark brown.
Underside, both wings with the same differences as above, but all
the spots of the hindwing more prominent,
I believe this to be a species distinct from G. laxmi, though a
single male of the latter only is known, and the former is
described from a single female. The difference in size is very con-
siderable, and is greater than is usually found in the opposite sexes
of the Hesperiidte, and the markings also shew marked differences.
I have named it after its capturer, Mr. A. M. Buchanan, who
obtained it in the Ruby Mine district, Upper Burma.
(34) Cel^inorrhinus goto, Mabille.
Plesioneura goto, Mabille, Ann Soc. Eat. Belg., vol. xxvii, p. lvi (1883).
Habitat : Japan (Mabille).
(35) Cel^norrhinus tabrica, Hewitson.
Pterygospidea tabrica, Hewitson, Ex. Butt., vol. v, pi. Ptenjgospidea, fig. 8 (1873),
Tagiadea tabrica, Plotz, Jahr. des Nass. Ver. Natur., vol. xxxvii, p. 53, a. 58 (1884).
Habitat : Darjiling (Hewitson and Plotz).
(3G) Cel^norrhinus pinwilli, Butler.
Plesioneura pinwilli, Butler, Trans. Linu. Soc. Load., Zoology, secoud series vol.
i, p. 55G, n. 5, pi. lxviii, fig. 4, male (1877) ; id., Distant, Rhop. Malay., p. 400, n. 3,
pi. xxxv, fig. 29, male (1880); Gehlota pinwilli, Doherty, Journ. A. S. 13., vol. Iviii
pt. 2, p. 131 (1889).
25
188 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
Habitat ; Malacca (Butler and Distant) ; Margherita, Assam
(Doherty).
Genus NOTOCEYPTA, nov.
Plesioneura, Felder , Wien. Ent. Monatschr., vol. vi, p. 29 (1862), preoc. ; PlesiO'
iieura, part, auctoram.
Differs from CelcenorrJiimis, Hubner, in the forewing being more
triangular, the middle disco-cellular nervule being distinctly longer
instead of shorter than the lower disco-cellular, concave instead of
almost straight, the middle and lower disco-cellular nervules taken
together less strongly inwardly oblique; the hiNdwing is also
shorter and more produced posteriorly, the casta is more arched,
the discoidal cell is distinctly shorter, thus causing all the veins
which spring from it (the first and second subcostal, the discoidal,
and the three median nervules) to be distinctly longer. There is a
marked difference in the length of the haustellum or tongue, which
in C. leucocera, Kollar, measures 1*8 inches, Id JV. alysos, Moore,
only *9 of an inch, or exactly half. Type, the Plesioneura curvifascia-
of Felder.
This diagnosis has been drawn up from bleached wings of both
sexes of N. alysos, Moore ; from Sikkim. All the species of this
genus settle with closed wings ; through an unfortunate and stupid
mistake I once stated that they rest with wide outspread wings.
This marked characteristic in life, which at once distinguishes Noto-
crypta from CelcenorrJiinus, has led me to discriminate these two
genera ; there is also considerable difference in the outline of the
wings, and I believe Notocrypta never has the hindwing spotted,
except in N. paralyses, W.-M. and de N., this being always a feature
in Gelaznorrhinus. The type species, N. curvifascia, was described
from China, and has been identified by Messrs. Plotz, Doherty and
Leech as synonymous with N. alysos, Moore, but an actual com-
parison of specimens is desirable. The transformations of
N, alysos, Moore, only are known.
(1 ) Notocrypta curvifascia, Felder.
Plesioneura curvifascia, Felder, Wien. Enfc. Monatsch., vol. vi, p- 29, n. 29 (1862) ;
id., Elwes, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1881, p. 910 ; id., Plotz, Berl. Ent. Zeits., vol.
xxvi, p. 2G3, n. 5.(1882); id., Doherty, Journ. A. S. B., vol. lv, pt. 2, p. 139, n. 260
(188G) ; id., Leech, Proc. Zool. Soc. Loud., 1887, p. 427, n. 133.
Habitat: Ning-po, China (Felder and Elwes); China, India
(Plotz) ; Bagheswar, 3,500 feet, Kuuiaon (Doherty) ; Japan (Leech).
NEW AND LITTLE -KNOWN INDIAN BUTTERFLIES. 189
Note — Messrs. Plotz, Doherty and Leecli identify tlie following
species with. this.
(2) Notocrypta alysos, Moore.
Plesioneuraalysos, Moore, Proc. Zool. Soc. LoncL, 1865, p. 789 ;idem,id., op. cit.,1877,
p. 593 ; idem, id., Lep. Cey., vol. i, p. 178, pl.lxvii, figs. 3, male ; 3<x, female; 3b, larva
and pupa (1881) ; idem, id., Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1882, p. 263 ; idem, id., Journ.
Linn. Soc. Lond., Zoology, vol. xxi, p. 54 (1S86) ; id., Butler, Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond.,
Zoology, second series, vol. i, p. 55G, n. 2 (1877) ; id., Wood-Mason and de Niceville,
Journ. A. S. B., vol. xlix, pt. 2, p. 241, n. 80(1880); idem, id., op. cit., vol. 1,
pt. 2, p. 250, n. 116 (1881); idem, id , op. cit., vol. Iv, pt. 2, p. 390, n. 243 (1886) ;
id., de Niceville, Journ. A. S. B., vol. l,"pt. 2, p. 60, n. 128 (1881) ; id., Elwes and de
Niceville, Journ. A. S. B., vol. Iv, pt. 2, p. 440, n. 160 (1886) ; id., Elwes, Trans. Ent.
Soc. Lond., 1888, p. 461, n. 525 ; id., Mabille, Ann. Soc. Ent. Belg., vol. xxi, p. 33, n.
98 (1878) ; id., Distant, Stop. Malay., p. 399, n. 1, pi. xxxiv, fig. 7, male (1886) ; id.,
Hampsou, Journ. A. S. B., vol. Ivii, pt. 2, p. 368, n. 264 (1888) ; Hesperia alysos,
Horsfield and Moore. MS., Cat. Lep. Mus. E. I. C, vol. i, p. 253, n. 577 (1857).
Habitat : Bengal, Andainans, Ceylon, N.-W. Himalyas, Mergui
(Moore) ; Moulmein, Ceylon, Penang, Malacca, Borneo, Java ( Butler) ;
Audainans, Cachar (Wood- Mason and de Niceville); Sikkim (de
Niceville) ; Tavoy and Ponsekai (Elwes and de Niceville) • Sikkim,
Kangra, Andainans, Philippines, Foochow (Elwes) ; Java (Mabille) ;
Penang, Province Wellesley, Sungei TJjoug, Singapore (Distant) ;
Nilgiri Hills, 3, GOO feet, northern slopes, rare (E 'amp son) ■ Java
(Horsfield and Moore) ; Himalayas, Assam, Burma, Orissa, Ganjain,
Wynaad, Travancore.
(3) Notocrypta paralysos, Wood-Mason and de Niceville.
Plesioneura paralysos, Wood-Mason and d9 Niceville, Proc. A. S. B., 1881, p. 143,
n. 15 ; idem, id., Journ. A. S. B., vol. I, pt. 2, p. 257, n. 117 (1881).
Habitat : South Andaman Isles (Wood-Mason and de Niceville).
Note— Mr. Elwes (Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1888, p. 461, n. 525)
identifies this species with the preceding, but it appears to con-
stantly differ from N. alysos in possessing a varying number of white
opaque lustrous spots on the underside of the hindwing in both
sexes.
(4) Notocrypta restricta, Moore.
Plesioneura restricta, Moore, Lep. Cey., vol. i, p. 178 (1881) ; id., Wood-Mason and
de Niceville, Journ. A. S. B., vol. Iv, pt. 2, p. 390, n. 244, pi. xvii, fig. 5, male (1887) .
id., de Niceville, op. cit., [vol. lii, pt. 2, p. 100, n. 278 (18S3) ; id., Elwes, Trans. Ent.'
Soc. Lond., 1888, p. 461, n. 526 j id., Hampson, Jcurn. A. S. B., vol. Ivii, pt. 2, p. 368,
n. 265 (1888).
190 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
Habitat : Ceylon [Moore) ; Cachar ( Wood-Mason and de Niceville) ;
Sikkim (de Niceville) ; Sikkim, Andamans, Burma (E lives) ; Nilgiri
Hills, 2,000 — 4,000 feet, rare (Hampson) ; Bhutan, Assam, Orissa.
(5) Notocrypta Asmara, Butler.
Tlesioneura asmara, Butler, Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond., Zoology, second series, vol. i,
p. 556, n. 3 (1877) ; id., Distant," Rhop. Malay., p. 400, n. 2, pi. xxxv, fig. 28 (188) ;
Hesperia asmara, Horsfield and^Moore, M.S., Cat. Lep. Mus. E. I. C, vol. i, p. 253,
n. 576 (1857).
Habitat : Moulmein, Malacca, Java (Butler) ; Malacca (Distant);
Java (Horsfield and Moore).
Note— As figured by Mr. Distant, this species has a large quadrate
spot at the end of the cell of the forewing, a loug narrow one below at
the base of the second median interspace, and a third large quadrate
spot below the last near the middle of the second median inter-
space; three subapical conjoined dots. A good description of this
species is much wanted.
(6) Notocripta ruficornis, Mabille.
Tlesioneura rvficornis, Mabille, Ann. Soc Ent. Belg.,^vol. xxi, p 32, n. 93 (1878).
Habitat: Java (Mabille).
(7). Notocrypta insulata, Butler.
Tlesioneura insulata, Butler, Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist., fifth series, vol. x, p. 154,
n. 31 (1882) ; idem, id., op. cit., vol. xi, p. 424, n. 88 (1883).
Habitat : New Britain, Aru (Butler).
(8) Notocrypta proserpina, Butler.
Tlesioneura proserpina, Butler, Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist., fifth series, vol. xi,
p. 424, n. 89 (1883).
Habitat: Aru (Butler).
(9) Notocrypta albifascia,' Moore.
Tlesioneura albifascia, Moore, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1878, p. 843, pi. liii, fig. 3,
male.
Habitat : Hatsiega, Burma, ? Sumatra (Moore) ; Moulmein.
(10) Notocrypta monteithi, Wood-Mason and de Niceville.
Plesioneura monteithi, Wood-Mason and de Niceville, Journ. A. S. B., vol. lv, pt. 2,
p. 391, n. 245, pi. xviii, figs. 3, 3a, female (18S6).
Habitat : Cachar (Wood-Mason and de Niceville).
Note — This species is very near to the preceding, but has the
white discalband of the forewing typically quite twice as broad, and
NEW AND LITTLE-KNOWN INDIAN BUTTERFLIES. 191
with an additional spot at the base of the second median interspace.
On the underside of the forewing of N. albifascia the white band
stops short at the subcostal nervure, in N. monteitlti it extends
right up to the eosta. These characters may however be sexual,
as the male of N. albifascia and the female of N. monteitlti only
are known.
(11) Notocrypta volux, Mabille.
Plesioneura volux, Mabille, Ann. Soc. Ent. Belg., vol. xxvii, p. lvi (18S3).
Habitat: Philippines [Mabille).
(12) Notocrypta microthyrus. Mabille.
Plesioneura microthyrus, Mabille, Arm. Soc. Eufc. Belg., vol. xxvii, p. lvii,
(1883).
Habitat : Philippines (Mabille).
(13) Notocrypta pria, Druce.
Plesioneura pria, Druce, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1873, p. 359, n. 2.
Habitat : Borneo (Druce).
Note — The description of this species is so inadequate in the
absence of a figure that I cannot be sure that it even belongs to
this genus.
(14) Notocrypta signata, Druce.
Plesioneura signata, Druce, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1873, p. 3G0, n. 3, pi. xxxlii,
fig- 3.
Habitat : Borneo (Druce).
(15) Notocrypta tola, Hewitson.
Plesioneura tola, Hewitson, Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist., fifth series, vol. i, p. 340
(187S).
Habitat: Tondano (Hewitson).
(16) Notocrypta cythna, Hewitson.
Plesioneura cytlma, Hewitson, Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist., fifth series, vol. i,
p. 341 (1878).
Habitat : Not given.
(17) Notocrypta feisthamelii, Boisduval.
Thymele feisthamelii, Boisduval, Voy. Astrolabe, Ent., p. 159, Lepidopteres, pi. iii, fig.
6 (1832) ; Hcsperia feisthamelii, Blanchard, Yoy. Pole Sud, Zoologie, vol. iv, p. 403,
Lepidopteres, pi. iii, figs. 19, 20 (1853) ; Plesioneura feisthamelii, Druce, Proc. Zool.
Soc. Lond., 1873, p. 359, n. 1 ; P. feisthameli, Plotz, Berl. Ent. Zeitsch., vol. xxvi,
p. 262, n. 2 (1882).
Habitat : Moluccas (Boisduval and Blanchard) ; Borneo (Druce) ;
Philippines, Moluccas (Plotz).
192 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
(18) NOTOCRYPTA RENARDI, Obei'tliur.
Plesioneura renardi (Boisduval, MS.), Oberthiir, Ann. del Mus. Civ. di St. Nafc. di
Genova, vol. xii, p. 467, n. 58 (1878) ; idem, id., op. cit., vol. xv, p. 528, n. 226
(1880).
Habitat: Dorey in New Guinea (Oberthur).
(19) Notocrypta flavipes, Janson.
Plesioneura flavipes, Janson, Cruise of the Marchesa, vol. ii, p. 377, n. 93 (1880).
Habitat : New Guinea (Janson).
Note — This species is said to be allied to the two preceding, but
is larger, the forewing is more acute at the apex, where there are no
white spots.
(20) NOTOCRYPTA LEUCOGRAPHA, Plotz.
Plesioneura leucographa, Plotz, Hesp., t. 235 (18 ) ; idem, id., Berl. Ent. Zeitsch.
vol. xxvi, p. 262, n. 1 (1882).
Habitat : India (Plotz).
Note — This species is quite unknown to me.
(21) Notocrypta varians, Maassen.
Plesioneura varians, Maassen, pict. 1, pi. xxxix, fig. 11 (18 ) ; id., Plotz, Hesp,
t. 237 (18 ) ; idem, id., Berl. Ent. Zeitsch., vol. xxvi, p. 262, n. 3 (1882).
Habitat : South Asia (Plotz).
(22) Notocrypta chimera, Keferstein.
Plesioneura chimcera, Keferstein, vol. i, p. 1 (IS ); id., Plotz, Hesp., t. 238
(18 ) ; idem, id., Berl. Ent. Zeitsch., vol. xxvi, p. 262, n. 4 (1882) ; id., Pagen-
stecker, J. B. Nass Ver., vol. xxxvii, p. 208, pi. vi, fig 1 (18 ).
Habitat: India (Plotz).
Note — This species also is unknown to rue.
(23) Notocrypta waigensis, Plotz.
Plesioneura waigensis, Plotz, Hesp., t. 240 (18 ) ; id., Berl. Ent. Zeitsch., vol.
xxvi, p. 263, n. 6 (1882) ; id., Bibbe, Iris, vol.i, p. 86, n. 147 (1886).
Habitat: Waigou (Plotz) ; Aru (Ribbe).
(24) Notocrypta queda, Plotz.
Plesioneura queda, Plotz, Berl. Ent. Zeitsohr., vol. xxix, p. 225, n. 2 (1885) ; idem,
id., Stett. Ent. Zeitsch., 1886, p. 87, n. let.
Habitat : Malacca (Plotz).
NEW AND LITTLE-KNOWN INDIAN BUTTERFLIES. 193
(25) NoTOCRYPTA ZAWl, Plotz.
Plesioneura itawi, Plotz, Berl. Ent. Zeitsch., vol. xxix, p. 225, n, 3 (1885) j idem,
id., Stett. Eut. Zeitsch., 1886, p. 87, n. lb.
Habitat : Celebes {Plotz).
(26) NoTOCRTFTA WoKANA, PlotZ.
Plesioneura ivol-ana, Plotz, Deri. Ent. Zeitsch., vol. xxix, p. 225, n. 4 (1885) ; idem,
id., Stett. Ent. Zeitsch., 1886, p. 87, n. tib ; id., Ribbe, Iris, vol. i, p. 86, n. 146 (1886).
Habitat ; Aru (Plotz and Ribbe).
(27) Notocrypta basiflava, de Niceville.
Plesioneura basiflava, de Niceville, Journ. A. S. B., vol. lvii, pt. 2, p. 290, n. 22,
pi. xiii, fig. 7, male (1888); id., Hampson, op. cit., p. 368, n. 266.
Habitat: Nilgiri Hills, Travancore (de Niceville) ; western slopes
Nilgiri Hills, 2,000— 3,000 feet, September (Hampson).
(28) Notocrypta badta, Hewitson.
Pterygospidea badia, Hewitson, Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist., fourth aeries, vol. xx,
p. 322 (1877) ; idem, id., Desc. Lep. coll. Atk., p. 4 (1879) ; Plesioneura badia, de
Niceville, Journ. A. S. B., vol. Hi, pt. 2, p. 88, n. 34, pi. x, fig. 10, male (1883) ; id.,
Elwes, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1888, p. 462, n. 528 (1888).
Habitat; Sikkitn (Hewitson, de Niceville and Elwes).
(29) Notocrypta centra, Hewitson.
Hesperia canira, Hewitson, Ex. Butt., vol. iv, Hesperia pi. ii, figs. 15, 16, male
(1867); id., Plbfcz, Hesp., t. 241 (18 ); idem, id., Berl. Ent. Zeitsch., vol. xxvi,
p. 263, n. 7 (1882).
Habitat: Old Calabar (Hewitson) ; West Africa (Plotz).
Note — This species is very abnormally marked, the hindwing bear-
ing a broad medial transverse band of lilac-white on the underside.
(30) Notocrypta crona, Hewitson.
Plesioneura crona, Hewitson, Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist., fifth Beries, vol. i,
p. 341 (1878).
Habitat: Batchian (Hewitson).
Note — The forewing is said to be crossed by a semi-transparent
increasing regular band of orange.
Messrs. Elwes, Butler and Leech give the Eudamus bifasciatus
of Bremer and Grey as a Plesioneura ; the late Herr Carl Plotz
in 1882 placed it in the genus Proteides, Hiibner. I have not seen
194 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
it; but to judge from the figure by Menetries it appears to belong
to Moore's genus Lobocla, and allied to the Indian species liliana
and casycupa of Moore. It occurs in China; Japan, and N.-W.
Corea.
I am aware that this revision of the genus Plesioneura of authors
is very imperfect and incomplete, but I hope it may be of some use
to systematic entomologists. I possess and have access to none but
Indian species, and many of the books in which the original de-
scriptions appeared — especially those by Plotz — are not available,
In some cases it is probable that I have placed the species in the
wrong genus, or they may not even belong to Celcenorrhinns or
Notocrypta at all.
EXPLANATION OF TEE PLATES.
Plate A..
Fig. 1. Arhopala aida, n. sp., £ , p. 168.
2. Ypthima lycus, n. sp., $ , p. 165,
3. Zephyrus zoa, n. sp., $ , p. 167.
4. Lethe tristigmata, Elwes, ? , p. 163.
5. Papllio (Euplceopsis) telearchus, Hewitson, $, p. 1690
6. Argynnis clara, Blanchard, $, p. 165.
7. Bicluanda cinesoides, n. sp., $ , p. 166.
8. Mycalesis {Sam ant a) misenus, n. sp., $ , p. 164.
»>
Plate B.
Fig. 1. Hasora anura, n. sp., 9 , p. 170.
2. Celcenorrhinus huchananii, n. sp., ?, p. 186.
3. Parnara pholus, n. sp., $ , p. 172.
4. Celcenorrhinus patula,n. sp., $, p. 182.
5. Hasora anura, n. sp., £ , p. 170.
6. Parnara sarala, n. sp., 9 , p. 173.
7. Chapra matkias, Fabricius, $ , p. 176.
8. Halpe aina, n. sp., <$ , p. 176.
9. Hesperia hellas, n. sp., $ , p. 1 77.
10. Parnara parca, n. sp., $ , p. 174.
11. Celcenorrhinus pyrrha, n. sp., $, p. 181.
„ 12. „ pero, n. sp., £, p. 183.
M 13. „ plagifera, n. sp., $ , p. 182.
»
L.LF,KICEVTL.LE,,Journ.Bomb Nat Hist.Soc.l889.,Vol IV.
PI. A.
B.LDos del.
West.N ewrnan chv. lith.
INDIAN BUTTERFLIES
LDeNIi.' Jourii.Bomb.Na1 ffi8t.Soc.1889.Vol.IV
B.
B.LDos' ;,- del
We;. t. Newman d]
111 bl Ail BUTTERFLIES
NOTES ON MAN-EATING TIGERS. 195
NOTES ON MAN-EATING TIGERS.
By Reginald Gilbert, Bombay.
(Read at the Society's Meeting on 4:fh September 1889.)
I have selected this title, not because I have had particular
experience on the subject, or because I am an expert, but because
I wish to place on the records of our Society a few facts relating to
man-eaters which can be considered as reliable, several of them being
cases of man-eaters lulled by my friend, Mr. W. B. Mulock, Bombay
Civil Service, of our Society, now at home on furlough, and who
has most successfully devoted a great deal of his time to the des-
truction of man-eaters ; another being the case which is known as
the Nagpore man-eater, another the "Jaunsar" man-cater, well
known in the N.-W. Provinces, and lastly, the case of an alleged
man-eater, which I killed this year in Bansda. You must not
expect me to give you any thrilling account of some personal adven-
ture where I risked my life to rid the district of a brute long the
terror of the inhabitants, because I may say at once that the only
man-eater I have killed, exposed me to no more danger than I
should incur in any ordinary day's shooting after small game. In-
deed, it would scarcely be in accordance with the object of our
Society to read a paper relating to personal adventure of this
kind. I only wish to touch on various points which I think may
chiefly be of interest to our members from a Natural History point
of view, and in the hope that other members may be able to supply
us with information on this very interesting subject which they
can personally vouch as correct.
Now the general impression prevailing about man-eaters is, that
the man-eater is an old brute, more often decrepit than otherwise,
perhaps lamed from some former wound, with his teeth broken and
his skin always mangy, unable from his infirmities to kill game, his
natural food, but obliged to conceal himself near a village path and
then to pounce on some solitary human being and devour him,
never attacking when there are more than two or three human beings
together and always displaying very great cunning, so that his
destruction becomes almost impossible. It is difficult to read books
of Indian sport without coming to that conclusion. No reliance,
however, can be placed, I fear, on books of sport, with one or two
bright exceptions, one of which is Mr. Saunderson's book. Books
26
196 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
of sport are ■written to be read by the masses, and the first idea of the
author is to romance and to write something of an exciting land to
please his readers, and not a strictly accurate account of what the
author has himself witnessed or known. These books of sport have
therefore little value from a Natural History point of view. I only
mention this, because my own opinion is that the general impression
about man-eaters is altogether wrong, except as to his display of
cunning. I am aware that one swallow does not make a summer, and
that many of my hearers may rightly think my opinion on this subject
is of little value. Man-eaters are happily so few and far between that
the most experienced shikary can in a lifetime only come across a
very few. I start then by saying that I believe man-eaters are not
different in any way from the ordinary game or bullock-eating tiger,
and that age, deformity, injury or otherwise, have nothing whatever
to do with the question. Why a tiger turns man-eater I can offer
no opinion, and why a tiger never kills a goat, but nevertheless
kills such small fry as peacocks, porcupine, or monkeys I also can-
not reply to. The universal fear that all animals have to man is
no doubt the reason why the tiger seldom happily does turn man-
eater. There are some large districts in India infested with tigers
where a man-eater is never heard of, whilst there are other smaller
districts, one of which I intend hereafter to refer to, where man-
eaters are constantly appearing. I wrote to a friend of mine, a
Forest Officer in the Berars, who is a very successful and keen tiger-
slayer, and who, I thought, could give me some very important
information. He however tells me that he has not known a single
case of a man-eating tiger, although however he has known of a
man-eating panther in his districts in the Berars.
The first man-eater I wish to introduce you to is the tiger we
have often read of in our local newspapers as the Nagpore man-eater.
As regards this, one, I have obtained my information from
Messrs. George Anderson and George Moule, Engineers on the
Bengal-Nagpur Railway, who have been out on several occasions
after the beast, and have reliable means of obtaining accurate
information. This man-eater is a tigress, and has the following
peculiarities of character, viz., her love of feasting on the employes
of the Bengal-Nagpur Railway, of frequenting only a small tract of
country, about nine square miles in area, and her great cunning and
audacity. She has been killing for three successive years ; as far as
my informants know, she has killed from twenty-eight to thirty-
NOTES ON MAN-EATING TIGERS. l!)7
eight human beings, but these must be taken as much less than the
correct actual number, because my informants only return what the
railway officials hear of and confirm, and these returns are mostly of
peorjle connected with the railway. In 1880, up to June, she has killed
seven people besides wounding others. The district she works in is
as I have said about nine square miles only, and is near the Darckasa
Railway Station. She appears to live in a rocky and precipitous spur,
through which a tunnel has been cut. This spur carries heavy bamboo
and other jungle. Several springs of water rise from out of the
spur. In many places at the foot of the scarps there are delightfully
cool places for her to lie up in, where the ground is always moist.
There is also a cave in a detached mass of the spur, which shows
many signs of being used by the tigress and the family. A big
stone just outside the entrance is scored deep and long with many
scratches of their claws. The jungle around the cave is very thick,
and the cave is very awkward to get at. "The whole area hunted
by the tigress," writes Mr. Anderson, "is hard to determine, but for
weeks together it is believed she has hunted within this area of
nine square miles or even less." A great number of sportsmen (in fact
too many) have been after her without success. She will not return
to a kill ; if she cannot carry off a carcase to a safe place, she
will abandon it altogether. About the middle of January last she
began to frequent the railway, being seen at all hours in broad
daylight. On 24th February 1889, at 2-20 p.m., she jumped from
the top of the slope of a cutting about twelve feet on to the line,
where a gang of permanent-way men was at work, snatched up
one of them and vanished up the opposite slope in a second. She
carried the body to a pool of water about 300 yards off and there
ate it. On the 25th February a beat was organised, and three tigers
were found at home, in the cave, of which two were shot by
Mr. Cleveland and Captain Silver, Adjutant of the B.-N. Railway
Volunteers, both of which tigers were young ones, not fully grown,
the cubs of the old sinner. On the 29th February, she killed a boy
near the same place and carried his body a long way. Mr. Anderson
has seen the pugs of a young cub with her, apparently one of her
last litter. The cubs that were killed are probably of another
former litter. On the 4th March, the tigress attacked a woodcutter
near the railway, but was driven off pluckily by his companion, who
attacked her with an axe. All April she appears to have kept to
the same ground, and in the middle of May she killed another man
198 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
near the railway. It appears there have been previous man-eaters in
this neighbourhood, so that this tigress may have been educated in
this vice by a wicked ancestor or companion of hers. In the year
1883, this particular spur was infested with tigers, and seems to
have long been a regular house of call for tigers. In May last
Mr. Moule, whilst seated on a machm at night, had a shot at this
tigress, but he was unable to sec her properly, and she got off
scatheless. It is hoped she will be bagged before long,
I will next take you to the neighbourhood of Sardardevi, Bansda
State, where the Dangs Baroda territory and Bansda territory lie
contiguous. Near here a tigress in 1884 and 1885 killed a very
large number of people, and in 1888 and 1880, in the same neigh-
bourhood, another man-eater sprang up, which became the terror of
that district, and killed a large number of people. Mr. Mulock
killed the former in May 1885, and I killed that which is supposed
to be the latter on 2nd April 1889, so that after an interval of only
four years the inhabitants of this district were so unfortunate as to
have a second man-eater' spring up to take the place of the first.
Mr. Mulock has written a very graphic account of how he killed
this tigress and two three-quarter grown cubs with her, which he
printed, and a copy is in our library. This district is hilly, well
watered, and covered with jungle. There is scarcely any cultivation,
but villages inhabited by various jungle tribes arc scattered about
here and there. There are plenty of chctul, sambhur, pig, &c, about,
and also plenty of cattle grazing in the jungle, so that the man-eater
has little excuse for taking to his. evil ways. Mr. Mulock mortally
wounded this tigress on the 4th May 1885, and it was only on the
loth May that he actually got it. It was wounded in the jaw, and
was unable to eat from the 4th to 13th May. Maggots got into the
wound, so that when she was killed "she was exceedingly finely
drawn from hunger and emaciation. " Mr. Mulock describes her as
having a beautifully marked skin. This is apparent from a photo-
graph I have of her in my book. There is no appearance of mange
in her skin, nor does Mr. Mulock describe her as appearing injured,
so as to prevent her from finding her food in a legitimate feline man-
ner. Mr. Mulock found the same difficulty as I did in getting exact
information of the number of people killed, but the evidence he
collected showed that a large number of people were eaten by this
tigress, and there can be no doubt, as he says, this was the culprit, as,
writing six months afterwards, he states not a single person had
NOTES ON MAN-EATING TIGERS. 199
been killed by tigers, and so far as I can discover not till 1 888 did
another human being fall a prey to a tiger in this district.
I received an invitation from Mr. A. "VV. Crawley-Boevey, who was
then Collector of Surat, to shoot with him in April 1889 in the
Native State of Bansda. I was informed of the ravages of a man-
eater in these same Sardardevi jungles, and Mr. Boevey suggested
we should go after it if the kubber was reliable. I arrived at
Bansda on 30th March, when Mr. Boevey at once informed me that
the tiger had killed a woman near Sardardevi during the Holi
holidays, about fifteen days back, and we agreed it would be well to go
over there some ten miles distant, and spend a few days after the
man-eater or some bears said to be in that neighbourhood. The
Rajah of Bansda showed us every kindness and facility, had a
camp pitched for us at Sardardevi, and placed a number of sowars,
sepoys, shikaris, &c, at our disposal. He is an enlightened Rajah,
but not so enlightened as is the English ruler of a neighbouring
province, who with one hand doles out a reward to those who kill a
tiger, whilst with the other he from time to time pens rules placing
needlessly heavy restrictions on those who spend time and money
in killing tigers in his province ! No rules or restrictions were
placed in our way and no permit was required, but a hearty
welcome was given us by the Rajah and his Dewan, Mr. Jhaverbhai
Nathabai. Whilst riding out to Sardardevi in the early morning,
a sowar met us bearing a message from the shikari Hubib, who
had for years been Mr. Mulock's shikari, telling us that the man-
eater had killed three bullocks belonging to some Brinjarees on the
previous afternoon and two bullocks the day before. We hurried on
to Sardardevi, where we met Jemadar Abdulla, head of the Dharam-
pore State Police, and a noted shikari who had come to assist us.
Ho informed us that there were two tigers, one they had marked
down, the smaller one having eaten and gone off some distance. We
found the beaters ready, and at once went off to the jungle, where
we found everything ready, passing on the road the Brinjari camp
from whence came the bullocks which had been killed. Mr. Boevey
was placed up a tree near one of the kills which had not been
eaten at all. Soon after the beat commenced, the tiger roared.
The beat came on almost up to us when the tiger broke back with a
roar through the beaters without damaging any one of them. In
fact, Hubib told me he turned out of the way of a beater standing
on his direct path, instead of knocking him down and giving him a
200 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
W ' ■— ■— — ^^— i .11— ■■ — - i i !■■ ■■■ i — ■ ■ — ■■ ■ ■ — ■ ■ ■ ■
pat, as often does occur when an unwounded tiger breaks back. I
attributed his breaking- back to his being driven over his kill. I
have noticed tigers always break back when an attempt is made to
drive them over the kill. I should like to know if the experience
of others is the same. The second time the beat commenced in the
same way, and the tiger was driven into some high grass near
Mr. Boevey's tree. He came out with a bound under Mr. Boevey's
" niahla." Mr. Boevey saw that he was going straight towards my
tree in an open space, and generously sacrificed his shot so as to
enable me to get an easy one. I killed him without any trouble,
and I have here some photos, of him taken where he fell. He was
not a large tiger, nor a mangy one, nor did he appear to be different
in any way to an ordinary tiger. He was nine feet long. All the
beaters, shikaries, &c, declared that he was the identical man-eater,
but could bring me no other evidence than their oft -repeated assertion
and the fact that many people had been killed lately in the jungles
in the neighbourhood. There was still the tigress to be accounted
for ; which had been pugged to a distant jungle that morning, and
this tigress probably was a man-eater too. In the night I heard the
tigress roar several times within a mile from my tent. The next
morning and the morning after that we found her pugs at the water
where she had drunk close to our camp. These were carried into
some likely jungle which we beat on both days without seeing any-
thing of her. On the third day she drank at the same water, passed
close to our camp along the same path, and the shikaries declared
her to be lying down on the side of a hill. No one had seen her,
but they pointed out some vultures sitting in a tree up the hill, and
said that she had killed a pig or a chetul, and they stated most
positively she was lying down in a certain spot pointed out to us.
In this they were correct. She had killed a pig, and she was lying
down in the place indicated. It is difficult to account for the cer-
tainty and accuracy of these jungle men in placing the exact where-
abouts of a tiger which no one has seen. How we ought to proceed
was a question of woodcraft, and our Bheels held a council of war.
After considerable discussion they took us up hill, saying they would
beat up hill to the guns, but after taking us part of the way
they concluded it was too hot for her to go up the hill and it woidd
be better to drive her through some shady jungle at the bottom.
We offered no opinion, but simply left it to them to decide. Our
knowledge of woodcraft was as nothing compared to theirs. This
NOTES ON MAN-EATING TIGERS. 201
tigress also roared when the beat commenced, and came up to
some high grass opposite to Mr. Boevey. When the beaters came
quite up she went at a rush past Mr. Boevey, who fired twice
with a Magnum express. She rapidly made off, and as we could
find no blood we had another beat. Whilst walking on ahead we
heard a bekri deer bark and saw a peacock fly, which made us
sure she was there. To make a long story short, she did not come
up to the guns, but started off directly the beat began, passed out
at the side under a tree upon which sat a sepoy who saw she had a
bullet in her stomach. We found lots of blood, and pugged her
up a bit, and then stopped as the sun was sinking, and the shikaris
said we should find her dead next day, and if we went on some one
would get mauled. Each of us being a paterfamilias, under solemn
promises to our wives to do nothing rash, we fell in with this view.
Next day we found she had drunk at the same place and pugged
her into a jungle a mile off. Drops of blood were found on her path.
However, although we beat for her all day we could not find her,
and after that all trace of her disappeared. All said she was dead
somewhere, but we could not find her, and there is no doubt that
with an Express bullet in her stomach she must have died. Next
day, which was a cruelly hot one, I went out at noon alone to look
for her, and also to get information about the depredations of the
man-eater. It is impossible to place much reliance on the various
statements made to me by the various jungle men I spoke to,
because it was very evident they grossly exaggerated. I was told
the tiger had killed various people, from forty to 500 in number,
and that last rains he had been particularly vicious in killing people
engaged in cultivating their small strips of land in the jungle, and
even taking people out of bullock carts carrying timber from the
forests. I went to see two or three places where people were
actually seized. One of these was close to a jungle road to the
Dangs, over which a large timber traffic passes. I have here a photo.
of one of the jungle roads over which the beast used to pass, and
also of a temple to the tiger god which the Bheels erect all over
these districts. On the next day Mr. Boevey had to break up
camp, and leave for Surat hurriedly, as fast as we could march, in
consequence of the Surat fires. I tried unsuccessfully to reason with
him, that it was more important to bag man-eating tigers than inspect
a fire which would be put out long before he could reach it. However
my arguing did not convince Mr. Boevey, and we had to put an end
202 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
to a very pleasant trip and march rapidly for the line of rails. The
only real accurate information I was able to get was from Mr.
Jhaverbhai Nathabai, the Dewan of Bansda, who obtained for me
the names of persons killed in the Bansda State ; only the villages,
dates of death, age, sex, &c, which was embodied in an official
document I have. This was made up from the police records of
the inquests on the persons killed, and from the reports of the
cattle killed in the various villages reported by patels. This only
applies to the villages in the Bansda State and not to the adjoining
villages in the Bangs, Baroda, and British territory. During 1888,
out of thirteen jungle villages in the State he killed in six villages
altogether eight people, of which seven were males, the dates of
killing 28th June, 3rd July, 22nd October, 2nd November, 4th
November, 12th November, 15th December, and 18th December.
Of these all were adults except one boy, named Ganda Kalia, aged
13 years. In the same villages during the same period thirty-five
cattle were returned as killed. I am sorry I am not able to get any
record of those killed in the Dangs or Baroda territory during the
same period. I have written to enquire at Bansda if there have
been any more cases reported of persons killed by tigers, and I am
informed by the Dewan there have been no more cases, so that this
strongly supports the view that the tiger I killed was the man-eater.
Some eight years ago or so, Mr. Mulock killed an undoubted
man-eater near Toongar, some thirty-five miles from where we are
now sitting. I say an undoubted man-eater, because Mr. Mulock
was close by when the man was carried off, and went after it
at once, and found the half-devoured corpse. Whilst waiting by
the corpse the tiger or tigress (I forget which) returned, and
Mr. Mulock lulled it and made a 2)0St mortem examination of it,
finding parts of the deceased man inside the tiger, so I think we
may safely assume this was a man-eater. Mr. Mulock published an
account of it at the time, and gave me a copy which I have
unfortunately mislaid, but I think I may trust my memory so far as
to say there was nothing peculiar about this tiger in any way, and
that his skin was not mangy.
I have no doubt you read in the papers a short time ago of a man-
eater being killed, called the Jaunsar man-eater. An account was
published, in which it appeared that Mr. B. B. Osmaston, of the
Forest Department, was out near Chakrata after her with a companion,
when Mr. Osmaston shot her whilst she was worrying his friend.
NOTES ON MAN-EATING TIGERS. 203
The papers further published an account by an anonymous corre-
spondent of the career of this tigress, and an extraordinary story of
the tigress allowing her cubs to play with a man she had taken out
of a house in the Himalayas. This story I have not been able to
verify, so that I am not able to give you particulars. I wrote,
however, to Mr. Osmastou for certain particulars about this tigress,
and he has very kindly given me some interesting information about
her, which I will give to you almost in his very words.
Man-eaters have been numerous in the Jaunsar district for many
years. The district which this tigress frequented was a very
large one. She used to make long journeys in a very short time.
Having killed a man in one place, she would appear the next night
at a place twenty miles off. She frequented a somewhat high belt
of the Himalayas, mostly from 5,000 to 10,000 feet high. The spot
where Mr. Osmaston killed her at is about 8,000 feet above the sea.
No old wounds were visible, but she was very old. Report makes
her out to be a man-killer of at least ten years' standing. Her skin
was not mangy but a very fair one. The cold climate might, of
course, give her a good skin. Her teeth were exceptionally bad.
Of her four canines none were sound, and the two upper ones were
worn and broken down to about half their original length. They also
had two slight cavities in their centres, which were found by probing
to extend to a depth of three-quarters of an inch. Mr. Osmaston has
sent the drawings of the ca?iines, which can be sketched in our
magazine if thought of sufficient interest About seven or eight
porcupine quills, mostly broken off to about three inches in leugth,
were found in the tigress's body. Two were actually embedded n
her tongue. There is not very much game suitable for tigers in the
district. Buffaloes and men are easily obtainable, and excellent
opportunities afforded of seizing them on the march on the mountain
sides.
This tigress appears undoubtedly to have been the man-eater,
because she actually attacked Mr. Osmaston's companion without
provocation, except in so far as was due to the fact that these two
gentlemen went up in broad daylight to a buffalo killed by her.
The papers stated Government offered a reward of Rs. 500 for her.
I once had another adventure with an alleged man-eater. I have,
however, no evidence to offer that it was a man-eater, except the fact
that all the shikaris and villagers of the neighbourhood declared
that this was the particular miscreant that had eaten a number of
27
204 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
people in the neighbourhood, and that every villager for miles
round, in number nearly 500, turned out to assist as beaters. This
was in the State of Rewa, a few years back one of the best tiger
countries in India, where tig'ers are always ready for visitors of dis-
tinction in a State preserve specially kept for tigers and other large
game. Through the kindness of Major Barr, the then Political
Agent, I was asked to form one of the usual hot weather party who
made an annual campaign against the tigers. We shot in royal
style : we had State elephants, shikaris, sowars and all the
assistance we required. All we had to do was to go to the places
fixed for us by the head shikari when we got Icubber, and if
we did wound a beast, we had only to get on two of the best
elephants in India and follow up. Following up a wounded,
tiger on an elephant I must say is a royal form of sport. It is a
grand thing to see a wounded and irate tiger absolutely at your mercy
and without incurring any risk to yourself. You have all the fun
and none of the danger one experiences in going after a beast on
foot. I was once so excited in watching a wounded tiger charging
from a long distance at my elephant, that I invoked the anger of
the mahout for not firing soon enough. I forgot for the moment
that if any one was in danger it was him and. not me in the howdah.
To return to the man-eater. Soon after the beat commenced I heard
the tiger coming up towards my tree, and it remained within about
sixty yards of me for some time, giving low growls. I could not,
however, manage to see him. However, a few minutes afterwards,
I saw him lying prone on the open side of a hill opposite. I would
not fire at first, thinking he might go to another gun ; but after
some time I very wrongly determined to fire at him, believing he
was bound to go out at the side of the beat and not in sight of the
other guns. 1 afterwards learnt there were stops everywhere, and
the tiger was bound to come close to one of the guns. I computed
he was 200 yards off, and sighted my rifle accordingly. I missed
him. We afterwards all agreed he was only 100 yards off, which
gave me a good and valid excuse for the miss. The tiger then
bolted into a patch of jungle, and the beaters all got up trees
terribly frightened. Two of our party got on elephants, and
he passed within twenty yards of them, giving each of them a
right and left easy shot. All the shots missed him, and the tiger
went away in sight of every one up another hill. The beaters
said he was a regular " shaitau," and no bullet could hurt him. I
NOTES ON MAN-EATING TIGERS. 205
suppose this was said to let us down easy, but the State head
shikari, Moti Singh, was terribly downcast about it, and I was
horridly depressed in spirits also. However, two days afterwards
we killed two tigers in one beat, and we got our good spirits back.
A common theory appears prevalent that a wounded tiger often
turns man-eater, and lately in the columns of the Pioneer, I think,
reference has been made to certain cases of wounded tigers having
turned man-eaters in the Central Provinces. Wounded tiafers often
turn man-killers, but I have not obtained any evidence of their
turning man-eaters. The difference is very great, except, perhaps, to
the victim. A wounded tiger no doubt, until its wounds are healed,
attacks every person who comes near to it. It does this not for the
purpose of obtaining food, but because it is smarting under a
painful wound, and it believes that the person approaching it is
going to inflict another wound. Many instances can be quoted of
wounded tigers killing persons approaching them after they have
been wounded, and I need only mention the case of my friend the
late Mr. G. L. Gibson, a member of our Society, who died here from
wounds inflicted by a wounded tiger he was seeking foi*, and whilst he
was examining the body of a native boy which he found killed by this
wounded tiger. This is the chief danger of leaving a wounded
tiger, as one knows that the first person who unfortunately comes
near the place where the tiger may be lying down will undoubtedly
be killed, and many sportsmen therefore very properly prefer to
run considerable risk in killing a tiger they have wounded, rather
than allow it to live and kill the first innocent person who may be
so unfortunate as to come near it, Mr. Mulock writes me as follows,
viz., " My theory is that if one member of a tiger family takes to
"the man quarry tbey all lose their fear of the biped and kill him
" when hungry. I have found this in one or two instances. " I observe
also that Mr. Saunderson in his book scouts the idea of man-eaters
being mangy, and wonders how this idea became prevalent.
To sum up then, I have no particular theories, with one exception,
to put before you as to man-eaters. The one theory I can advance
is that the man-eater inherits this vice from its parents, or that the
parent having previously learnt this vice from a parent or com-
panion, teaches the cub to kill human beings, and such cubs, when
grown up, teach the vice either to their own cubs or to their
mates, and so the practice never dies out amongst the tigers of that
district. In short I contend that, unlike the case of the poet, the
20G
BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
tiger is sometimes born a man-eater and sometimes made one.
This theory will account for some districts never being entirely free
from man-eaters.
In all cases it appears the man-eater shows greater cunning than
usual. I have no evidence to show that the tiger turns man-eater
for any particular reason, and I can offer no theory. There is abun-
dant evidence to show that the man-eater is physically not different
from the ordinary tiger, that age has nothing to do with the ques-
tion, and that the theory about the manginess of his skin is mere
fiction. There is evidence to show that districts in which the tiger
has plenty of his natural food are just as much infested by man-
eaters as in those districts where the natural food is less abundant.
I am afraid my paper is of a mere negative character, and I leave it
to some other members to evolve some theory for us on the subject.
Statement showing the number of persons and animals hilled }>y
a man-eating tiger during the year 1888, in the territory of
Bansda.
Name of
Name of person
killed.
6
-1:
<
Sex.
Caste.
Date of
death.
Ani-
mals
killed.
Remarks.
Village.
-i.
o
w
M
o
a
-
0
Ambabari . . .
Badad Devi ..
Wati
Ardid Bapudia
Ganda Kalia ...
1 Kesu Punio
2 Tolia Bablia
1 Jivla Kasa
2 Radio Bhil
Buclhia Natha
30
13
BO
45
37
50
Male
Do
Do
Do
Male
Do. ,
Female ...
Kukna
Koli.
Kathis
Kukna-
Warli.
Koli.
Kukna
Kathia
15-12-88
18-12-88
31-7-88
22-10-88
2-11 88
28-1-88
4-11-88
12-11-88
5
4
1
1
3
1
16
(i
1
2
2
5
1
2
19
8
2
7
17
r. R. Gilbert,
y the locality
rror.
Charanwada .
Godhbari ...
tiger was killed by M
itor, Bombay, whereb
been relieved of the te
7 Males.
1 Female.
8
The
Solic
has
30/7i April 1889.
Jhaverbhai Nathoobhai,
Devan of Bansda.
THE CAMEL. 207
THE CAMEL.
By J. H. Steel, A.V.D.
(Read at the Society's Meeting on 10 th July 1889.)
In dealing Avith a subject so large and so interesting as the camel,
one hardly knows where to begin and where to leave off. It is
extraordinary how various estimates have been formed of his value.
Mahomed says of him that he is the greatest of all the blessings
given by Allah to mankind ; recent writers have represented him as
ugly, spiteful, unreliable at work, stupidly phlegmatic, malodorous,
and endowed with all the bad qualities under the sun; his very
virtues, especially steady endurance of excessive toil, being attributed
to want of sensibility and of even the faintest gleams of
intelligence. The songs of the Arab of the desert are about the
camel, as one of the most beautiful of created beings ; the remarks of
the British soldier and transport regimental officer about his bag'gao-e
camels are not suited to ears polite ! Who is right and who is wroug ?
We can have no hesitation in taking the side of the Arab. Still
there is some excuse for the recent military opinion on this subject,
because undoubtedly in the Soudan, along the Nile, and in
Afghanistan camel transport has not been a success, and the poor
beasts have died wholesale as a rule. The Russians in Central Asia,
the French in Algeria, and, recently, the Italians in Massowah, have
been quite as unsuccessful as we in our various campaigns as to
keeping their camels in health and efficiency. Individual officers
have solved the problem of how to keep camels at work, and prove
them valuable on a campaign; but our troops have most certainly
not been successful; however, surely, if overladen animals have not
their saddles removed for a fortnight, we cannot wonder to find
horrible sores on their backs; if animals remain ungroomed and tied
up in lines or on the march for months together, we cannot wonder
if they get mange in an aggravated form; and if animals get no food
nor water for a week, we cannot wonder that they at last fall and die
under their heavy burdens. To sum the matter up in a few words.
If men have iu war emergency suddenly to deal with an animal about
which they know nothing whatsoever, the animal must not be blamed
that the results are not altogether satisfactory. The knowledge of
the camel possessed by the untravelled Briton is easily summed up.
Firstly, he is certain that the animal is the "ship of the desert."
208 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY,
Secondly, that it lias something to do with the eye of a needle.
Thirdly (and most positively) it is a sort of travelling reservoir,
consisting of inexhaustible water tanks and never needs to drink.
Fourthly, it has a hump and long legs aud neck. Finally, it is an
uncanny brute of strange habits, suited only to the wandering
Bedouin of the desert and the inimitable Barnum. When called on
in the emergencies of service to take charge of camels, the principle
an Englishman works on is to treat them as much as possible like the
beast of burden, with which he is most familiar, the horse. Where
this has been carried out thoroughly the results have been not
unsatisfactory, for when groomed regularly the camel does not get
mange, when properly saddled and loaded he does not get sore
back, and when properly fed and watered he remains serviceable
and does good work. It is when our soldier is given several camels
to take care of, and is aided only by a lot of lazy, cowardly coolies,
who know as little about a camel as he does, and have no intention
of trying to do anything whatsoever for their pay, that the poor
brute fails. The water- tank theory is an unfortunate one. Certaiuly
a camel can go for seven days without water when properly cared
for but he ought to be watered once a day whenever possible, and
stinted in this respect only in extreme emergency. There are pouches
in his stomach, and they are frequently, after death, found to contain
fluid; but that they are reservoirs pure and simple is doubtful ; and
it is very certain that the parched traveller who has to cut open his
dying camel and obtain its accumulated stores of water, will obtain
only a very little fluid, of a temperature of about 90° Fahr., a mawkish
sub-acid flavour, and an unpleasant odour. It is evident that the
time-honoured water-tank theory needs much modification, and is a
dangerous one to insist on as a guide to practice during campaigns.
As a matter of fact, the active and special services of camels in war
and peace have been most extensive and valuable. That they have
been associated with enormous losses is due to our ignorance and
mismanagement, and is decidedly not the camel's fault. In Afghan-
istan, the Punjab, Sind, and Beluchistan, in Abyssinia, Egypt, and
the Soudan, the camel has been essential to success of the operations;
and it is certain that when we need to fight in China, Central Asia,
Western Asia, Arabia, and North Africa the services of this extremely
valuable baggage animal will be again called for. The camel is, I
believe, under a cloud now in official estimation, but, like the Royal
Marines, he has done good service on many an occasion, and is always
THE CAMEL. 209
ready to do it again and sure to turn up when there is hard work
going. Although the camel spits and grumbles when being loaded,
though he makes unpleasant noises in the camp at night, and though
he is generally considered unlovely in the extreme — and certainly
no European nose can appreciate his odour — these unpleasant habits
and conditions are to my mind more than redeemed by the undaunted
and plucky manner in which he plods on with his load until he
actually falls dead, by the stolid manner is which he remains quiet
after a mortal wound until he rolls over on his side to die, and by
the way in which he steadily plods on mile after mile under his
heavy load until the halt is called, even for a march of considerably
more than regulation length. The peace services of the camel are
not less meritorious than his war services. His function as ship
of the desert is gradually being taken away from him by the spread
of railways, as in Rajputana, Sind, Central Asia, and Egypt, and we
have historical evidence that his range has been limited to an
extent since when the westward and eastward waves of the
Mussulman invasion extended from Spain in the West to Southern
India in the East. A few representatives remain in Spain, very
few in Mysore, and in Europe practically the only camels are
the stunted race of Pisa, which seems to have been introduced
somewhat recently from Tripoli. I believe there are camels in
Constantinople and European Turkey ; I observe that General Gordon
writes of them in Turkey. I noticed recently in the Royal Dublin
Society's Museum a sowari camel on a real and antique Irish harp
as its prominent decoration: how it came there I cannot surmise! I
have somehow arrived at the impression that in Asiatic Russia, in
the Caspian region, and Crimea, especially of European Russia, the
range of the two-humped camel is becoming restricted by railway
development. Expansion of range is taking place in the Southern
States of America, where imported camels have done well and are
multiplying rapidly, and in Australia, whither they have been imported
from India, and where have been established breeding stations. It
is considered that the camel will prove specially valuable in opening
up Central Australia. In Mongolia, Western China, the Central
Asian Desert, the Khanates, Afghanistan, Beluchistau, Persia, Asia
Minor, Arabia, and the whole desert area of Northern and Central
Africa the camel reigns supreme as a means of transport for goods
and travellers. Tradition has it that the camel invaded Africa by
way of the Isthmus of Suez; he has invaded America and Australia
210 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
by sea. It is reasonably surmised tbat the camel is decreasing in
numbers; one of the Caliphs, for example, is credited with assem-
bling 120,000 camels for a journey to Mecca. Here we are face to
face with one of those difficulties constantly appearing before
naturalists. Some allowance must be made for oriental exaggeration
in the actual statement of numbers, and for unintentional multiplication
in quality and quantity by laudatoris temporis acti, people who
systematically run down the pi-esent in comparison with the past.
The two-humped or Bactrian camel is much less frequent than the
true dromedary or one-humped species. Palgrave, the celebrated
traveller, is responsible for introducing serious confusion between
the terms dromedary and camel. He has tried to restrict the former
to the hygeen or running camel, known to us as sowari, and to make
it out to be a distinct breed. This is not correct. The fact of the
case is, that wheresoever camels are freely used and bred there are
found well-bred light animals suited for sowari, and heavier,
coarser bred individuals suited for baggage duties. According to
the requirements of the locality the former or the latter predominate.
There are very many local varieties of the camel, but only two species
(a) the Southern, Arabian, one-humped camel, or true dromedary,
and (b) the Northern, Bactrian, two-humped, or " true" camel.
Where the two meet is the line of the Euphrates and Tigris; a few
Bactrians have passed into Arabia, and I believe the two-humped
camel is the one which has been imported into North America by the
United States Government. In Northern Persia and Afghan-
Turkestan the two species are found, and sometimes they cross and
produce a hybrid. It is the one-humped camel which has invaded
Australia, that of Bikanir in Rajputana, which shares with Jessalmir
the honour of being the best places in India for camels. The
Bactrian camel is very tolerant of cold, he works across snow on
the Steppes, and is said to eat snow when he becomes thirsty; the
dromedaiy is intolerant of cold, but will stand a remarkable amount
of heat. Moisture in the air is probably the condition of climate of
which the camel is least tolerant. No animal will travel better
over sand, for which the peculiar structure of the foot, the deliberate
action and the length of limb well suit him • mountainous passes are
trying only to plain camels; even deep rivers with sandy bottoms can
be forded by this animal, but a clay bottom and slippery soil proves
very trying to him, especially under a heavy load, and deep ditches
or cracks in the soil prove serious impedimenta, because camels
THE CAMEL. 211
cannot do much iu the way of jumping, except occasionally perfo rul-
ing some awkward and grotesque gambols. One great desideratum
in a transport animal is that he is capable of use in various ways.
The camel can hardly be considered inferior in this respect.
Besides sowari and pack work lie carries small guns or will drag
larger ones; he is used in high, peculiar, double-storey carriages
(in the Punjab for example). General Gordon writes that they are
used for ploughing in Turkey, and that they make excellent
tramway animals ! The products of camels are most useful —
fuel, milk, excellent hair for shawls, cloths, and various fabrics, both
coarse and fine, are obtained from the living animal ; flesh-food,
leather, bones, and various other useful substances from the dead.
No part of the dead camel should go to waste. In camel countries
these animals are used to afford amusement by combats, running
races, or are trained to special performances, such as dancing. The
adaptations of the camel to the desert which is its home are numerous
and evident. Among others they are his height giving wide range
of vision ; his length of neck enabling him to reach far to the shrubs
on either side of the track suited as food ; ears very small, and
nostrils capable of closure to keep out the sand; eyes prominent
and protected by an overhanging upper lid, limiting vision upwards
and guarding from too powerful rays of the sun ; his horny pads
to rest on when he lies in the hot sand ; his peculiarly cushioned
feet ; his hump or reserve store of nutriment ; his water reservoirs
in connection with the stomach ; his patient, plodding habits.
It is a great mistake to consider the camel ugly. "Handsome is
who handsome does" applies well in this case ; but it is universally
admitted that though a mangy dromedary in a show or transport
lines is not handsome, a well kept camel in his native place
is not ugly but quite the reverse ! In the loneliness of the
desert travellers recognise the camel and his movements not
only as suitable, but sometimes as graceful, and even grand.
We have this opinion in many well-known works of travel. It
is well worth the while of any of my hearers who has not
looked into the eye of a camel, to do so on the earliest possible
occasion. I particularly admire its rich colour, its large size and
clearness, and the stern aspect produced by the overhanging brow.
Camels are much blamed for objecting to their packs being put on,
but they are a sa rule fully justified in doing so, for the loads are (as
they have almost invariably been found in the past) uncomfortable
28
212 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
in the extreme, not unfrequently absolutely cruel. The peculiar
arrangement of the camel's teeth makes his bite very formidable,
and gives him a specially ferocious expression. He alone of rumi-
nants has incisor teeth in the upper jaw, but in many other respects
he is an aberrant ruminant, many of his anatomical details more
resembling those of the horse than of the ox. Here I am in a posi-
tion through the kindness of Mr. W. Home, of Jodhpore, and Mr.
Phipson, to exhibit a most remarkable specimen — a horn taken
from the forehead of an Indian camel. This may be a simple keratoid
tumour accidentally occurring in this situation, but it gives scope
for the general conclusion that the camel may, very occasionally, be
found with a horn indicating his zoological affinities with other
ruminants. This will not seem so far-fetched if we remember the
undoubted fact that horses occasionally have frontal horns. The
shape of skull of both horse and camel is such as would lead the
zoologist at once to conclude that the animal was hornless. Even
in cattle and sheep, when the temporal fossa? become very large, the
horns are shed by a species of natural amputation. Charles Steel
records having observed in Afghanistan that the Bactrian camels
sometimes have an extra rudimentary toe, and so are specially
sure-footed. The hump of the camel resembles that of the ox in
structure but is much less muscular. The one-humped camel has a
rudimentary second hump, so that this distinction is not so very
considerable after all. In camels low in condition the hump almost
disappears, the animals are described as " living on their humps. "
Finally, I trust I have succeeded in establishing to the satisfaction
of my hearers that the camel has been much and undeservedly
maligned by Europeans, and that the Arab's estimate of him is more
just and in accordance with the services he has rendered to mankind
in the past and continues to render in the present. I can honestly
say that my personal and professional contact with the camel in the
course of journeys, on the line of march, in camp, and in cantonments,
has impressed me with a high sense of the value of these long-
suffering and most useful animals.
HOW TO FACILITATE THE STUDY OP BOTANY. 213
HOW TO FACILITATE THE STUDY OF BOTANY.
By G. Caestensen, Gead. Hoet. R. D. C. Age. (Copenhagen),
Superintendent op the Victoeia Gaedens, Bombay.
In his '« Address to Students of Botany," lately published in the
Society's Journal, Mr. A. K. Nairne has attempted to indicate a
way by which the study of Botany, or at least the knowledge of
common Indian plants might be facilitated. Though the originator
of the proposed system is no less a person than the celebrated
philosopher, Jean Jacques Rousseau, the system as explained by the
author of the address is very deficient, and a closer examination of its
details will easily convince the botanist that such a limited defini-
tion of characteristic features, peculiar to species, genera and even
Natural Orders, as those mentioned in the address, are likely to do
much more harm than good, and give rise to serious mistakes. Thus
the author remarks, that if a plant with this kind of flower (didy-
namous, or two-powered) is a tree, it most probably belongs to
Bignoniacece, which very characteristic and distinct order he
defines as often being large trees with ample leaves and large
flowers, and often pod-like fruits, easily recognised by their verna-
cular names, but he omits to mention the frequent presence of
pinnate (finned) leaves ; the constant presence of the peculiar
bilamellate (two-plated) stigma (scar), and frequently winged seeds,
by which any plant belonging to this Order may be easily recog-
nised. Following the author, at least one tree, which is very common
in the Konkan, Gmelina arhorea, except for its vernacular name,
ought to belong to Bignoniacece, whereas it does not require more
than ordinary botanical knowledge to recognise it as belonging
to Verbenacece, of which Order the author simply says that it is
not clearly defined, often trees and shrubs. Similar examples
might be cited of other misleading statements too evident to
avoid being noticed by the botanist. I have, however, no intention
of criticising a paper attempting the praiseworthy object of facilitating
the study of Botany, an object to which I hope by the present
paper to contribute my humble share.
Regarding Botany as a science, and not only as a knowledge of
names, a pleasant entertainment, or a feeble kind of sport, it may
be said, as of all sciences, that a little kuowledge is worse than no
knowledge at all ; and I cannot help considering it wrong to attempt
to popularise it by considerably curtailing its general principles
214 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
and omitting important significant facts. Only the thoroughly
instructed student will arrive to that climax of wisdom, where he
with the Greek philosopher admits that he knows comparatively
nothing, the only true inducement to an irresistible craving for
further knowledge.
Now Botany is not a popular science, though it certainly deserves
to be so. Only by the aid of this very interesting branch of Natural
History do we learn to know the source of most of our articles of
food, the raw materials of most industries, and the remedies for our
diseases, &c, &c. ; while a closer study of the details will show us
the most wonderful organizations, the most perfect designs, and the
most ingenious structures and contrivances, and nowhere, perhaps,
is the greatness of creation more apparent and deeper impressed.
The first great branch of Botany, is Descriptive Botany, or the
knowledge of the exterior features of plants, which is the only
branch of Botany that ever can be popular as a study, while
the more intricate branches, known as anatomy and physiology,
require the aid of the microscope, and a considerable knowledge
of natural philosophy and chemistry to enable the student to
comprehend their details ; and must therefore necessarily for
ever remain the property of a selected few. Descriptive or
systematic Botany is doubtless the most important for all practical
purposes, and no attempt should be left untried to facilitate
the study of this knowledge. Among the numerous attempts
which have been made with this object in view, none are more
important than the arrangement or grouping of plants in definite
orders or families, specified by peculiar features of the plant or parts
of the plant. Here we must distinguish between artificial and
natural systems, the first relating to a single peculiarity only, the
last to the general features of plants. Among artificial systems,
the only one which is important and has ever been popular is the
Linneean arrangement, in which the classes and orders are defined by
the number and character of the sexual organs. It has the great
advantage of being easily comprehended, and of being very useful
for all practical purposes, but of late its popularity has greatly
decreased, because it has the great drawback of leading to a super-
fluous knowledge of plants, without furthering science, and easily
causing serious mistakes and leading to wrong conclusions. The
Natural systems require a great deal more of study, and cannot be
mastered without an almost perfect knowledge of Descriptive Botany.
HOW TO FACILITATE THE STUDY OF BOTANY. 215
The founder of the Natural arrangement of plants was a French-
man, A. de Jussieu, and so clear and excellent was his system that
the alterations made by De Candolle, Endlicher, Liudley, Bentham
and Hooker, Baillon, &c, are merely a consequence of the enormously
increased number of species now known to science as compared with
Jussieu1' s period of life, or they are attempts at sub-division into
more comprehensive groups, of which several, for instance that
proposed by the great botanist, Professor Lindley, have proved too
artificial, or to be founded on such minute details that they are
unserviceable for practical purposes. The system now generally
accepted, at least in the British possessions, is that laid down in
Bentham and Hooker's Genera Rusitorum, but even yet at this
period of advanced science, plants still exist which cannot easily
be referred to any of the Natural Orders, without being sufficiently
characteristic to justify the establishment of a new separate order,
and it is probable that owing to the origin of the different forms
of plants, by gradual alterations, as indicated by Darwin, there
will always be found intermediate links and doubtful forms that will
baffle any attempt at a complete classification. Even in such a
large and well-defined, class as Dicotyledons (two-seed-leaved), we
find exceptions in the peculiar features, as the one-seed-leaved
Cylamen, and in Cuscuta, without any seed-leaves at all.
All these attempts at facilitating the study of Botany are very
useful for anybody acquainted with a preliminary knowledge of
Botany, but do not give any assistance to the layman who intends
pursuing the study, but to his or her disgust finds that before
finding out the name of a plant or the order to which it belongs, he
must work through a number of more or less unintelligible terms,
which are too often a stumbling-block for the would-be student of
Botany. My experience has also taught me that the study of
Botany is far more popular in the northern countries of the
Continent than in the far-stretching British possessions, and I can-
not help thinking that this fact must be chiefly attributed to the
difference in the botanical terminology. While the terms used
in English works on Botany are too frequently quite unintelligible
for the layman, because they are in most cases Anglicised Latin
words, the terms used by German and Danish authors are generally
easily comprehended, because they are translated into the mother-
language, refer to objects of daily life, or are derived from the
language itself. Though I am not an Englishman, I think I
216 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
have a sufficient knowledge of the language to rest assured of
the possibility of substituting English, or at least English-sounding
words, for the modern botanical terms, and in many cases I find that
such terms really do exist, but are sparsely used.
Convinced as I am that a reform of the more unintelligible
terms would serve the purpose of facilitating and popularising the
study of Botany more than anything else, I venture to propose that
the Botanical Committee of this Society be requested to revise the
existing terminology and to substitute English and intelligible terms
for the more unintelligible ones.
In order, however, to show that my project need not meet with
serious obstacles, I shall take a few examples of commonly used
terms and suggest English substitutes for them.
The Natural arrangement of plants consists of two large divisions —
Phanerogams, or " Flower-plants."
Crytogamous plants, or " Spore-plants."
" Flower-plants " are again divided into —
Dicotyledons, or " Two-seed-leaved."
Monocotyledons, or " One-seed leaved."
The " Two-seed-leaved" in —
Angiosperms, or " Seed-vessel-plants."
Gynosperms, or iC Naked-seeded plants."
The " Two-seed-leaved" are sub-divided into — ■
(a) Polypetalae, Eleutheropetahe, or t{ Free-crown leaved/'
with the groups —
Thalainiflorae, " Top-flowered."
Discifloree Ci Disc-flowered."
CalyciflorEe i( Cup-flowered."
(b) Gamopetake, " Entire crowned."
(c) Apetake, " Crownless."
These groups are again divided into Natural orders, too numerous
to enumerate here, the Latin names of which in many cases might
advantageously be substituted by existing or new English ones, as—
Eanunculaceae by the " Crowfoot order."
Menispermaceae „ " Moonseed order."
Anonaceee „ " Custard apple order."
Crucifer® „ " Cross-flowered."
Malvaceae „ " Hollyhock order."
Sterculiacese „ " Flame-tree order."
Tiliaceee „ " Lindenbloom order."
HOW TO FACILITATE THE STUDY OF BOTANY.
2J7
Sapindaceae by the
t(
Soap-tree order."
Leguininoscc
i>
ee
Pod-fruited."
Rosaceae
>*
it
Rose order."
Myrtaceae
)>
ee
Myrtle order."
Rubiacese
»j
a
Coffee-tree order.' '
Cornpositce
i}
(i
Head-flowered."
Apocynaceas
>5
te
Twisted-flowered."
Asclepiaceas
)>
te
Silk-seeded."
Boragineae
)5
tC
Rough-leaved."
Bignoniaceae
))
et
Gaping-flowered."
Scrophularineae
*>
<c
Mask-flowered."
Labiataa
)5
ee
Lip-flowered."
Acanthaceae
}}
K
Shield-flowered."
Amaranthaceae
>>
ee
Cockscomb order."
Polygonaceaa
))
ee
Buckwheat order."
Euphorbiaceae
})
ee
Milkwort order."
Urticaceae
))
(C
Nettle order."
Amentaceae
})
ee
Catkin-flowered."
Coniferaa
))
e*
Fir order."
Cycadeas
t>
ee
Cone-palms."
Aroideae
if
te
Spindle-flowered."
Cyperaceas
J)
(t
Half-grasses."
Gramineaa
))
ee
Grasses."
&c.
&c.
&c.
The Natural orders consist of genera, for which word I should
substitute " forms," and these again of species or " kinds."
Regarding the details of the plants, the following short sketch
may serve as an illustration of a revised terminology.
The complete flower consists of four different kinds of transformed
leaves. The outer series or " ring " is the calyx, " the cup," formed
of free or united sepals, iC cup-leaves'' ; next comes the corolla,
"crown," formed of free or united petals, "crown leaves"; the
"cup" and "crown" together are called perianth, "floral cover/'
which is termed double when both cup and crown are present, single
when one of either is absent, in which case it is either calycine "cup-
like" or corolline, " crown-like." When the floral cover is entire,
the lower part is called the tube, the upper part the limb, collar,
which may be campanulate, "bell-shaped"'; rotate, " wheel-shaped" ;
hypocrateriform, f< saucer-shaped," &c, &c. Next comes the
andrascium, the male organs, consisting of stamens, "dust bearers "
218 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
which are generally composed of filaments, " dust-threads" and
anthers, "dust-buds," containing one or two (rarely more) anther
cells, "dust bags/' filled with pollen, "dust." The innermost
part of the flower contains the gynfecium, the female organs,
consisting of pistils, " dust-channels," generally composed of an
ovary, "fruit-bud," and a style ending in a stigma, " scar." The
" fruit-bud" is formed of one or more carpels, " fruit-leaves,"
furnished with placentas, w egg-stools/' to which the ovules, "eggs,"
are attached either directly or by a funicle, " egg-string," the
point of attachment being termed hilura, umbilicus, "navel." The
" fruit-bud" develops into fruit, of which a great many forms are
known ; a few of the more important are the legumen or " pod" ;
the lomentum, "jointed pod"; the follicle, " podling" ; the siliqua,
"double-pod"; the silicula, "short-pod"; the capsule, c 'burst-fruit";
the achene, "nutlet"; the samara, " wing fruit" ; the carcerule,
"split fruit"; the pyxis, "lid-fruit"; the nut; the berry; the pepo,
''gourd fruit"; the pome, "pip-fruit"; the cone; the strobilus,
a scale-cone" ; the serosis, " fruit mass" ; the sycomus, "cup-fruit,"
&c, &c. The fruit contains seed, consisting of a testa, " skin" ;
a perisperm, <l rind" ; and frequently albumen, " seed-yolk," always
enclosing the embryo, " germ," consisting of a radicle, " germ
root" ; cotyledons, " seed leaves" ; and a plumule or gernmule,
"germ-bud."
Returning to the flower it will be seen that its different parts
are inserted on a receptacle, " fruit seat," and according to the
position of this, the flowers are termed hypogynous or inferior, " low
seated"; perigynous, "middle-seated"; and epigynous or superior,
"high-seated." The flower is either sessile, "sitting," or pedicelUte,
" stalked." The pedicels, "flower-stalks, " spring directly from the
stem or form part of an inflorescence, "flower-stand," which can
assume a great variety of forms — the most important with "stalked"
flowers, of which are — the raceme, " spray" ; the corymb, " cluster-
spray" ; the panicle and thyrse, " bunch"; the umbel, " tassel" ; the
cyme, "fork," which may be dichotomous, "two-pronged"; tricho-
tomous, "three-pronged"; or scorpioid or circinate, "coiled"; and
then secund, "one-sided"; the fascicle, "cluster," &c. Among
" flower-stands" with "sitting" flowers, the most important are the
spike or ear ; the amentum or catkin ; the strobile, " scale-cone" ; the
spadix, " spindle"; the capitulum or head ; the hypanthodium, " cup-
flower" ; and the glomerule "ball." The flowers are frequently
HOW TO FACILITATE THE STUDY OF BOTANY. 219
accompanied by small leaves, bracts, "shields" ; and bracteoles,
"shieldlets." The stalk of the "flower-stand " is termed peduncle,
"flower-stem" ; when rising from the ground, and not forming part
of the stem, it is called scape. The flower-stand is often more or
less enclosed in a spathe, " wrapper" ; or an involucrum, " skirt."
The leaves consist of the blade, the petiole or '* leaf stalk," and
sometimes the "sheath" and stipules, "leaflings." The buds formed
in the angle between the stem and the leaf are called axillary buds,
"corner-buds." Leaves may be linear, lanceolate, "lancet-shaped";
elliptic, "oblong"; ovate, " egg-shaped" ; cordate, "heart-shaped";
hastate, "spear-shaped" ; cuneate, "wedge-shaped" ; orbicular,
"round"; ob-ovate, "reverse egg-shaped"; reniform, "kidney-
shaped"; peltate, "shield-shaped," &c. &c. ; entire, undulate,
"wavy"; sinuate, "scolloped"; dentate, "toothed"; serrate, "saw-
toothed" ; crenate, " round-toothed" ; lobed, laciniate, " jagged'' ;
fimbriate, " fringed" ; semi-pinnate or pinnate partite, " half-
finned" ; pinnate, "finned"; bi-pinnate, "double-finned"; palmate,
"fan-shaped"; digitate, "fingered"; pedate, "foot-shaped,"
pedati-sect, "foot-fingered," &c, &c.
This is naturally only a short sketch, and only a few of the nume-
rous botanical terms have been mentioned, but I should be very
happy if the Society would give its support to a complete revision
of all the existing botanical terms, and I have no doubt that such a
step would lead to vastly increase the number of students of
Botany, and in the end would materially further the progress of this
unfortunately neglected science.
In conclusion, it may be remarked that such a revised terminology
could not be advantageously used in purely scientific works,
calculated to have a cosmopolitan distribution, but such works
should be written in the Latin tongue, which for foreigners at least
is not more difficult to understand thau the existing English
botanical terminology.
AN INDIAN NATURALIST'S TRIP TO AUSTRALIA.
By Surgeon-Major K. R. Kirtikar.
To a student of Botany and Zoology the vast island-continent of
Australia affords an interminable field of the most interesting and
29
220 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
instructive research, whether it be from the abundance of Natural
History objects, or from their varied character and striking contrast
as compared with the Flora and Fauna of this country. India
with all its richness and variety of vegetation has nothing to
compare with the Eucalypts and Acacias of Australia. One would,
hardly think, as you approach King George's Sound by steamer, and.
cast your eye now hungering to see land, along the barren coast
of Western Australia, that what appears but a dry sand-bank or a
sand-hillj is covered over with vegetation which, though it may be
scanty here, and merely scrub- like there, affords the student of nature
as rich a subject in foliage and timber as it is varied in the forms,
colour and beauty of its flower, fruit and seed.
Even the voyage itself to Australia is full of interest to a marine
zoologist. Soon after you cross the Equator you see the Flying
fish (Exocetits volltans) jumping up in the air from the surface of
the disturbed water as the steamer cuts her way across it. That
they have no real power of flying is an undisputed fact, for — says
Dr. George Bennett, that veteran naturalist, who is now in the
eighty-third year of his age, and who was one of the earliest scien-
tific explorers of New South Wales — fishes of the so-called flying
genus (Exocetus) have " no power of elevating themselves in the
air after having left their native element ; for on watching them,
I have seen them fall much below the elevation at which they
originally rose from the water, but never, in any instance, could
I observe them rise from the height at which they first sprung."
They are, however, able to maintain brief temporary flights in the
air, says Magnin, a French writer, through the extraordinary size
of their membranous pectoral fins. My own idea is that they
quit the water only when they are frightened by the advance of a
steamer, or to escape the maws of sharks and. other larger pisci-
vorous fishes or sea-faring birds, such as the gulls and albatrosses that
pounce upon them with lightning speed. They hardly rise more than
from fifteen to eighteen feet above the level of the water, and the
height of their leap depends entirely upon the force of their first
spring, which having reached, they fall by their own weight, without
the slightest power of maintaining themselves in air. They fall
and rise again, and go on doing so by the hundred and thousand
for a considerable distance. In the tropical sun as they rise from
the silvery crest of the deep blue wave thrown into ample folds
by the advancing prow of the ship, their silver blue wings and.
AN INDIAN NATURALIST'S TRIP TO AUSTRALIA. 221
glittering bodies present a spectacle which, is charming to the eye,
and affords occupation to an idle mind on board a steamer.
Th.3 porpoise is another denizen of the Indian and Southern
Ocean which attracts our attention. The graceful rise and fall
of these mai'ine creatures, as they run a race with the advancing
steamer, has the appearance of child-like mirth and frolic, which
create an interest for their movements in their spectators and
make up for their squalid and utterly uninviting appearance. For
miles together in pairs, or singly by the dozen or by the score, these
heavy-looking cetaceans rise and sink with an ease which is
surprising. Now alongside of the vessel, now under the keel,
rushing from one side to the other, they cross the path of the ship
with a rapidity which is marvellous in the extreme, evidently
conscious of the gazer's eye and bent upon eluding it while frolick-
ing about the ship.
As we enter the " Heads" and anchor at Port Melbourne in the
vicinity of the P. & O. Co.'s pier jutting right into deep water, we
see innumerable Medusas, the living seaweeds as a French writer
calls them —
" With the freedom and the motion
With the roll and roar of the ocean."
These magnificent opal globes, or bell-shaped discs of soft jelly
are beyond description. They have to be seen to be admired. They
are better seen and watched when the vessel is at a stand-still, and
when they come in search of prey close to the sides of the vessel
working their way up and down with the alternate contraction and
expansion of their globular bodies, and rendering their manoeuvres
graceful by a similar movement of their numerous frills and pre-
hensile tentacles, which at once mark them out as some of the most
charming and elegant objects of oceanic creation.
There are besides innumerable sparkling animalcules visible at
night, especially at the side of our vessel, causing the phosphorescent
appearance which has for many years been the puzzle, not only of
ordinary spectators, but even of accomplished natural historians.
It was at one time considered that oceanic phosphorescence was due to
the putrefaction of dead and decaying fish. But we know that the
conditions of death and decay are not essential to the production of
phosphorescence. We know that the common glowworm or fire-fly of
our rainy season is a living entity emitting light on a dark night, when
living and in a state of perfect health. That phosphorescence is due
222 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
partly to the decay of phosphorous-holding fish is a fact, but it does not
sufficiently account for the entire oceanic phenomenon. That marine
zoophytes of extremely small size have their share in the production
of this phenomenon, is a fact beyond dispute.
Being more of a botanist than zoologist, to me the floating
vegetable seaweeds had more charm than the phosphorescent
zoophyte, or the living seaweeds, the flying fish or the graceful
porpoise.
In the Bight, and at the Heads and in Port Philip, the appear-
ance of floating Sargassum and Fucus Bacciferus looked tempting
as I admired long trails of them in the crystal blue of the tranquil
sea. Secure they lay in their position. My predaceous hand was
beyond their reach, or rather they were beyond the reach of my
onslaught. Nothing could stop the onward course of the steamer,
nor even slacken her speed for the purpose of marine-botanizing on
the part of a solitary individual like myself.
Phyllospora comosa is a seaweed of extraordinary length and
beauty, as it is seen floating severalyards with the beautiful sunshine
heightening its rich olive colour. The long tape-like leaf, flat and
mucilaginous when obtained from the shore, and the olive-shaped
bladders with leafy expansions at the top, render the plant an object
of attraction. But when you are on board a steamer there is not
the slightest chance of your getting hold of these plants. They are
a vexation. So on 2Gth December 1888, I left them in their glory
undisturbed, and set foot on the terra firma of Melbourne to
botanize in more generous and approachable regions. To an in-
habitant of India, accustomed to the rich and luxurious vegetation
of the Konkan, at first sight Australia appears a barren land — a dead
level covered here and there with scrubby-trees which continuous
drought has almost starved unto death. Often you see however
tall and magnificent trees on some stratified sand stone reaching
down to the ocean-strand, unaffected by the battering and
beating of the ruffled waves of the salt water. The foliage,
whether in the bush or in the forest, among the scrubs or among
the vivid fern-gullies, varies considerably from bright dark
green to dull greyish hue. Fifty-three years ago when Charles
Darwin visited Australia during his voyage round the world in
H. M. S. "Beagle," which laid the foundation of his future fame,
and which gave to the scientific student an enormous amount of
information in Natural History, this venerable scientist made a
AN INDIAN NATURALIST'S TRTP TO AUSTRALIA. 223
remark in his journal which struck me as an instauce of Darwin's
powers of observation. With reference to the vegetation of New
South Wales, he says " the trees mostly have their leaves placed in a
vertical instead of as in Europe" — and I may add as in India—
" in a nearly horizontal position. " Darwin further observes that
" the foliage is scanty and of a peculiar pale-green tint without
gloss." I do not know about the foliage being scanty as a rule, but
there is no doubt that in a majority of real Australian trees the
leaves are tough in texture, of a peculiar dull greyish hue, without
gloss and perpendicular. The trees are mostly small-leaved, and
if large, much dissected marginally, thus depriving them, however
large they may be, of all appearance of shade or shelter. The
result, as Dai'win justly observes, is that the woods appear light
and shadowless, and are no comfort to the traveller seeking
shelter from the rays of a scorching sun. This particular appear-
ance of the foliage of Australian plants, however, renders the
study far more interesting, and invests them with a charm which
would else be wanting. Compared with this often desolate looking
scrub, this pale-green small-leaved bush, an umbrageous Banyan
and peepul, or our mango and mowrah, or our sag and jack tree
shine at an advantage. But the chief vegetation of Australia
is essentially made up of hundreds of the blue gums and red
gums that go under the generic name of the Eucalypts. The genus
AcaciaB, of which Baron Sir Ferdinand von Mueller — the greatest
living authority on Australian Botany, and indeed one of the readiest
and most accomplished Botanic experts in the world — counts
three hundred well-marked species in Australia, is by far the
largest in the Flora of Victoria. Apart from its being cultivated
for ornamental purposes, it has its technological value. The
timber of many of the Acacias is worthy of forest-culture. The
Australian blackwood (Acacia melanoxi/lon) is well known among
timber merchants as one possessing great lateral strength. " It
is largely used," says Mr. J. E. Brown in his Forest Flora
of South Australia (Pt. VIII., page 37,) " in the construction of
furniture of all kinds, house decorations, railway carriages, boat-
building, casks, billiard tables, pianofortes, veneers and turnery."
The value of the Acacias for tanning purposes is very great.
Black wattle, for instance (Acacia decurrens, var. mollissima,) yields
from 30 to 54 per cent of tannin, which is said to go as far as three
and a half times its weight of oak-bark. (ILaldane.) Baron Sir Ferd.
224 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
von Muellor says one pound and a half of black-wattle bark goes as
far as five pounds of oak-bark for tanning purposes. The Acacias
are very quick growers, and thrive in mild climates. It would not
be, in my opinion, a fruitless endeavour to experiment on tbo
growth of these interesting and technologically highly useful
plants in the milder regions of India, where there is neither much
moisture nor dryness in the air, and where the climate is more
equable and favourable to the growth of vegetation which partakes
of a semi-tropical character. The blackwood tree is being extensively
cultivated for its timber and bark in Portugal. The Acacias of
Australia to my mind appear to be of much practical interest, inas-
much as in India we have several varieties, such as the Acacia
catechu, Acacia arabica, Acacia concinna, Acacia "procera, yielding
gum, tannin and useful timber. Some of the Australian Acacias
are very gay and lovely, and some sweet-scented. The most attrac-
tive object throughout the whole range of Australian vegetation,
however, is the interminable genus Eucalyptus. Its height in pro-
portion to the period of its growth is simply marvellous. It is
unparalleled, says the Baron von Mueller, in the celerity of its
growth among hard-wood trees. • Tall and erect, towering high
in air, often with a tender-looking stem and bluish foliage, these
trees are among the first to attract a traveller's attention. When in
flower, they are exceedingly pretty, especially those with rich
crimson and scarlet bunches of flowers. The gum trees are not all
of uniform appearance as regard their central stocks and stems.
Some shed their barks annually, and are thus named the "stringy
bark. " Large masses of this bark are seen sometimes peeling off
from the stalk and hanging the whole length of it. I have here a
specimen of the bark of Melaleuca genistifolia, belonging to the
natural order Myrtaceoe, to which the Eucalyptus genus belongs.
It is called the paper bark tree. It will give you an idea how
microscopically fine the bark layers are. It was taken from the Mel-
bourne Botanical Gardens at the kind suggestion of Mr. Guilfoyle,
the accomplished Director. To Mr. Guilfoyle's generosity this Society
should feel particularly indebted when I say that the specimen
papers and fibres which are placed before you to-day, and presented
by me to the Society, are the unstinted gift of Mr. Guilfoyle.
But let mo proceed to further describe the Flora. The Myrta-
ceous plants are numerous in Australia. The Melaleucas and
Callistemons aro very graceful when in blossom and even out of
AN INDIAN NATURALIST'S TRIP TO AUSTRALIA. 225
blossom. Tho brilliant denso crimson cylindrical spikes of the
latter are particularly charming and look very much like the flower
heads of the Banksias. There are four orders which are exclusively
Australian throughout the whole vegetable kingdom, viz., tho
Myoporina?, the Epiacrida?, the Goodeniaceae, and the Candollacea?.
Of these the Myoporina), says Baron von Mueller, " aro remarkable
for their foliage and delicately-tinted and richly-marked flowers
which are to be seen adorning the scrubs and garden shrubberies
from year's end to year's end." The natural orders Proteaceas and
PittosporeaB are well represented in Australia. The Pittosporum is
a genus of very handsome evergreens, either as tender shrubs or
small and slender trees. It is one of the rare scented class of plants
seen in Australia. The flowers of Pittosporum undulatum, which
is known as the Victorian laurel, and of Pittosporum rliomuifolium,
yield a perfume which is as rich and delicate as that of the. Jasmine.
Their timber is also of high commercial value. Pittosporum pTtilly-
rocoides is said to be one of the most graceful members of South
Australian flora. Its existence in sterile places, often a solitary
entity in a barren plain, affords an illustration of how trees grow in
even the most neglected spots and flourish in foliage and flowers.
Of the Proteacea), Stenocarpus simiuatus, which is known as the
Queensland Tulip tree, is a very handsome tree, often reaching the
height of a hundred feet. Its flowers are beautifully scarlet and
radiately arranged in thick clusters. I saw this tree in blossom in
February in the Sydney Botanical Gardens. Its wood is beautifully
grained and very durable, says Mr. Guilfoyle. Greville robusta, a
tree introduced into Bombay, is a native of Australia. I have seeu
it for years growing here. But it does not appear to be so quick of
growth as in its own home. It is called the tl Silky Oak. " It is
productive of substantial timber, well worthy of the consideration of
our foresters, apart from tho highly perfumed yellow and orange
comb- shaped masses of flowers it produces. It often grows as
high as a hundred feet. Banhsia, or the Victorian Honeysuckle,
and Hahea, are some of the other representatives of tho Proteaceaa.
They have numerous species all over the island continent. They
inhabit sandy soil, or are utilized as hedge plants. Their quaint
flowers, in cylindrical dense spikes and seed vessel, are their
sole points of interest. Xylomelum piriform, or the Wooden Pear
of Australia, belongs to this order. You are, perhaps, imagining
that this Wooden Pear is in any way allied to the soft delicious
226 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
pear which is the postprandial luxury of an English table*
Nothing like it, except in the bare shape. The Wooden Pear is aa
different from the reality as the betelnut is from the cherry. I have
a specimen of it here. It is a typical specimen of a simple fruit formed
of one carpel. It has a beautifully winged seed, which can be seen
through the half-dehisced carpeh There are two representatives of
the Sterculaceas, viz., the Flame tree and the Bottle tree, which are
worthy of notice. The Bottle tree is botanically either the plant called
Sterculia diversifolia, or Sterculia rwpestris, and is really the wonder"
of Australia. It is swollen at the trunk immediately above the root,
as it springs from the ground, in the shape of a pumpkin or bottle,
and is known to the natives as Kurra jong, a name given to another
plant. The tree contains large quantities of mucilage, which exists
between the wood and inner bark* and is sweet and edible. It is a
blessing to men as well as to cattle, as it is found to be nutritious,
The latter use it when pasture fails as fodder. " The bark," says
Guilfoyle, " when macerated in water pi'Oduces a lace-like bast, which
has been converted into ropes, cordage, and coarse paper. " The
Australian Flame-tree, Sterculia acerifolium, may be considered a forest
beauty when in full blossom. Before it blossoms it sheds its leaves.
When the flowers open on its numerous irregularly shaped branches,
its stately stem is adorned from top to foot with rich scarlet trumpet-
shaped flowers, with a tinge of bright orange here and there, which
gives the beautiful tree the appearance of being all aflame. The
appearance is very similar to that of our own Palas or Butea
frondosa in the Konkan when it is in flower. Australia is rich
in Orchids, both terrestrial and epiphytal. Mr. Fitzgerald, of
Sydney, has made a special study of them, and I here exhibit
his beautful plates, which are the result of the earnest life-work
of an accomplished botanist and artist. Some of the orchids
are said to be of exceedingly attractive fragrance, as, for instance,
Thelymitra and Caladenia. Let me not forget to mention that the
sweetest scented Australian flower belongs to the natural order
Rutaceee, and is called Boronia megastigma, a native of Western
Australia. What a contrast to the horribly offensive Satap (Ruta
angustifolia) of the same order ! The genus Boronia is well represented
in the Victorian indigenous flora, in the species named B. pinnata,
bearing beautful crimson flowers ; but the other species are chiefly
confined to the Western Coast and New South Wales. The Tree-Ferns
form a specially interesting feature of Australian vegetation, generally
AN INDIAN NATURALIST^ TRIP TO AUSTRALIA. 227
varying from twenty to thirty feet, and often attaining a height over
eighty feet. There is not a prettier sight in Victoria, and indeed
the whole of Australasia, than what are called the Fcru-gullics, which
abound in these beautiful feathery palm -like ferns, waving their
fronds in mid-air with all the gorgeous green a mild shy and
moderately humid air engonders. Dlchsonia ant art ic a and Also'phila
Australis are the two most common varieties of Tree-Ferns in Victoria.
The former grows in shady places where there is abundance of run-
ning water, and is known as the Woolly tree-fern; the latter is called
the mountain or hill tree-fern, and is seen in more open spaces, such
as the ridges of hills, where it displays its beautiful fronds to the sun
direct. TuJea barbara is another remarkable fern which attracts our
attention in the fern-gullies of Victoria. It seldom grows more than
four or five feet high, and has a short thick stem about as many feet
in circumference, frequently weighing as many as fourteen or fifteen
hundredweights ! About the end of January last, in the hottest time
of the year in Australia, I paid a visit to Fernshaw, one ofthepret-"
tiest fern -gullies — I should say one of the prettiest and yet grandest
fern-forests of Victoria. It was one mass of delicious gorgeous green
with the shady beech and the blue gum towering in mid-air, the
lovely silver wattle, the modest musk, and the stately cotton-wood —
the largest composite ever seen anywhere, adding to the scene a
variety of foliage, thus making it all the more attractive to the eye,
and heightening the effect of the valley as a whole. All these trees
fringing and filling fully the magnificent hill from the Black Spur
at the top to the crystal pool at the foot of the valley, set off the
emerald fronds of the Woolly tree-fern {Dichsonia} in the most striking
manner. The stream of water is perennial, crystal clear to the eye,
cool to the touch, and delicious to the taste. Its perpetual music
imparts a softness to the sylvan solitude, which else might be awful ;
its constant fresh accession of undefiled water to the valley enlivens
the scene and brightens its velvet-verdure, which constitutes the
sole charm of this happy and secluded valley within easy reach of
Victorian travellers. In walking through this beautiful sequestered
spot, damp and covered with dead and decaying foliage, the traveller
must take care that his lower extremities do not get attacked by
minute leeches, whose hair-like bodies often escape the unsuspecting
eye and even elude the cautiousness of the wary wanderer of these
quiet regions. The Dieksonia has its own parasites and epiphytes in
the shape of numerous fungi, mosses, club mosses, and smaller ferns,
30
228 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
among which latter PolypoZiwm scandens and Bymenophyllwm,
Tunbridgense, are prominent. It may be mentioned that in the
gardens of Australia the Magnolia grandiflora and the Lilium
grand! florum flower and thrive to perfection, though only introduced
recently into the Island continent. The purple variety of the Mag-
nolia is a garden beauty. With its rich golden crowns of flowers,
rendered all the more visible by the purple tint of the large widely
open petals, the plant is strikingly attractive.
(To be continued.)
MISCELLANEOUS.
TWO CURIOUS INSTANCES OF MIMICRY.
Two remarkable instances of mimicry have come under my notice within the last
few weeks, one by a bird, the other in an insect. I will give them in the order in
which I have mentioned them.
At p. 150 of the 4th vol. of this Journal, Mr. Morris published an account of a
talking "Madras Bulbul" {Pycnonotus hccmorrhous), which in captivity learned to
talk by mimicing a parrot with which it associated. A few days before the
meeting of the Society at which that paper was read by the Honorary Secre-
tary, I happened to pass his house, and in a small acacia tree in his compound, which
overhangs the road about 10 yards below his lower gate, I heard the well-known
note of the " Coppersmith*' {Xantholcema Indica), but though the leaves were so
small and scanty that I could see through the tree on all sides, the only bird I
could see in it was a Madras bulbul, who on my looking up greeted me with his
usual chuckle. I called to mind the well-known powers of concealment enjoyed
by the coppersmith, and his ventriloquial skill. But seeing how ill-adapted his
present perch was for the successful employment of his usual artifices, I deter-
mined this once at least to circumvent them. As I approached the tree I
heard the coppersmith and the bulbul apparently conducting an animated
dialogue, in which the '• took-took" of the one was spiritedly answered
by the "chuckle-chuck " of the other. Still I could see only the
bulbul. It was raining slightly, and that reminded me that it was an unusual
time of the year for the coppersmith to be so loud and persistent in his
call, for the " took-took," so familiar during the hot weather, generally becomes
less frequent and more feeble during the rains. 1 got close under the tree, and
though I could see every twig in it, and there was the bulbul hopping about, and
chuckling, some four feet from my head, and though the coppersmith still kept
vociferating "took-took," apparently just behind him, yet not a feather could
I see of any bird but the bulbul. Determined to have a sight of the coppersmith
that was hiding itself so cleverly, I threw up a good sized stone into the tree,
when out flew — the bulbul alone with a derisive chuckle, into the opposite
den, where I presently heard the dialogue going on again as if it had nevei
been interrupted.
MISCELLANEOUS. 229"
In the instance of the Madras bulbul recorded by Mr. Morris, the mimicry
whs the result of education. The instance of mimicry by a wild bird which Mr.
Aitken gave at page 30 of the 1st volume of this Journal was by the allied but
perfectly distinct "green bulbul" (Phyllomis Malabaricus or Jerdoni). I have
not before heard of an instance of a wild Madras bulbul imitating the natural
notes of his jungle associates. But that Pycnonotus keemorrhous has the faculty
of mimicry is clear from Mr. Morris's paper. As in his instance the develop-
ment of that faculty was apparently induced by the effort to repeat the con-
stantly reiterated utterances of a companion bird, so in mine it would seem that
the note incessantly sounded by a neighbour all through the hot weather had taken
such a hold of the bulbul's mind that he was driven almost unconsciously to
repeat it. The maddening monotony of that "took-took" keeping him
awake after tiffin on hot Sunday afternoons may well have so acted on the poor
bulbul's nerves or brain as to drive him to emit a similar sound, and it is hard
to see for what other reason he should have attempted it in a wild state, with
none to instruct or applaud him, and with a far more pleasing note of his own.
My second instance of mimicry must be of very frequent occurrence, for it is one
of natural protective mimicry in the life history of every individual larva and pupa
of a common species of butterfly. But as I have never yet seen any description
of it, I think it may possibly not yet have come under the observation of any
entomologist, and as it is certainly curious and interesting, I venture to offer a
description of it.
On the 1st August I found on the leaves of a sweet lime tree in ray garden
four small caterpillars lately hatched. Feeding, as they did, on the upper side of the
leaf, they were of course fully exposed to the sight of every passing bird. Being
moreover of slow and sluggish habits, these caterpillars, so exposed to the sight of
their enemies, were driven to artifice to elude their observation. They adopted
the unsavoury one of pretending to be bird-droppings. In every instance the
imitation was so exact that at the distance of a foot and a half I found it impos-
sible to tell the caterpillar from a bit of the solid excrement of some small bird.
It was bluntly rounded at the head end, tapering rather suddenly towards the tail,
of a dark gray colour, with an irregular broadish band of dirty white running
diagonally across the body. It retained this appearance so long as it remained of
a size to carry on the deception successfully, but when about J in. in length, and
too large to hope to be any longer mistaken for what it at first pretended to be, it
beo-an to imitate the tree on which it was feeding. Here again the imitation was
most exact. The back arched up, like a folded leaf. The dark gray turned to the
dark green of the foliage, and the single broad white band became two much
contracted markings of brown delicately streaked with yellow, like the bark of the
twio-s, while a still narrower line of the same appeared transversely across the back,
just above the head- The green continued to expand and the brown to contract,
till the caterpillar was about an inch and a half in length, when it was of a
beautiful shaded green all over its upper side, and pink to ash colour beneath.
It then attached itself firmly by the tail end to a twig with its head upwards,
at an angle of about 30°, steadied itself by two almost invisible gossamer threads
from its head to another twig above, and in that position assumed its chrysalis
280 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCTETY,
form in the shape of a curved green leaf, which it imitated so exactly that I had
some difficulty in finding it in the sprig in which I knew it to be.
The first of these larva; to assume the pupa form did soon the 9th August.
Two others when on the point of following its example a few days later,
unfortunately developed suicidal tendencies, and drowned themselves in the
water in which the stalks of their lime sprigs were immersed. The fourth
assumed the chrysalis form on the 28th August. The one who entered on
his pupa-hood on the 11th August emerged a perfect imago on the 20th, a
male of the species Papilio Pammon. Despite the habits acquired in youth,
it would appear that his long course of deception then ended, for he was like
nothing else that I know. But, had he been she, it would have continued to the
end of life. For, whether it is to protect herself from the attacks of some voracious
foe with a special liking for the flavour of Papilio Pammon, or from a feminine
vanity which leads her to prefer the brilliant colours of other species to the sober-
suited livery affected by the males of her own, or owing to the natural duplicity of
the wily sex born to deceive, or only because Mr. P. likes to see his wife brightly
dressed, I know not (I hope the last is the true reason), yet certain it is, as pointed
out by Col. Swinhoe in an interesting lecture on Mimicry in Butterflies for Protec-
tion, printed at p. 1G9 of the 2nd vol. of this Journal, "the female of Papilio
Pammon mimics two species, Papilio Diphilus and Papilio Hector." Which of
these, if either, will be mimicked by the imago I expect to result from my now sole
surviving pupa, I am anxiously waiting to see.*
W. E. HART.
Bombay, 29th Aug. 1889.
* The imago appeared on 7th September, a female of the Diphilus type.
ZOOLOGICAL NOTES.
In the month of June 1888, I was standing one morning in the porch of my
house, when my attention was attracted by a large dragon-fly of a metallic
blue colour, about 2| inches long, and with an extremely neat figure, who was
cruising backwards and forwards in the porch in an earnest manner that seemed
to show he had some special object in view. Suddenly he alighted at the entrance
of a small hole in the gravel, and began to dig vigorously, sending the dust in
small showers behind him. I watched him with great attention, and, after the
lapse of about half a minute, when the dragon-fly was head and shoulders down
the hole, a large and very fat cricket emerged like a bolted rabbit, and sprang
several feet into the air. Then ensued a brisk contest of bounds and darts, the
cricket springing from side to side and up and down, and the dragon-fly darting at
him the moment he alighted. It was long odds on the dragon-fly for the cricket
was too fat to last, and his springs became slower and lower, till at last his enemy
succeeded in pinning him by the neck. He appeared to bite the cricket, who, after
i a struggle or two, turned over on his back and lay motionless, either dead, or
ZOOLOGICAL NOTES. 281
temporarily senseless. The dragon-fly then, without any hesitation, seized him hy
the hind legs, dragged him rapidly to the hole out of which he had dug him,
entered himself, and pulled the cricket in after him, and then, emerging, scratched
some sand over the hole and flew away. Time for the whole transaction, say,
three minutes.
The cricket was of the large fat kind that keep up a continual singing in a tree
or house porch. The noise is peculiar, as it is difficult to tell from what spot it
comes, and it sometimes has almost a deafening effect on the ears if listened to
for some time. I have most frequently heard these crickets in hill jungles in the
hot weather, hut I do not know their scientific name.
I do not find any mention of a dragon-fly such as I describe in " Tribes on my
Frontier," nor have I ever heard of a case in which a large cricket was dug out of
his home, only to be killed and then buried in it. But was it his home ? or was it
the home of the dragon-fly into which he had got by mistake? If the former, why
did the dragon-fly put him back again? or, if the latter, why did the cricket
ever go into the house of so formidable an enemy? I conclude that the cricket
was in his own home, and, in that case Irish evictions and moonlighters are nothing
to what he had to endure, for he was first evicted, then chased and killed, and
then buried beneath his own hearth-stone.
In any case the sight was a most curious one, and I should be glad to have
a scientific explanation of it-
E. GILES.
CORRESPONDENCE.
WILD BUFFALO.
To the Editor, Bombay Natural History Society's Journal.
Dear Sir, — Mr. Littledale's derivation (see Journal No. 2, page 153,) is
ingenious even if it is not quite correct.
I think, as far as I can gather, the word " Urnah" not " Arna" comes down from
Assam and those parts, and is not Hindustani at all. My authority for this is
Baldwyn, who frequently uses the word "urnah " as if it were in common use in
the parts of which he is writing, viz., Jeypore and the Lowqua lake.
I was this year in the Central Provinces, and came across several herds of
buffalo. The natives, however, did not even understand the word "Arna" or
"Urnah," but called them indifferently with the bison " Bim bhainsa," "Jungle
bhainsa," and the Gonds "Pera Mao." The word " Gaur," whenever used, of course
referred to " Garseus Gaurus," which were to be found in the same jungles.
In Sind and the Punjab the word " darkhat" for " darakht" is not uncommon,
as well as many other Provincialisms, as " nuggeech " for " nuzdeekh" (near).
" Nuklau" for " Luknau." In the Central Provinces the town of Warora is called
by every one there Baroda. " — I am, &c,
W. St. JOHN RICHARDSON,
Capt. B. S. C.
232
BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY.
Proceedings of the Meeting held on 10th July 1889.
The usual monthly meeting of this Society took place on Wednesday, the 10th July
1889, and was very largely attended, about 80 members being present. Dr. G. A.
Maconachie presided.
The following gentlemen were elected members of the Society : — Lieut. R P.
Monk, Mr. V. B. F. Bayley, Miss Macdonald, M.D., Mr. George K. Wasey, Mr. H. C.
Wright,.Mr. H. M. Gibbs, Capt. G. M. Porter, R.E., Mr. T. E. Lovell, Lieut. W. S.
Mangles, Mr. lluttonji T. Furdunji Parak, Mr. Anthony P. Menezes, Capt. G. E.
Hyde-Cates, Mr. I. O'Callaghan.
Mr. H- M. Phipson, the Honorary Secretary, then acknowledged the following con-
tributions to the Society's Museum : —
CONTRIBUTIONS DURING MAY AND JUNE.
Contributions.
1 Chameleon (alive)
1 Common Kangaroo ..
2 Red Kangaroos
1 Duck-billed Platypus
1 Vampire Bat
1 Ring-tailed Opossum
2 Sooty Kangaroos
1 Victorian Wombat ...
1 Porcupine Ant Eater
123 Stuffed Birds
99 Beetles
3 Whydah Birds (alive)
A number of Waxbills
(alive)
4 Robber Crabs (alive) ...
4 Young Turtles (alive) ...
2 Coral Sponges
3 Chameleons (alive)
A quantity of Bats
A Black Bear (alive) ....
1 Crow's Nest
Cr:il>s from the Orissa Coast.
10 Young Crocodiles (alive)
A number of Crocodiles'
Eggs.
1 Snake
1 Kingfisher
1 Pied Cuckoo
1 Y^oung Crocodile
3 Bird-Eating Spiders ..
1 Tree Snake (alive) ....
1 Panther Cub (alive)....
1 Young Crocodile
I Chameleon (alive)
A quantity of Insects ....
1 Coppersmith's Nest ....
1 Chameleon (alive) ....
Description.
1 Sea Snake (alive)
1 Snake
Chameleo vulgaris
Macropus major
Osphranter ruf us
Ornithorbynchus para
doxurus.
Ptetopus poliocephalus
Phalangista viverina
Macropus fuliginosus
Phascolomys platyrhinus ..
Echidna hy strix
Australian
Australian
Embrezia paradisea
From Mozambique
Birgus latro
Chelonia virgata
Carteris-spongia lammelosa,
Chameleo vulgaris
From Car war
Ursus labiatus
Made of Telegraph Wire ..
Hippa asiatica
Crocodilus palustris
Dipsas ceylonensis
Alcedo bengalensis
Coccystes jacobinus
Crocodilus palustris
Mygale sp.
Passerita mycterizans
Felis pardus
From Asirgurh
From Aden •
From Raipore, C. P
Xantholoema hoemacephala
Chameleo vulgaris
Pelamis bicolor
Ptyas mucosus
Contributor.
Mrs. Aston.
1
>
By exchange, thro' Dr.
Kirtikar, with the Mel-
borne Museum.
J
Mrs. Skinner.
Do.
Mr. H. W. Searle.
Do.
Capt. Carpenter, R.N.
Capt. G. E. Briggs.
Mr. E. H. Aitken.
Capt. Coleridge.
Mr. E. H. Elsworthy.
Dr. Alcock.
Mr. E. C. K. Ollivant, C.S.
Do.
Col. F. W. Major.
Mrs. Middletou.
Do.
Mr. Rustomjee normarjee.
Rev. J. Mayr, S.J.
Rev. F. Dreckmann, S.J.
Mr. J. D. Inverarity.
Mr, R. H. Light.
Dr. Monks.
Mr. J. A. Betham.
Mr. Charles Douglas.
Shrivlal Motiram, Khan
Sabeb.
Mr. A. Abercrombie.
Mr. J. Warden.
PROCEEDINGS.
233
Contributions.
Description.
Contributor.
1 Toddy Cat (alive)
1 Japanese Spider-Crab ...
1 Snow Panther's Skull
Paradoxurus musanga
Mr. H. E. James, C S.
Purchased.
Do
and Skin.
A quantity of Corals, Fish,
and Mai'ino Animals.
1 Panther's Skull
Mr. W. F. Sinclair, C.S.
Do.
1 Bullfinch (alive)
Capt. Nantes.
Minor Contributions from
Mr. A. Abercrombie, Mr. W. E.^Hart, Miss Keller, Captain J. F. C. Thatcher, Mr.
J. W. Brown, Mr. H. W. Uloth, Mr. W. W. Squire, and Mr. A. McLaren.
Exhibits.
A curiously deformed sambhur horn, picked up near Baroda, by Mr. H. Littledale.
A cutaneous horn grown on a camel's head, by Mr. W. Home, of Jodhpore.
A water-coloured drawing of camels (the Society's Prize Picture at the late Art
Exhibition), by Mrs. Scott.
Contributions to the Library.
Name. Presented by
Zoology of Victoria, Decades I. to XVII Dr. Kirtikar,
Geological Survey of Victoria Reports Do.
Manual of New Zealand : Coleoptera. Parts II. to IV Do.
Manual of the New Zealand Mollusca Do.
Manual of the Birds of New Zealand Do.
Manual of the Fishes of New Zealand Do.
Catalogue of the Moths of India (Swinhoe and Cotes) From Government.
Report of the Geological Survey of India, No. XX1L, Part 2
Catalogue of Manthodea Mr. J. Wood-Mason.
The Society's Journal.
The Honorary Secretary said that the first two numbers of tire Society's Journal
were in the Press, but that their publication had been delayed owing to the non-
receipt of the coloured lithographed plates from Messrs. Mintern Bros., London.
Mango Weevils.
The Honorary Secretary stated that if any of the members wished for further in-
formation respecting the small beetles (Cryptorhynchus mangiferce) found in mango
stones, regarding which several letters had appeared in the newspapers, they would
find a full account of the insect in Mr. Simmons' pamphlet in the Society's Library.
Proposed Zoological Garden.
Mr. H. M. Phipson reminded those present that twelve months had now elapsed
since the Bombay Natural History Society had offered to start a zoological garden,
provided a suitable site could be obtained. The sum of Rs. 55,000 had been sub-
scribed in a very short time amongst the members and their friends, but the scheme
fell through, owing to the refusal of Government to give the Society the use of the
required site. The only satisfaction now left to the Society was that their action
had drawn public attention to the importance of the subject, and the result was that
the Bombay Municipality had sanctioned the Commissioner's proposal to improve
234
BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
and enlarge the existing collection of animals at the Victoria Gardens. Mr. E. C. K.
Ollivant, the Municipal Commissioner, was taking a keen interest in the subject, and
had asked the Bombay Natural History Society to assist him by appointing a sub-
committee to visit the Gardens once a week, and to consult with him as to the best
means of forming a zoological collection which would be a credit to the city. Mr.
Phipson hoped the gentlemen who had offered donations a year ago towards the cost
of cages, houses, &c, (to be named after them) would renew those offers, now that
the Society had determined to help the Commissioner to carry through his scheme.
Tho following Papers were then read : —
Note on a Talking Bulbul.
(By Mr. A. W. Morris, F.Z.S.)
Which appeared in No. 2 (Vol. IV.) of this Society's Journal.
" Our Hymenopteka."
(By Mr. Robert C. Wroughton.)
The Honorary Secretary read extracts from this very interesting paper, which he
stated would appear in the course of a few days, in the Society's Journal, when it
could be studied and enjoyed by the members at leisure. A vote of thanks was
passed to Mr. Wroughton for his paper and for the collection of ants, bees, and
wasps he had made for the Society.
Mr. J. H. Steel, A.V.D., then read a valuable paper on " The Camel," which
will be found on page 207 of this volume.
Proceedings of the Society's Meeting on 10th August 1SS9.
The usual monthly meeting of the Members of this Society took place on Wednes-
day, the 7th August 1889, Dr. D. MacDonald presiding.
The following new members were elected : — Mr. T. E. Sansom (of Batavia), Mr.
E. H. Elsworthy, Mr. James Jardine, Rev. Goldwyer Lewis, Mr. H. Couldrey, Mr. S.
Carleton, Mr. A. Murray, Mr. Wm. Tudball, B. C. S., Mr. Chas. Tudball, C. E., and
Mr. G. R. Lynn.
Mr. H. M. Phipson, the Honorary Secretary, then acknowledged the following
contributions to the Society's Museum : —
contributions during JULY.
Contribution.
Description.
Contributor.
1 Toddy cat (alive)
1 Snake (alive)
2 Snakes
Nest and Eggs of ...
3 Floricans' Eggs ...
1 Purple Coot (alive)
1 Tailor Bird's nest
1 Snake (alive)
1 Lizard (alive)
Paradoxurus musanga.
Tropidonotus quincunctiatus
Python molurus, dendrophis
picta.
Common Wren Warbler.
Sypheotides aurita
Porphyris poliocephalus ...
Ortnotomus sutorius
Dipsas gokool
Gymnodactylus Sp
Mr. E. J. Ebden, C. S.
Mr. X. Casteli.
Mr. H. E. M. James, C. S.
Mr. E. P. Close.
Do.
By exchange.
Mr. S. Luard.
Do.
Mr. G. K. Wasey.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LIBRARY.
The Moths of India (Swinhoe and Cotes) ; from the authors.
Reports of the Geological Explorations in New Zealand ; in exchange.
Proceedings of the Linnrean Society of N. S. Wales ; in exchange.
Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute ; in exchango.
PROCEEDINGS.
235
Annali del Musco Civico do Genova ; in exchange.
Verhandlungcn dor zoologiych botanischon Gesellschaft (Vienna) ; in exchange.
The Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, Part II., No. 1; in exchange.
A VALUABLE ADDITION.
The Honorary Secretary drew attention to the magnificent pair of bison's horns
which the Society ha 1 been able to secure through the kind assistance of Mr. 0. J.
Malt by, of Peermaad, N. Travancore. The horns, which were greatly admired by
every one present, measure no less than 43 inches across (utmost span). A cordial
vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Maltby for his services rendered to the Society.
exhibits.
Mr. J. Lyons exhibited a live specimen of the Thick-tailed Galago (Galago craas
audatus) from the East Coast of Africa. The power which this curious little animal
posesses of folding up its membranous ears excited much interest amongst those
present who examined it.
Mr. S. Lua-d exhibited a curious monstrosity of the Poinciana pidcherrima, in
which the peduncle and rhachis were excessively developed and flattened, being
about If inches broad. On the two flattened surfaces the flowers were crowded
together, producing a very gorgeous effect. It was decided to give a sketch of this
abnormality in the Society's Journal.
Mr. J. H. Steel, A.V.D., made some interesting remarks on a guinea-worm
which had been received from Dr. C. Mallins of Hingoli, which appeared to differ in
some important respects from the true dracunculus.
A BEAK EATEN BY A TXGEE.
Some interesting sporting notes by Professor Littledale, of Baroda, were read,
amongst which was a singular account of a bear having been killed and eaten by a
tiger.
NEW RILES.
The new rules which had been drawn up by the Committee were adopted, and it
was farther decided that a copy of the same should be sent to every member of the
Soch'ty.
THE SOCIETY'S PRIZE AT TIIE BOMBAY ART EXHIBITION.
Mr. Phipson reminded the members that last year the Bombay Natural History
Society differed a prize of Rs. 10) for the best painting of animals at the Bombay Art
Society's Exhibition. The prize was eagerly competed for, and produced a large
number of interesting pictures at the Exhibition which was held in February last. The
Honorary Secretary proposed that the Bombay Natural History Society should repeat
their offer of this pri/.e at the Exhibition next cold weather — a suggestion which was
unanimously agreed to.
The Honorary Secretary read an amusing paper by Mr. E. H. Aitken, entitled
" The Red Ant,'' which appeared in No. 2, Vol. IV. of the Society's Journal.
Mmt.ern Bros. Chromo lith . London.
4-52. IXUS LUTEOLUS, Less.
White, -"browed Bush Bulbul.
JOURNAL
OF THE
BOMBAY
atttpt pHtflitJi
Ko. 4]
BOMBAY, 1889-
[Vol. IV.
NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA.
{Continued from p. 98.)
342. -THE MALABAR WHISTLING THRUSH.
Myioplwneus horsfieldi, Vig.
The Malabar Whistling Thrush, or Idle Schoolboy, is not uncom-
mon on the Ghats, confining itself to the wooded ravines and
nullahs on the hill sides. It occurs but very rarely at Aboo. It is
a permanent resident, commencing to breed about June ; the nest,
which is a very large one, is generally found close to water ; * it is
composed of fine sticks, roots, grass, moss, &c, having a good deal
of earth mixed with it, especially at the bottom.
The eggs, four in number, are broad ovals, slightly pinched in at
one end, measuring 122 inches in length, by about 0'95 in breadth.
In colour they are pinkish- or greyish-white, thickly speckled and
spotted with pinkish-brown.
They breed very commonly at Poorundhur, near Poona, where
they are known as Hill Blue Birds.
Khandalla, hth June. H. E. Barnes.
Saptashring Nassick, July. J. Davidson, C. S.
345.— THE YELLOW-BREASTED GROUND THRUSH,
Pitta brachyura, Linn.
The Indian or Yellow -breasted Ground Thrush has not been
recorded from Sind; it occurs sparingly at and around Deesa, but
* Air. Davidson ,C.S., has often found them in the faces of tremendous cliffs.
32
238 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
becomes more common further south and east. In most of these
places it occurs merely as a passing visitor, but some few remain
to breed at suitable places on the Ghats ; the nest is a clumsy-look-
ing structure, with an entrance on one side, composed of dead
leaves, grass, and fine twigs, lined with finer grass aud leaves.
It is usually placed in a bush or low tree, occasionally on the
ground; the eggs, four or five in number, are broad oval in shape,
measuring an inch in length by rather more than 0*£5 in breadth .
in colour they are a beautiful glossy chin a- white, with deep maroon
and purplish spots, streaks, and hair lines, denser towards the larger
end, where they often form a zone or cap ; occasionally the lines are
absent, and the egg is merely speckled finely at the larger end with
maroon and pale lilac.
Khondabhari Ghat, Khandish, July. J. Davidson, C.S.
Bangs, Nassich, June, Do.
Coast, Kanara, June. Do.
Khandalla, June {nest only), II. E. Barnes.
Saugor, C. P., July. Do.
354.— THE WHITE- WINGED GROUND THRUSH.
Geociehla cyanotis, Jard.
The White-winged Ground Thrush is a permanent resident all
along the Sahyadri Eange, common in the south, but becoming
much less so further north. It breeds early in the rains, making a
cup-shaped nest of grass-roots and twigs, with which a great deal of
earth is incorporated ; it is usually placed in a fork in a tree, at no
great height from the ground. The eggs, three or four in number, vary
a good deal both in size and colour. The usual type has a very pale
green ground colour, spotted and speckled with various shades of
reddish-brown ; occasionally the ground colour is pale olive-green
and sometimes of a pale fawn. They measure one inch in length by
nearly 072 in breadth.
Khandalla, June, B. E. Barnes.
Khondabhari Ghat, Khandesh, July 8f August. J. Davidson, C.S.
Dangs, Nassick, June. D°-
359.— THE BLACK-CAPPED BLACKBIRD.
Merula nigropilea Lafr.
The Blackbird does not occur in Sind, is rare at Mount Aboo,
and in Khandesh occurs only as a straggler, but in the Ghat parts
NESTING IN WESTERN IND1V. 239
of Nassick, (elsewhere unknown) during the rains, itis very common.
Mr, Davidson is of opinion that they arrive in the latter district
about the beginning- of May, and leave at the end of the rains, after
breeding, some few birds remaining later. In Ratnagiri it appears
to be a fairly common permanent resident. They breed during the
ruins, on trees and bushes, at all beiglit3 from the ground, from
four to twenty feet. The nests, composed of green moss and twigs,
are of the usual blackbird type, and are large and rather clumsy.
The eggs, three or four in number, (generally three), are oval in
shape, pinched in at one end, measuring 1*1 inches in length by
about 0*9 in breadth ; in colour they are greenish-white, boldly
blotched with various shades of bright reddish-brown, with an
occassional underlying cloud of faint inky -purple. The markings
are usually most dense at the larger end, where they often form an
irregular cap. Some of them resemble eggs of the Missel Thrush.
Mr. Davidson, C.S., obtained a great number of eggs from Sap-
tashring, Nassick. I found a half- finished nest at A boo in June,
but had to leave the hill before the eggs were laid, and a nest con-
taining three slightly incubated eggs at Khandalla in July. I have
received the eggs from the Pachmari Hills, in the Central
Provinces.
Saptashring 8f GJidts, Nassiek, June 8f July. J. Davidson, C.S.
Khandalla, July. H. E. Barnes.
Aboo (nest only) June. Do.
385.- THE YELLOW-EYED BABBLER.
Pyctoris sinensis, Gm.
The Yellow-eyed Babbler occurs more or less commonly through-
out Western India, breeding during the rains, making typically a
solid, compact, cone-shaped nest (often broadly truncated), with
the apex downwards. It is composed of broad blades of grass,
neatly lined with fine grass roots and stems, coated on the exterior
with spider webs.
Itis usually placed in a slender fork in a small tree or bush,
sometimes between the upright stems of reeds, &c. I have never
found the nest on a Banyan tree, as stated by Jerdon, on the autho-
rity of Mr. Phillips.
The eggs, four or five in number, vary much in colour ; one type
(the commonest) has the ground colour a delicate pinkish-white,
thickly freckled with specks of brick-red; another, the same
240 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
colour, but with the ground markings consisting of blotches and
streaks of bright blood- and brick-red boldly defined, and having an
occasional underlying cloud of pale inky-purple. Sometimes the
ground colour is nearly wbite ; between these extremes every
possible combination occurs.
It may have been a mere coincidence, but all the eggs I took
in Sind (and I took a great number) were of the first mentioned
type.
The eggs are broad oval in shape, and average 0 73 inches in
length by about 0'59 in breadth. They have a high gloss.
3S6fer.— THE GREY-THROATED BABBLER.
Pyctoris griseogularis, Hume.
The Grey-throated Babbler is said to be a permanent resident in
Sind, but I am not aware of the nest having been taken.
389.— THE NILGIRI QUAKER THRUSH,
Alcippe poiocephala Jerd.
Mr. Davidson, who has afforded me much valuable assistance in
compiling this paper, has furnished me with this and the following
note : —
" This bird is very common at Matheran, and all through the
Ghats, from the south of Kanara to the extreme north, where they
end in Khandesh. It builds a neat nest, somewhat of the bulbul
type, and generally conceals it among some thick branches, a
favourite place being among some climbiug plant which has twisted
itself among the branches of a thick tree. The nest is generally
about ten to fifteen feet from the ground, but is sometimes within
reach. The eggs, three in number, are very beautiful."
In shape they are moderately broad ovals, somewhat compressed
at one end, and have a fine and rather glossy shell. The ground
colour is a delicate pink. There are a few pretty large and con-
spicuous spots and hair lines of deep brownish-red, almost black, and
there are a few large pinkish-brown smears and clouds, generally
lying around or about the dark spots ; and theu towards the large end,
there are several small clouds and patches of faint inky purple
which appear to underlie the other markings. — (Nests and Eggs of
Indian Birds, r>. 241.) As is usually the case with highly- coloured
eggs, they subject to much variation in colour and markings
NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA. 241
some taken by Mr. ~W. Davison are described as being of a beautiful
reddish-pink, blotched and streaked with reddish carmine.
390.—THE BLACK-HEADED QUAKEE THRUSH.
Alcippe atriceps, Jerd.
Si This brisk little bird is very common in the jungles of Kanara
from the sea-level to the full height of the Ghats and also in the
jungles above, wherever there is any bamboo jungle. They go about
in small parties or pairs, and seem in a chronic state of building
nests. Indeed, I have watched the birds building frequently
during the hot weather and early rains. I do not think the nests
are for incubation as a rule, but that after the nesting season is
over, the family always roost in a nest. For some reason or another
they soon get tired of their nest, and six or seven are generally to
be found close to one another. They are large masses of bamboo
leaves with (in the cases of new ones) a hollow inside lined with
fine grass ; generally (but not always) opening from the top.
Cl The only nest I have taken with eggs was in the middle of June
at Karwar, but an egg undoubtedly of this bird was brought me
in April from, the crest of the Ghats. The eggs are large for so
small a bird, and are of a pale pinkish-white colour, boldly spotted
at the larger end with deep brick- red. There were two fresh eggs
in the nest I found."
397.— THE RUFOUS-BELLIED BABBLER.
Diimetia hi/perytltra, Franld.
This little Bubbler has been recorded from the Konkan and Khan-
desh, and from the Yindhian Hills, near Mhow. Mr. Wenden
found them breeding at Tanna and at Khandalla during the rains ;
the nest is globular in shape, composed of coarse grass blades,
sparingly lined with fine grass. It is frequently placed on the
ground amongst coarse grass, or dead leaves, with which it is not
infrequently incorporated ; occasionally it is found in low scrub
bushes only a foot or so from the ground.
The eggs, four in number, are broad oval in shape, white in
colour, spotted, speckled, streaked, and blotched with brownish-red
and reddish-purple ; the markings are sometimes clearly defined,
at others they are smudgy, in others again they are speckly. They
measure 0*67 inches in length by about 0*53 in breadth.
The birds are very commen at Saugor, breeding during July and
August.
2?42 BOMBAY NATURAL HI9T011Y SOCIETY.
398.— THE WHITE-THROATED WREN BABBLER,
Dumetia albogularis, Blyth.
The White-throated Wren Babbler is much more generally dis-
tributed in Western India than I once thou o-ht. It occurs all alono-
the Sahyadri range, is not uncommon at Mount A boo, is fairly com-
mon at and in the vicinity of Baroda, and I myself have found it
breeding on the slopes under the cliffs, at Sion, near Bombay.
It is a permanent resident at all these places, and breeds at the
end of the hot weather and during the early part of the monsoon.
The nest is globular in shape, having the entrance near the top,
and is composed of broad-leaved grasses and sedges, and is placed
on the ground, occasionally in low bushes.
The eggs, usually four in number, are oval in shape, pinched in
a little at one end, and measure 0 73 inches iu length \>y about 0'51
in breadth. The ground colour is china-white (sometimes pinkish-
white), freckled and spotted with bright red; the markings are usually
much denser at the larger end, where they often form a cap or
zone, and having an occasional spot of lilac or clayey-brown inter-
mingled.
Mr. Davidson, C.S., took a nest towards the end of May, contain-
ing seven eggs, but as they belonged to two distinct types, and as
he, after waiting a short time, saw three birds flitting towards the
nest ; they were possibly the joint produce of two females.
Sion, mar Bombay, 10th May. II E. Barnes.
Baroda, July and August. II. Litthdale, B A.
Bangs 8f Hills in Nassieli, June and July. J. Davidson, C.S.
Khondabhari Ghat, Khandesh, July &f August. Do.
Dhulia, Khandesh, April. Vo.
3'JD.THE SPOTTED WREN BABBLER.
Pellorneum rujiceps, Su-s.
I have never met with this bird in the flesh, and I am indebted to
Mr. J. Davidson for the following note : — li This bird is common in
the Kanara jungles, and I have noticed it through all the hill-parts
of Nassick. It is, however, about the shyest bird in the jungle, and
is often overlooked. It breeds in April and May in Kanara, making
its nest on the ground, in thick evergreen jungle, where there
is no grass. The nest is a large ball of leaves with the entrance
at the side. The number of eggs I have found have always been
NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA. 243
either two or three, and I have found two eggs, hard set. They are
in some respects not unlike a common type of Thamnobia fulicata,
being greyish-white, thickly mottled with numerous very fine spots
of various shades of brownish-purple.
404.-THE SOUTHERN SCIMITAR ^BABBLER.
Pomqtorhinus horsfieldi, Sykcs.
As its trivial name implies, this Babbler only occurs in the
southern portion of the Presidency on the slopes and at the foot of
the Sah}^adri Range, where it is stated to be a permanent resident.
I can find no authentic record of its nest having been taken within
our limits,* but elsewhere they breed from April to May, making a
large globular nest of roots, grass, and moss, the moss being prin-
cipally used as a lining ; it is placed on or near the ground, under
the shelter afforded by a clump of grass or bush. The eggs, three
or five in number, are somewhat elongated ovals in shape, and are
smooth spotless white in colour ; they measure 1'08 inches in length
by about 077 in breadth.
404fer.— HUME'S SCIMITAR BABBLER.
Pomatorhinus ohscurns, Hume.
The differences between this bird and the Southern Scimitar Bab-
bler are slight, and it requires a cai'ef ul examination to distin-
guish them from one another. It is very common on Mount Aboo
and on the hills in the neighbourhood, and specimens sent to
Mr. Hume, from the borders of Khandesh and Nassick, as horsfideli,
by Mr. Davidson, were identified by the former as this bird. Person-
ally he doubts their distinctness, as also do I. He has taken nests
on 'the Ghats bordering between Khandesh and Nassick in April.
The number of eggs in all cases was two, and the nests seemed to
him to be slighter built than the rough nest he has seen of
horsfieldi.
No Scimitar Babbler of any kind has as yet been recorded from
Sind.
I found a nest at Mt. Aboo in the middle of June, nearly com-
pleted, but had unfortunately to leave before the eggs were laid.
It was a loose ball of coarse grass, and was placed under a clump
of ferns.
* Since the above was written, Mr. Davidson has informed me that he took a
nest in the Varna valley, Satara, in April, containing two fresh eggs.
244 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY S0CIET7.
432.— THE BENGAL BABBLER.
Malacocercus terricolor, Hoclgs.
The Bengal Babbler is very common in Sind, and occurs not
uncommonly in Guzerat, but becomes rarer further south, where
it is replaced by the closely allied Jungle Babbler {Malacocercus
malabaricus) . They are permanent residents where found, breeding
from March to July, but occasionally nests are found at other
seasons (I took a nest containing four eggs in January) ; the nests
are cup-shaped, and are, as a rule, loosely constructed, but now and
then a more carefully-made nest is met with. They are often found
in gardens, placed in forks in fruit trees, bushes, thick hedges, vine-
ries, &c. They are composed of ■ grass-roots and stems ; the eggs,
three or four in number, are broadish oval in shape, but are subject
to considerable variation ; they measure about an inch in length by
0* 78 in breadth; they are of a beautiful greenish-blue color, and
are generally highly glossy.
433.— THE WHITE-HEADED [BABBLER.
Malacocercus griseus, Lath.
The White-headed Babbler occurs not uncommonly at and near
Belgaum, and is common all along the Kanara Coast, and above the
Ghats wherever the country is at all open, but does not appear to
come much further north. They breed twice a year, from April to
June, and again in October and November ; the nest, cup shaped,
is composed of fine twigs, grass stems and roots, and is loosely
made; it is usually placed in the centre of some small tree or bush;
the eggs, three or four in number, are of a deep glossy greenish-
blue, quite unspotted. Those in my collection are much deeper in
colour than any other Babbler's egg that I am acquainted with, and,
although taken many years ago, are still as bright and glossy as at
first ; they have not, of course, been exposed to the light. Mr.
Davidson says : ('Eggs of this Babbler I took in Mysore where the
palest Babblers I have ever taken, and others I have taken in
Kanara are as deep as malabaricus."
They measure 0'98 inches in length by about 0"7 in breadth.
Kanara, March 8f April. J. Davidson, C.S.
434.— THE JUNGLE BABBLER.
Malacocercus malabaricus, Jerd.
The Jungle Babbler takes the place of the Bengal Babbler in
the southern portion of the Western Presidency.
NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA. 245
It is very irregular in its breeding habits (but this trait seems
common to the genus) ; nests have been taken from April to October
and occasionally earlier. Both eggs and nests are absolutely iden-
tical with those of the Bengal Babbler, Malacocercus terricolor.
Mr. Davidson says : " I have taken nests in all the jungle parts of
Khandesh (Satpooras and Ghats) in all jungle parts of Nassick,
and in Kanara."
435.— THE RUFOUS-TAILED BABBLER.
Malacocercus somervittei, Sykes.
The Rufous-tailed Babbler is much more extensively distributed
than is usually thought ; Mr. Hume says it is confined to a narrow-
strip of country, sixty miles north and south of Bombay, but it
occurs very much further south than this, and is the common
Babbler of the Ratnagiri district.
They breed from June to August, much in the same way as the
other Babblers. The eggs, three or four in number, are uniform
deep greenish-blue, and in size and shape resemble those of th,e
Bengal Babbler.
Dadur 8f Sion, near Bombay, June Sf July. H. E. Barnes.
436.— THE LARGE GREY BABBLER.
Argya malcolmU Syhcs.
The Large Grey Babbler is common in the Deccan, fairly com-
mon in Rajputana and Guzerat, is very rare in Sind, and appears
to be altogether absent from Ratnagiri and the more southern
portions of Western India.
They breed more or less the whole year through, but May to July
is the season when most nests will be found. The nest, which is a
loose cup-shaped structure, composed of fine twigs and grass roots,
is generally placed in a fork in a small tree, a babool by preference,
at no very great height from the ground. The eggs, three or four
in number, are not distinguishable from those of the Bengal Babbler ;
nests are often found in the trees that border the sides of the roads.
436.— THE RUFOUS BABBLER.
Layardia subrufa, Jerd.
This is another bird concerning the breeding of which little or
nothing seems to be known. Mr. Davidson found it to be a per-
manent resident in the Kanara forests, not at all common and very
local, He has never seen its nest.
33
246 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
438.— THE STRIATED BUSH BABBLER.
ChatarrJicea caudata, Dum.
Except in Ratnagiri and the more southern portion of the Presi-
dency, the Striated Bush Babbler is extremely common, breeding
more or less the whole year round, making a deep, cup -shaped nest,
much more neatly and compactly built than that of any other
Babbler I am acquainted with.
It is composed of grass roots and stems, occasionally unlined, but
usually well lined with fine grass and hair. The nest is placed in
the centre of some low thorny bush, such as a stunted babool.
In Sind, the wild caper bushes that are so common on the hillocks
and ridges of wind-blown sand, are generally selected, but even here
the babool bushes have their share of nests. The eggs, three or
four in number, are longish ovals in shape, and in colour are bright
spotless blue or greenish blue. They measure 0'84 inches in length
by about 0*63 in breadth.
439.— THE STRIATED REED BABBLER.
ChatarrJicea earlii, Blyth.
Within our limits the Striated Reed Babbler only occurs in suit-
able places in kind, where it is a permanent resident, breeding from
March to September, and having at least two broods in the year.
The nest, which is rather massive and cup-shaped, is composed of
broad grass leaves and roots, and is placed in close-growing reeds or
low bushes. The eggs three or four in number, are bright bluish
green in colour, and in shape are longish ovals, somewhat piuched
in at one end. They measure 0 '96 inches in length by about 0*73
breadth.
Hyderabad, Sind, March to September. H. E. Barnes.
Eastern Narra, Sind, March to October. S. B. Doig, Esq.
440.-THE STRIATED MARSH BABBLER.
Megalurus jpalustris, Hors.
Mr, Davidson found this bird in the islands in the Taptee in
Khandesh, from November to May, and is certain it bred there.
Whether it stayed or not during the rains he does not know ; he
never found a nest.
Elsewhere they breed during May and June, making a somewhat
globular nest with the entrance near the top ; it is composed entirely
of coarse grass, and is placed in a dense cluster of reeds or grass.
NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA. 247
An egg hi my collection measures 0'9 inches in length by 0'63
in breadth.
The ground is a dull dead white, thickly speckled and spotted
with purplish and blackish-brown.
441.— THE GRASS BABBLER.
Chcetornis striatus, Jerd.
The Grass Babbler is not uncommon in Nothern Gujerat and in
some purts of Central India. It breeds during the rains, making
a i-ouudish nest having the entrance hole near the top. It is com-
posed of dry grass, and is placed on the ground in the centre of a
low bush.
The eggs, four in number, are white in colour, speckled all over
with reddish-brown and pale lavender. These spots are much
more dense at the larger end, where they form a cap.
They much resemble eggs of Franklinia huchanani, but are much
larger, equalling those of the Striated Bush Babbler.
Deesa, 18th August. Cap . Butler.
Deesa, 4th September (nestlings) . H. E. Barnes.
442.— THE BROAD-TAILED REED-BIRD.
Schamicola platyuras, Jerd.
The Broad-tailed Reed-Bird is very rare. Capt. Butler found it
breeding in September at Belgaum. The nests were in long grass
by the side of rice fields, but unfortunately he does not describe
either the nests or eggs.
443. -THE LONG-TAILED REED-BIRD.
Laticilla buniesi, Blyth.
The Long-tailed Reed-Bird is very numerous in the Eastern
Narra District and some other suitable places in Sind, but has not
been recorded from any other part of the Western Presidency.
Mr. Doig appears to be the only oologist who has as yet taken
the eggs.
He found them breeding in March, June, and September, and
describes the nest as being composed of coarse grass lined with fine
grass and roots, and measuring four to five inches in diameter
externally and two and a half internally, the egg cavity being one
and a half inches deep. The nest is placed in the centre of a tussock
of grass. The usual number of eggs is three, aud they average 0'72
248 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.,
inches in length by about 0*54 in breadth. In colour the eggs
vary a great deal, there being two distinct types, one resembling
some eggs of the Yellow-throated Sparrow {Gymnoris fiavicollis),
having the ground colour of a pale green covered with large
irregular blotches of purplish-brown, and the other having the
ground colour very pale cream, with large rusty blotches, which
are moBt numerous at the large end. They desert the nest on the
slightest provocation, even after the eggs are laid.
The eggs in my collection, which I owe to the kindness of Mr.
Doig, belong to the first-mentioned type.
446.— THE GHAT BLACK BULBUL.
Ilypsipetes ganesa, Sykes.
The Ghat Black Bulbul is stated to occur sparingly on tho
Sahyadri Range, only as far north as Mahableshwar, but I have
received the nest and eggs from Matheran, taken in June, and am
almost certain that I saw a bird at Khandalla in July. The nest
was placed against the side of a stout branch, just where a few thin
twigs jutted out, and these formed a support to the nest, some of
them being incorporated with it. The nest appears small for the
size of the bird, the egg cavity measuring about two and three
quarters inches in diameter by about one and a half deep.
The nest is composed principally of moss, well lined with fine
grass and moss roots.
The eggs are oval in shape, pinched in a little at one end, and
measure rather more than an inch in length by about three-quar-
ters in breadth ; they are of a pale pinkish-white stone colour,
profusely spotted and speckled with claret and purplish-red, and
having a few underlying spots of pale inky-purple.
Mr. Davidson found it common in the Kanara jungles, princi-
pally on and above the Ghats.
Kanara, April and May. J. Davidson, C. 8.
450.—THE YELLOW-BROWED BULBUL.
Criniger ictericus, Sw.
Mr. Davidson has kindly furnished me with the following in-
teresting note : —
"This is a very common bird in all the Kanara jungles wherever
the jungle is evergreen. It builds a slight nest on a thin branch of
a low sapling. This is fastened by the sides to a fork like an
oriole's, and is composed outwardly of rope-like fibre, with a dead
NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA. 249
leaf or two laid on it, and lined internally with fine grass cut into
short pieces. The edge has a slight coating of spider and red ant
webs .
" All the nests I have seen have been from eight to fifteen feet
from the ground, and none have contained more than three eggs
or young (generally two). The eggs are long shaped, of a pinkish-
white, faintly blotched at the large end with close blotches of a
pink slightly deeper than the ground colour. Some are exactly
similar in colour to those of (Myagra azurea), the Black-naped
Blue Fly-catcher."
452.— THE WHITE-BROWED BULBUL.
Ixus luteolus, Less.
The White -browed Bush Bulbul is common about Bombay, but
appeal's to avoid the Ghat. They are permanent residents, breed-
ing daring the rains. Mr. Davidson found them common along
the Kanara Coast, breeding like most of the Bulbuls occasionally
at almost all seasons.
The nest, composed of thin twigs, is lined with fine grass stems,
and is suspended between the twigs forming a fork, in a low bush
or tree, and is generally overshadowed by another bough.
The eggs, three in number, are oval in shape, measuring 0*94 inches
in length by 0*62 in breadth. In colour they are pinkish-white,
thickly spotted and blotched with claret and purplish-red. These
markings are much more profuse at the larger end.
Mt. Sion {near Bombay), July 8$ August. H. E. Barnes.
455. -THE RUBY-THROATED BULBUL.
Rubigula gularis, Gould.
Mr. Davidson informs me that the Ruby-throated Bulbul is
rather a common bird in Kanara forests both on the coast and
above the ghats. Neat nests of the bulbul type in low bushes have
been pointed out to him as belonging to this bird, but though a
permanent resident he has never taken the eggs.
457.— THE GREY-HEADED BCLBUL.
Brachypodius poiocephalus, Jerd.
Mr. Davidson found the Grey-headed Bulbul to be not uncommon
in the Kanara forests above the ghats, where he has no doubt it
is a permanent resident, but he kuowa nothing of its breeding
habits.
250 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
459— THE WHITE-EARED CRESTED BULBUL.
Otocompsa leucotis, Gould.
The White-eared Crested Bulbul is the common bulbul of Sind and
occurs not uncommonly in Northern Guzerat. They breed from April
to August ; the nests are usually placed in dense tamarisk bushes
occasionally in small babool trees), at heights varying from three
to six feet from the ground ; they are cup-shaped, slenderly but firmly
built, and bear handling well; they are composed of fine twigs of
tamarisk, &c, grass roots and vegetable fibre, and are unlined.
The eggs, three in number, very rarely four, are longish ovals in
shape, pointed at one end, and are reddish white in colour, spotted,
streaked, and blotched with brownish and purplish red. They
measure 0'82 inches in length by 0*64 in breadth.
Hyderabad, Sind, April to August. H. E. Barnes.
4606/s.— THE SOUTHERN RED-WHISKERED BULBUL.
Otocompsa fuscicaudata, Gould.
The Southern Red-whiskered Bulbul is common all along the
Sahyadri range and forests adjacent ; it is also very common at
Mount Aboo.
It is equally common in the vicinity of Bombay.
They breed from March to June, making a deep cup-shaped nest
composed of grass roots, with a quantity of dead leaves or dried
ferns worked into the bottom, and lined with fine grass and the
hair-like roots and stems of ferns.
They are often bound on the exterior with spider webs.
The eggs, two or three in number, are reddish-white in colour,
thickly streaked, spotted, and speckled with rich blood and brick-
red, with a few scarcely visible spots of pale inky-purple.
They measure 0*9 inches in length by about 0*66 in breadth.
Mt. 8 ion (near Bombay), March to May. M. E. Barnes.
Khandalla, June and July. Bo.
Aboo, May and June. Bo.
Nassick Ghdts, Feb. to July. J. Bavidson, C. S.
Kanara forests, Feb. to May. Bo.
462.--THE COMMON MADRAS BULBUL.
Pycnonotus hcemorrhous, Gm.
The Common Madras Bulbul is very abundant throughout the
Western Presidency, except in Upper Sind, where it is very rare.
NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA. 251
They breed from April to October, rearing at least two broods
in the year. The nest is generally built on a low bush or fruit tree
rarely at any great height from the ground. It is neatly but lightly
made, cup-shaped, and is composed of grass stems, lined with finer
grass, and occasionally with hair. The eggs, three or four in number,
are rather longish ovals in shape, pinkish- white in colour, speckled,
blotched, streaked and clouded with claret and purplished-red. The
markings are liable to excessive variation. They measure 0"9 inches
in length by 0*68 in breadth.
Lately at Saugor, C. P., I have found many nests, rather high up
in forks of medium- sized babool trees.
4G3.— THE COMMON GREEN BULBTJL.
Phyllom is jerdoni, Blyth .
I have never found a nest of the Common Green Bulbul, although
it occurs more or less commonly (with the exception of Sind) through-
out the Presidency.
Mr. Davidson, who has been more successful, has kindly furnished
me with the following note : —
" This bird is very common on the Nassick ghats, about Egutpura
and is found in all the wooded districts of this Presidency. It con-
ceals its nest in a thick tree, such as a mango or mowa, so that it is
in many cases quite impossible to discover it by merely examining
the tree from below. The nest, a neat cup, is suspended from the
side of a fork or succession of twigs. I have found it only at heights
from twelve to twenty feet from the ground. The eggs are very long
shaped, and all white, with small blotches of very dark purple spar-
ing scattered over them. I have always found either two or three
eggs."
Khondabhari Ghdt, Khandesh, Aug. J. Davidson, C.8
Nassick districts, Feb. Do.
464.— THE MALABAR GREEN BULBUL.
Phyllornis malabaricus, Gm.
I can find nothing on record regarding the breeding of this bird,
although it appears to be a permanent resident where it occurs.
252 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
463.— WHITE-WINGED GREEN BULBUL
OR
THE WHITE WINGED IORA.
Iora tiphia, Lin,
The White-winged Iora is altogether absent from Sind, and is
replaced in Northern Gujerat by the next species. It appears to be
common in the Southern and Eastern portions of Western India, and
occurs not uncommonly on Mount Aboo.
It is of course a permanent resident, breeding from the com-
mencement of the rains until near the end. The nest, a deepish cup,
is usually placed on a horizontal bough, generally at a place where a
few upright twigs spring out from the bough, helping to keep it
securely in position ; occasionally the nest is placed in an upright
fork, composed of three or four twigs, and in this case the nest is
generally deeper.
It is composed of vegetable fibres, lined with fine grass and hairs,
and is thickly coated on the outside with spider webs.
It is firmly and compactly made, but the walls are thin, often not
more than three-sixteenths of an inch in thickness ; the bottom too,
when the nest is placed on a horizontal bough, is very thin, often not
more than one-eight of an inch, but when it is placed in an upright
fork, the bottom is continued to a blunt point, and is then often an
inch or even more in thickness.
The nest a good deal resembles that of the White-browed Fantail
Flycatcher, but is rather more loosely made and is not quite so
compact.
The eggs, two or three in number, are moderately broad ovals in
shape, a little pointed at one end ; the ground colour is greyish-,
yellowish-, or creamy -white, having longitudinal streak of purplish-
reddish or yellowish-brown. These streaks start from the larger
end, where they often form an imperfect cap or belt, often leaving the
smaller end comparatively clear. They average about 0*G9 inches in
length by rather more than 0-54 in breadth.
Neemuch, July and August. H. E. Barnes.
Baroda, June to October, H. Littledale.
4686w.— THE WESTERN IORA.
Iora nigrolutea, Mar.
This the is common Iora of Guzerat, and occurs most abundantly
NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA. 253
in the vicinity of Deesa, where alone I have had an opportunity of
observing; it is equally abundant with tiphiain West Khandesh, and
appears to straggle a good deal ; it breeds about the same time and in
the same manner as the Common Iora, but the only eggs I have
seen had the ground colour almost pure white, and the markings were
two shades of purplish-brown ; but I have no doubt, if a sufficiently
large series were examined, no constant difference would be detected.
Deesa, June and July, H. E. Barnes.
Dhulia, Khandesh, July. J, Davidson, C.S.
469.— THE FAIRY BLUE BIRD.
Irene puella, Lath.
I have never had an opportunity of examining this bird in life,
and am indebted to Mr. Dividson, C.S., for the following interesting
note, which I reproduce in extenso : —
" This, about the loveliest bird in the Bombay Presidency, is a
fairly common bird through the forests of Kanara, and I have often
seen five or six pairs in a morning's walk. The nests are, however,
very difficult to find. The first I obtained was in the end of March,
and contained two half-grown young. It was close to a river and a
road. The nest was about twenty feet from the ground, in a thin
tree, and was visible from any distance; it was a clumsy structure
of twigs, liued with fine roots, very much like the lining on Volvo-
civora sykesi, and there was a little moss round the outside.
Another nest taken in the end of April was on a pollarded tree,
about fifteen feet from the ground ; it contained two fresh eggs,
and the nest was more neatly made, the twigs being bound round
outwardly with green moss. The egg or eggs (for one was broken
before it reached my hands) was of an olive-green colour, blotched
with brownish-olive. It somewhat resembled the egg of {Eudyna-
mis honor ata) the Common Koel, but was a good deal narrower.
470.— THE INDIAN ORIOLE.
Oriolus kundoo, Sykes.
The Indian Oriole occurs pretty generally throughout Western
India, but is decidedly uncommon in Sind, and appears to be replaced
on the higher ranges of hills by the Black-headed Oriole.
They are permanent* residents, breeding during May and June.
* Mr. Davidson, C. S., says : — " A migrant, as far as I can judge, in Kanara, all
leaving the district isa May.
34
254 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
The nest is a deep purse-like cup, carefully suspended between two
twigs forming a fork, to which it is firmly attached by strips of bark,
grass, and, occasionally, even bits of cloth.
It is strongly and compactly made, and is well lined with fine
grass. From below the nest looks very small, and is usually partially
hidden by foliage, above it must be invisible, although placed rather
high up, and almost at the extremity of a bough.
The eggs, three in number, occasionally four, are moderately long-
ish ovals in shape, pinched in a good deal at one end, but other
forms are not uncommon; they are of a glossy china-white colour*
thinly sprinkled at the larger end with spots and specks of blackish-
brown, mostly confined to the larger end ; these markings are some-
times almost entirely black, but occasionally they are reddish, or
even yellowish-brown, but this last type is very uncommon.
They vary a great deal in size, but the average is rather more
than l'l inch in length by about 0'8 in breadth. The eggs forming
a clutch often differ conisderably both iu size and shape.
As soon as the eggs are laid, the birds seem to lay aside their usual
timorous disposition, and boldly attack any bird that ventures near
the nest ; this habit often leads to its discovery. If nestlings are
found within a reasonable distance, say a mile or so, and are placed
in a cage, in a position accessible to the parent birds, they will
attend and feed them, until long after they are able to fly and feed
themselves; but as a rule, when the old birds cease to visit them,
they refuse food, pine away and die.
471.— THE BLACK-NAPED INDIAN ORIOLE.
Oriolus indicus, Jcrd.
Occurs very rarely in Kanara ; I kuow nothing of its breeding.
472.— THE BLACK-HEADED ORIOLE.
Oriolus melanocephalus, Lin.
I have never met with a nest of the Black-headed Oriole.
Mr. Davidson, C.S., has kiudly furnished the following note : —
"This bird is common throughout the ghats from Khandesh down
to Egutpoora, inhabiting all the warm valleys.
" It is also very common all the year in the Kanara jungles below
the ghats, but leaves the part above the ghats, at all events, to a
great extent in May,
NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA. 255
" It builds a very compact nest of bamboo leaves and grass, lined
with fine roots, and is suspended between two twigs forming a fork,
generally about fifteen feet from the ground.
The number of eggs is three, and they vary a good deal. They
are generally of a light salmon colour, with bold blotches of dark
lilac-brown scattered over the broader end. They are fairly glossy,
many resemble much some types of (BucJianga atra) the Common
King Crow, but are larger and more glossy." They average 1*14
inches in length by about 0"82 in breadth.
Nassick Ghdts, May to July. J. Davidson, C. 8.
Khanbari Ghdts, Khandesh, July. Bo.
THE MAN-EATING TIGRESS OF MUNDA.LI.
Since Mr. Reginald Gilbert read a paper on Man-Eating Tigers,
before the Members of the Society, on 4th September 1889, the
subject has been freely discussed, and we are consequently glad to
reprint the followiug account of the destruction of a veritable Man-
Eating Tigress, which appeared in the Indian Forester for July 1889
(Vol. XV., No. 7):—
" Our readers will forgive us for being so late in the day with our
account of this brute, which had been for more than 12 years the
scourge of the hills immediately north of Chakrata. The present
paper was, however, already in print before our June Number issued
from the press, and it was only want of space that prevented its
publication in that Number.
" According to the information we have been able to collect, our
tigress seems to have been first heard of in 187G. Throughout her
career as a man-eater, .she confined herself to a narrow beat hardly
24 miles from end to end, ranging from the Hama Sarai group of
villages in the Jumna Valley to the spur immediately overlooking
Chakrata.
"After leaving the Jumna Valley she came up to Lokhiir at the top
of the spur just above Rama Sarai. From Lokhar she followed up
to the other end of her beat, the main ridge which forms the water-
parting between the Jumna and Tons rivers. She never left this
ridge or its vicinity to go down to the numerous villages which skirt
the valleys of the several mountain streams that run down into the
256 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
Tons. This ridge, being from 8,000 to 10,000 feet above the sea, is
covered with snow from December to the end of March, so that
durin°- the winter she remained at the lower elevations round Kama
Sarai. Bat so soon as the snows were melted, she would come np
ao-ain, although daring April-May and October-November the tem-
perature on the ridge after sundown stands constantly in the vicinity
of freezing, and is often low enough for the ground to remain frozen
hard for hours after the sun is up.
" There can be no doubt that she took to man-eating under stress
of long starvation, due to the difficulty of securing game in the
steep mountainous country in which she had established herself-
Previous to her appearance tigers were unknown so far north in
Jaunsar.
"About that time, however, professional graziers (Gujars),
gradually forced to move eastwards from Kashmere owing to scarcity
of grazing for their increasing herds, reached the Dehra Dun. The
custom of these men is to remain in the hills until driven down to
the Sub-Himalayan forests by the severe winter there. Our tigress
thus no doubt followed the herds from the Dun forests, and got left
behind when these went down again at the beginning- of winter.
" She appears from the very first to have had cubs with her, which
fact probably accounts for her great destmctiveness and boldness
soon after her arrival in the hills. In September 1880 she took up
her quarters, with three nearly full-grown cubs, in the neighbourhood
of Deoban, o| miles above Ckakrata, and killed three men within a
fortnight. One of these cubs was shot on September 15th by
Mr. Smythies almost at the upper end of Chakrata ; another was
killed by Mr. Lowrie eight days later; while the third, put up with
the mother in a beat only five days after, got away wounded.
Through all the vigorous hunt after her and her cubs during a whole
fortnight the tigress escaped scatheless.
"It has been already said above that she took toman-eating owing
to the precipitous nature of her haunts, which prevented her from
obtaining a sufficient supply of the usual food of tigers, viz., deer,
pigs, &c ,and, when opportunity offers, cattle. The same circumstance
drove her to attacking flocks of sheep and goats, which are very
numerous in those rich high-level pastures during the period from
the m3lting of the snows to the approach of winter. She would
make one or more rushes through a flock, killing several animals,
only a few of which she could eat. Thus her appetites were not
MAN-EATING TIGRESS OF MUNDAET. 257
purely anthropophagous, although she no doubt preferred the flavour
of the better nourished flesh of mau. She often apparently disap-
peared for weeks and months at a time when she chanced to get in
amongst a sufficiency of game. When this supply ran short, she would
suddenly appear and attack men with increased persistence, killing
several within a few days. As she grew older, her taste for human
flesh increased, and her fear of man proportionately diminished.
" If near a herd of cattle, she took no notice of the cattle, but went
straight for the herdsmen. On one occasion, in June 1883, she walked
at night into an out-office of the Lokhar rest-house, where some men
were sleeping at the further end, a cow and her calf being tied up in
the door-way. She passed these animals without taking any notice
of them, and carried off one of the caen.
" Mention of this last-mentioned event leads us to a necessary digres-
sion in order to recall to the reader's mind the hio-hlv imaginative
account of the same, which appeared in June last in the Civil and Mili-
tary Gazette, Lahore, and was subsequently reprinted by almost every
newspaper in India, and even those in England. The wag who wrote
that article put into his picture a bright moon, the invariable cubs,
and the usual play with her victim which the fond mother goes in for in
order to teach her offspring how to kill. The picture was still further
embellished by several human figures perched up in surrounding
trees, watching this spectacle of horror. What actually took place
was simply this: — The movements of the affrighted cow and calf, and
no doubt also the noise made by the tigress as she darted off with
her victim, woke the other men, who began to interrogate one another
as to the cause of the commotion. Some of them even went to
the door to investigate. Everything was, however, still now, and the
men rolled themselves up again in their bedding, not recognising in
the dark that one of their number was missing. What happened in
the meantime outside was that the tigress, alarmed by the sudden
exclamations of the awkened sleepers, dropped her man and made off
to one side. When all was quiet again, she came back and picked up
the unfortunate man, who just then became conscious and groaned
aloud with pain. Realizing at last the position of affairs, the men inside
the room rushed out with loud cries only to see, in thedimlioht from
the clouded sky, the tigress disappear with their comrade down the
slope on to the road below. Mr. G.P. Chill, from whom we had the
preceding details a few days after their occurrence, and who was
sleeping in the rest-house, came out with his rifle on hearing the cries
25S BOMBAY NATURAL TIISTORY SOCIETY.
of the men, but the tigress had already disappeared, and he merely
fired off his weapon in the direction in which she had gone, in order
to calm the fears of the men. We ourselves were on that eventful nio-ht
in camp at Mundali, only 5 miles from Lokhali, and the account wo
have given above accords in every particular not only with the infor-
mation given by Mr. Chill, but also with that given to us directly by
eye-witnesses, and by Dhan Singh, the headman of Lokhar, whom
we met last only a few days after the death of the tigress,
ft There was a strange fatality which always brought the tigress to
Mundali while we were there. In 1833 we spent two months at
Mundali, during the whole of which time she kept within the immediate
neighbourhood. For several nights running she patrolled the road
running along the main bridge above Muudali, and also the bridle-path
connectng Mundali with that road. She often prowled round our camp
at night, on two occasions coming right inside it. The first time she
came, it was past midnight, and every one was asleep. Our orderly was
however, fortunately sleeping lightly, and was suddenly awakened by
the dull thuds of some heavy animal, like a buffalo (to use his own
words), galloping down the soft slope just above his shuldari-
Apresentiment of the tigress' approach made him snatch up a brand
from a large fire that was burning immediately outside the opening of
the tent, and at the same time to shout away at the top of his voice.
He had hardly begun doing this, when the flaps of the tent were
suddenly fluug open, and he found the brute glaring at him with only
the log fire between them. His shouting awoke the half-dozen fellow-
occupants of his tent, and between them they made such an infernal
hullaballoo, while he kept flourishing the fire-brand across the open-
ing of the tent in the face of. the tigress, that the beast could do
nothing more than continue standing there and glare at the men.
This went on for about two minutes, by which time the whole camp
was astir, and a number of men, armed with bludgeons, fire-brands,
and anything else they could pick up, rushed on the scene. Such an
accession of force was of course rather more than the tigress had
bai'gained for ; she sprang back a few paces, tore up in her rage great
clods of earth, and sulkily walked away, by the same route by which
she came, into some cover not far off. The orderly's tent, which had
been pitched about 30 yards in advance of the rest of the camp, was
of course forthwith abandoned, and its occupants were only too glad
to pass the rest of the night within the body of the camp.
"The next visit the tigress paid us was about ]0 p.m., before any one
MAN-EATING TIGRESS OF MUNDALI. 259
had turned in for tbe night. The moon, just passed her full, was
concealed by clouds, but enough of her light passed through to en-
able objects up to 20 yards off to be discerned clearly. A party of the
servants were sitting gossiping round a fire on the edge of a terrace.
Suddenly one of the party, who was facing the edge of the terrace,
caught sight of a crouching animal about 8 yards off. Instantly a
hue and cry was raised, and the tigress sprang away and disappeared
down the slope.
"A few days before our arrival atMundali the tigress had entered
a cabin built of large hewn slabs, in which about 18 men were alseep,
and walked off with one of the sleepers without awaking the rest. This
incident and the attack on our orderly's tent combined to render us
circumspect, and before retiring for the night we invariably bolted
the doors and windows of the rest-house occupied by us. We are
reminded of this circumstance by the remembrance of some raillery,
of which we were the butt atadinner party, and the purpose of which
was to bring our courage into question. The scoffer, who will recog-
nise himself when he reads this, laughed at the mere idea of the
most daring man-eating tiger going near a house or tent, much less
entering it. The evidence of the orderly and his companions who
had seen the tigress by the light of their fire, the evidence of our
own eyes, which had seen her well-marked foot-prints before the
orderly's tent and in the soft soil of the slope beyond, went for
nothing. In our terror a leopard had assumed the proportions of a
tiger ! Against the direct evidence of the eyes of several individuals,
who were by no means griffs in the matter of tigers and leopards,
the mere opinion of one individual, who said that only a leopard
could display the boldness this supposed tiger had been reported
to have shown, was accept ed as sufficient disproof. The supposed
leopard has now been shot, after repeating all its previous perfor-
mances, which it was so absolutely certain no tiger could have been
guilty of; but unfortunately for our scoffer, this leopard has had
{he bad grace to turn out to be a tiger, not the mythical tiger seen
by the dim light of the camp fire through the spectacles of terror
but a real unmitigated tiger.
" For those who are still incapable of believing that a tiger can enter
a tent or house, we will cite another instance which occurred last
March. Sawing operations were going on just above the Tons, about
24 miles further in the interior of the Himalayas than Mundali, and
the sawyers were located in several huts huddled together by the
side of the Tons-llama Sarai bridle-path. One night a tigress, who
260 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
had previously killed and eaten two people, and was accompanied
by two young cubs, went up to one of the huts in the middle of
the group, pushed open the door, entered the hut, stepped over
the first sleeper, and seized the next one by the throat, causing
instantaneous death.
"But to return to the Mundali tigress. We have said before that
by a strange fatality her visits and ours to Mundali always coincided.
On the 7th of May, 1889, we reached Mundali in company with the
Forest School students, who were on their hill tour. On our way
we had been informed that she had just been killing two women in
Rama Sarai, and so we congratulated ourselves that she was well
out of our way. Nevertheless we warned the students and their
servants to be careful. One party of four European students pitched
their tents on a spur about 80 yards above the place where our
orderly's tent had been attacked six years ago. Towards 10 o'clock
that night, the moon being up, one of the students happened to
come out of his tent, when only eight paces off he observed a large
animal standing: at the same distance from their kitchen tent. He
at once called to the others. The tigress, for she it was, finding
herself observed before she was ready to do any damage, fled down
the hill and disappeared. The students could hear the thuds of her
footsteps as she sprang down the slope.
"The next night the same students, expecting another visit, sat
up for the brute ; but instead of turning up again at our camp, she
killed some sheep belonging to shepherds, whom only four days
previously she had follwed up from Rama Sarai to a high-level graz-
ing- ground about 1^ miles above Mundali. One of these shepherds
she had attempted to carry off two days previously, but missing
her spring she only clawed his back and was driven off by the father
of the young man striking her on the head with a stick, while a
plucky large Bhutia dog seized her by the neck. This sudden double
attack was too much for her, and she made off as fast as she came.
Two of our students sat up the following night over the dead sheep,
but although she prowled about the place and gave chase to several
buffaloes, she did not come to the kills.
" The night of the 11th was dark and rainy, and we were sure the
tigress would take advantage of this circumstance. And so she did.
There was a herd of buffaloes just above our camp. Here towards
morning, as one of the hordsmeu came out alone from the hut in
which about ten of them were living together, the tigress suddenly
MAN-EATING TIGRESS OF MUNDA'LI. 261
Pushed at him. Luckily he dodged her and ran back into the hut.
Foiled of her prey, she gave chase to a small but full-grown
buffalo, which, taking fright, had separated from the herd and was
running down the hill. She soon overtook the buffalo, and killed her
just below the road immediately above the head of a deep and steep
ravine. As soon as it was light, the herdsmen promptly moved off
to another grazing ground about 2 miles nearer Chakrata. The
tigress evidently followed them, for she was met just above that
locality by our dak man aud syce, who saved themselves by shouting
and howling at her like mad.
"■ On the news of the buffalo being killed reaching our camp, Mr.
Osmaston, one of our latest recruits from Cooper's Hill, and Mr.
W. Hearsey, one of our students, got a murium tied up near the
kill, intending to sit up for the tigress towards evening. To prevent
birds from interfering with the kill, Mr. Hearsey set a servant to
watch it. About 2 p. si. this man came running back to say that he
heard some heavy animal, most probably the tigress, coming up the
ravine, above the head of which, as said before, the buffalo had been
killed. Upon this Mr. Hansard, another student, came to ask us for
the loan of our 12-bore Ileilly, and to see whether Mr. Osmaston
would accompany him. Fortunately, as the sequel proved, we had
previously forced Mr. Osmaston to take the rifle as his own had been
left behind at Chakrata for repairs. Both young men started oft
for the scene of the killf intending to sit up on the machan for the
tigress. But after having arrived there, Mr Hansard, who from the
very beginning*, not being able to realize what a terrible animal a
tiger is, had thought of going after the brute on foot, proposed that
they should go and look for her, arguing that if they sat on the machan
they would never get her. Mr. Osmaston, who had arrived in this
country only in January last, gaily closed in with this proposal. He,
as said above, had our 12-bore Reilly, containing cartridges loaded
with explosive conical bullets, nine of which, go to the pound ; Mr.
Hansard, on the other hand, had only a smooth-bore, loaded with,
slugs. Armed thus, the two young shikaris moved down the hillside,
each taking one side of the ravine. The sides of the ravine were so
steep and rough (gradient in places exceeding 45°), that walking was
extremely difficult, and Mr. Osmaston came down several times in
spite of good screws in his boots. It was a good thing that the ground
prevented them from moving at anything faster than a snail's pace,
for, as events showed, there was ample cover in the shape of rocks and
35
262 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
bushes for a tiger to lie concealed within a few feet of the shikari,
without being noticed by an inexperienced eye. When they had gone
down about 1 80 yards, Mr. Osmaston's side of the ravine became too
precipitous for him to walk along it, and he accordingly descended
to the bottom with considerable difficulty over rocks, bushes and fallen
trees. Meanwhile Mr. Hansard was walking parallel to him about .0
yards off on the steep slope immediately above. ' Suddenly,' to use
Mr. Osmaston's own words, * I heard a thud followed by a series of
short, snappish, angry growls and at the same moment I heard the
groans and cries for help of Hansard crushed to the ground by the
tigress and struggling, face downwards, to get free. The tigress
appeared to be tearing his neck and face with her claws. As quickly
as I could, I levelled the double 12-bore at the brute, and although
I was very much afraid of hitting Hansard, I knew it was the poor
fellow's last chance. So I pulled'the trigger, and to my relief saw the
brute relax her hold and come rolling down the precipitous slope
which ended in a 15-foot drop, nearly sheer. The tigress never ceased
her hideous growlingeven to the moment when she fell into the ravine
and lay there in the water within a couple of yards of me. I was
hemmed in on both sides, so I knew that if she was still capable of
doing damage, it was all up with me. In sheer desperation, as my
last chance, I fired the second barrel into her, and springing down
the precipitous ravine — a feat which I don't think I could possibly
perform a second time— T rushed up the side of the ravine and made
or the place where 1 had seen Hansard lying, his face all gory and
apparently dying. I could not, however, find him, and I rushed
back to camp, the direction of which I more or less knew, across
several spurs and ravines.'
'' What happened to Mr. Hansard was this : — As he walked down
the slope, the tigress must have perceived him and allowed him to
pass on, probably then stalking him. At any rate she sprang upon
him from behind, bearing him down at once. Fortunately all but one
of her canines had been reduced to mere stumps, and it was probably
because she knew this, and also because the slope was so steep, that
she attempted to do little more than claw him. Even with her worn-
down teeth, if she had seized his head between her jaws, she must
have crunched his skull into fragments. Actually she clawed his face
and back, dislocating the jaw, but the only dangerous wound she
inflicted was with her solitary effective canine, making a hole just
behind the ear and penetrating to the back of the mouth. It was a
MAN-EATING TIGRESS OV MUNDA'Ll. 263
fortunate thing that before the brute could inflict farther damage
Mr. Osmaston's first shot did for her. The bullet entered in the region
of the loins a few iuches below the spine. But as the shot was fired
from below, the bullet went up against the spine, which it practically
broke, and then worked along under it raking it, and blowing up
everything in its way until it reached the lungs, where it stopped.
This first shot thus completely disabled the animal and rendered her
perfectly harmless. The second bullet hit her in the shoulder. A
minute after the second shot was fired, Mr. Osmaston's chaprassi,
who was at the machan, hearing his master's cries for help, rushed
down the ravine, and found the tigress stone-dead and Mr. Hansard
lying insensible in the water at the bottom of the ravine. After the
tigress had let go her hold and rolled down the slope, Mr. Hansard,
thiuking she would come back for him, had crawled down into the
ravine, only to find himself within 10 yards of his enemy, who was
of course already dead. It was lucky for him that the shot against
her spine had made the tigress at ones relax her hold of him, otherwise
he would have rolled down with her and been certainly killed in
the fall.
Measured soon after death the length of the tigress was found to
be 8 feet 8 inches. Her canines, as said before, had been worn down
all but one, to mere stumps. Some of them were cracked and chipping
off, and two were quite decayed with a hole running through the
centre. The buffalo killed by her had not a single tooth-mark on it,
and hardly any portion of it had been eaten ; its neck had been broken.
The tigress was in miserable condition, hardly any fat being found
even round her kidneys. Although she killed a good deal, her
broken teeth must have prevented her from eating anything like a
full meal.
Mr. Hansard was attended to immediately by the Native Doctor
attached to the School, and oa the third day was carried into
Chakrata, where, under Dr. Butterworth's skilful treatment, he
made such rapid progress towards recovery at the Military
Hospital, that before the end of June he could be removed to
Mussoorie, a distance of 40 miles. At Mussoorie, however, the
results of blood-poisoning manifested themselves in feverish
symptoms of a very severe type, and a series of abscesses formed
at the end of the wound behind the ear, which, pressing up against
the brain, rendered him delirious for weeks. He has now, however,
got through the worst, and it is to be hoped that plenty of rest and
264
BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
a good climate, combined with his youth, will soou enable him to
recover his health and strength completely.
ELEMENTARY BOTANY OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY.
By A. K. Nairne.
In the paper which appeared in the Society's Journal for January,
1889,1 described a number of common plants of Western India
belonging to several different orders but all agreeing in having tubu-
lar and more or less two-lipped corolla, and four stamens on the
corolla arranged in a longer and a shorter pair (didynamous). In
this paper I shall confine myself to the plants of one great order —
the largest but one of all the natural orders— Leguminosce. This
has an immense number of species spread all over the globe, and
derives its name from its fruit, a legume or pod. A legume is
described as a two-valved fruit opening length-ways, and having
the seeds attached along the inner edge of the valves, that is,
along the side of the pod which does not open.
This may be called the constant feature of the order, but it is not
sufficient for the unlearned ; because there are many plants in the
order in which the fruit is so modified as not to be easily recognised
as a pod, and there are also some plants belonging to other orders
with fruit not easily distinguishable from pods. It is therefore
necessary to look for a second feature common to the Leguminosce,
and this as regards a great majority of its plants is found in the
corolla.
In my first paper I mentioned the great distinctions of monopeta-
lous and polypetalous corollas. The corollas in Leguminosce is of the
latter sort, that is, of separate petals. There is however a great dis-
tinction between different flowers, which is more easily recognisable
even than that already named, i. e., the distinction of regular and
irregular corollas. Those are called regular in which the petals, if the
flower is polypetalous (or the divisions of the corolla if it is rnonope-
talous), are equal and symmetrical, so that no difference can be seen
between the upper, lower, right or left side of the corolla. But the
first glance at an irregular flower shows that it has no such uniform
symmetry, the centre of the flower being unequal, surrounded by the
ELEMENTARY BOTANY OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY. 265
parts, and the petals often varying as much in shape as in size. There
are few flowers whieh have corollas more absolutely irregular than
those of Leguminosce, as regards the great majority of its plants. The
corollas have a name given to plants of this order alone, papilionaceous
(from papilio, a butterfly), or pea-shaped, having five separate petals,
one at the top, generally large and broad, and called the standard,
a pair opposite to the standard, joined together and enclosing the
stamens and pistil, called the keel, and a smaller lateral pair, distinct
and standing forward, called the wings. It may be added that the ten
stamens are generally united into one cluster (monadelphous), or into
two clusters (diadelphous), and that the calyx generally adheres to the
pod.
The typical Leguminosce then have pea-shaped flowers and pods ; but
as there are some genera and species in which the fruit is not pod-like,
so there are some which have flowers not pea-shaped, and among these
exceptions we find a number in which the flowers are absolutely regular.
The order is, therefore, divided into three sub-orders, which really
might as well have been three separate orders.
1. Papilionacece. Flowers strictly as above, but the pod in some
cases much modified.
2. Ccemlpincce. Flowers not truly papilionaceous, but approach-
ing it and irregular ; stamens as above, but free from the petals ; pod
unmodified.
3. Mimosece. Flowers very small and regular, but petals usually
united above the base ; stamens often indefinite ; pod unmodified.
It may be added that the plants of the first sub-order (which is by
far the largest of the three), are mostly herbs, and are found all over
the world ; while those of the other two sub-orders are mostly trees
or shrubs confined to warm climates.
SUB-ORDER I.—PAriLIONACEJjJ.
The sub-order is represented in W. India by 54 genera, some of
which contain a very large number of species. They are distributed
over eio-ht tribes, some of which have very distinct features, usually
connected with the divisions of the leaves and the shape of the pods.
As, however, I am only giving a selection from the species known,
it will, I think, be simpler to omit these distinctions of tribes, and to
mention instead any feature that may L common to three or
266 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. .
four genera as they come, my great object, of course, being to make
identification as easy as possible.
Note. — As before, D. stands for D.ilzell and Gibson's Bombay Flora,
H. for Hooker's Indian Flora; native names are in italics, and
should mention with regard to this part of it, that I have now the
advantage of referring to Dr. Dymook's "Marathi Names of
Plants," which I was unable to do when I wrote my lust paper.
1. Crotalaria. Leaves (in species here given) simple ; flowers
yellow (except No. 5 below) ; standard with a short claw ; pod straight,
turgid or inflated.
(1) C. jilipes. A small, prostrate, slender-stemmed plant with,
long hairs ; leaves oblique, cordate, oblong ; peduncles very slender-
bearing one or two flowers ; pod oblong, much inflated, 8 to 10 -seed,
ed. Deccan and Konkan common.
Note. — There is another small and common prostrate plant very
like this, and growing in similar situations;
Heylandia latebrosa. The most obvious difference is that that has
solitary and subsessile flowers in the axils, and an ovate pod with one
or two seeds.
(2) 0. retusa. A stout undershrub, branched, nearly smooth •
leaves oblong, broader above ; flowers large and handsome, veined
red, in long racemes; pod linear, oblong; seeds 15 to 20. Gkdgri*
Konkan, Guzerat and Gfhauts, common.
Note. — This and the next two have a general resemblance to the
English broom.
(8) C. sericea. Much like the last, but with angled stem and
large leafy stipules and bracts. Common about Bombay.
(4) C. Leschenaultil. A tall and very handsome shrub; leaves
narrow, obovate, silky beneath ; racemes and flowers large ; pod like
the two last. Dingala. Common at Matheran and on the Ghauts.
(5) C. verrucosa. Stout herbaceous, stems and branches 4-sided
and winged ; leaves broad, ovate, narrow at the base ; stipules half-
moon shape ; flowers pale blue ; pods nearly cylindric, pale brown .
Tirat. Very common on the sandy sea shore.
(6) C. juncea. A tall ei'ect shrub; leaves linear or oblong, silky;
racemes very long; calyx covered with rusty hairs; pod sessile
oblong, broader upwards. Santag, Commonly cultivated for the
fibre, and sometimes called sun-hemp.
Note. — There are altogether 21 species of this genus in W. India,
three of which have 3-foliate and one 5-foliate leaves.
ELEMENTARY BOTANY OY THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY. 267
2. Trigonella. Leaves trifoliate ; leaflets toothed ; standard and
wings narrow ; keel shorter ; pod many-seeded.
T. faenugrecnm. Erect, robust; leaflets lanceolate, oval or
obovate ; flowers yellow, pretty, long, thin and pointed. Meethi.
Usually cultivated for baji.
3. Medicago. Leaves as the last ; pod spirally twisted, indehi-
scent.
M . saliva. Stem usually erect ; leaflets oblong ; flowers some-
what racemed, usually purple ; pods downy and loosely spiral.
Purple medick, lucerne (loosan). Cultivated everywhere.
4. Indigofera. Indigo. Flowers generally in racemes, red or
purple ; keel spurred on each side near the base, generally linear or
cylindrical.
Note. — There is not much beauty in this large genus ; most of
the species are a good deal covered with close-pressed hairs.
(1) /. linifulia. A small grey plant, much branched ; leaves
lanceolate or linear, sometimes obovate; flowers in very short
racemes ; pod round, one-seeded. Burburra, bhangra, torki.
Throughout India. H.
Note. — The seed vessel in this is not the least, like a pod outwardly.
(2) i". cordlfolii. Small and diffuse; leaves broad, ovate cordate;
flowers very small, in sessile heads ; pod oval, 2-seeded. Oodadi,
hodngo, bo'saka. Deccan and Konkan. Plains of India generally.
H.
(3) I. glandulo8f(. Also a small diffuse species ; leaflets 3,
deeply pitted with glands underneath ; pod brown or reddish, very
short angled and with toothed wings. Vekhdril baraghadam.
The Deccan. Very common everywhere. (Lisboa.) On black soil it
becomes woody and much branched.
(4) I. trita. Much like the last, but more of a shrub and
more rigid, the leaves red, pitted ; pod long, straight, horizontal,
slightly 4-sided. Common.
(5) I. hirsuta. A coarse, hairy, erect herb; leaflets 5 to 11,
large, obovate; racemes dense; flowers pink ; pods crowded, straight,
bent down. South Konkan, Gkizerat, &c. Graham called it parti-
cularly common on Malabar Hill.
(6) I. tinctoria. The cultivated indigo ; leaflets 9 to 13 ; flowers
greenish or yellowish red ; pod turgid, straight, sharp-pointed.
Nil. D. thinks that it is found wild in many parts of the Konkan.
H. doubts it being wild in India at all.
268 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
(7) /. pulchella. A tall shrub, with long erect racemes of pink
or light purple flowers ; leaflets 13 to 21 ; pod straight, cylindrical
or turgid, sharp-pointed. Chimnati, nirda. Mahableshwar and
other high Ghauts. This is the only handsome species found in AV.
India, and is very ornamental.
7. Psoralea. Leaves simple, dotted with glands, petals all
clawed ; pod ovoid or oblong, one-seeded, indehiscent.
P. corylifolia. A tall stragging plant ; leaves ovate or roundish ;
irregularly toothed ; flowers small, violet coloured, tipped darker, in
close long stalked spikes ; pod included in the granular calyx.
Bawarchi. A common weed in the Deccan and elsewhere, especially
in cultivated fields. H. calls the corolla yellow.
8. Tephrosia. Petals clawed ; pod linear, flat, many-seeded.
T. purpurea. Half shrubby, more or less hairy, with a most
offensive smell ; leaflets 6 to 10 pair, oblong or obovate ; flowers red
or purple, in long racemes ; legumes slightly curved. Sirpaka,
unhula. A common rank weed springing up in the rains along with
Cassia Occident alls. There are varieties of this in Sind, Cutch and
elsewhere.
9. Sesbania. Herbs or soft wooded shrubs ; leaves with very
numerous deciduous leaflets ; petals long, clawed ; pods very long
and narrow.
(1) S. aculeata. Tall and weak, with stem and petioles covered
with soft prickles ; leaflets 20 to 40 pair, very small, obtuse; flowers
in racemes, yellow clotted with purple ; calyx nearly entire ; pod
nearly cylindrical, sharp-pointed. Ran shewani,chinchani. Known
(in the Ivonkan) by its wonderfully rapid growth, springing up to
the height of 7 or 8 feet in a very few weeks of the rains. II. calls
it cosmopolitan in the tropics of the Old World.
(2) S. grandljiora. A tree with very large white flowers and
curved pods, a foot or more long. Both flowers and pods are eaten.
Commonly cultivated but a doubtful native. Agashi, hadgi.
The next 5 genera have pods composed of joints, which when
rijte easily separate from one another.
10. Geissapsis. Leaflets 2 pairs ; flowers with conspicuous mem-
branous bracts.
G. cristata. A trailing plant among grass; leaflets small, obovate;
flowers small, orange and brown, each with a large roundish
bract edged with stiff brown hairs ; pod of 2 round joints. Barhi.
It is a remarkable looking plant, but common.
ELEMENTARY BOTANY OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY. 269
Zomia angustifolia, also called barki, is a little plant of much the
same character as this, the 2 pair of leaflets longer and narrow, the
bracts sagittate and almost hiding the flowers, the joints of the
pods prickly, and sometimes as many as 5*
11. Alhagi. Leaves simple ; joints of pod several*
A. maurorum, Camel-thorn. A low shrub with green branches
and strong hard thorns, one to each leaf; leaves sessile, obloug or
obovate, rather fleshy; flowers small, red or purple, in short racemes,
which end in a bristly point. JaiOas, Kas. Very common in
G uzerat and Sind, where it is the usual material for tatties.
12. Smithia. Herbs; leaflets many, small; corolla yellow,
generally with red spots at the base of the petals ; joints of the pod
flattened and folded together within the calyx.
Note. — Of 12 Indian species 9 are found in this Presidency, and
all within a very limited range, viz., the S. Konkan and the Ghauts
bounding it ; one or two species also about Belgaura. None of the
species can be called common, though some are abundant locally ;
they are all remarkable for their beauty, and at Dapoli, 8. sensitiva}
S. bigemina, and S. pycnantha all appear together in the rains. One
only, S. purpurea, has purple flowers with white spots at the base.
13. Alysicarpus. Diffuse plants; leaves generally simple; keel
obtuse, adhering to the wings ; pod of several joints flattened, nob
twisted.
(1) A. vaginalis. Rather hairy; leaves from oval to lanceolate,
cordate at base; stipules large; flowers in racemes, red, whitish
beneath ; pod thickened at the joints, which are not much divided ;
calyx in fruit large and chaffy. Cliai, dhdmpta. Common in the
Deccan, Konkan and Guzerat. H. makes (2) A. tiummularifolius,
which has roundish leaves, and pods almost cylindrical only, a
variety of this. It also is common.
14. Desmodium. Leaves simple or trifoliate ; pod of several
joints, often straight on one side and divided on the other.
(1) D.triquetrum. A shrubby rather hairy plant, with triangular
branches ; leaves ovate, with winged petioles; stipules large,
lanceolate ; flowers small, in long erect racemes, purple or violet ;
pod of about 6 irregular joints, beaked. Kdkgdnja. Common and
easily recognizable.
(2) D. gangeticum is sufficiently like this to be recognised as a
relation. Stems irregularly angled; leaves broad, ovate, rather
cordate. Sal wan Bombay and S. Konkan.
36
270 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
The next two genera are of the Vetch tribe, distinguished by
pinnate leaves ending in a tendril.
15. Abrus. Climbers, with only 9 stamens united id a tube split
above ; style short, incuryed.
A. precatoriud. A small climber; stem woody; leaflets numerous,
oblong, blunt ; pod linear, flat beaked ; seeds like a small pea,
scarlet, with black spot. Gunj, chanoti. Very common in hedges
but not very attractive. The very pretty seeds are used as
weights by goldsmiths. There is a variety with white seeds,
spotted black.
16. Cicer. Leaflets toothed; flowers solitary; pod sessile, turgid,
tipped with the style.
C. arietinum. Gram. Has generally a terminal leaflet instead
of a tendril. Harbara, channa.
The next 9 geuera (belonging to tribe Phaseolece) are either clim-
bers or trees, with trifoliate leaves (except Clitoria) and linear pods.
17. Mucuna. Flowers large ; keel larger than the standard and
wings ; pod covered with stinging hairs.
M. 'priiriens. A hairy twiner ; leaflets ovate, unequal-sided ;
flowers lurid purple, in drooping racemes; pod large, curved, more
or less S-shaped. Hawaj, Knhili, Kuyeri. Common in hedges (from
the Himalayas to Ceylon.) H. The pods are awkward to touch,
owing to the stinging hairs.
18. Erythrina. Trees with prickly branches and red flowers;
pod turgid.
E. Indica. Indian coral tree. Bark light and greenish ; petioles
very long ; flowers large, in racemes ; pod several inches long ;
very protuberant at the seeds, which are dark red. Pdngara,
m&uddr. One of the commonest and showiest trees in the Konkan.
A white- flowered variety is said to grow in Salsette.
19. Butea. Trees or climbing shrubs; flowers large and showy ;
keel much curved ; pod linear, with one seed at the point.
B.frondosa. Petioles long ; leaflets large, roundish ; flowers many
together in long racemes, orange red and silky ; calyx and pedicels
deep bottle green ; pod thin and downy. Pallas, Kdkria. This
is even a more striking tree than the last when in flower, which is
before the leaves appear. It is common in most parts, but not in
S. Konkan, and is called dhah in Bengal, &c.
20. Canavalia. Flowers showy ; standard large, roundish ; pod
thick, three keeled.
ELEMENTARY BOTANY OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY. 271
0. ensiformes. A large smooth twiner ; leaflets ovate, pointed ;
Hewers rather large, of a beautiful pink; sometimes purplish,
in long-sfcalked i*acemes ; pod large, plautain-shaped. Oaora. Pretty
common in hedges. A variety is commonly cultivated for food.
21. Phaseolus. Bracts usually conspicuous ; keel much twisted ;
pod more or less cylindrical.
P. trilobus. A straggling plant ; leaflets ovate, usually 3-lobed ;
flowers small, yellow, in long- stalked racemes or heads, Arkmath,
jangli math. Common and unattractive. It varies greatly in hairi-
ness. P. mungo, urid, mung ; P. aconitifolius, math ; P. rostratus,
haldhonda ; and P. vulgaris, French bean, are all cultivated.
22. Vigna. Like the last, but the keel much less twisted.
V. vexillata. Twining, with broad ovate acute leaflets ; flowers
rather large, pink, few together at the end of a long stalk, fragrant;
pod 3 or 4 inches long, many-seeded, hairy. Birambol, halula
Pretty common in the Konkan and found at Mahableshwar. The
haadsome flowers remind one strongly of the sweet-pea, but
without its delicacy. Cosmopolitan in the tropics. H.
V. catiang is the cultivated chaoli.
23. Clitoria. Flowers very showy; leaflets up to 7; standard
spoon-shaped, very large.
C. ternatea. A beautiful climber; leaflets ovate ; flowers solitary,
deep blue and white, with 4 long bracts ; pod straight and thin.
Bhovera, Kdjali. Common in hedges in many parts, and atonce
noticeable by the size and shape of the standard.
24. Dolichos. Petals usually equal in length ; pod flat, recurved.
D. lablab, pauti. Cultivated in the Konkan as a cold- weather
crop, and D. biflorus, hulti, cultivated in the Deccan.
25. Cylista. Corolla enclosed in a large scarious calyx, and petals
equal in length ; pod small, oblique, enclosed in the calyx.
C. scariosa. Leaflets ovate, wrinkled, downy; flowers in racemes;
corolla yellow, red streaked, hidden in the large, withered-looking
calyx ; a bract of the same shape soon falls off. Bdngdora. The
Konkan and Ghauts. Very common in Salsette.
26. Cajanus. An erect shrub ; petals equal in length ; pod
straight, tipped with the style.
0. indicus. Pigeon pea. Silky, leaves trifoliate ; leaflets oblong,
lanceolate ; flowers yellow, often veined with red, 2 or 3 inches
loug. Tur, Ddl. Cultivated all over India for the grain, and the
stalks used in making gunpfNrder.
272 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
The remaining species of Papilionacece here given are either trees
or climbing shrubs, with odd-pinnate leaves and indehiscent pods.
27. Dalbergia. Leaflets alternate ; flowers small, white or pale
jmly half opening ; pod thin and flat, 1 to 5-seeded.
(1) D. latifolia. The blackwood tree. Leaflets 3 to 7, roundish,
either with a small point or notched ; flowers yellowish-white, in
small close panicles; pod lanceolate. Sissa, Kalruka, tdli. Common
in S. Konkan and S. M. Country, also on the Ghauts. The Sissu
or Shisham of N. India is a different tree, D. Sism : it is thought
by Dr. Brandis to be indigenous in Guzerat.
(2) D. paniculata. Bark light grey, smooth; leaflets 5 to 6 pair,
ovate or obovate; flowers in large panicles, tinged with blue ;
calyx greenish- white ; pod lanceolate, pointed. Pasi, pddri.
Mawal districts and Matheran, N. Konkan. In the Panch Mahals
it is a common and pretty tree, rather resembling the Karanj.
28. Pongamia. Leaflets opposite; pod woody, oblong, flattened.
P. glabra. Leaflets 5 to 7, ovate, smooth, rather large ; flowers in
axillary racemes, pale, deciduous ; the standard large ; calyx entire,
brown; pod more or less oval, with short beak, 1 or 2-seeded.
Karanj, Sukhchain. One of the commonest and handsomest trees
in the Konkan : not seen much at any great distance from the
sea.
29. Derris. Climbers ; leaflets opposite ; calyx often coloured ;
pod thin and flat, more or less winged.
D. uliginosa. Smooth ; leaflets 3 to 5, oval, rather blunt and
fleshy ; flowers small, pretty, pale rose-colour, in erect panicles ;
calyx reddish brown, with shallow teeth ; pod neai-ly round, veined,
winged at the upper edge and with a hooked point.
Common near the sea, but also found in other parts.
SUB-ORDER 11.— C2ES ALPINE j®.
The species of this sub-order are mostly trees or shrubs, very
often of great beauty ; but there are only 8 genera represented in'
Western India, and these vary a good deal, so that it is not easy
to mention any species as typical of the whole sub-order.
1. Ccesalpinia. Prickly shrubs with showy yellow flowers ; calyx
deeply cleft, the lowest lobe largest and hooded ; petals spreading.
(1) G. bouducella. A large climber; pinna3 4 to 8 pair; leaflets
about 4 pair, smooth, oblong, obtuse ; flowers in racemes, each with
a lanceolate bract ; cajyx rusty ; pod ovate, swelling ; very prickly
ELEMENTARY BOTANY OP THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY. 273
seeds 2, large. Sagargota, Kachhi, Karbat. Common in hedges ;
most so in Guzerat, I think.
(2) C. sepiaria. Spreading, smooth ; pinnae 6 to 10 pairs ;
leaflets 8 to 12 pairs, linear, oblong, obtuse; racemes large, erect;
calyx coloured ; pod linear, oblong, smooth, with a long abrupt
point, 4 to 8-seeded. Chillar. Common in the Deccan. It makes
an impenetrable fence.
C. coriaria is the libi, or dividivi tree.
2. Poinciana. Erect, unarmed trees, differing from the last in
having a valvate calyx of 5 equal segments.
P. pidcherrima, the common gulmohar (gold-mohur tree) ; P.
regia, the royal gold-mohur : both well known.
P. elata, sandesrd, is a much less ornamental species with white
flowers changing to yellow, and long dark filaments, H. calls it
truly wild in the W. Peninsula, but D. and Graham knew it only in
gardens.
3. Cassia. Sometimes herbs ; flowers rather large, yellow ;
some of the stamens often imperfect or obsolete ; the petiole or
midrib often with one or two conspicuous glands.
C. fistula. Tree; leaflets 4 to 8 pairs, large, ovate, pointed,
smooth ; flowers in long drooping racemes ; pod quite cylindrical,
brown, smooth, one or two feet long. Bdtva, garmdla, chimkani.
The Ghauts and Konkan. Common throughout the forest tracts
of India. (Brandis.) This beautiful jungle tree is well known and
easily recognised by the likeness of its flowers to laburnum.
(2) C. occidentalis. A large, smooth annual ; leaflets 3 to 5
pairs, ovate, lanceolate, acute ; flowers long-stalked ; pod long, thin,
nearly cylindric. Thorala tdkla, Kdsoda, Kasundro. Abundant in
waste places nearly everywhere, springing up very quickly in the
rains, generally with Tephrosia purpuria. It has a strong offensive
smell.
(3) C. sophora. "i Closely allied to the last and with the same
(4) C. tora. /native names, but shrubby; the pod in the
first more swollen, particularly towards the top, in the second very
long and slender, 4-sided, sharp-pointed. Very common, and both
found generally throughout India. H.
(5) C. absits. A hairy plant, above a foot high ; leaflets 2 pairs,
unequal-sided ; flowers solitary or in a short raceme ; pod nearly
straight, strap -shaped, bristly. Chimar, chaksu. This is very
common both at Bandora and Dapoli, and I believe elsewhere,
274 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
but is not given by D. Everywhere in the tropics of the Old
World. H.
(6) C. pumila. A low or procumbent plant, with 10 to 30 pairs
of leaflets, very small and unequal- sided ; flowers above the axils ;
pod flat, linear. Sarmal. Common generally. C. glauca. A tree
with a heavy sme]l, karud, is commonly cultivated.
4. Saraca. Corolla none ; calyx coloured, long-tubed, with
4 unequal segments ; stamens 3 to 8, long, exserted.
8. Indica. A small tree ; leaflets 3 to 6 pairs ; flowers in large round
heads, orange-coloured, changing to red bracts, &c, coloured; pod
broad, flat, leathery. Ashoka, jaso7idi. Konkan and Ghauts, not
very common. This was the tree formerly and appropriately called
Jonesia ashoka, the name of the illustrious Sir William Jones being
thus joined to the Sanscrit name. No one would from the flower
guess that it belonged to the Leguminosce.
5. Tamarindus. Petals 3, the upper hooded ; stamens 3, mona-
delphous ; pod pulpy within.
T. Indica. Tamarind tree. Leaflets very numerous, obtuse ;
flowers few together, in lax racemes ; pod thick, more or less curved.
Chinch, amli. H. calls it a doubtful native. The flowers of this
also are unlike the order.
6. Bauhinia. Flowers showy ; petals generally clawed ; stamens
sometimes imperfect ; leaves simple, deeply 2-lobed.
B. racemosa. A small crooked tree ; flowers in racemes, yellow or
white ; calyx spathulate, split on one side ; pod woody, thick. Apta,
dsandra. Common in most parts. There are two or three other
species, either wild or planted, and they are all easily recognised by,
the leaves, which are almost unique in shape, being almost round,
but divided into two lobes from the top, the division extending
sometimes nearly to the petiole, sometimes only a short way down.
SUB-ORDER III.— MIMOSE^J.
Leaves (in all here given) bi-pinnate ; flowers very small but
many together ; petals equal.
Note. — There is a great resemblance in the flowers of the many
species of this sub-order, so that any one who knows any of the
acacias would probably recognize any of the species here given as
belongiug to the same family ; but it should be mentioned that the
tree commonly called the acacia in England, Bobenia pseudo-acacia,
ELEMENTARY BOTANY OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY. 275
belongs to the Papilionacece. There are only 7 genera of the
sub-order represented in W. India.
1, Entada. Woody climbers with tendrils ; flowers in spikes ;
calyx minute ; stamens 10 ; pod joined outwardly.
E. scandens. An immense climber, the main stem often with a
spiral wing ; spikes about 6 inches long, white, becoming yellow ;
pod a yard long ; flowers hard and woody, reddish brown. Garbi,
Gardal, Khairi. The Ghauts and Konkan hills. The immense pods
of this must be known to many who have never handled either the
flowers or the leaves, for these often grow so high above the ground
as to be quite inaccessible.
2. Mimosa. Leaves sensitive ; flowers in dense round heads,
stamens 8 or 10 ; pod flat-jointed.
M. hamata, A thorny shrub ; heads of flowers pink, long-stalked;
pod curved, with a border on each edge and large hooked prickles.
Arhar. Pretty common in the Deccan and Guzerat.
M. rubricaulis. Very like this, but the flowers reddish, becoming
white, and the pod longer and thinner ; is attributed by D. and
Graham to Malabar Hill, and by H. called common through India.
I have seen it only in the E. Deccan.
3. Acacia. Prickly shrubs or trees, with yellow or white flowers,
in round heads or cylindrical spikes; stamens indefinite, free, much
exserted.
Note. — Most or all of the species have glands on the petiole or
between the pinnae or both, and the leaflets are small.
(1) A. arabica. Thorns straight, white ; flowers in round heads,
yellow, fragrant. This is the well-known babul tree, and, like most
of the genus, is an inhabitant of dry regions.
(2) A. sum a. A small tree with white bark and hooked thorns,
in pairs ; flowers white, in spikes ; pod strap-shaped, straight. Khair,
Khaderi. This delicate looking and pretty tree takes the place of
the babul in the Konkan.
(3) A. concinna. A large climbing shrub; prickles hooked
flowers yellow or white, fragrant, the round heads in panicles ; pod
thick and succulent, contracted between the seeds. Chikahai. Com-
mon in the Konkan and Ghauts ; the pods are used for soap.
(4) A. pennata. A large climbing shrub ; thorns straight or
nearly so ; flower as in the last ; pod straight, thin, often reddish.
Shembi. Common in the Konkan: the bark is used for dyeing
nets.
276 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
4. Albizzia. Large unarmed trees ; flowers in round heads ;
stamens indefinite, very long, united at the base ; pod long, thin,
strap-shaped.
(1) A. lebhck. Flowers white, very fragrant ; heads long, stalked
or irregularly racemed ; pod nearly a foot long, smooth, straw-
coloured. Siras, farari. Common in the Konkan and elsewdiere.
(2) A. stipulata. Stipules large, acute, reddish ; heads of flowers
in panicles, the long brush-like stamens pink in the upper half ;
pod reddish brown, smooth. Lallai, shembar. This very beautiful
flat-topped tree of the Ghauts and S. Konkan grows in perfection
at Matheran. It is as well to mention here the only tree belonging
to another order, which is likely to be taken for one of the Legu-
minosce. The order is Moringece, which contains only one genus
and 3 species, but botanists have found the greatest difficulty in
fixing the position it should occupy. Outwardly, however, it much
resembles Leguminosce.
Moringa. Trees with soft wood ; leaves alternate ; petals 5,
unequal ; stamens 5 perfect and 5 imperfect ; capsule pod-like.
31. pterygosperma. The horse-radish tree. Leaves verj^ large,
twice or thrice pinnate ; leaflets very small ; calyx as well as petals
white ; capsule a foot long, slender, 3-augled. Sheogd, shehla.
Generally cultivated. M. concanensis is very like this, but the leaves
and panicles larger ; the flowers yellowish, red-streaked and fragrant.
Sainjita, mun. Wild in the Konkan.
The above list will be found, I think, to include all the leguminous
plants that are common or very noticeable iu the Bombay Presi-
dency, and a large proportion of them are very common. And if all
orders of plants could be as easily identified as the Leg nminosce t
we might expect Botany to become a much more popular study.
But I must repeat what I said in my first paper, that if any one
begins by getting up the common plants of a few of the larg*est
orders, he will by the time he knows them have got his eye so well
in, and know so much of botanical terms and principles, and
probably also will be so much interested in the work of identification,
that he will find no great difficulty in proceeding to the less easy
orders.
NOTES ON A CATERPILLAR FARM. 277
NOTES ON A CATERPILLAR FARM.
By Mrs. W. E. Hart.
During the last rains in Bombay we started a small caterpillar
farm, noting whatever seemed to us worthy of remark in the life his-
tory of the insects. Some of these notes we venture to offer in the
hope they may interest some of your entomologist readers. Our
stock from first to last consisted of eighty- six head of insects,
belonging to forty-one species. Being new to the work, we unfortu-
nately kept all our specimens in the same enclosure. The result was
that, like the twins in Mr. Locker's famous song, they " got com-
pletely mixed," and we were unable to say with certainty, in some
instances, which imago resulted from which pupa, or, indeed, in the
case of some of the buried pupa), to identify beyond a doubt the pupa
with its larva. The following notes on twenty-seven cases give the
results only of such observations as we are sure are correct throughout.
But first, as much by way of warning as example to other begin-
ners in the same interesting pursuit, we will describe our system.
We need not say we shall be very thankful for such suggestions of
improvement as any of your readers may kindly trouble themselves
to offer.
Across a window in a well -lighted room we set a table about four
feet long by two wide by two and a half high, with an upright rim of
thin wood, about two inches high, running all round its top. Its
feet stood in saucers of water to prevent the approach of ants and
other noxious visitants. But this precaution was not wholly success-
ful, as we forgot to clear of other insects all the plants and earth in-
troduced for the caterpillars. The result, in one instance, was that
the ants so imported devoured alive a caterpillar half turned into
a chrysalis, as he was trying to bury himself in a box of earth.*
* A somewhat similar catastrophe befel a very large caterpillar we had at
Matheran in May. He buried himself apparently in good health on 20th W ay. On
3rd June about thirty flies were found in the cage. As no imago appeared from the
caterpillar, we exhumed him, and discovered that he had very literally been " eaten
of worms," which, after making their way out of his abdomen, immediately con
structed little cells of the earth round their victim, in which to pass their pupahood,
and from which they emerged in the shape of the flies we found in the oage. The
caterpillar's carcase, when we found it, consisted of the empty desicoated skin with
a mass of earthen cells protruding from its abdominal region in such a manner as to
suggest that its late proprietor had burst himself in trying to swallow a mud honey -
comb« He must have been " fly-blown " before he buried himself, and carried
the eggs with him underground, where the larva) of the flies were hatched inside
him and requited his hospitality by devouring him.
278 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY.
A companion was saved from a like Herodian end by being removed
from the earth before he was attacked, and then suspended from
the roof of the cage in a twisted cone of brown paper, where lie
developed into a " death's-head " moth.
The cage was a light movable frame of wood, just fitting inside
the rim round the table, and about two feet high. Over this was
stretched mosquito net for the sides, ends, and top. The table thus
formed the floor of the cage, but to allow of its being more easily-
kept clean, it was carpeted with large sheets of coarse brown paper.
The dimensions of the cage gave ample space for the butterflies and
moths to stretch and dry their wings on emerging from their chry-
salises. But to avoid the confusion mentioned above, it would have
been better had the cage been divided into compartments. In the
middle of one of the long sides was the door, the frame of which, made
of the same wood as that of the cage, was about ten inches wide, and of
the same height as the cage. It was closed by a loose curtain of mos-
quito net tacked to the bottom of the cage, folding over the top, and
wide enough to well overlap the doorway on each side. This was
fastened by loose strips of thin bamboo sprung in against the uprights
and across the top of the doorway. It was wide enough to allow a
hand and arm to pass in to manipulate the contents of the cage, or a
head to observe its inmates, without moving the cage at the risk of
disturbing such caterpillars and cocoons as might be clinging to the
sides or top. It would, however, be convenient, and for a cage divided
into compartments necessary, instead of one small door in the centre
of the side, to have the whole side constructed on the same principle.
In the cage we put some vases, standing steadily on wide heavy bot-
toms, for water, in which to immerse the stalks of sprigs from the
food-plants of our caterpillars. The tops of such vases should be cover-
ed with cards pierced with holes, through which to pass the stalks
into the water, for we found that to leave them uncovered resulted
in the death by drowning of some caterpillars, who crawled down the
stalks into the water, and were too fat or too stupid to turn round
and crawl up again. Besides these vases, we put into the cage
some boxes of earth for the accommodation of those insects who
pass their pupahood underground, and a few chunks of soft rotten
wood for those who prefer that element. Some twisted cones of brown
paper in the corners offered quiet seclusion for such caterpillars as
seek retirement from the world, without digging their own graves,
making their own coffins, or weaving their own shrouds.
NOTES ON A CATERPILLAR FARM. 279
In regard to the management of stock, experience taught us four
great canons : 1, Never handle a specimen ; 2, keep the species
distinct ; 3, diet each specimen only on the plant on which it was
found ; and 4, when a caterpillar leaves its food-plant, leave it
alone.
1 . Even the gentlest handling of a caterpillar or chrysalis, result-
ing in no apparent injury at the time, we found was often followed,
especially in the larger sorts, by a malformation or imperfect deve-
lopment of the imago. Sometimes the ill-consequences declared
themselves sooner or more disastrously, and the caterpillar, though
showing no external marks of ill-treatment, sickened and died. la
one notable instance, a very fine specimen, tenderly picked off a
plant by a servant with his finger and thumb, and carefully brought
upstairs in his closed fist, so resented the liberty, that, as graphi-
cally described by a lady friend, " it fermented and burst" within
twenty-four hours. A specimen should be collected by carefully pick-
ing the twig on which it is found and transferring both together
to the box. Where this is impossible, and in the rare instances in
which it is necessary to move a caterpillar or chrysalis in the cage,
it should be lifted by means of a leaf, very gently pushed under it,
and mot raised until the insect is wholly on it. When the food and
water are changed, which should be daily if possible, the caterpillars
must not be forcibly transferred to the new leaves. If any leaf on
which a caterpillar is engaged be picked off the old sprig and gently
placed on the new, the caterpillar will soon of its own accord leave
the stale leaf for the fresh.
2. Provided they get food enough, any number of individuals of
the same species apparently will dwell together in harmony on the
same sprig. But with individuals of different species the case is
otherwise. In confinement, the members of some species seem to
resent the mere neighbourhood of those of another in a manner almost
human. We had the caterpillar of the " death's-head " moth above-
mentioned on a Caladium leaf, and two caterpillars of Banais chry-
sippus on a sprig of Caloiropis gigantea in the same vase. The
"death's-head," wishing to change his skin, left his food plant, as the
manner of many caterpillars is at such times, and tried to make his
way through his neighbour's territory. But the Danaides, holding
views as pronounced as those of any English game-preserving squire
on the rights of property and the iniquity of trespass, set on the
intruder, and so belaboured him that we were obliged to put hi>
280 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
Caladium leaf in a separate vase. Even then he was not safe, far
the two vases being one day unhappily set so close together that one
©f the Calotropis leaves hung over so as to touch the Caladium leaf,
the Danaides crossed into their enemy's country and renewed their
attack. We could not see whether they actually bit him. If they
did, they did not seem to penetrate his skin. But they butted and
hustled him on both sides in a way that must have been painful to so
soft-bodied a creature, till at last he fell off the plant on to the floor
of the cage, where he lay stunned and apparently exhausted for nearly
half an hour. It may have been this treatment that drove him to
seek, sooner than he would have done, shelter in the pupa form in the
box of earth whence we afterwards had to rescue him from the ants.
For as an imago, though perfectly developed and well coloured, he
was under-seized.
3. A change of leaf seems as bad for a caterpillar as a change of
milk for a baby : silkworms, no doubt, " as every school-boy knows/7
can be fed indiscriminately on mulberry, lettuce, or dandelion leaves
without worse effect than a difference in the colour of the silk. J5u4
this omnivoracity seems to be a peculiarity in the constitution of the
silkworm, induced, perhaps, by its Chinese education. With the wild
caterpillar of the Indian jungle, it is not so. To thrive, he must have
only that plant to which he has been accustomed from his earliest in-
fancy. Though caterpillars of the same species aie found on plants of
quite different species, and each will thrive equally well on its own
food-plant, yet the same individual should not be fed on a different
variety of plant, however closely allied to that which is its natural
food. Thus we found a caterpillar taken on a sweet lime* (Citrus
limetta) could not be fed with the leaves of a sour limef (Citrus
acida), nor even one found on a jungle mangcj: (Mangifera indica)
with leaves from a garden fruit tree. The new food will either be
entirely rejected, and the caterpillar die of starvation, or it will so
internally disagree that death will result from fermentation and
explosion, in the manner above described as the effect of handling.
4. A caterpillar leaving its food-plant to wander about the cage,,
generally does so only in search of a quiet place to change its skin
or turn into a chrysalis. To be disturbed at such times, even by
benevolent attentions, is likely to result in disaster. The best way
is to leave it quite alone, only placing the food-plant near it in such a
* Native name, Mita nimha. f Native name, Nimbu. % Native uaine, Ata.
NOTES ON A CATERPILLAR FARM. 281
position that it can easily return to it when, like Mrs. Gamp, "so
dispoged." In a few species, however, this roving tendency seeuis
to be the result of a constitutional impatience of restraint, such as
gipsies and Highlanders are said to feel under the artificial condi-
tions of life in civilized cities. Such caterpillars we never succeeded
in rearing. They were principally of two sorts, a small black hairy
one found in great numbers on pipal trees during July and August,
and a larger lighter-coloured one, also hairy, found in equal numbers
about the same time on the mango trees at the foot of Chinchpoogly
Hill in and around the Sewri Cemetery. Though plentifully sup-
plied with their proper food, they refused all sustenance and
wandering about the floor, walls, and roof of their prison, died at
last of broken hearts — or empty stomachs. Generally speaking,
however, caterpillars do not seem to suffer from nostalgia, but
accommodate themselves to their altered circumstances, provided
they are properly fed and not injudiciously handled.
Now for our results. Of the twenty-seven cases here noted, sixteen
resulted in butterflies, and eleven iu moths. Of the sixteen butterflies
ten belonged to the sub-family Papilionince, and six to Danaince.
Of the Papilionince, six were Papilio agamemnon, a handsome
green and black butterfly, common in Bombay, but a good specimen
of which it is hard to catch, owing to its quick high flight and rest-
less habits ; three were Papilio pammon, also a common butterfly in
Bombay, the males of which, also restless and quick fliers, are black
with a row of cream-coloured spots round the posterior margin of the
hind wings, which are also shortly " swallow-tailed, ''and the females
of which are commonly black and red, in imitation of two other
species, Diphilm and Rector as described in a paper on il Mimicry''
at page 228 of the 4th volume of this Journal; one was Papilio
panope, a rare butterfly in Bombay, of which there is only one
specimen in the Society's collection. It is dark-brown, with a double
row of cream-coloured arrow-head shaped marks round the margins
of both wings, and an orange spot on the bottom of the hind wing.
Of the Danaince, four were Euplcva core, one of the commonest
butterflies in Bombay, moderately large, but a weak flier, of a
purplish-brown colour, with a double row of white spots round the
edges of the wings; two were Vanais chrysippus, also one of the com-
monest butterflies in Bombay, and a weak flier of moderately large
size, in colour bright terra-cotta, the forewings tipped with black
and white, and the hindwings bordered with a narrow black band.
282 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
._ - — ■ —
Papilio agamemnon. — Nos. I, 2, and 3 were found on the upper
side of leaves of Guatteria longifolia* at the Ladies' Gymkhana on
28th July. They were then barely f inch long, and of a smoky
gray colour, slender at the tail end, but thickening so rapidly to-
wards the head as to have a bulbous appearance. The body was
smooth, but furnished with eight short tentacles, two by the eyes,
our at the thickest part of the body, and two at the tail. Besides
these, were two retractile tentacles of a paler yellowish colour in the
front of the head, generally invisible, but shot out whenever the
caterpillar was annoyed or alarmed, as, for instance, when blown
upon. The use of these seems to be to startle birds and other
enemies, and deter them from an intended attack, by the appearance
of a sting. But in reality these tentacles are as soft and innocuous
as the others. f On 29th July these caterpillarB changed their
skins, and immediately ate their cast skins. This perfection of can-
nibalism seems not uncommon among caterpillars till the second or
third change of skin, after which they abandon their carnivorous, or
rather cutivorous habits, and adhere to a strictly vegetable diet.
The subjects of this memoir grew rapidly till they were about H
inch long, their colour changing gradually meanwhile to that of the
leaves on which they fed. % By 3rd August all three were com-
pletely clad in bright green. No. 1 assumed the chrysalis form on
5th August, No. 2 on 6th, and No. 3 on 10th. The chrysalises
were of the same green colour as the caterpillars, and attached in a
nearly upright position by the tail end to the stalks or undersides of
the leaves. The imago appeared of No. 1 on 18th August, of
No. 2 on 19th, and of No. 3 on 20th. The last was therefore three
days less in statu pujpillari than the others, but the imago seemed as
well developed in all respects.
* Native name, Asok.
f WeiBmann, in his Studies in the Theory of Descent, has noticed the "terrifying
nttitudea" assumed by certain caterpillars as a protection from the attacks of inscc
tivorons enemies. The retractile tentacles of the larva of P. agamemnon can hardly
bo intended for use as antennae, or they would be permanently protruded, like the
front pair of tentacles of the larva of Euplce core described below.
J For a very interesting account of the colours of caterpillars, and their relations
to the food plant and surroundings of the insects, see Weismann's Studies, cited above,
translated by Meldola, and the translator's notes. The subject has been excellently
investigated by Mr. Poulton in a series of papers of great interest contributed to the
Tra,nsactiotis of the Entomological Society in 1885-6-7, The British Association Reports,
1867, and the Proceedings of the Zoological Society, 1887-
notes on a caterpillar farm. 283
Nos. 4, 5, and 6 were found on 4th September on a " Soursop "*
(Anona muricata) in our garden at Cumballa Hill. Two of them
were rather larger than the specimens just described when first
found. The third was so much smaller he could hardly have be-
longed to the same brood. He was soon lost, being probably
thrown away with the old leaves when the food was changed, an
accident which should be guarded against by careful examination
of both sides of the leaves and the stalks. Of the remaining two,
one came to his end by drowning in the manner already described.
The third entered on his pupahood on 19th September, and the
imago appeared on 30th, taking two days less than Nos. 1 and
2 and one day more than No. 3. On 21st September we observed
a female of Papilio agamemnon laying eggs singly on the bark
of twigs of Guatteria longifolia on the Pedder Road. We
secured a few, but they were unfortunately lost before they were
hatched. From the dates above given, however, it would appear
that P. agamemnon in Bombay continues to breed at least through
July, August, and September.
In early infancy the larvae of this species resemble the droppings
of small birds, but not so strongly as do those of the species next
described.
Papilio pammon. — We retain the name by which the specimens
in the Society's collection are named, and under which certain
habits of mimicry in the larva? and pupa were described at page 229
of the 4th volume of the Society's Journal, but Mr. de Niceville
prefers the name P. polytes for this species.
Nos. 1 and 2 were found, apparently just hatched, on the upper-
side of the leaves of a sweet lime ( Citrus limetta) in our garden on
1st August. Their remarkable resemblance at first to bird-droppingsf
and afterwards to the leaves of the food-plant, as well in shape and
position as in colour, has already been described in the paper above
mentioned. The protective imitation by the larvae of this species
is much closer than by those of P. agamemnon, possibly because
they are not furnished with the same forbidding tentacles.
Our specimens attained to the length of about l\ inches before
assuming the pupa form. This No. 1 did on 9th August and
emerged a perfet male imago on 20th. No. 2 was "found drowned"
on 10th August, when apparently on the point of turning into a
* Native name, Bilaiti nana.
284 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
chrysalis. No. 3 was taken on the same tree as the others, but some
weeks later, and belonged probably to another brood. She assumed
the pupa form on 27th August, and a female imago of the diphilus*
type resulted therefrom on 7th September.
These dates again would seem to show that this species breeds
in Bombay all through the months of July, August and September
at least.
For a day before assuming the pupa form, the larva remains
motionless, closely hugging the stalk of the leaf on which it is
resting. But the pupa is attached only by the tail end, with its
head upwards, inclined at an angle of about 30° from the stem, and
steadied by two guy ropes of almost invisible gossamer. We did
not succeed iD witnessing the exact moment and manner of this
change of position, as in both instances it took place during the
night.
Papilio panose. — The very handsome caterpillar of this species,
rare in Bombay, was found on the upper side of a leaf of a Cinnamon
treef (Cinnamomum zeylonicum) in our garden on 14th August.
It was then upwards of 2 in. long, and on the point of assuming the
chrysalis form, which it did on the 16th. The imago emerged on
31st August with the tip of its right forewing damaged, owing pro-
bably to careless handling of the larva by the servant wbo brought
it in. The larva, which was somewhat deeply jointed, was of an
olive-green colour, with small black dots, and larger crimson spots
on the joints, and broad irregular markings of cream colour on the
sides and back. On the back and head were short black tentacles.
The chrysalis, attached by short black silky hairs at the tail end to
one of the uprights of the cage, head upwards, in the nearly vertical
position characteristic of the Papilionidoe, and of a light brownish
gray, marked with deeper brown and black, very closely resembled
the rough bark or a piece of dead wood. The imago seems to imitate
Evplcea core, which is also imitated by the female of Hypolimnas
bolina.
.Ettploea core. — These curious caterpillars were found on Anoden-
dron paniculatiim,'l in the Ladies' Gymkhana, on 31st July. They
were smooth, slender, and of a general reddish brown colour, but
* Here again we preserve the name given to this species in the Society's Collection
and in the paper above mentioned, but Mr. de Niceville prefers the name Ariitolochice.
t Native name, Dalchini.
% Native name, lamtani.
NOTES ON A CATERPILLAR FARM. 285
on the back a very pale mauve, and closely marked with narrow
dark brown transverse rings. They were furnished with eight dark
brown tentacles arranged in pairs ; one, long and pointing forward,
used as antenna;, above the second pair of legs from the head ; another,
shorter, above the third ; another, yet shorter, between the third and
fourth ; and another, about the same length as the second, at the taih
In assuming the pupa form, which they did when about 2 inches
Jong, they underwent a remarkable change. Leaving the food plant,
they attached themselves to the undersides of other leaves, where,
losing all likeness to caterpillars, and indeed to any living creature,
they appeared to turn into unpleasant looking lumps of muddy slime
or gum. These gradually assumed shape, hardening and brightening,
till on the third day they were unmistakable chrysalises of bur-
nished gold, hanging by the ends of their tails, with their heads
downwards. The imago appeared in from seven to eight days after
the chrysalis had assumed its bright metallic appearance,
Danais chrysippus. — These were found on Calotropis gigantea*
in. our compound, on loth September. In general appearance as to
size, shape, tentacles, and dark ring markings of the body, they
were not unlike the caterpillars last described, but differed from
them in colour, being of a pale blue gray on the back, with yellow
sides, and having ten pairs of oval yellow spots edged with black
along the back. They assumed the chrysalis form on 17th September
in the same position as those last described, and leaving the food
plant to do so, but passing through no intermediate slimy stage. Of
the chrysalises, one, which was suspended from the brown wood-
work of the cage was green, the other, suspended from the white mos-
quito net, was pale pink. Both opened on 24th September. We could
detect no difference in the butterflies, except that in the one from
the green chrysalis the rings round the underside of the abdomen
were narrow, black, and continuously linear, while in the other they
were broader, brown, and so deflected towards the centre from the
sides as to have a somewhat crenate appearance. These butter-
flies are imitated by the female of Hypolimnas mussipus. The
dichroic character of the pupa is noticed by Messrs. Marshall and de
Niceville in their very valuable work on the Butterflies of India,
Burma and Ceylon (Vol. I., p. 51), where Mr. Wood-Mason is cited
to the effect that the difference in colour is not sexual but a pro tec -
* Native name, Uudar.
38
286 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
tive resemblance, in the one instance to the leaf, in the other to the
flower-bud of the food plant. Our specimens, it will be observed,
chose positions in which such protective resemblance could have
no value. We thought the difference in colour might possibly be
due to a difference in the light, as the chrysalis in the darker
position, attached to the brown opaque body, was the darker in
colour, while that in the lighter position, attached to the white
transparent curtain, was itself almost white.* The point would
seem to be worth further careful investigation. That light has
an effect on animal coloration as well as vegetable is beyond a
question. This effect in insect life would appear to be illustrated
by a gradual change from pale cream colour to orange of the
lighter-coloured portions of the wing of Papilio erithonius.
Of the eleven months, one, the " death's-head " already mentioned,
belonged to the family Splringidce, and four tussore moths (Satumia
mylitta to Bombycidoe. The remaining six belonged to two species,
one to the first and five to the second, which we have been unable to
determine.
Death' s-Head. — We have not named this specimen, as it differs
so much in size, and in some respects in appearance, from others
in our collection. The caterpillar was found on a Caladium leaf in
our garden on 17th September. It was then about three inches
long, smooth, of a grass green colour, with seven whitish diagonal
lines each side. At the head end it had two peacock blue eyes
in yellow spectacles, at the tail end a fulvous tentacle. It had its
first encounter with the caterpillars of Danais chrt/sippus on 19th
September, and its second on the 24th. On the 25th we found it
trying to bury itself, and suspended it from the roof of the
cage as already described. There we left it when we started for
Mahableshwar on 11th October, but found on the 27th that the
moth had emerged in the interval. In general appearance it
resembled the largest specimen of the family {Acheroniix sti/x) in
our collection, that is to say, its forewings were of a dark mottled
brown, paling to yellowish, faintly clouded with white at the tips,
and its hind wings were yellow, marked with brown, while its body
was dark purple with a narrow longitudinal streak of yellow on each
side, an six black transverse rings. But it was far inferior in size,
* This theory would seem to derive some support from a beautiful experiment
by Mr. Poulton in 1887, showing that the bright surroundings of larvce kept in a gilt-
lined box fav-ur the production of golden pupa;.
NOTES ON A CATERPILLAR FARM. 287
measuring barely four inches across the outspread wings, while the
other was nearly six, and the skull mark was brown instead of white.
Saturnia mylitta. — These were found on Zizyphus jujuba* in our
compound on 4th September. When brought in, one had already
completed, and another was just completing, its cocoon. The
third had just begun to spin, and finished on the same day. The
fourth, which was still in its larva stage and feeding heartily, was
rather more than three inches long, sparsely haired in tufts, some-
what deeply jointed, and very thick in proportion to its length. It
was bright green in colour, with a triangular dark brown mark near
the tail, its apex pointing forward, and a yellowish line running
from it to near the head. On this line, at the head end, were two
bright gold spots, and below it, between each pair of legs, a small
oval orange spot with brown edges. About the head were a few
small orange spots, and one rather larger dark brown. It cocooned
on 5th September. The cocoons were a pale whity brown colour,
egg-shaped, about two inches in length, and suspended from the
twigs of the leaf plant, two or three leaves of which were drawn down
on to the sides of the cocoon. They opened, at the upper end, the
first on 21st September, the second on the 22nd. The moths from
both of these were males. The two other cocoons opened on the
25th September, and the moths from them were females. All
through the night of the 25th September we suffered from a regu-
lar plague of tussore moths attracted into the house by our speci-
mens. We caught twelve of them, all males, some with their
wings in so tattered a condition that the wonder was they could
fly at all. During the next day one of the females laid a number
of eggs in clusters on the twigs of the food plant in the cage. The
other laid none. Whether it would have done so had we waited
we cannot say, for to avoid a repetition of the previous night's
invasion we got rid of all our specimens before dark, and were
left in peace. As we were shortly leaving Bombay, we did not try
to raise any caterpillars from the eggs, but put them out on a Bear
tree in the compound to shift for themselves. The caterpillars
seemed to be earlier this year than last, for a single caterpillar that
we secured in 1888 did not cocoon till 4th October. The cocoon
did not open till 5th November, but this may possibly have been
because we took it up to Mahableshwar with us.
* Native name Bear.
288 BOMBAY NATBRAL HISTORY SOCIETY,
Of the unnamed moths No. 1 was found on 13th August in ©ur com-
pound, on a wild brown-speckled arum that comes up in profusion
in the rains all through the jungle on Cumballa HilL It was smooth,,
pale green, with a long black tentacle at the tail, and near the head
two grass green eyes edged with bright yellow, below which were
two yellow spots. When found it was about 2^ inches long. It
ehrysalised in earth, but scarcely going beneath the |su;rfacer on
]6th August. The imago appeared on 4th September, a largo
female moth of a general pale ashy brown colour, with broad bands
of darker brown across the wings. The forewings were deeply
scooped along the inner margin, and both fore and hind wings
were scalloped along the posterior margin. The body, which: was
very thick, was ringed with five fine transverse white lines,.
The pectinated antenna? were deeply hooked at the ends. Two
Kiales, attracted into the house from outside, were also secured!
on 5th September. The female laid a large number of eggs singly
about the roof and walls of the cage on 6th; and 7th September,
almost all of which were hatched on 1 3th. The larvae were palo
yellow with a tentacle of the same colour, very long in proportion to
the length of the body, at the tail end. We were unable to rear
any of them, as the' food plant had unfortunately withered after tho
rains.
Nos. 2 — 6, small hairy caterpillars, dark brown, slightly marked
with yellow and red, and so thick-bodied towards the head end as to
present a somewhat " hump-back" appearance', were found ow
14th August on Ficus heterophyUa* on Cumballa Hill. They
assumed the pupa form in loose cocoons of yellow fluff in cones of
brown paper on 22nd August. The imago of one appeared on 3rd
September, and of the others on- the 4th. The moth, thick -bodied,
and with pectinated antennae, was about an inch across the wings,
very downy, yellow, with two black spots near the tip of the fore-
wing, and one near its posterior margin. It is a very common one
in the house during the rains in Bombay.
In concluding these notes, we could warn the reader to be cau-
tious in using the native nomenclature', which is apt to be a little
^discriminative, at least among those ignorant persons of the lower
orders who are most likely to be employed to assist in the work of a
«aterpillar farm. For instance, we found the name Asok freely be-
* Native name Karowt t*
NOTES ON A CATERPILLAR FARM. 289
stowed on several sorts of trees besides the Guatteria. So, too,
Karunja seems to be used indifferently for a thorny bush with a blue
berry and a thornless tree with a flat round pod. While Zizyphus
jujuba is called by some a hear, and by others a boar. But the
strangest difficulty we had with names was in regard to the cater-
pillars themselves. Native opinion seems to be divided as to
whether a caterpillar is a centipide, scorpion, spider^ devil, worm or
something else. Hence on enquiry in different quarters, we were
differently informed that the name of these janwars is saturi, bichu,
makra, bhoot, kiri, or kushrun. On the whole the worms had
it. So our pets were generally known as kiri.
"DOWN THE COAST."
By. W. F. Sinclair, C.S.
(Read at the Society's Meeting on 12th November 1889.)
On a former occasion I described to you a voyage to the Isle-
fort of Janjira by the creeks. It is a good terminus ; and I
propose, to-day, to re-visit it by another route, indicated by the
title of this discourse, and starting from Alibag.
We must on this occasion suppose an early spring tide and start,
as for our last trip, a little before high water, say, at 9 A.M.
Our place of embarkation is a long sand-bank, so low that the
highest monsoon tides sometimes wash over it, and covered with
innumerable shells, all dead and worn, but many still entire, and
often much more beautiful in decay than they were in life.
Behind this is a little lagoon, filled by the rising tide, and then
a few hundred yards of sand, green here and there with wiry shore
grass, and backed by a long line of palm orchards, like Mahim Woods.
Like these, too, they contain a population of some thousand souls ;
and my reason for bringing them particularly to your notice is,
that they cover what was, within recent history, exactly such a
bank as that from which we sail. Their lagoon is now a salt-marsh
in course of transformation into rice-fields, and if, as we suppose,
the thing that has been is that which shall be, the sand-bank of
to-day will be the town and garden of another generation. I wonder
if it will read this prophecy there.
On our left, or landward, side, as we face south, we see the
line of the palm trees stretching some seven miles, till it seems to
290 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
1 ii i iii ■ -—...,, ■ ■■■■ i n
stop at the foot of a range of wooded hills, some 800 feet high,
ending to the seaward in a low fortified peak, whereof we shall
have a better view later in the day. Due west, upon our right
hand, the Isle-fort ot Kolaba, at this state of tide, rises apparently
sheer from the water, a range of crumbling fortifications, about
twenty feet high in most parts, topped by abundant foliage, including
that of a few palm trees, and varied by a couple of temples.
Over the highest northern tower a tall white flag-staff, with a
square yard, shines in the morning sun like a silver cross. This
marks the warning-signal station, where watch is kept day and
night in favour of the traffic of Bombay. It has saved many vessels
and many lives • and I seldom see that cross in the sky without
a mental quotation of the " In hoc signo vinces" But it is not
always victorious ; and on one very recent occasion its warning
was not attended to in time to prevent a serious accident.
All round the fort, and beyond it for miles, the reefs lie hidden
under the flood-tide. Only to the southward, and almost on our
course, a black tower, rising straight from the water, marks one of
the worst — the Chaul Kadu reef. Just by its foot an occasional
wave breaks on the almost forgotten wreck of the P. & O. steam -ship
" Jeddo."
Close before us the breach of the sea marks a sand bar forming the
other side of the creek, and we being by this timo embarked, steer to
cross it, where a cocoanut stem marks the passage over the bar.
This, just at present, is in use as the perch of a sea-eagle (Ralicetus
leucog aster), who is so well aware that we will not hurt him, that he
lets the boat come close enough for us to see his eye, and admire
his snow-white head and breast, contrasted, sea-gull-like, with a
slate-grey back and wings. Then, rather as despising than fearing
our neighbourhood, he lazily flaps away upon over a fathom of wing#
Half-a-dozen handsome black and white birds head across the bow
and the men look to the stern sheets as if they expected the shot to
be taken ; but it is not well to spend time in shooting on this trip,
for we want all our daylight. These are Oyster-catchers,* or
• I have in a former number noted the apparent error in Jerdon's Birds o
India, where the truncated beak, so common in European Oyster-oatohers is noted a
a generic distinction. I have examined many specimens in the British Museum and
here, and now believe it to be only the result of wear, having nerer found it in my
Indian specimens. None of these have the completely red bill of many European
birds, the coloration is that described by JerdoD) orange with black tip. Furtue1*
Indian observations are required.
"down thb coast." 291
" sea-pies," which abound here. Some remain all the year round,
and probably breed on the sandhills of the shore to our left.
Further out, a flock of ducks are wheeling over the water as if
looking where to alight, and they pass near enough to be recog-
nised by the white wing-mark as " White-eyed Pochards," the
commonest sea-duck hereabouts. By this time we have poled out of
the creek against the tide, and set our sail to a light land breeze,
which wants the help of oars to move the boat, and will presently
die away in " cat's paws."
But by this time we are well clear of bank and reef, and have
already found the ebb tide running down the coast at the rate of
nearly three knots an hour; and this, with our oars, carries us down
some six miles, till we pass within half a mile of the fortified point
mentioned before.
This is Korlai, or " Castle Curlew," once known as the " Morro
of Chaui" to the Portuguese, who took it by storm from the kings
of Ahmednagar, pulled it down, and rebuilt it. Inside and north
of it we can see the opening of a great creek, full of native shipping,
and flanked on the otber (north) side by an extensive European
fortification. This is the Agarkot, or "garden fort" of Rewadanda,
once a walled town crowded with palaces, convents, and the other
incidents of Portuguese colonization. It now contains little beyond
nuts and trees, mostly cocoanut palms, which hang over the ruinous
ramparts. Only one tall Franciscan tower shows itself above the
palms, a mere shell, and covered with vegetation, but still erect.
A fishing boat running for the port answers our hail with a yell of
" Waghade"=a Tigerlings," which is rather good news, as these
are not named from their vice, but from their stripes, and are, in
fact, Mackerel (Scomber microlepidotns) .
They are not so large as the English ones, but quite equal in
quality, if properly cooked while fresh, and we can have more than
enough for our whole ship's company for a rupee. By way of
variety, we take the change in sardines, which are commonly in season
here along with the mackerel, and much better than the tinned article.
Our cooks mostly know how to treat them a Vhuile, which is the
classic method ; but at present they may go on to the gridiron along
with the mackerel, and, just in time, the forenoon calm of the tropic
coast gives way to the sea-breeze and the oars can be got in, which
leaves space for getting breakfast ready, as we run down the shore
of Little Ethiopia ( Habsau ).
292 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
This would naturally have begun at Korlai, the southern point of
the mouth of the Kundalika, as that river is the '*■ March burn."
But the powers that have in succession held Chaul harbour (which
we now commonly call Rewadanda) have always made a point of
having both sides of it, and we, like the Marathas before us, and
the Portuguese before them (and so on backward), hold both
banks at the mouth.
The coast, however, seems rather to protest against this political
arrangement. As we pass clear of Korlai it changes in character.
The hills, which on the Alibag coast were several miles inland,
now close upon the sea in solid rank ; the yellow sands are only
in patches along the black basaltic shore, and but few palm trees
adorn the first port we pass in Janjira. This is Borlai, quaintly
named after the dwarf-ringed-plovers (JEgialitis) of the shore, as its
neighbour Korlai, after the curlew.
It is a tolerable fine-weather port, but beyond it, the wooded
hills come down to the sea, ending in low cliffs running out to the
point of Dandi. All this while we are deepening our water, for the
bottom of the sea has changed as much as the beach, and so
we find ourselves amongst neighbours who at Alibag were in
the offing, and only occasionally close with that shore. The
sardines have come up from the south in force, and the scene is
lively enough.
Every here and there we can see gulls and terns fishing, though
this form of bird-life is not so abundant here as at home. Occasion-
ally, a little crowd of them marks the presence of a shoal of
sardines, on which they are working, or a rough rippling patch, the
play of a school of mackerel. Scabbard-fish and garfish, like little
silver arrows, frequently leap close to the boat, or scramble out of
her way along the surface, and one or two actually jump into her and
slip through the kit stowed amidships into the bottom.
The large Dolphins (gadha) are alive all round, rolling, plunging,
and cutting somersaults amongst the sardines and mackerel J and
just as we are watching one very lively group to leeward, there is
a strange snoring sound behind us, and a cry of " Deo Masa"
among the crew, one or two of whom raise their hands in salute.
We turn just in time to see the last of a great black object half a
mile away, but the whale — for whale he is — must rise again pre-
sently, and if he keeps his course under water, will rise quite as
near as we care to see him; and" there he blows'' again, sure enough/
" DOWN THE COAST." 293
at little more than a cable's length. He is apparently a small Fin-
back, or Rorqual, perhaps 40 feet long.
You notice that he does not " spout" as whales do in pictures and
poems. The fact is that no whale habitually spouts water. But in
northern seas the hot-water-laden air from his lungs is condeused by
the colder atmosphere iuto a cloud of steam, or even drops of water.
Here and now the air is as warm outside the whale as inside him.
Wounded whales do certainly sometimes spout blood, and I suppose
that a sick one might throw up other things besides ambergris and
Jonah ; but colds in the head and bloody noses are no more normal
to whales than to ourselves, though probably plentier than prophets
or perfumes. Again our whale rises, and still nearer; but as he disap-
pears we see for an instant his tail in the air. He has seen more of
the boat than he likes, and will change his course, of which I am
not sorry, liking his room better than his company, since we are not
in the way of boiling him down. He has accompanied us past a mile
or more of very inviting looking sand; but we know that it is frino-ed
all along with reefs dangerous even to our small craft. Behind it the
wooded hills rise steep, and it ends in a head land, bolder and more
picturesque than Dandi, with high detached crags — Adi Point. A
little beyond this, however, the hill recedes in a great crescent, and
Nandgaum Bay shows again the familiar long line of palm-trees with
their edging of almost white sand.
Yitir (or Vihur) Point, beyond it, is bluff and wild again ; but
rounding it, we come in sight of a great bay, evidently leading far
inland. In fact we know of old where it goes, for right in the mid-
dle of the narrow waist of it stands our old acquaintance, the sea-
castle of Jaujira; and we have just been signalled as rounding the
point by the nearer aud smaller isle fort of Kansa, a sort of calf to
the great fortress, which we pass under the salute. The tide has
turned these two hours, and the boat is going up the bay at a speed
of probably five knots an hour, heading for the far end of a line of
cocoa palms on the north side, faced with many white buildino-s.
This is Murud, the working metropolis of the State under its
present ruler, who has given up living on a rock in the water like
a garefowl on an " All-aloue-stone," as his ancestors did.
The apparently unbroken line of white foam before us is on the
bar, and it makes a man hold his breath as the boat rushes before
flood tide and sea-breeze into an opening that seems scarce wider
than herself. Instantly the helm goes down, and she comes up
39
294 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
almost into the wind, and as quickly falls away again into the nexfe
bend of the channel. Seven times mnst the helm be shifted in a
cable's length of that pass; but with the seventh turn we float out
of the foam into a deep, calm, little harbour, where the palma
hang almost over the water, and our trip down the coast is over.
THE INDIAN BISON, WITH SOME NOTES ON
STALKING HIM.
BY J. D. IXVERAEITY.
(Read at the Society's Meeting on 1st October 1839.)
My first introduction to the Indian Bison was in the pages of
" The Old Forest Ranger/' when I was a very small boy. My youth-
ful imagination was so excited by the account of the bull, who is
there described as coming" on at headlong speed, his tail on end,
his bloodshot eye rolling in the frenzy of madness, his tongue
lolling far out of his mouth, and the white foam flyiug from his
distended jaws, that I there and then determined that when I grew
up I should do little else than shoot bison, and though circumstances
have prevented my carrying out that intention to its fullest extent,,
I have spent several hot weather vacations in the pursuit of that
animal; and I propose in this paper to give a brief outline of its
habits, supplemented by some observations as to the mode of
bringing him to bag. Sportsmen in the early part of this century
do not seem to have known much about bison. No mention what-
ever is made of him in Captain Williamsons " Field Sports/' the
second edition of which was published in 1819. In Dr. Johnson's
Sketches of Indian Field Sports, he says " there is also another
species of animal in Ramghur called Gour, a kind of wild bullock
of a prodigious size, not well known to Europeans. I have never
obtained a sight of them, but have often seen the prints of their feet,
the impression of one of them covering as large a space as a
common china plate! "
In the Oriental Sporting Magazine of July 1829, there is an
account of what was evidently Biscn shooting under the title of
" Bffalo Hunt," and the quarry are alluded to throughout as
THE INDIAN BISON. 295
'''buffalo." Ill tlie Mav number of the same Magazine for 1831
a correspondent gives an account of bison, and remarks "I allude
to Bison, which some maintain to be a wild buffalo and others the
common cow in its natural state, from both of which animals it is
quite distinct." The first sporting works which, as far as I know,
dealt with bison shooting, are the " Old Forest Ranger " and ff My
Indian Journal," both by Campbell of Skipness. Since then numerous
sportsmen have described their experiences of bison in print. The best
and most reliable accounts to my mind are to be found in the " Hio-h
lands of Central India" and Mr. Sanderson's book. None of the
illustrations of bison in any of the published books give even an
approximately good representation of what a bison is like. The best
I think, is the one in " My Indian Journal," but it errs in exaggerating
the thicknes ef the withers. The legs also are wrongly coloured.
They are shown as being white from below the knee, whereas in
truth the white stockings on the legs begin from the top of the
knee, an in the hind legs from the point of the hock. The same
mistake is made in the picture of the Bull Bison in Mr. Sanderson's
book. The white legs are correctly shown hi the illustrations in
the "Highlands of Central India" and in "Seonee." I have several
photos here of bison which prove what I say as to this. The only
other ruminants that I know of with white legs are the wild buffalo
and the old buck of the Sinde ibex (Ca<pra agagrus) , the white of their
leovs beam in exactly the same spot, which is a curious circumstance.
Jerdon's description of the bison, which I need not repeat here, is
a very good one, except that he says " legs from the knee downwards
white," whereas it ought to be u from above the knee downwards."
There is a stuffed bull and cow bison in the Natural History Museum
at South Kensington, but they are poor specimens. In genera
appearance the younger bulls look a dark coffee brown the old bulls
look jet black. An old cow also sometimes looks almost black. A very
young calf is a light yellow, though they soon get brown. The most
noticeable feature about the bison is the extraordinary development
of the spinous processes of the dorsal vertebrae, usually known as the
dorsal ridge ; the spinous processes continue all along the lumber
vertebras, but are much smaller behind the termination of the dorsal
ridge. The dorsal ridge is formed by a row of single bones sprino-iog
firom the back-bone immediately behind the junction of each pair
of ribs of which the Indian bison has 13 pairs. They slope backwards.
The height of the dorsal ridge at the highest point above the back-
296 BOMBAY NATURAL IHSTORY SOCIETY.
bone in a skeleton that I measured was 15 inches, but I forget
whether this was along the bone, which as I have said slopes backward,
or vertical measurement. The highest point was about the 5th or 6th
rib, the exact spot I omitted to make a note of. The height of the dorsal
ridge at the highest point above the line of back of an animal in the
flesh looks about 5 or 6 inches only. The dorsal ridge terminates
abruptly at the last rib. I have said the Indian bison has only 1 3 pairs
of ribs, which is the same number as are possessed by domestic cattle.
In fact naturalists tell us that the Indian bison is not a bison at all;
but belongs to the Taurine group. The Bisontine group comprises
the bison of Europe and North America, the Musk Ox and the Yak.
The European bison is stated by Jerdon to possess 14 pairs of ribs.
The American bison J 5 pairs. 1 have here a photo of a bison
skeleton cleaned by vultures, the remnants of skin and flesh
sticking to the bones prevent the details being so clear as they
would be in a photo taken from a skeleton properly prepared.
The foot in shape and appearance is like a deer's, though of course
larger. It does not, however, approach the size of the common china
plate mentioned by Dr. Johuson. It is probably the smallest foot of
any animal in proportion to the size and weight it has to support.
The forefeet are rather larger than the hind feet. The eye I should
describe as brown, though all books state it is pale blue. It is true
that when the light falls on it at particular angles it looks a beautiful
blue. This is caused by the tapetum lucidum, a membrane behind the
eye-ball of a lovely peacock blue colour. It is this membrane which
causes an animal's eyes to shine in the dark. In the human eye it
is opaque and black. The bison has no dewlap, although the skin of
the neck about half way down the throat suddenly gets thicker and
in some old bulls looks like the beginning of a dewlap. The head
has also certain peculiarities, the forehead being concave, and the top
of the skull rising in an arch above the base of the horns. The face
in profile shows a distinctly aquiline and ram like nose. Most
stuffed heads fail to reproduce this. The height of a bull bison at the
shoulder in the Central Provinces in my opinion does not exceed 5ft.
9 in. or 5ft. 1 0. I have shot many very old bulls. I have only measured
the height when they struck me as particularly large, and the largest
measured 5ft. 94 inches. He was a coal black bull, with horns broken,
and very blunt at the points, sticking out almost horizontally, with
hardly any curve. The measurements were : — Widest span, 38 ^ inches;
between the points, 34 inches ; round base, 18 inches; right horn
THE INDIAN BISON. 29?
in length, 24 inches ; left horn, 22 inches. It is not easy to measure
the height accurately. The distance between a stake driven in at
the shoulder, and another at the heel of the forefoot is the proper
measurement to take. To the top of the dorsal ridge is of course some
inches higher. I have not measured a cow, hut they are, I should
iudee, a good 4 inches less. Measurements given in most of the
sporting books run to G feet and over. I do not believe any such are
to be found in the Central Provinces, though I quite believe that in
Southern India they may attain that size. In fact I saw once on the
Annamaliay Hills an enormous bull that looked well over 6 feet. He
was lying with a herd out on the green slopes of the hill at an
elevation of between 6 and 7,000 feet 200 yards clear of the forest,
and was the biggest bull I ever saw, with a vezy wide head, but I
failed to get near him. The heads I have seen from Southern
India are much finer than the Central Provinces heads. The horns
n the latter, as a rule, do not spring up so high from the head as the
former ones. The curve of the horn seems to me to be lower, as
will be seen from the following measurements of the vertical line
drawn from a line between the tops of the horns and the top of
the skuli of 5 bulls, the other measurements of the heads are also
given in inches : —
Widest ......
X
o. 1.
31
26 ,,
28
If ••
No. 2.
33} ...
... 21* ....
243.
.... 22V ...
.... 9 ..
No. 3.
... 32J ...
.. 262l ...
... 17i ...
15 ...
74
N
• • •
■ • «
o. 4.
32 ....
N«
j. 5
31
Length, Right ..
Do. Left
24 ....
25
23| ....
26
Between. Points .
20J ...,
20
of horns
15 ....
14
Vertical height
7-3
9
Nos. 1 and 3 were solitary bulls. No. 2 was with a single cow.
No. 4 was shot out of a large herd. No. 5 was in company of a bull
and a cow with a malformed head ; see head No. 7. Though I have
shot better bulls, the above are all good heads for Central Provinces
bison. The longest horns shot by me were 29 5 inches, the widest
span of this head is 33 inches, and 18 inches round the base. The
thickest horn I have measured, was 19 inches round the base. It
should be remembered that the measurement round the base of the
horn is more when the animal is just dead, than after the head has
been thoroughly cleaned and got quite diy; there is a good
deal of fleshy matter between the horn and the bony core,
when this is removed, and the horn gets dry, the base of the
298 Bombay natural history society.
horn shrinks. All the above measurements are from dry heads.
The measurement round the base of the horn would be about an
inch more in each case when the animal was killed. The horns of the
cow bison are much smaller and thinner than the bulls, and they
have a narrower sweep of horn. The tips of their horns curve in
sometimes very close together. I have a photo, of an ordinary cow
and a malformed cow's head; they are numbered 6 and 7. The latter
head is a very curious one, the bony core is only a few inches long,
and does not extend up the horn as usual. The measurements of the
malformed head are — Widest span, 33; length, 22 ; between points
26. The head of a bull procured from Travancore in the possession
of this Society measures — Widest span, 43 ; length, right horn,
31 i; left horn, 30^ ; between points, 29; round base, \S ; vertical
height of horns above skull, 12i.
It would be hard to get a better one. It is No. 8 in photo., and
is taken on a larger scale than the photo, of the other heads.
Bison are essentially a mountain animal, though they will often be
found in the low jungle in the proximity of hills ; they go in herds
arying in size generally from -0 to half a dozen. The old bulls lead
a solitary life. I have only once seen a young bull by himself, but two
young bulls together are common ; they are generally not worth shoot-
ing. A cow is sometimes seen alone with her calf, the latter being
a few months old. Large herds of cows and calves without any bull
at all, and herds without a good bull, are common. Sometimes an
old bull, which according to custom ought to be solitary, is found
with a herd, especially if the herd is a large one. Mr. Sanderson says
he has never found a really aged bull with a herd. I have shot
very old black bulls with rugged heads out' of herds. Head No. 4
is an instance in point, and the biggest one I ever saw was in a
large herd. No doubt old bulls are generally solitary. A solitary
bull has always a good head, so you may be sure when you get on
his tracks that he is worth powder and ball. The points of an old
bull's horns are invariably worn, broken and blunted at the points.
The horn, however, grows again and makes a fresh point in the
middle of the blunt end; see heads Nos. 1, 2 and 4. The calves in my
opinion are born at all times of the year, though it is said that most
are born about the end of the rains. I have seen young ones of a
few days old in May and June, and the calves one sees then appear
to be of all ages. I was once in the beginning of June tracking a
herd, and came on a calf crouched in the long grass. The mother
THE INDIAN HI80N. 299
had ffone on with the herd and left the calf concealed behind. It was
sitting with its head and neck stretched out close to the ground,
trying to make itself as invisible as possible. I succeeded in taking
a photo, of it at a distance of 3 yards : all the time I was fixing the
camera, it kept its eyes on me. On my moving the camera to
take a second picture from another position, it got up and bolted,
and seemed to be a fortnight old. It was of a light yellow colour,
and exactly the same colour as a calf of the American bison I saw
in the London Zoological Gardens last year, Avhieh the keeper told
me was then a fortnight old. I then continued tracking the herd,
and saw the calf again two or three times until I passed it in some
long grass. Whether by accident or instinct, it followed the tracks of
the herd. The end of it was that the herd after a circuit of a
couple of miles returned to the place where the calf had been left
sitting, but J did not fire at them, as there was no good bull. Bison
never leave the jungle, and are impatient of civilization. They do not
mind the few huts dignified by the name of villages that are to be
found in the forests. I have often found their tracks within half a
mile of such spots; they are naturally timid and flee from the sight
of man. In my opinion they are not at all d;mgerous game. The
ground one attacks them on is well wooded and affords every faci-
lity to the hunter for dodging them, should they charge. This,
however, they seldom do. I have only been charged myself thrice :
once by an old solitary bull that I had wounded the day before,
once by a bull in a herd that was so badly hit he had no other
means of escape, and I was close on him, and once by a cow with
a young calf. The last two instances ought not to count, for
" The smallest worm will turn being trodden on,
And doves will peck in safeguard of their brood."
My brother was charged by the first bull he ever saw. It tossed
his shikari, the point of the horn scratched the skin on the inside
of the thigh. The man fortunately fell into the bottom of a
nullah ; the bull did not go on, but stopped looking about for his
adversary, and was then killed. The shikari, though not hurt, said he
had had enough of bison-shooting and would go home. The natives
show considerable fear of bison, and give them a worse character
than they deserve. An old bull I once shot I was told had
killed a native a short time before. When a bison charges, he
commences by running at you with his head well up, and nose in
the air, and only tucks his head down when a few yards off. At least.
300 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
that was the way the ones that charged me behaved, but the
instances are too few to generalize from. I only once found two old
bulls together. When the largest received my fire, he rushed at the
other one and they began butting each other like a pair of billy-
goats. Ou my running up and firing the second barrel, they made
off, and I eventually bagged the one I fired at. The second one
left the wounded one immediately and went in a different direction.
The bull that charged m}^ brother came on with a series of snorts ;
the others were silent when chai'ging. A herd never charges ; on
one occasion a herd of over twenty, when I fired, came in a
compact mass straight for me. I had to fire the second barrel into
the brown of them when ten yards off. They opened out and passed
close on each side; the last one, a good-sized bull, nearly ran over
me, but on my shouting at him he shied violently to one side. This
lierd had not the slightest intention of charging, but were merely
bolting. They were down in the bottom of a nullah at a
waterhole, and when I fired, fled out by the path they had taken
down, and as I had tracked them to the spot, I was right in their
way. I found the next da}r, some miles off, a cow with a broken
shoulder, the result of my shot into the brown. The bone must
have given way after some time, as there was no sign of any
wounded one at the time. The bull, I first fired at, I never bagged,
though I saw the bullet hole, from a 12 bore, behind the shoulder,
though too high. I do not think bison drink every day. A solitary bull
I followed for three days, and that I wounded the first day, did not
go to water that night, or on the second day at all, as I was on his
tracks the whole time, and saw him at sunset of the second day,
I am sure of this. He drank on the morning of the third day.
I was two and a half hours after him the first day, eleven hours on
the second day, and ten hours on the third day, twenty-three hours
and a half in all steady tracking. On the afternoon of the second
clay he went back over exactly the same ground he had come the
first day. For several miles he took almost the identical old route,
descending the nullahs at the same spot, and at sunset I saw him
within a few hundred yards of where I had first fired at him, 26
hours before. This seems to show that a bison frequents a particular
jungle. On the third day he went straight away for several
miles in a different direction. I ought to have got him, but did
not. I was several times close to him in long grass, but he only
once made any attempt to show fight, and then sheered off on
illE INDIAN BISON, 301
being fired at without charging1. Bison generally lie down about
10 a.m., but sometimes they do not appear to lie down at all,
especially if the day is cloudy. I have seen them grazing at all
hours of the day. I have found them at water in the morning,
middle of the day, and afternoon ; though they usually drink in the
evening or early morning, I have tracked both herds and solitary bulls
from early morning, and only came up to them late in the afternoon
and found they bad never lain down, though this is not common.
There is nothing that teaches you the habits of animals better than
wandering through the jungles stalking. If you keep your eyes open,
you get a good knowledge of the favourite haunts of tigers, panthers
and bears, which you can turn to good account in future years ; but
when stalking, I think it is advisable to stick to it. If you are after
tigers leave stalking, except perhaps an occasional day, alone.
Moreover, in the extensive jungles which bison love, although there
are plenty of game killing tigers, &c., they are more difficult to come
to terms with, than the cattle killers on the borders of cultivation,
where you will not find bison. One of the charms of bison stalking is
that you frequently come across sambur, cheetul and in the sal forests
swamp deer and occasionally larger game, and can without detriment
to your sport fire at anything you feel inclined to. In my opinion a
bison is not disturbed by a shot unless fired within half a mile of him,
and if he is alarmed by a distant shot, he does not go very far. In the
hot weather most of the stags have shed their horns, but a small
number sti 11 carry their heads. When tracking bison I always fire at a
good stag, if I come across one. The small four-horned antelope you
can also knock over, and keep yourself pretty well supplied with fresh
meat. It is good practice to shoot them running. Bears are often
seen in the early morning and in the evening among the bison hills.
I have shot more than a half-a-dozen when stalking ; once I bagged a
tiger, and have seen others, and have also had shots at panther. Pig
and neilgai you will also see, but it is no use firing at them. The
ground is generally quite unrideable. You cannot afford to run the
risk of laming your horse, I once speared an old boar the same morn-
ing I shot a bison, but he got away into a steep ravine on the edge of
which I speared him. In the sal forests bison and buffalo are found
on the same ground. I have shot both on the same day. Such red
letter days are few and far between, and there are many blank days on
which you see nothing. I have been ten days out from morning to
night without a shot, although I might have had two or throe shots
302 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY,
at small bulls, liad I wished, so you must not run away with the idea
that you have only to walk into the jungles and shoot. A great dea!
of hard work and perseverance is required before you lay tlie bison
low ; but there is always a pleasure in the pathless woods which
never palls, even though the silence is not broken by the crack of
your rifle. You require to make little or no arrangements when
you go stalking ; I always take a small tent, thongh it is quite useless.
Unless it rains, I never go iuto it. It is ranch cooler under a tree.
The less following you have and the smaller you can make your
camp the better; the jungle villages are small, the belongings of its
few inhabitants are not sufficient to cope with the demands of a
large cimp. They have only enough for their own needs, and they
do not care to sell you what they want for their own use. They are
very obliging, and will do what they can for you in the waw of milk,
&c, but the way to be popular and get sport is to interfere with
them as little as possible. You do not want shikaries. Every jungle
man is a born tracker. If a man likes to come with me I do not
object, but as a rule the native has an unconquerable aversion to leav-
iug his lares and penates, so yon get fresh men at every camp. For
anxiety to please you, hard work, endurance, and cheerful interest in
your sport, the simple native of the jungle takes the first prize. Many
of them are thoroughly imbued with the sporting-instinct, though they
never can understand why you do not fire at does and cows. A doe
sambur they consider excellent material to fill their stomachs with,
and when they see a prospective dinner cantering off uuharmed they
are much disgusted. This is their only failing. It is a mistake to
get up before sunrise, the day is quite long enough if you get up
with the sun, at about 5-30. A. m. Having taken a cup of tea or coffee,
and a basin of porridge and milk, you ought to be under weigh at
C-30 am. Take plenty of water with you, asunder a hot sun, when
the water is finished, you are soon Jiors de combat. Each of your
men will carry his own water gourd, but it is advisable to take for the
men a couple of chatties full of water which one man can carry slung
to each end of a bamboo. This is generally a great scarcity of
water in bison ground, the water holes being few and far between,
the animals wander miles from water, and you may not see any
water all day. I always have two large chaguls full of water carried
for myself, and have sometimes found I had an insufficient supply.
It is important to see to the supply for your men, as they knock up
very soon when the water is done. You will want little to eat
TITE INDIAN BISON. 303
during the day. Under a burning sun one has no appetite for dry
f'ed like cold vensiou or a tough fowl. Biscuits are au abomina-
tion. Cold bison tongue is juicy and good, so are tinned sausages
^ud sheep's tongue. Preserved green ginger isagreat pick-me-up,
mtd I always take some with me. Pickled white onions are also a
stand-by. These will be canned in a large leather bag which will
also hold yeur skinning knives, tobacco, reserve of cartridges and
a.uy other little things you may fancy you want. Never carry a knife
en your foelt^ it is quite useless. I always carry my field glasses on
my belt -and not slung over the shoulder. They are then always at
fcand, and yoa can drop them back into their case in a moment,
Half-a-doEeu cartridgres on the belt, and as many more in your pocket
will be enough. A reserve of another dozen should be in the bag.
Thus accoutred you will sally forth on horseback, accompanied by half-
a-dozen men, of whom twe will carry the water, one your bag, one
the camera aud two yeur battery. You will first have a look at the
water hole near your camp (for you always camp near water), and if
there are no tracks there, you will leisurely proceed through the
jungle to the next water, which is perhaps several miles off. One
man, carrying your Express rifle ready loaded, will walk immediately
in front of youT horse, the others behind. You may very likely
^)ut up or sight a stag or four-horned antelope, and can at once
dismount aud fire, or take a shot, which is generally unsuccessful,
from horseback. As you proceed you keep a sharp look -out for
<Heer and for tracks, and are often disappointed by fiuding what at
first sight appear to be fresh tracks turn cut to be a day teo eld.
You may wander about in this way all day and see neither hoof
nor horn or animal >of any description. The jungle man with subtle
flattery will account for this by telling you that having heard your
Honour's name they have fled. On other days you will see stags that
have shed their horns or small parcels of hinds, or get on the tracks
<of a herd that after hours of tracking you get up to only to fiud
that there is no head worth shooting in the herd ; but at last the
fresh print of a gigantic solitary bull will gladden your eyes, and
in that case, if it is net too late in the day to come up with him, it
is your own fault if you do not bringhim to book. With a little practice
the track of the day is easily distinguishable from the track of
the day before. Where the ground is bare it is as hard as iron, but
there is always a layer of dust on it which takes a clear impression of
the foot; in the middle there is a slight ridge of dust pinched up
304 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTOKY SOCIETY,
by the cleft in the bison's hoof. If this is sharp, and the whole
impression is clean looking, it is a fresh track. If a footprint has
a blurred appearance, and the edges not clearly defined, has tracks of
insects across it, or in short has a dirty appearance, it is an old one.
If you point to a track and ask your men if it is to-day's; when it is an
old one their reply always is " maila hai," it is dirty ; and I know no
better description of the difference between a fresh and old track than
the one is clean and the other dirty looking. On softer ground the
difference is easily distinguished. In long grass I for one cannot distin-
guish between a one day old and a hour*s old track, without following
it for a little way, when other signs, such as the withered or fresh
appearance of the ends of grass dropped out of the bison's mouth
when feeding, &c, soon let you know what sors of track you are on ;
the alternations of hope and despair when you are on a doubt-
ful track, and see or fancy you see signs that you are all right, and
again see signs which lead to a contrary conclusion, can be imagined
but cannot be described. Haifa mile's tracking ont to solve the
question. If there has been dew during the night, you will in
the early morning find a drop at the end of each blade of young
grass where it has been cropped if the track is a day or more
old. I will suppose however you have found a fresh track. You
will at once begin to hope that the next hundred yards will bring
you in sight, and although you know from experience that probably
many miles have to be traversed before you come up to your game,
you can never get rid of the idea that you will see him in the next
ten minutes, so that however long the pursuit, there is no weariness
in it. As tracking is half the fun, you should track yourself, but
good at tracking as you may become, or good as you may fancy your-
self, you will never equal your humble companions at this. After
some hours' tracking the glare is rather trying to the eyes but they
soon get used to it. You do not go very fast when tracking, and you
have plenty of time for looking about you and ahead. Taking
every thing into account, and including short stoppages, I do not
think the average pace of tracking is more than 1 to 1^ miles an
hour. Though some bits are done at twice that pace, at other
times you can only follow the track with difficulty or lose it
altogether for a time. Should you lose the track, make a cast forward
while your men try and puzzle it out. A bison generally goes by
the easiest way in crossing hills, a knowledge of which fact often
assists you in recovering the trail. Two men only should be with
THE INDIAN BISON. 305
yoa, and you should always carry the rifle yourself. The rest with
your horse will follow on the tracks on their own account 3 or 400
yards behind. The water man, however, I keep within 100 yards, as
you constantly want to have a suck at the water. It is impossible to
know when you will come up with the bison, even when the tracks
are quite fresh, and they are apparently not more than a few
minutes or half an hour ahead ; they may keep walking on for hours
as fast or faster than you track ; on the other hand, although the
signs on the spot you have reached show that it must be some
hours since they passed, they may have lain down a short distance
in front, and may be close at hand. Every two or three hours it is
pleasant to sit down for a few minutes in the shade and have a
smoke, but the ardour of the chase soon drives you on, till suddenly
a loud snort and a rush announces that the bison have seen you
first and are off. If you can make out a good bull, and he is broad-
side on, take him running, and if he is within a 100 yards you ought
to kill him. If his stern is to you do not fire. Unless the jungle
is pretty open, it is not easy to mak6 out the bull, Never fire a chance
shot, which can only result in some wretched rubbish of a young-
bull or worse still a cow being hit. If you do not fire you continue
tracking, and you may be sure as a rule two or three hours will elapse
before you see them again. The tracking will be easy for a mile or
two while the herd has been galloping. They then pull up and go
on a steady walk for miles, and your chances of a shot are much less
now than when you began, as they are on the look out and difficult
to approach. They sometimes sit down again if the day is
very hot; on a cloudy day they go much further. A solitary
bull when disturbed by seeing you does not go so far as a herd
will before stopping; he too will sit down again on a hot day.
If bison have not seen you but only winded you, they stop
sooner. If you fire at them it is no use going after them any more,
as they will usually go many miles before stopping, and the day is
too short to come up to them again. If, however, the bison are
not lying in long grass, you ought to see them first : a herd will be
found sometimes standing, sometimes lying down ; your attention
most likely is first attracted to them by the flap of a ear or the moving
of a tail. It is astonishing how the least thing moving in the jungle
attracts the eye. They will probably be about 200 or 300 yards off,
as you cannot see very much further in jungle. I have generally
found them easy to stalk, the only difficulty being to find the bull
306 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
and get to him without being seen by the others. A solitary bull is
quite easy to stalk if he has not seen you. According to my experience
their eyesight is more to be feared than their nose. Capt. Forsyth
expresses the contrary opinion. The air is frequently quite still,
and the grass and trees I think diffuse and dissipate the taint your
presence gives the wind in a much shorter distance than would be
the case in open ground. Even if you are tracking down wind they
seldom bolt till you are within 300 or 400 yards, and you generally
hear them making off. The best way of finding out from what
direction the little wind there is coming from, is to lick the palm
of your hand, and turn it slowly round ; a cold feeling will strike
it directly it meets the wind. Of course if there is a nullah or any
large rocks which will conceal you, take advantage of them. If not
it is a mistake to crouch ; remain erect with the arms close to
the body and the legs close together, and stand perfectly still if the
bison turns his head towards you. It is of the utmost importance
to keep the arms close to the body and the legs close together*
when advancing or standing. All sudden movements should be
avoided. If a bison looks up at you when you are stalking him,
you must remain absolutely motionless in whatever attitude you
happen to be. An irresistible longing to scratch my nose always
seizes me on these occasions. If he is unsuspicious you advance
slowly, keeping a tree if possible between you and his head. You
should always make a stalk alone. A native always points to the
nearest animal, whether cow or not, as the largest bull that ever
was seen, and he gets nervous at close quarters. Never circle round
bison when in sight of them, but go straight in. If there is a better
approach from another quarter retreat till you are out of sight and
then go round. If you are a moderately good stalker you can easily
get within 100 yards, but the surest shots are made by getting as
close as you can, and you should therefore go on without firing as
long as the bull remains unsuspicious. I have more than once got
within ten yards of bulls lying down, and generally get within
50 yards of a solitary bull. Herds are not so easily approached within
50 yards, but you can almost always get within 1 00 yards. Bison
are easily killed with a single ball if hit in the right place ; for a
broadside shot fire low down behind the elbow, or high up just below
the backbone, where the dorsal ridge terminates, or through the centre
of the neck. One shot from an Express rifle in any of these spots
is enough. Opinions differ as to the best rifle. I began with a 12-
THE INDIAN BISON. 807
bore rifle, firing 4i drams of powder, and found it did its work well.
I then tried an 8-bore gun with 9 drams, which was good too, and of
late years I have shot with a 500 Express with a solid steel plug in
a haden bullet in place of the ordinary copper tube in a hardened
bullet. The steel plug bullet expands as well as the usual bullet, but
has greater penetration. I prefer the Express for the first shot at a
bison; if properly placed it kills at once. To follow a wounded bull
into long grass or thick jungle I prefer the 8-bore. The ordinary
Express bullet, as also the steel plug one, peuetrates the skull easily.
The Express is no use in my opinion for the chest shot, or for firing
at the stern. The 8-bore will drive the ball through the chest into the
lungs. I also with this weapon twice killed bison at close quarters
with a raking shot through the stern into the body. This shot should
not be taken with a less powerful gun. Neither the 8-bore nor 1 2-bore
will drive the ball right through a large bull broadside, as the ball is
stopped by the skin on the opposite side. The ball should be spherical
and hardened, twelve parts of lead to one of tin. The head should not
be high, on a line with the root of the horn; between the eyes is too
low for the brains if the forehead is at right angles with the gun.
Head No. 3 has the bullet hole in the right spot. Owing to their habit
of poking their noses high into the air when they see you, it is not
easy to get the right angle into the brain, and it is not a shot to take
except as the coup de grace to a wounded animal. Every sportsman
should make a point of studying the interior economy of the animal he
shoots. This can best be done by ocular inspection. Cut the animal open
and examine the cavity of the chest and the cavity of the stomach. You
will be surprised to find what a lot of space there'is where a bullet
would do little immediate damage. The bisons' stomachs have each
a moderate sized haystack in them, which it is worse than useless
to perforate with a bullet. The lungs in my opinion afford the best
mark, and a shot there is certain death in a few seconds. If a
bison is standing when fired at, he seldom drops to the shot behind
the shoulder, but gallops from 50 to 200 yards before dropping
dead. If he is galloping the same shot drops him dead on the spot.
Why this should be I do not know, but so it is. When you have killed
him you will find the old bulls almost hairless ; their skin exudes
a thick oily substance which you can scrape off with a knife. It
looks like dirty oil. Mr. Sanderson* says that the hide of an old
bull after a sharp hunt gives out an oily sweat. He adds : " In this
peculiarity the bison differs from domestic cattle which never sweat
308 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
under any exertion." In this I think he is mistaken. This oily
sweat is natural and not the result of exertion. I remember shooting
an old bull at 8 a.m. that jumped up close to my horse ; it did not
go 100 yards, its skin glistened with this oily exudation ; and I
have killed others though after the day had got hot, that had under-
gone no exertion, in a similar state. If you pass your hand along
the hide of a younger brown bull it will become quite greasy,
though you cannot see the moisture as you can on an old hairless bull.
Shortly after death if the bison has been drinking recently the
water runs out of his mouth and forms a nasty puddle. He is
geuerally infested with large ticks on the inside of the thighs,
so it is as well not to sit triumphant on his carcase. His tail
makes excellent soup ; the tongue is very good flesh, and
would probably be better salted. The flesh of an old bull
is to my mind tough and tasteless ; the marrow is too large and rich.
The gall bladder will sometimes be taken by your men. On my
asking what the use of it was, they informed me that the contents
rubbed on the noses of young dogs made the dogs very keen of
scent in hunting deer and pig. In most places your men will not eat
the flesh of the bison. Where they do they cut the meat into long
strips and dry the flesh in the sun ; the hides are sometimes taken by
them and utilized as a covering to the roof of their huts. The
bison in uttering its snort of alarm expells the air with great force
from his nostrils, and according to Dr. Francis Day, in his account
of Cochin, the natives there assert that it will root up a stone from
the ground and discharge it with a snort with fatal effect at his
adversary — an idea which, though of course fanciful, might readily
occur to one. Bison are often blundered on as one stalks through the
jungle, and ahead procured with little or no trouble. You do not look
with so much satisfaction on such a head as you do on one that you
have tracked for many miles. Bison will on such occasions stand and
stare at your horse, i*egardless of the men accompanying you, giving
you time to dismount and shoot them. On two occasions I rode almost
on to bulls before they rose from their lair in the grass. They stood
staring at the horse only a few yards off, and made threatening de-
monstrations with their horns, but did not charge. Some of the solitary
bulls have no doubt been expelled from the herds after a tough fight :
one I killed was covered with a number of wounds quite fresh, inflicted
by the horns of a rival, but I think most of them lead solitary lives from
choice. They appear to be too big and powerful to have been licked by
THE INDIAN BISON. 309
the smaller herd bull, unless it be that their horns being blunt and
broken are not a match for the sharp points of the horn of the younger
and lighter bull, or it may be that they find in solitude a calm unattain-
able in the bosom of their families. I have never found a solitary
bull bison join a herd when tracking him, though aged buffalo
bulls often do. The bisou is known among natives throughout the
Central Provinces as the Or nir. Capt. Forsyth says that the name
"Gour" is unknown in Central India, and that he is call Bhinsa or
Bun Bhinsa. This is certainly contrary to my experience, and I have
shot in the same jungles as Forsyth did, I have heard him sometimes
called Bun Bhins, but not often. The latter term is used by the natives
for buffalo. It is pronounced through the nose, Bun Bise. The
bison, like all the true ruminants, chews the cud by a circular motion
of the jaws from right to left or from left to right, and not alter-
nately from left to right and then right to left. If you get close
enough you can see the cud passing up his throat into his mouth to
be chewed in the shape of a ball just as you can in a common cow.
Ihe camel chews the cud with alternate bites from left to right
and then right to left. I believe the rest of the camel tribe do the
same. I intended to have looked at the llama the last time I was
in the London Zoological Gardens to see, but my companion, no
less a personage than our Chief Magistrate, Mr. C. P. Cooper,
displayed no interest in such details, and insisted on going off to
lunch and chewing the cud on his own account. Bison have never
been reared in captivity. If caught as calves they soon die. There
is an animal called the Gayal or Mifchun (Gavceus frontalis) found to
the east of the Brahmapootra, that is stated by Jerdon and other
authorities to be easily domesticated. There is a large bull in the
London Zoological Gardens, the only one I have seen ; it is very like
the bison and might be easily mistaken for one. The only difference
I could see was that the horns grew out almost straight with little
curve, and were rather flatter in shape. The one in London is an
old bull, quite black. The colour, white stockings, dorsal ridge,
head, &c, are exactly like the bison. His hoofs, owing to not
getting sufficient exercise to wear down the new growth, are much
mis-shapen. I do not think there is any fear of bison being
exterminated. Shooting the old bulls does no harm. The young
bulls should be spared, as it takes time to grow a good head.
When you first begin shooting them, you will probably shoot a
cow or two, as it is difficult for an inexperienced eye to distinguish
310 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
them from the bulls, and you will mistake a cow for a bull,
but one or two misadventures of this kind will disgnst you, and
you will be more careful and leara what a really good bull
is. The natives occasionally kill them with a poison ed arrow,
but they seldom shikar them. Tigers seldom kill them. I only
kuow or one instance. Foot and mouth disease and other epidemics
destroy large numbers. Within the last tern years there were
bison in Salsette within 30 miles of Bombay, i believe there are
none there now. I was told the last herd" h%d died of cattle disease.
They were formerly plentiful in the ghats near Khandalla. I have
in my possession at home the head of a very fine bull (the measure-
ments I have not got by me), the last one killed some 33 years
ago at the foot of tbe ghats below Khandalla. As long as the
highlands of Central India and the enormous tracts of hill and
jungle in Southern India exist, I have no doubt that bison will
give sport to our successors long after we have gone to the happy
hunting grounds. When you have secured your trophy, if you do
not take care, the horns will be spoilt by a small kind of caterpillar
or grub. It is white in colour aud has a large head. It bores a
cylindrical hole from the inside of the horn to the surface, and
in the hole thus made spins a cocoon, emerging- ultimately in what
looks like a beetle. It spins very rapidly. I hare watched them
at work. They begin to spin at the surface of the horn; if you
destroy their work, the top of the hole will be covered again in half
a minute. Tbe best preventive is to remove tbe horn from the
bony core, but you cannot always get an old bulPs horns off. In
that case pour boiling water or kerosine oil down between the
horn and core. I have never tried beating for bison, and should
think it was poor sport. Find the tracks yourself, track him
yourself for miles, and kill him with a single bullet in a fair stalk3
and the incidents of the day will never fade from your memory.
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES.
].— BELIEF IN THE BIS-COBRA.
My servant came running this morning to say that there was a Targe bis-cobra
in a shesum tree just outside the house. All hands assembled at a respectful
distance from the tree and evidently were very jumpy. Going close, I found a
largish Monitor on one of the boughs trying to get away from a squirrel. WheD
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 811
the squirrel came to close quarters the lizard snapped at him, hut the little fellow
was mi'.el*. too quick for him, jumping hack or round the bough, and then tackling
the Monitor from another quarter. At last the latter gave in and came down
the tree pursued by the squirrel with tail erect and hair frilled out in great triumph.
The Monitor ran into the grass, where my terrier settled accounts with him
forthwith, greatly to the sweeper's horror, who thought it was all up with "Tim,
Tim." It is curious that lvere in the North- West Provinces the appearance of one
of these monitors causes more dismay among the natives than any Krait or
Cobra.* One of my men assured me he had known a woman who died from the
bite of a bis- cobra,
G. J. RAYMENT.
Bahugarh, September, 1883.
2— THE WATER RAIL (BALLUS AQUATWUS).
I write to inform you that I killed a specimen of the Water Rail (Rallus
aquaticus) in the Bohri Taluka of Shikarour, Colleetorate of Sind, on 5th Nov-
ember. Hume and Marshall describe it as extremely rare, and only known to
them as having been seen in the Dun, with the exception of two specimens, one of
which was killed near Sialkote and the other near Abbotabad. I have carefully
examined the bird, and it is undoubtedly Rullus aquaticus a&d not Rallus hulicus
the distinctive points being unmistakable.
D. GEORGE.
Sukkur, Uh November 1889.
3.— HOW A SNAKE CLIMBS.
A specimen of LycondoK anlicus was killed yesterday in my house while climb-
ing up a bamboo blind (chick) stretched vertically and lashed in position. I saw
the operation myself. The snake evidently climbed by hitching the edges of the
ventral shields ©n to those of the b&mboo lattice of the blind, and not by winding
bis body, which was entirely on the siile of the blind next to me, round the
bamboos. He moved slowly and not painfully or awkardly. This species of
«nake is notoriously apt at eses;lade, but this is the best thing in that way I have
seen of it.
W. F, SINCLAIR.
Alibag, September 1883,
* It is exceedingly difficult te account for the widespread belief, amongst the
natives of India, in the so-called " Bis~Cobra*" The young of the Common Indian
Monitor (Varanns draccenu) is greatly dreaded in most parts ©f the Bombay Presi-
dency, although, curiously enough, when the lizard becomes full grown, it is called the
w Ghorpad," and is recognized by the country people as being perfectly harmless. The
young differ considerably from the adult, in having a mottled appearance. Many
other equally harmless lizards are thought to be exceedingly poisonous by the natives
in other parts of the county, where the term Bis-Cobra is applied to them Vide
Mr. Vidal's interesting paper on the subject on page 71 in Vol. 3 of the Soaiety'g
Journal. — Ed.
312 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
4.— BATTLE BETWEEN BEES AND WASPS.
I saw in the Pioneer a few days ago an account of a battle of butterflies, which
occurred in Japan, and as I the other day witnessed a battle between some large
wasps and the large jungle bees, I thought it might interest you to hear about it.
Close to my bungalow there is a ravine, in which there is a small forest of hill
oaks. On these a swarm of large bees evidently intended to settle, and they were
buzzing around, when first one, and then a few more, and at last a large number
of these wasps (a specimen of which I send you*) appeared on the scene, and
then commenced the battle. The noise of the combatants was very loud, and the
bees were desperately angry, and although I was but a silent spectator, attacked
me, causing me to retire. I crawled up, however, after a while and watched
proceedings. A wasp would suddenly come across a bee, or vice versa, and after
gyrating round one another for a second or two, they closed and came tumbling
down to the ground : then, as it evidently happened as far as I personally saw,
the wasp was the victor, and clutching his victim in his arms, he flew away with
him, and on my telling the story to some of the hillmen, they said that the wasps
ate the bees. The battle started about 9 a.m. and lasted till sunset. Next morn-
ing both wasps and bees had disappeared. Perhaps there are members of your
Society who may have witnessed similar occurrences, and it would be very
interesting to hear about them.
H. W. HEWETT.
Ahnorah, Kumao-n, IMi October 1?89.
5.— MAN-EATING TIGERS.
Adverting to Mr. Gilbert's interesting notes on Man-eating Tigers read
before the Society in September last, I should like to point out that I do not
think it is the general belief at all that all man-eaters are old and mangy animals.
But the converse appears to be the rule, that when a tiger does get old and mangy,
or is suffering from a broken limb, so that it is not quick enough to catch t
usual prey, it then takes to feeding on the easiest of all prey to secure, viz., on
man, and this view is borne out by Jerdon. One point, which I do not think
M r. Gilbert mentioned, was the curious fact that there are more man-eating tigresses
than tigers. As a reason for this I would suggest that it may be that the tigress,
with two or perhaps three cubs, finds considerable difficulty in keeping her larder
well stocked. Game in some parts being scarce and exceedingly wide-awake, she
therefore kills the first thing she comes across i and having once begun man-eat-
ing, all authorities agree that they never reform. In the last part of Mr. Gilbert's
narrative of the Bansda man-eater, he says that as there were no more deaths in
that part of the country, there was little doubt that he had killed the man-eater.
But how about Mr. Crawley-Boevey's tigress ? This, they say, also died, and
there are, I think) more man-eating females than males ; the Dewan of Bansda
seems, however, to have been satisfied that Mr. Gilbert's was the right one.
Mr. Gilbert also mentions that tigers do not kill goats. Whether they do or
not I am not able to say, hut his Bansda man-eater is credited with seventeen,
according to the statement of the Dewan.
W. St. JOHN RICHARDSON,
Capt., B. S. C.
* Vespa magnified , — En.
MISCELLANEOUS MOTES. 313
6.— A WHISTLING BULBUL.
In my last communication I introduced the Madras Bulbul (Pycnonotus
hamorrhous) as a talking bird, and have now to record him as a whistler, for ho
seems to be as apt at whistling as at talking. A lady who in Iter quiet way
takes notice of everything around her, tells me that she had one of these birds
that could whistle the "Quaker's Wife" to perfection, and often from the rails
in her garden it would pour forth its strains so perfectly distinct and natural
that she frequently believed that it was some one outside " whistling for nant
of thought," and not till she actually saw the bird so engaged was she convinced
that it was capable of the feat. After exhibition of such capacity, the bird
should be welcome wherever pet and pupil are appreciated.
A. W. MORRIS.
Yercaud, November 1889.
/•—THE DAYAL BIRD AS IMITATOR.
Copsychus saularis is another bird that is as pugnacious as a gamecock, and
I remember having read somewhere that it is trained for fighting purposes by
some of the native of this country, but it has a sweet voice into the bargain, and
is held in some esteem as a cage bird in this land, where songsters are so few.
I was not aware, however, that it had an imitative faculty, and am indebted to
the same ladv who informed me about the Whistling Bulbul for the knowledge.
One of these birds that seemed to have taken more than a passing notice of a
eanary's song learned to imitate it so perfectly that the lady in question was
often puzzled to know whose canary it was singing outside, till one day she found
out that it was a Dayal Bird that had taken the notes of her pet unto himself.
Perched on a tree outside it would imitate a canary so perfectly that it was hard
to tell it was not this bird singing.
A. W. MORRIS.
8.— A PET DRONGO.
I have reared many a feathered pet, but in no instance did the loss of any
of them occasion me such keen regret as the death of a pet Drongo (Buchanga
cferulescens), which fell a victim to its overtrust and confidence in its human
master. 1 had reared it from a little thing, and when fully fledged and able to
take care of itself, often, at my call — a whistle imitating its note — it would come
and perch on my band or shoulder though it would not allow itself to be caressed,
a proceeding which all birds seem to object to. That the bird somehow knew mo
and the members of my family was apparent, for often when out either riding
or walking, I would suddenly iind it alighting on me, no matter how far from
home, a thing it would never do to an outsider. Did any stranger come in the
bird was immediately on the defensive and permitted no familiarity. A curious
instance of its antipathy to strangers and its loyal attachment to its protector
was exhibited one day. A member of the family going into Capt. P. -'a
found the bird alighting on him just as he entered the bungalow, and was deliberat-
ing whether he should put the intruder outside, when he heard the Captain's voice
calling to him to come in. At the same time he advanced with hand outstretched
to greet his visitor, when the bird, evidently thinking that an assault was meant,
314 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
flew full in his face and beat off the astonished soldier. It used to be my great
amusement, on going through the grounds, to whistle for the bird, at the same
time extending my hand for it to perch on, and having "fixed" a gamy
grasshopper to walk towards it, when away it would go and the bird would have
it in the twinkling of an eye, a species of hawking I much enjoyed.
And now for the sad part of the story. When out shooting miles from home
mypoor bird, as I subsequently found out (though at the time I had my doubts
about its being a wild bird), in an evil moment perched in a tree overhead, and
being mischievously inclined at the moment, I fired and brought down my pet
Drongo, a circumstance I cannot cease regretting even to this day as an ending to
so much attachment.
A. W. MORRIS.
9.— MIMICRY FOR PROTECTION AND FROM EXAMPLE.
It has lately struck me that though generally speaking the term mimic is applied
to birds and insects that resemble or imitate other animals, either in voice, colour
or style of marking, zoologically regarded it needs restrictions. To use one term
to denote a multiplicity of manners and ways is to use it laxly, and Professor
Meldola, after whom zoologists are inclined to follow, aware that the word
mimic has been rather loosely applied, suggested that "the term 2»~otectice
resemblance should be applied to the appearances which tend to deceive enemies by
their resemblance to motionless (vegetable or mineral) surroundings, the term
"mimicry" denoting the resemblance to other animals." I would therefore
suggest that while mimic be employed for butterflies, beetles and other insects
that either for protection or some other cause take on the appearance of well
protected forms, imitation be applied to such animals as copy or voluntarily
assume the peculiarities of other creatures. Superficially regarded there is hardly
any difference between the words suggested, and yet these hardly perceptible
shades of difference add greatly to the perspicuity of meaning. If these be
accepted, their mimicry would be the result of an involuntary assumption, while
imitation would be a voluntary production, or, in other words, that it would
arise from protective causes, this for example. Tims we should say the female
of H. missippus " mimics " L. chrysippus ; the above case of C. saularis would be
one of " imitation," and such insects as Phasma, J\fantis and the larva? of many
Lepidoptera would assume what Professor Meldola calls protective resemblance,
i.e., resembling the leaves and twigs of trees, stones, earth, seeds, &c.
A. W. MORRIS.
10.— USES OF THE SCREW PALM (PANDANUZ ODORATISSIMUS},
KEVADA, ^^3T.
In Part 2 of Vol. I. of our Society's Journal there is a paper on the uses of
the Screw Palm taken from the journals of the late Mr. Handley Sterndale and
read by Mr. R. A. Sterndale on the 7th December 1S85, and also a note on the same
paper by Dr. Kirtikar. In either of these is there any mention made of a use to
which the dried leaf of the Pandanus is put, which is to spread and polish the
lac on children's toyTs, those bright and pretty lotas, humming tops, and so on,
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 315
made of wood and covered with brightly coloured lac, with which most of us are
familiar. The lac is put on by closely pressing a stick of it, of the required
colour, to the wood as it revolves in the lathe. When a sufficient quantity is
taken on to the wood the Pandauus leaf, folded into a small cushion, is applied
with some pressure, when the lac is spread aud most beautifully polished.
J. A. BETHAM.
11.— MIMICRY IN BIRDS.
Referring to Mr. W. E. Hart's paper on two instances of Mimicry, it may
perhaps be interesting to record in our Journal that there are quite a number
of birds in this country in which the power of mimicing sounds has been curiously
developed. Mostof us know that the two Common Shrikes of Butcher Birds Lanius
lahtora and L. erythronotus, as well as the Indian Skylark or Chandul (Alauda
guh/ tda) are capital mimics. The Racket-tailed Drongo, Bhimrqj, is also a splendid
mimic, but it is a difficult bird to keep in captivity. I was once in the forest below
Pachmarhi, and seeing some pea-fowl I tried to get near enough to get a shot at a
line male in full plumage. I had a Gond with me, so told him to wait below a
rock while I went on, and that if I wanted him I would whistle for him. My
stalk having failed, I whistled to my attendant and was immediately answered. I
waited some time, but as my friend the Gond did not turn up, I whistled again and
was again answered in exactly the same note. I waited a little longer and then
went through the same performance with the same result, and as it appeared the
Gond had either gone back or fallen asleep, I walked back to where I had left him
and found him contentedly smoking. " Why did you not come when I whistled?"
said I. "Oh," he replied, " was it you that whistled? I thought it was that
bird up there," and he pointed upwards at a racket-tailed Drongo high in the tree
overhead. I tried the bird again, several times with notes whistled in several differ-
ent tones, and was exactly answered by the bird. The imitation was exact and given
back as any human being could have done it. At first when I found out the decep-
tion I felt as if I could have made a specimen of Mr. Lrongo, but kinder feelings
prevailed and I let him go. On mentioning this to some friends a few days after-
wards a lady told me that she had possessed more than one Bhimruj, and that they
were extremely clever at imitating sounds, straight off, as do Parrots or the Black
Hill Mynas. She told me they were difficult birds to keep in captivity, but that
they became very tame and interesting pets.
J. A. BETHAM.
12.— PAPILIO POLYMNESTOR, P. DISS1MILIS AND P. PANOPE.
I. Referring to the note by Mr. W. F.Melvin regarding Mr. Aitken's statement
the P. Polymnestor is unknown in Bombay, and possibly throughout the Konkan,
I looked back at the passage and find that I have noted that it was frequently
seen at Dapoli. I remember in my early days in India how the appearance of this
butterfly in our garden used to cause a display of the liveliest interest, the
younger members of the family rushing out to get a nearer view and possibly
secure a good specimen. It was fond of hovering over the flowers of the La ntana,
that bush with leaves that give out an odour of black-currants when bruised.
Camp Dapoli is situated in the S. Konkan some 70 miles below Bombay.
31 G BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
II. The fight of Papilio dissimilis, is remnrkably strong when disturbed, and
once it is frightened it goes away at a pace which defies pursuit ; usually, however,
it flaps along in a lazy sort of way, exactly resembling the butterflies it mimics,
D. limnince. The tight of P. ponope is the same, but it resembles E. core in
coloration. Mr. Aitken in his interesting paper on the butterflies of Bombay
vide Vols. I. and II. of our Journal, says he has not seen the power of flight as
mentioned by Distant. Both these butterflies (I think they are one and the
same species) have a similar habit as those they mimic, they rest hanging at
the extreme point of a naked twig and would like to be passed over by the
collector as ordinary Danaince.
J. A. BETIIAM.
13.— BEARS BEING EATEN BY TIGERS.
I gave a note on this subject in a recent number of the Journal.* Now I
find in Captain Baldwin's *' Large aud Small Game of Bengal," 2nd edition,
page 21, the following: — ■
"An extraordinary event happened while I was stationed at Jhansi. Our
Brigadier, Col. B n (since dead, I regret to say), and one of his subalterns,
C e, were out together in Seepree district tiger shooting. One morning
they put up a large tiger and shot him. The beaters reported to them that they
had come across the carcase of a bear, recently killed and half eaten, near the
spot where they had put up the tiger just accounted for. The sportsman examin-
ed the remains of the bear, and became convinced that the tiger had not only
killed, but devoured the missing portion of poor " Bhaloo." To clear up all
doubt they had the tiger opened, and portions of the bear's flesh were found in
his stomach. This is the only instance of the kind that I have ever heard of."
H. LITTLEDAI.E.
Baroda, September 1889.
It.— MEASUREMENT OF INDIAN ELEPHANTS.
The following measurement of two Elephants shot near here last year may be
of interest, as they have not yet been published ; and I am inclined to think
that the tusks of the second animal have not been exceeded except by the 8 feet
enormity from Assam : —
No. 1. Height, measured on ground, immediately after death, 9' 8*.
Unbroken Tusk — Length, 5 feet; weight 56 lbs.
Broken Tusks, ,, 4 ,, „ 4G „
(Both tusks were cut out of the head at the junction with the skull.)
No. 2. Height, measured on ground between two upright bamboos placed at
top of shoulder and sole of foot, slightly over 10 feet. (The forelegs were
slightly drawn up and could not be pulled out straight.)
Circumference of forefoot ... ... ... 5'
Unbroken Tusks —
Length 6' 7"
Circumference at gum 1' 4f
Circumference inside the gum ... ... 1' 5"
Weight 3 days after death 65 lbs.
* Fi'rft page 153, Vol. IV.
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 317
Broken Tusks —
Length ... ... ... ... 5' 6"
Circumference at gum ... ... 1' 4|"
Circumference inside the gum ... 1' 4f
Weight, 3 days after death. ... 56 lbs.
CHARLES DALEY,
Asst. Engr., Bengal-Nagpur Railway.
Telaupali, Sambidpur via Raigarh,
September 1889.
35.— A BRANCHING ARECA-NUT PALM,
1 have to add to the accounts of branching Palms, formerly recorded in our
Journal, the following note of a branching Areea-Nut Palm (Areca catecour) now
standing in a garden at this place. It is said to be 10 years old, and is about 20
feet high. About 3 years ago it was attacked by a disease called " Band, "
which has killed many trees here, when the top almost died away, and has now
been replaced by 15 to 18 distinct tops, growing in a flat close bundle 'in such a
manner that one cannot count them accurately without climbing the tree. The
whole tree has now the appearance of a gigantic housemaid's-broom, except that
the " business end" is green and not yellow.
This case supports the theory put forward in this Journal that these abnormal
branching palms are the result of injury to the trees.
It will be worth while to watch whether the branches mature. At present they
are only in the green state, and it is likely that they will die off before they set
into hard wool, but I have requested that the tree may be carefully preserved.
W. F. SINCLAIR,
Bo. C. S.
Camp Shrhoardhau, Janjira State,
Ilk December 1889.
17.— MIMICRY IN CATERPILLARS.
I have just read Mr. Hart's note, published in the last number of the Journal,
on the Caterpillars which, as long as it is small, mimics the excrement of birds.
I have frequently kept that species from egg to imago ; all the butterflies I got
were superficially alike, and I did not think of distinguishing males and females.
But with reference to Mr. Hart's idea that the mimicry is to deceive birds, I have
found that several birds will not eat that particular species of caterpillar, because
of its evil smell, and, I presume, equally evil taste. The caterpillars are common
during the rains on orange and pumelo trees, so now that Mr. Hart has raised
questions many observations will probably be made.
BENJAMIN AITKEN.
Lvjchww, September 1889.
318
BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
PROCEEDINGS.
Proceedings of the September Meeting.
The usual monthly meeting of this Society took place on Wednesday, the 1st
September 1869. Mr. J. D. Inverarity presided, a large number of members being
present.
Mr. H. M. Phipson, the Honorary Secretary, acknowledged the following contribu-
tions to the Society's Museum :—
Contributions during August.
Contribution.
Description.
Contributor.
1 Crow's nest
1 Florican (alive)...
Fossils of Leaves
1 Chameleon
1 Lizard
Aquantity of Sea Snakes
Fish, and Shells.
A quantity of Turtle Eggs.
3 Cobras (alive)
1 Dugong
1 Manura
Several Guinea-Worms.
1 Tailor Bird's nest
1 Chameleon (alive)
Made of telegraph wire
Sypheolides aurita
From the Nerbudda, near
Jubbulpore.
Chameleo vulgaris
Lygosoma punctatum ......
From Alibag
Chelonia viridis ...
Naga tripudians, from Deoli
Halicore dugong, from Aden
Paradoxurus musnnga ...
From Hingoli
Chameleo vulgaris
Mr. S. Brooks.
Dr. D. MaoDonald.
Mr. B. P. W. Strong.
Mr. W. S. Thrclfall.
Dr. Brown.
Mr. W. F. Sinclair, C.S.
Do.
Mr. Sutton Jones.
Dr. Monks.
Mr. H. R, Cooke, C.S.
Dr. Mallins.
Mr. J. O'Coimell.
Mr. M. B. Koiah.
Contributions to the Library.
Journal of Comparative Medicine and Surgery, Vol. X., No. L. 3, in exchange.
Fauna of British India — Fishes, Vol. I. (Day), presented by the author.
Notes on the Indian Chiroptera (Blandford), presented by the author.
Transactions of the Royal Dublin Society, Vol. IV., Parts 2 to 5, in exchange.
Proceedings of the Royal Dublin Society, Vol. III., Parts 3 to 6, in exchange.
Exhibits.
Captain Herbert, A. D. C, exhibited a curiously deformed tooth of a wild boar.
The following papers were then read : —
Notes on Man-Eating Tigers, by Mr. Reg. Gilbert.
Two curious instances of mimicry, by Mr. W. E. Hart. Both papers appeared in
Part 3, Vol. IV., of the Society's Journal.
Proceedings of the October Meeting.
The usual monthly meeting of the members of this Society took place on Tuesday,
the 1st October, and was largely attended. The Hon. Mr. Justice Hart presided.
The following new members were elected :— Mr. G. F. Horbury, Colonel F. H.
Jackson, Mr. D. Gostling, Mr. W. H. Wolff, C.E., Mr. T. F. W. Wood, Dr. C. Mallins,
Mrs. Blathwayt, Mr. T. A. Bland, Mr. J. F. Duthie, Mr. W. C. Hughes, Mr. W.
Harvey, C.S., Mr. A. M. Gubbay, Mr. J. R. Chico, Captain F. G. Alexander, and Mr.
C. J. Dalbv.
PROCEEDINGS.
319
Mr. E. M. Slater, I he Honorary Treasurer, then acknowledged the following contribu.
: i©ns to the Society's Museum : —
Contributions during September.
Contributions.
Description.
Contributor.
1 Snake
1 Bear (alive)
A quantity of Snakes and
lusects.
1 Tree-shrew
1 Butterfly
1 Snake (alive)
A quantity of Locusts
1 Panther's Skull
1 Oyster Catcher
2 Snakes
1 Krait (Albino)
2 Snakes
1 Chameleon (alive)
1 Trap-door Spiders' Nest.
Several Guinea Worms
(alive).
1 Golden Plover
1 Little Stint
2 Small Terns
Several large Moths
1 Nest of Common Honey-
sucker.
1 Snake
1 Large Krait
2 Snakes
A quantity of Marine
Shells. Fishes, &c',
2 Bar-tailed God wits
I Blackbird, alive (Albino)
1 Octopus
Trimeresurus trigonocepha-
ly.
Ursus labiatus
From Travancore
Tupaia elliotti.
Hestia haydeni (from Upper
Burmah).
Lycodon auKcns (from
Dhond).
From Ahmedabad District ..
Felis pardus
Hcematopus ostralegus
Daboia elegans and Ptyas
mucosus .
Bungarus arctuatus
Silybura macrolepis
Chameleo vulgaris
From Igatpuri
Dracuneulas sp
Charadries fulvus
Tringa minuta
From Kennery Lighthouse .
From Almora, N.-W.P
Do.
Gongylophis conicus
Bungarus arctuatus
Zamenis diadema and Dip-
sas gokool.
From Alibag
Limosa laponioa (from
Alibag).
From Japan
Do.
Mr. E. EI. Aitken.
Dr. Herbert.
Mr. W. Mahon Daly.
Do.
Mr. C. F. Gilbert.
Anonymous.
Mr. H. E. M. James, C.S.
Capt. F. J. Winter.
Mr. W. F. Sinclair, C.S.
Mr. C. E. Kane.
Mr. L. H. Butcher.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Dr. C. Maliins.
Mr. W. W. Squire.
Do.
Do.
Miss Brooke,
Do.
Mr. R. A. Willis.
Mr. P. Morris.
Colonel Hore.
Mr. W. F. Sinclair, C.S.
Mr. W. F. Sinclair, C.S.
Qipfc. Nantes.
Do.
Minor Contributions.
From Mr. W. F. Hamilton ; Mr. Kaikobad C. D. Adenwalla ; Mr. E. H.Elsworthy ;
Mr. W. F. Sinclair, C.S. ; and Mr. J. R. Chico.
Contributions to the Library,
Presentedby.
Bulletin de la Societe Zoologique de France, 1839 In exchange.
List of the Lepidopterous Insects collected in Cachar by Mr. Wood-
Mason, Part II." Rhopalocera, " by J. Wood-Mason and L. De Niceville. The Authors.
Records of the Geological Survey of India, Vol. XXII., Part 3 , In exchange.
Manual of New Zealand Coleoptera Do.
Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria, Vol.1 Do.
Present to the BRiTis-n Museum.
The Honorary Treasurer stated that the committee hail received a letter from
Dr. Gunther, of the British Museum, acknowled ng safe receipt of the skeleton skin,
320
BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
stomach, and fcetus of a Neomeris hurrachiensis, sent to him by the Bombay Natural
History Society and adding that the specimen would be of the greatest use to
Mr. Flower in his forthcoming paper on this genus of dolphins.
Mr. J. D. Inverarity then read a very interesting paper on" The Indian Bison with
some Notes on Stalking him," which appears in another part of this number.
Proceedings op the Meeting- of 12th November 1889.
The usual monthly meeting of the members of this Society took plaue on Tuesday,
the 12th November, Dr. Maconachie presiding.
The following new members were elected: — Mr. Eduljee Dinshaw, Mr. C. G.
Dodgson, C.S., Mr. H. W. Keys, Surgeon-Major J. Scully, Mr. E. M. Ewart, Mr. L. G •
Prickett, Mrs. C. C. James, Mr. W. S. McClelland, Colonel W. S. Hore, Mr. A. P.
Young, Surgeon L. F. Childe, Mr. J. C. Jones, Captain the Hon. R. T. Lawley, Mr. A?a
Shaikh Mahomed, Mr. E. G. Williams, Mr. H.'C. V. Hunter, Mr. C. A. V. Davies,
Mr. P. Thompson, H. H. Prince Balclevjee of Dharampore, Mr. A. F. Cox, M.C.S.,
Mr. G. H. P. Hart, Mr. A. R. Bonus, C.S., and Mr. Isaae Benjamin.
Mr. H. M. Phipson, the Honorary Secretary, then acknowledged the following con-
tributions to the Society's collections, viz : — ■
Contributions during October.
Contribution,
Description.
Contributor.
A quantity of Fishes,
Crabs, &c.
Capt. Shoplaud.
Mr. C. E. Kane.
Tropidonotus quincuntiatus.
Mr. E. H. Aitken.
Mrs. Ashby-
Mr. C. R. Hawkins.
2 Cobras (alive)
Mr. G. Sutton Jones.
1 Monkey Skin
Rev. G. C. Gilder.
1 Snake (alive)
Mr. B. Maclean.
Anonymous.
A number of Botanical
Mr. A. G. Pell.
Specimens, mounted and
classified^
From the Laccadive Island.
Conimdr. Carpenter, R.N.
Mr. A. Gilmour.
Mr. Frank Bailey.
Mr. Frank Bailey.
Capt. Thorburn.
Miss Skinner.
2 Wallabys
A quantity of Giant Oys-
ters.
Several pieces of Petrified
Wood.
Comdr. Carpenter, B.N.
Mr. G. K. Wasey.
). Mr. H. M. Phipson.
J> From the Himalayas.
J
115 Hymenopterous In-
sects.
2^8 Lepidopterous do. ...
67 Orthopterous do. ...
20 Coleopterous do. ...
Mr. H. M. Hewett.
2 Pair of Chital Horns
(interlocked)
Mr. II. A. Heath.
PROCEEDINGS.
321
Contribution.
Description.
Contributor.
Paboia elegans
Mr.
Mr.
M is
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Dr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
H. W. Barrow.
4H Birds' Eggs
2 Malabar Whistling
Thrushes (alive).
1 Cobra (alive)
1 Snake (alive)
From Kh:iragho,-a
Myiophonus horsfiehli
Naga tripudiana
Eve'/ard.
s A. Dickinson.
0. Vidal, C.S.
Bulvantrao Jayaram,
Bulvautrao Jayaram.
0 Mever.
Cynophioa malabaricus ...
Cynophis malabatiuus ...
Naga tripudians
Kilkelly.
P. R. Mehta
1 Cobra (alive)
A quantity of Butterflies...
From Karwar
T. R. Be!].
1 Mauura (alive)
Paradoxurus musanga ...
Ramchuudra Trimbuck
Minor Contributions from
Mr. J. W. Mayer, Mr. J. A. Bethnm. Miss F. Bapty, Mr. E. A. Corke, Mr. IT. M.
Hewett, Miss Bessie Rean, Mr. Dattatraya Bhau and Mr. J. Janni.
CONTltlBUTIONS TO THE LIBRARY.
Fauna of British India— Fishes ; by E. T. Blardford, Vol. II. (Day'1, presented by
the author.
Report on the Kolar Goldfield ; by P. Bosworth Smith, F.G.S., presented by the
author.
The Indian Forester, July 1889, in exchange.
Proceedings of the Linnaean Society of New South "Wales, Vol. IV., part 2, in
exchange.
Memoires de la Societe Zoologiqne de France, Vol. II., part 1, in exchange.
Bulletin and Annual Eepoit of the American Museum of Natural History in
exchange.
Annual Report of the Secretary for Mines, Victoria, in exchange.
Report of the Mining Registrars on the Gold Fields of Victoria, in exchange.
A special vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Frank Eailey of London and Mr. A.
Gilmour of Melbourne for their valuable contributions to the Society's Museum.
The Honorary Secretary drew attention to the learned paper which Mr. L. de
Niceville, of Calcutta, had written for the Society's Journal, describing a number of
new and rare Indian butterflies. The paper would, he said, very shortly be published
in part 3 of the Journal. The coloured lithographed plates (containing illustrations
of twenty-one butterflies), which had been received from West, Newman & Co., of
London, for the above paper, were greatly admired.
Amongst the contributions above acknowledged was a pair of chetul's horns, received
from Mr. H. A. Heath, of Bassim, Berars, which excited much interest. The stags,
while fighting, had in some extraordinary manner so interlocked their antlers that
they had found it impossible to separate them, and consequently must have died from
starvation, or have been eaten by wild beasts.
Mr. W. F. Sinclair, C.S., then read a short paper, entitled "Down the Coast,"
describing, in a very clear and interesting manner, the character of the scenery on
the sea coast, south of Bombay, between Alibag and Janjira. The lecturer gave a
lively account of the principal objects of Natural History likely to be met with during
the trip, and illustrated his remarks with various specimens of birds, fish, &c., from
the Society's collections.
43
REPRINT.
I :>
m..-
THE
JOURNAL
OF THR
Bombay Natural History Society.
EDITED BY
THE HON. SECRETARY
No. 1— VOL. IV.
Bombaij:
miNTED AT THE
EDUCATION SOCIETY'S PRESS, BTCULLA
CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER.
•
Nesting in "Western India {With a Plate). (By Lieut. H. E.
Barnes) ■*
A Creek of the Konkan. (By W. F. Sinclair, C. S.) 21
Our. Htmenoptera. (By Robert C. Wroughton) 26
An Address to Students of Botany in Western India. (By
A. K. Nairne) 37
Notes on Birds of Quetta. (By A, J. H. Newnham, Bo. S. C,
F. Z. S.) 52
Instance of Teratology in the Brinjal or Egg-Plant (Solarium
melongena), (By 1>. M.) (With Illustration) 55
Sporting Rambles Round About Simla. (By J. C. Anderson) 56
Ax Malta to and from India. (By Capt. E. F. Becher, R. A.,
F. Z.S.) 66
Miscellaneous 69
English Nomenclature for Indian Butterflies 70
Proceedings 71
pmkg $tafaipil ||istai|g ^oci^ir.
LIST OF OFFICE-BEARERS.
11. E. the Right Honorable Lord Rlay, q.ci.k., ll.d,, f.r.g.s,
Ditc-picsibcnt.
Dr. D. MacDonald, m.d., 13. SC, CM.
The Hou'ble Justice Birdwood, m.a., ll.m. (Cantab).
Dr. G. A. Maconachie, m.d., cm.
$cw. Secretary.
Mr. H. M. Phipson, cm. z.s.
V1011. (Lrnisnnr.
Mr. E. M. Slater.
CLrbitor.
Mr. II. M. Phipson, cm. z.s.
£H;w;iginci (Committee.
Dr. G. A. Maconachie.
Dr. D. MacDonald.
Col. C. Swiuhoe.
Rev. F. Dreckmann, s.j.
Dr. T. S. Weir.
Dr. Kirtikar.
Mr. J, H. Steel, a.v.d.
Mr. J. D. Inverarity.
The Hon. Mr. Justice Birdwood.
Mr. G. W. Vidal,,cs.
Mr. AY. F. Sinclair, c.s.
Mrs. Pechey-Phipson, m.d.
Major W. S. Bisset, R;E.
Lieut. H. E. Barnes.
Mr. J. C Anderson.
Mr. E. L. Barton.
Mr. E. M. Slater, ex-officio.
Mr. H. M. Phipson, ex-officio.
1st Section. — {Mammals and Birds.)
President — Mr. R. A. Sterndale, f.r.g.s., f.z.s.
Secretary — Lieut. H. E. Barnes.
2nd Section. — (Reptiles and Fishes.)
President— Mr. G. W. Vidal, c.s.
Secretary — Mr. H. M. Phipson, cm. z.s.
3rd Section.— (Insects.)
President— Colonel C. Swinhoe, f.z.s., f.l.s., f.e.s.
Secretary— Mr. E. II. Aitken.
4th Section. — (Other hivertelrata.)
President— Dr. G. A. Maconachie, m.d., cm.
Secretary— Mr, J. C, Anderson.
5th Section. — (Botany.)
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Secretary — Surgeon K. R, Kirtikar, f,s.m. (France), f.k.c.s.
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THE
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EDITED BY
». M PHIPSON,
NO. 2-VOL. IY.
ISonriag :
PRINTED AT THE
EDUCATION SOCIETY'S PRESS, BYCULLA.
1899.
CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER.
PAGE
Nesting in Western India {With a Plate.) By Lieut. H. E.
jjiirnes ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 8t)
Rough Notes on Travel and Sport in Kashmir and Little
Shoet Notes on the Odoriferous Grasses (Andropogons) of India
and Ceylon, with a description of a supposed new Species.
By Mrs. J. C. Lisboa. {With a Plate.) 118
Correspondence relating to the Protection of Insectivorous
Birds in the Interests Of Agriculture ... ... ... 124
Memorandum on an Outbreak of Surra Fever at the Stables
of the Bombay Tramway Company, Limited. By F. C.
Rimington 131
Recorded Instances of Children having been nourished by
Wolves and Birds of Prev. By Jivanji Jamsheclji Modi. 142
Miscellaneous Notes—
Agriculture in India 147
A Black Tiger 149
Note on a Talking Bulbul 150
The Red Ant— By EH A 151
Memoranda— By H. Littledale, Baroda 153
Parasitic Trees 154
A Correction ... .. ... ... • ... ... ... 155
Proposed English Nomenclature for Indian Butterflies ... ... 155
Correspondence 157
Book Notices —
The Geographical Distribution of the Family Chardridse, or the
Plovers, Sandpipers, Snipes and their Allies ... 157
Recent Information about the Great Auk or Garefowl 160
X ROCEEDINGS ... .•• ... ••« ... ... »•• ... -101
gombag Uatoqal §mio^ £u\$%
LIST OF OFFICE-BEARERS.
|.1resib£ttf.
H. E. the Right Honorable Lord Reay, q.c.i.e., ll.d,, p.r.g.s,
i)icc-|j«sibeitfs.
Dr. D. MacDonald, M.n., b. sc, cm.
The Hon'ble Justice Birdwood, m.a., ll.m. (Cantab.)
Br. G. A. Maconachie, m.d., car.
H<ro. Secretary.
Mr. H. M. Phipson, c.M.z.s.
jpOtt. treasurer.
Mr. E. M. Slater.
Oiior.
Mr. H. M. Phipson, c.m.z.s.
Pmraging Committee.
Dr. G. A. Maconachie.
Dr. D. MacDonald.
Col. C. Swinhoe.
Rev. F. Dreckniann, s.j.
Dr. T. S. Weir.
Dr. Kirtikar.
Mr. J. H. Steel, a.v.d.
Mr. G. W. Vidal, c.s.
Mr. W. F. Sinclair, c.s.
Mr. W. E. Hart.
Major W. S. Bisset, r.e.
Lieut. H. E. Barnes.
Mr. J. C. Anderson.
Mr. E. L. Barton.
Mr. Reginald Gilbert.
Mr. J. D. Inverarity.
Hon. Mr. Justice Birdwood.
Mr. E. M. Slater, ex-officio.
Mr. H. M. Phipson, ex>officio.
1st Section. — (Mammals and Birds.)
President — Mr. R. A. Sterndale, p.r.g.s., p.z.s.
Secretary — Lieut. H. E. Barnes.
2nd Section. — (Reptiles and Fishes.)
President — Mr. G. W. Vidal, c.s.
Secretary — Mr. H. M, Phipson, c. m. z. s.
3rd Section.— (Insects. )
President— Colonel C. Swinhoe, P.z.s., p.l.s., f.e.s.
Secretary — Mr. E. H. Aitken.
4th Section. — (Other Invertebrata.)
President— Dr. G. A. Maconachie, m.d., cm.
Secretary— Mr. J. C. Anderson.
5th Section. — (Botany.)
President— Hon'ble Mr. Justice Birdwood, m.a., ll.m. (Cantab.)
Secretary — Surgeon K. R. Kirtikar, f.s.m. (France), f.r.cs.
WITfl IW0 IIrIra^¥^^'FieN^.
No. 3— VOL. IV.
33amfcag:
PRINTED AT THE
EDUCATION SOCIETY'S PRESS, BYCULLA.
CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER.
•
PAGE
On New and Little -known Butterflies from the Indian Regioh,
with a Revision of the Genus PLE8I0NEUBA of Felder
and of Authors. (By Lionel de Niceville, F.E.S., C.M.Z.S., &c.)
(With Plates A, B.) 163
Notes on Man-Eating Tigers. (By Reginald Gilbert, Bombay) ... 195
The Camel. (By J. H. Steel, A.V.D.) 207
How to Facilitate the Study of Botany. (By G. Carstensen,
Grad. Horfc. R. D. C. Agr., Copenhagen.) 213
An Indian Naturalist's Trip to Australia. (By Surgeon-Major
K. R. Kirtikar) 219
Miscellaneous —
Two Curious Instances of Mimicry 228
Zoological Note 230
Correspondence —
Wild Buffalo „ 231
Proceedings „ 232
Uroibag Natural gistorji $sm%
LIST OF OFFICE-BEARERS.
|1 rrsibt ixt.
H. E. the Right Honorable Lord Reay, g.c.i.e., ll.d., f.r.cs.
Dr. D. MacDonald, m.d., b.s.c, cm.
The Hon'ble Justice Birdwood, m.a., ll.m. (Cantab.)
Dr. G. A. Maconachie, m.d., cm.
Pott. SSrnxfsrg.
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poit. ^Treasurer.
Mr. B. M. Slater.
debitor.
Mr. H. M. Phipson, cm. z.s.
Ulauaghtg Committer.
The Hon. Mr. Justice Birdwood.
Dr. G. A. Maconachie.
Dr. D. MacDonald.
Col. C. Swinhoe.
Rev. P. Dreckmann, s.J.
Dr. T. S. Weir.
Dr. Kirtikar.
Mr. J. H. Steel, a.v.d.
Mr. J. D. Inverarity.
Mr. E. M. Slater, ex-offieio.
Mr. H. M. Phipson, ex-ofjicio.
Mr. G. W. Yidal, as.
Mr. W. F. Sinclair, as.
Mrs. W. E. Hart.
Major W. S. Bisset, R.E.
Lieut. H. E. Barnes.
Mr. J. C. Anderson.
Mr. E. L. Barton.
Mr. Reginald Gilbert.
]st Section. — {Mammals and Birds.)
President — Mr. R. A. Sterndale, f.k.g.s., f.z.s.
Secretary — Lieut. H. E. Barnes.
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President— Mr. G. W. Vidal, as.
Secretary — Mr. H. M. Phipson, cm.z.s.
3rd Section. — (Insects.)
President — Colonel C. Swinhoe, f.z.s., f.l.s., f.e.s.
Secretary — Mr. E. H. Aitken.
4th Section. — (Other Invertebrata.)
President — Dr. G. A. Maconachie, m.d., cm.
Secretary — Mr. J. C. Anderson.
5th Section. — (Botany.)
President — The Hon'ble Justice Birdwood, m.a., ll.m. (Cantab.;
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No, 4— VOL. IY.
Bombay :
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1389.
GONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER.
♦
PAGE
Nesting in Western India. By Lieut. H. E. Barnes 237
The Man-Eating Tigress op Mundali 255
Elementary Botany of the Bombay Presidency. By A. K.
Nairne 264
Notes on a Caterpillar Farm. By Mrs. W. E. Hart 277
"Down the Coast." By W. F. Sinclair, C.S 289
The Indian Bison, with some Notes on Stalking him. By J. D.
Inverarity 2 94
Miscellaneous Notes —
1.— Belief in the Bis-Cobra 310
2. — The Water Rail {Rallus aquaticus) 311
3. — How a Snake climbs 311
4. — Battle between Bees and Wasps 312
5.— Man-Eating Tigers 312
6.—A Whistling Bulbul 313
7.— The Dyal Bird as Imitator 313
8.— A Pet Drongo 313
9. — Mimicry for Protection and from Example 313
10 — Uses of the Screw Palm (Pandanus odoratissimus), Kevada. 314
11. — Mimicry in Birds 315
12 — Papilio polymnester, P. dissimilis and P. jmnope 815
13. — Bears being eaten by Tigers 316
14. — Measurements of Indian Elephants 316
15. — A Branching Areca Nut Palm 317
16. — Mimicry in Caterpillars 317
Proceedings .» ... 318
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LIST OF OFFICE-BEARERS.
H. E. the Right Honorable Lord Reay, g.c.i.e., ll.d., f.r.g.s.
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The Bon'ble Justice Birdwood, m.a, ll.m. (Cantab.)
Dr. G. A. Maconachie, m.d., cm.
%an. Jeccrdanr.
Mr. II. M. Phipson, cm.z.s.
|)otT. fyxtVtBVXZIC.
Mir. E. M. Slater.
dbiior.
Mr. H. M. Phipson, c.M.z s.
Utan&giirg <£cmmittce.
Dr. G. A. Maconachie.
Dr. D. MacDonald.
Col. C. Swinhoe.
Rev. F. Dreckmann, s.j.
Dr. T. S. Weir.
Dr. Kirtikar.
Mr. J. H. Steel, a.v.d.
Mr. J. D. Inverarity.
The Hon. Mr, Justice Birdwood,
Mr. G. W. Vidal, cs.
Mr. W. F. Sinclair, cs.
Mrs. W. E. Hart.
Major W. S. Bisset, R.E.
Lieut. H. E. Barnes.
Mr. J. C. Anderson.
Mr. E. L. Barton.
Mr. Reginald Gilbert.
Mr. E. M. Slater, ex-offitio.
Mr. H. M. Phipson, ex-officio.
President-
Secretary-
President'
Secretary-
President-
Secretary-
President-
Seci-etary-
President-
Secretary
1st Section. — (Mammals and Birds.)
-Mr. R. A. Sterndale, f.r g.s., f.z.s.
-Lieut. H. E. Barnes.
2nd Section.— (Reptiles and Fishes.)
-Mr-. G. W. Yidal, cs.
-Mr. H. M. Phipson, cm.z.s.
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-Mr. E. H. Aitken.
4th Section. — (Other Inrcrtehrata.)
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