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" aaeon At vee iia wa) ae : b 4 th ‘ ‘ : ‘ah ‘ “ u ‘ 4 4 d ns bs he Ce Ahad tie alg i) Mlrterey Y Ke Pace ea CEE ie. Se, a ON i ; cA JOURNAL OF — CALCUTTA: PRINTED BY THE CALCUTTA CENTRAL PRESS CO., ED, 5, COUNCIL HOUSE STREET. Byrds CONTENTS OF VOL. X. ——20 9 Oo Nos. 1, 2 & 3.—December 1881. Page. Tue Brrps or tHe Lucknow Civin Division, by Geo. Reid = A ConTRIBUTION TO THE “‘OrnttHoLogy OF Giuern, by John Scully (A reprint from the “ Ibis”) Pr etels PuHaEton 1npiIcus, Hume. PHAETON ZTHERIUS, ‘Lin, a. 146 Nore on tae Nipirication or ARDEA GOLIATH Simic NoveLTIEs— Picus pyrrhothorax ses ava wee COU Certhia manipurensis — ses ice PEO Pomatorhinus austeni ne ocr eeu Loe Trochalopterum erythrolema ... sae oe Tue British Museum Catatocur or Birds, Vou. V. ae leo Notzs— On the occurrence of Erismatura leucocephala near Delhi bls On the occurrence of Fuligula ‘marila at Attock va 8s Woodcock at Kurrachee os ve kOS Buteo desertorum in Southern India sia ib. On the occurrence of Fuligula marila, Anas marmorata, Coracias garrula, at Gurgaon near Delhi .. sens ee LETTERS To THE Epitor— On the occurrence of Sypheotides aurita at Allahabad.— A. M. Marxuam eee 160 On the distribution of Francolinus pictus in the neighbourhood of the Ghats—G. Vuipau 1b. Notes on the occurrence of various Game Birds,—F, W. ButLer he wwe IGP Wild Fowl in Sylhet, —M. EDEN 163 Excalfactoria chinensis, at the Vehar Lake, "Bombay and Poona.—H, WeEnpDEN Fe Ba see LO Sula cyanops at Kurrachi.—J. Murray... Pie Glareola lactea, in Sindh.—H. E. Barnyzs ... . 166 The Great Indian Bustard in Madura and Tinnevelly — C. A. Tostems ... seo LOW Notes on the occurrence of various species of Wild Fowl.—J, H. McLrop as . 168 Black Partridge calling perched on a ‘tree. —J, B. Mourpoca 169 Barred-headed Geese and Shelldrakes in 1 Assam, ee Forsytu ae tb, Page. Reguloides trochiloides, Horornis flaviventris, Neornis assimilis—W,. F. Brooxs_... bg Pintail and Fantail Snipe.—G. M. Ravicuie bee eee Painted Snipe in Cashmere. —E. L. Hawkins seen: Circus cineraceus in Sindh.—J. Murray ... woe ae Gallinago nemoricola in the Wynaad.—J. W. Ditmas... id. No. 4—July 1882, A List or THE Brros or Peau, by Eugene W. Oates ine ED On THE FLIGHT OF Brrps.. . 248 A NotE oN THE GENERA Scna@ntcoa anp Carriscus, by R, Bowdler Sharpe, F.LS., F.Z.8S,, &¢,, Department of Zoology, British Museum —Reprint from ‘the P.Z.S., November 1881 254 Tue British Museum CarantocvEe or Birps, Vou. VI., by R. Bowdler Sharpe oe .. 256 Furtuer Nores on THE Birps or Gierr, by Major J. Bid- dulph—Reprint from the “Ibis”... 257 Roven List or THE Birps or WeEstERN Knanpesn, by J. Davidson, Esq., Bo.C.S. ae a8 Mr 75") Letters To THe Epiror— A correction.—J. H, Gurney ... 327 A female Circus melanoleucus in the plumage of the adult male—J. R. Cripps ... ewe 80. Zosterops palpebrosus in Sindh,—J. Murray ee O28 No. 5— March 1883. Norms on some Brrps contEcteD oN THE NILGHIRIS AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SourHerRN Mysore, by W. Davison... 329 Notes — - On the several occurrences heretofore recorded of Eris- matura leucocephala within our limits... wee GAG Lerrers To THE Epiror— The Lesser Florican breeding in Western Sind.—Jamzs A. Murray ie 420 Notes of the Black and Painted Partridges, —F. Mow. TRESOR 2b, On a small policenian of ba made in the N. Recah forests by Mr. A. T. Crawford —G. Vipau 421 Occurrence of Grus communis at Ferozepore on the 25th September.—H. A. Kintocu 423 Additions and corrections to the ‘ First, ‘List of tie Birds of the South Konkan.”—G. Vipau ib, On the occurrence of Fuligula marila (the Scaup) and Clangula glaucium (the Golden Eye) near Attock.—R. N. Sroxer eee Se oc AOS ill Page. Further occurrences of the Golden Eye near Attock.—R, N, Sroxer a . 425 Accipiter stevensoni and A. virgatus —J. H. Gurney... 426 Painted Sandgrouse in the Deteu: —G. Viva 426 Hrismatura Teucocephala, Querquedula formosa, and Pterocles alchata near Delhi—W. N. Cui ib, Some notes on the “ Game Birds of India.”—J, M. ANDERSON 428 On the occurrence of the Red Spur Fowl in n the Pillibhit District —W. C. PLowpeEn ... ib, On the occurrence of the Comb Duck in the Ban Doab,— — G. Trevor , ney ao Ornithological Nomenclature. eerie NeEwtTon aye. 432 No. 6—December 1887. Notes Suprrementary To Masor Borier’s CataLocuE oF Brrps oF THE Deccan anp South Maurarrta Country, by J. Macgregor eee sem eee o» 435 CaTALOGUE OF THE Brirps In THE Proviycran Museum, N.-W. P. anp Oupu. Notice by the Editor ene 442 ADDENDA To THE Birps oF THE Puce Civit Diviston, by Geo. Reid : - 444 A Tentative List or tHe Brirps or » Manzmurapan, Mysore, by ©. 3. Wy Taylor... eee 454 A Frew Appitionat NorEs ON THE Bros OF THE ‘Puuwt Hits, by ? ae . 467 On Fatco BaBYLONICUS AND BARBARUS, by ‘a tf Gumey (ex 1bis) _.:. “= Ae ae . 480 Our Inpian Peticans ... Sse 487 OxsERVATIONS ON THE PRLICAN VISITING THE EAsTERN Narra, by Scrope B. Doig, C.E. = one ... 903 Norres— A plate of Pernis tweedalii, Hume 513 Eggs of Pheenicopterus roseus and minor at the Sambhur Lake tb, The Attock and N-W. Punjab Hills Hawfinch distinct from the European species ... . 514 Additional weights and measurements of the Scaup and Golden Eye recorded by Mr. R. N. Sroxer . O15 Detailed measurements with colours of the soft parts ‘of numerous specimens of Falco babylonicus procured in Sindh, recorded by Mr, Dore aoe Woodeock in the neighbourhood of Tonghoo. sve DLS Lerrers ro THe Epitor— Nidification of Peafowl, &c., at Baroda.—H. Lirrtepate 518 Rooks at Ludhiana —Frank W, CHANTER soak BOs Pink-headed Duck in Oudh.—Mavrice TwkeEpiE i OLS Nidification of Pitta coronata in the Central Provinces. —Iver Macruerson aoe Close-barred Sand Grouse in Bacal: —J. C. emcee 4 520 White-faced Stiff-tailed Duck in Pilibheet.—W. C. PLoWpDEN A, 2002 W hite-faced Stiff-tailed Duck near Multan. on, Bomrorp 521 The Likh or Bastard Florican near Baroda in March and April—H. Lirrnepate es The Sarus in Tanna and other notes.—J, 1D. “INVERARITY 522 Grey Lag Geese at the Chilka Lake.—G. Rippon iL Tae, Woodcock in the Gurdaspur district—H, M. Prowpmn 524 Ceriornis blythi, in the Daffla Hills—Rozert Cran ... 7d, The adult female of Faleo severus.—E. BurLEer bo Os The Game Birds of the Khorda Sub-division of the Pooree district (Orissa)—James H, Taytor.., ve 526 PREFACE. _—e oo 2 ETWEEN the issue of Parts 1 to 5, and the final number of this volume, there has been un- ~ y fg eS fortunately a great gulf in time—a hiatus valde deflendus. The fact simply is, not that I have in any way lost my interest in Ornithology, but that the pressure of other work, which to me seems the more important of the two, has entirely prevented my giving any time whatsoever either to Birds or to “ Stray Feathers.” However, under the friendly pressure of old supporters, I have nerved myself to do this much, viz., first to issue this 6th number of Vol. X and so complete it ; and, secondly, to publish as Vol. XI my very long paper on the birds of Manipore, Assam, Sylhet and Cachar, which has lain upon my table ever since September, 1881, and which, although doubtless obsolete in some respects, will, I am assured, be useful as a platform on which others may commence real work. ALLAN HUME. 7 a STRAY PRATHERS VOL_X. TO ILLUSTRATE me GEO, RE k D S . Scale 16 miles -/ wich Birds of the Lucknew- 0 Ie Z Civil Division” —<- > _ Partab gan) Sp, 4 oon rf Satrikh Benares — ital © Kakri> . Hiladh Triprapur Yiy urawatr STRAY FEATHERS. Vol. X.J DECEMBER 1881. [Nos. 1,2 & 3. he Birds of the Lucknow Civil Division. By Geo. RED. (Continued from Vol. IX., page 504.) List. 1.—Vultur monachus, Lin. I have never been able to secure a specimen of this magnificent bird, the Cinereous Vulture, but one, now in the Lucknow Museum, was shot a few years ago at Ajgaen in the Unao district. It may, therefore, be accepted as an exceedingly rare visitor to the Division. 2.—Otogyps calvus, Scop. Native name—Lal-sira Gudh.* The Black or King Vulture is a fairly common and permanent resident, though not nearly so abundant as P. bengalensis. It seems to be of a rather solitary disposition. I have seen its nest several times on high pipal trees, and once on a tall mangoe tree, though from none of them was I able to secure eggs. 4.—Gyps indicus, Scop. I include the Long-billed Brown Vulture with some _hesita- tion, though Capt. Irby, in his paper on the Birds of Oudh and Kumaon, vide the Ibis, Vol. III. for 1861, p. 217, states that it is equally as common as Jengalensis; and that one was “ caught inside a horse’s belly at Alumbagh.” Now, there is no Vulture here as common as bengalensis ; if there is, it is certainly singular that I have not obtained specimens. On the other hand, I have occasionally seen a Vulture that I thought could not be bengalensis, but whether it was indicus or fulvescens—not to mention the probability of pallescens or tenuirostris occurring—I cannot say, but should think that it was indicus. ® Gidh is applied to all Vultures. 2 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 5.—Pseudogyps bengalensis, Gm. Native name— Chamar Gidh. The White-backed Indian or Bengal Vulture is common at all seasons. It breeds from November to the end of March, making its nest on tall trees, as near their tops as possible; and, in the vicinity of Lucknow, at any rate, I know of one breeding place where at least 50 or 60 of their nests may be found, frequently two or three on the same tree. The nest is simply a large platform of sticks, and never, I think, contains more than one egg, of a dirty greenish white color, as a rule unspotted, but occasionally beautifully spotted or blotched with brown or reddish brown. Four eggs in my possession measure :— Average eee ... 3°35 by 2°40 inches. Largest 55 Rea irs | Bene 42 Ie ee Smallest $c bee Oo. On a, 6.—Neophron ginginianus, Zath. Native name— Safaid Gidh. The Indian Scavenger Vulture is exceedingly common wherever human habitations are found, and is, of course, a permanent resident. In the district it breeds invariably on trees, except, perhaps, where an old mosque or tomb offers a suitable site; but in and around Lucknow, where old buildings, mosques, &c., abound, it invariably selects these, fighting with the Common Kite (JZ. govinda) for the possession of eligible building places. The only eggs (two) in my possession were taken from two different nests—one, on the 7th April from a nest on an old mosque near Chinhut, and the other on the 5th May froma nest in a pipal tree near the Rahimabad railway station. The Chinhut egg was entirely russet brown; the Rahimabad one white, with a few minute brown spots. They measure respec- tively :— Brown egg aa w- 2°8 by 2-2 inches. White ege ove veel, AO joni Mee eee The nest in both cases was a huge platform composed of sticks, old rags, rubbish, &c., that in the pipal tree, being only about 15 feet from the ground. 8.—Falco peregrinus, Gm. Native name—Bhyri. The Peregrine Falcon is only a cold weather visitor, and, though never abundant, a pair or two may always be met with in the vicinity of the larger jhils. THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 3 As remarked by Jerdon, “the Bhyri has particular haunts that it frequents for days or weeks together.’ Two or three tall trees by the side of a jhil, all the better if on rising or high ground, may be cited as one of these. From such a retreat I have often noticed the Peregrine sally forth on the report of a gun, and after sailing leisurely about, as if instinc- tively searching for a dead or wounded bird, retire to its commanding perch, only to repeat the manceuvre at each succeeding shot. The Bhyri is still highly esteemed by that remnant of the “ Barons of Oude” who remember the days when it was something to follow the noble sport of Falconry—now, alas! dying out, if not altogether dead. 9.—Falco peregrinator, Sund. Native name—KXohi. The “Shahin” is, perhaps, a permanent resident, but is so exceedingly rare that I have only as yet succeeded in getting a single specimen. On two or three occasions J have seen it in the possession of the Falconers who visit Lucknow with native noblemen. Like the Bhyri, it is highly esteemed for the chase. 11.—Falco jugger, J. #. Gr. Native name—Laggar. The Lagger Falcon is both a common and _ permanent resident. It is, if not invariably, at least popularly called the “ Pigeon Hawk” in Lucknow. To my knowledge a pair used to frequent ‘Claude Martin’s”” monument in front of the Martiniére, and habitually prey upon the blue-rocks of the neighbourhood. The Lagger, however, prefers open country to city suburbs, and, like the Kestrel, may often be seen seated on some eminence or ridge, either devouring or waiting for its prey. It breeds from December to March in the large solitary trees so characteristic of the plains of this part of India. A nest that I examined in March last contained three young birds, semi-fledged. 12.—Falco babylonicus, G'urn. On the strength of Capt. Irby’s having obtained a specimen of Gurney’s Falcon at Barabanki in 1858, I include it in this list ; but never having come across the bird, though I have tried hard, both personally and through native agents, it can only, I think, be accepted as a rare and very exceptional visitor. In the “ Gazetteer of Oudh,” Major Cock gives it in his list of the birds of the Kheri district; it is, therefore, probably a more frequent visitor to the Terai. 4 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION... 13.—Falco subbuteo, Lin. Native name—Moras- sant. The Hobby is only met with in the cold weather, and then but rarely. It frequents, I think, by preference well-wooded, marshy districts, where it may be found early in November and as late as March. It generally moves about in pairs, or in small parties. In January last, I shot one of four that crossed my front when passing through a dhak jungle at the break of day. 14.—Falo severus, Horsf. I cannot say that I have ever seen the Indian Hobby in its wild state ; but it doubtless occurs here, as I have occasionally seen recently-captured birds in the Bazaar, and the specimens in the Museum were probably purchased locally. It must, however, be very rare, or, I think, I should have obtained it, as I make it a rule to shoot, if possible, every Falcon I come across. Natives do not recognize the difference between this species and Ff, subbuteo. 16.—Falco chiquera, Daud. Native name—TZur- muti.™ 8th November, Male.—Length, 12°50; expanse, 24°25; wing, 8:20; tail, 5°80; tarsus, 1:40; bill from gape, °90; weight, 53 oz. Irides brown; cere and legs yellow. 29th October, Female—Length, 14:; expanse, 28°50; wing, 9°30; tail, 6-80; tarsus, 1:60; bill from gape, 1°; weight, 830z. Irides brown ; cere and legs yellow. The Red-headed Merlin is a permanent resident, very abundant during the cold weather, but less so during the hot and rainy seasons. On the 21st April I found a nest and three fully fledged young ones near the top of a tall mangoe tree. There was nothing to distinguish the nest from a crow’s, and, contrary to my expectations, the parents did not protest (they are usually plucky little falcons) against their offspring being made, prisoners. I kept the youngsters for some months, but from some cause or other they died rather suddenly within a few days of one another. The Red-headed Merlin is the unrelenting enemy of the social and other Larks on which it appears to feed by preference, probably because, from the bushes they frequent, sparrows and other small birds are more difficult to catch. * This name appears to be generally accepted as Turumti by writers who, perhaps, follow Jerdon ; but the natives here pronounce it Turmuts or Turmootee, THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION, 5 17.—Cerchneis tinnunculus, Zin. Native name— Koruttia. 8th October, Female.—Length, 15°50; expanse, 30; wing, 10°80; tail, 8°25; tarsus, ; bill from gape, ‘90; weight, 74 02. *From about the middle of September to the 15th April, the Kestrel is very abundant, though it begins to migrate to the hills as early as the commencement of March. But I think it doubtful whether the whole of them migrate, having seen a pair frequenting the telegraph wires along the railway on the 30th July—a very early date for their return, supposing them to have bred in the hills. For some hours in the morning, and for two or three before sunset, the Kestrel is much on the wing, hovering alike over barren plains and cultivated tracts. During the day it frequently takes shelter in trees—solitary ones pre- ferred—but as often rests on some eminence or irrigation ridge on the open plains. It feeds on small mammals, often, I think, on nothing but frogs; but I have seen it break- fasting on a dove ( Turtur suratensis), though I am unable to say whether it killed it or not. It feeds, however, chiefly on insects. There is a favorite incubating place of the Kestrel about half way between Almora and Naini Tal, where I found it breeding in company early in May. 18 dis.—Cerchneis pekinensis, Svoinh. I have not myself noticed the Eastern Lesser Kestrel, but it. undoubtedly occurs in the Division, though whether as a seasonal visitor or a permanent resident, 1 cannot say, though I presume as only the former. There are two specimens in the Lucknow Museum which were captured in the neighbourhood, and Mr. Anderson, on visiting the Museum in 1875, took away two more—vide STRay Fratuers, Vol. III., page 384, so the bird may fairly claim a place in this list. - 23.—Astur badius, Gm. Native name—Shikra. 11th November, Male.—Length, 13°; expanse, 24°25 ; wing, 7:70; tail, 6°60; tarsus, 1°80; bill, from gape, -80; weight, 5} oz. Irides dark red; legs dirty yellow. The Shikra—still highly prized by the few natives who indulge in Faleonry—is a permanent resident and the most com- mon and universally spread of all the hawk tribe. It frequently enters and lives in compounds, and may be found in almost 6 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. every avenue and mangoe tope. The following is my record of its nests :— April Ist as --- Nest andthree fresh eggs. Sewer, Mle eee = es sGthie Yc ee aa a May 5th ... Nest and three fully fledged young. Average measurement of 9 eggs 1°51 by 1:21 inches. Measurement of largestegg ...1°60,, 1:22 ,, Measurement of smallestegge ... 1-42, 118 ,, The nests, made of sticks (small platforms), were all on mangoe trees; the eggs all of a pale bluish white, rather chalky or unglossy in appearance. The Shikra, it may be noted, feeds occasionally on the Common Squirrel (Sciurus palmarum). One that I saw captured was forced to descend the tree by one bird, and on reaching the ground was immediately seized by a second pouncing upon it from a branch above. 24.—Accipiter nisus, Lin. Native name—Basha. Ath November, Male, juv.— Length, 13°25 ; expanse, 26°; wing, 8:25; tail, 7°; tarsus, 2°; bill from gape, 70; weight, 43 oz. Trides yellow ; legs dirty greenish yellow. The European Sparrow Hawk is only found in the cold weather, and is then fairly common. It frequents much the same locali- ties as the Shikra with which it is often confounded. Though I have frequently shot and preserved it, I find, curiously enough, that all my specimens are young birds. 25.—Accipiter virgatus, Reinw. Native name— Besra. The “Besra” Sparrow Hawk is not common, and from the thickets it frequents is rarely seen. It is a cold weather visitor, very locally distributed, as I have never met with it except in the bamboo brakes scattered here and there throughout the Division. Through these thickets it moves with great facility. 27.—Aquila mogilnik, §.G. Gm. Native name— Barra Jumiz* or Satangal. 15th February, (sex ?).—Length, 31°; expanse, 81°; wing, 24°; tail, 14°; tarsus, 3°60 ; bill, from gape, 2°60 ; weight, 71bs. Irides cream color, spotted darker; cere and ‘feet lemon yellow. The Imperial Eagle is fairly common, especially in dhak jun- gles, where solitary Banian and other Fici trees, upon which it * Jumiz is applied generally to alllarge Eagles. The natives care nothing for species, THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 7 usually rests, abound. I have not unfrequently seen it in the dry beds of jhils, devouring crabs, wherever it got them from, and on one or two occasions eating carrion. The specimen, whose dimensions are given above, was shot while feeding on tue earcase of a sheep with a lot of Vultures around it, the locality being a dhak jungle. int 27 dis.—Aquila nipalensis, Hodgs. 31st January, Male.—Length, 31:75; expanse, 73°50; wing, 22:75; tail, 13°; tarsus, 3°38; bill, from gape, 2:90; weight, 5°25 lbs. Cere and legs yellow; irides light brown. The Bifasciated Eagle isnot quite so common as the last, but like it, my only specimen, was shot while feeding on the carcase of asheep. It appears to frequent the same localities, but I know nothing particular in regard to its habits. 28.—Aquila clanga, Paid. 15th February, Female, juv.—Length, 27°; expanse, 69°25; wing, 21-; tail, 11°70; tarsus, 3°60; bill from gape, 2°30; weight, 44 1bs. Irides dark brown; cere and feet yellow. I know but little regarding the Spotted Eagle. It appears to be about as common as any species of Eagle (A. vindhiana excepted), and seems to frequent the same localities as the rest. I procured a specimen frequenting rather tall dhak trees along a stream, in a locality where Eagles are rather numerous, é.¢., near the Rahimabad Railway Station.* 29.—Aquila vindhiana, Frankl. Native name— Wokhab. 12th November, Male.—lLength, 26°25; expanse, 66°25; wing, 16°50; tail, 11-70; tarsus, 3°; bill, from gape, ; weight, 22 lbs. Irides brown ; cere vellow. The Tawny Eagle is a common and permanent resident. I have frequently seen it in my own compound and in the gardens about Lucknow; but its favorite resort appears to be dhak jungle or open country where solitary trees abound. 33.—Nisaetus fasciatus, Vieill. Native name— Churwa (*) Bonelli’s Eagle is not common, at least I have never found it so. I have only a single specimen (female juv.) and can give no particulars of its habits from personal observation. Se * Aquila fulvescens, Gray, the Buff Eagle, ought also to be included, as I have seen a specimen killed in the neighbourhood of Lucknow.—A. O. H. 8 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 38. —Circaetus gallicus, Gm. Native name—Jal- lar (?) 8th November, Male.—Length, 29°; expanse, 72°; wing, 22:50; tail, 12°50; tarsus, 3°50; bill, from gape, 2°25 ; weight, 23 lbs. Irides bright yellow. The Common Serpent Eagle is a permanent resident and fairly abundant. It frequents open country, and like 4. vindhiana may often be seen seated on some solitary tree in its favorite resort—low scrub or dhak jungle. Ihave also seen it on the open plains, seated on babool and other low trees. From the open nature of the country which it frequents, it is often difficult to approach, especially in the morning; but after it has breakfasted well, and during the heat of the day, it seems loath to fly, and may then be easily shot. 39.—Spilornis cheela, Lath. The Indian Harrier Eagle is very common during the cold weather, but does not, that I know of, remain all the year round. It appears to leave for the hills, or humid submontane tracts, about the beginning of April, returning again about October. In well-wooded and jungly districts it may be noticed in the morn- ings and evenings sailing slowly over the trees and fields, often at a great height; but during the heat of the day it generally remains inactive, seated near the top of some tall tree, pretty well concealed from view. 40.—Pandion haliaetus, Lin. Native name—Wacha- riya and Machi-mar. The Osprey is, I believe, a permanent resident, though of this I am not quite sure. I have frequently seen it hawking over large jhils, but along the Ganges, Gogra, Chowka and Goomti rivers it is fairly abundant during the cold weather. It may breed in the vicinity of these rivers, though I have never found its nest, and possibly it retreats to the rocky torrents of the outer Himalayas to breed. During the cold weather it may often be seen fishing in the Goomti at Lucknow. 41.—Polioaetus ichthyaetus, Horsf. The Ring-tailed Fish Eagle, like the Osprey, may be met with occasionally on large jhils, more frequently on rivers ; but it is by no means abundant, and is a wary and difficult bird to approach. I have only seen it during the cold weather, and then only on two or three occasions. THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 9 41 bis.—Polioaetus plumbeus, Hodygs. The Indian Fish Eagle is, of course, only a cold weather visitor, and is also exceedingly rare. I mistook it at first for the young of ichthyaétus. The only specimen in my possession was shot on the Goomti at Lucknow, where I found it alter- nately dodging about an ancient mangoe tope and. fishing in the shallow parts of the river. It has a heavy owl-like flight, and appears to depend more on stealth than activity in captur- ing its prey. It has certainly none of the dexterity of the Osprey, and is altogether a poor performer on the wing for an Eagle that may be said to live entirely on fish. 42.—Haliaetus leucoryphus, Pall. Native names— Macharang, Mardum and Machakool. Pallas’ Sea Eagle is a common and permanent resident. There is not a jhil of any pretensions in the Division that is not frequented by a pair or two of these Eagles, nor a river that cannot boast of their presence. Nevertheless it has, in my opinion, little title to be considered a Fishing Eagle. It seldom, as a rule, attempts to catch the finny tribe, but acts the part of a pirate in robbing the Osprey, Kites, Marsh Harriers, &e., of their prey, while sportsmen recognise it as the poacher who never loses an opportunity of carrying off a dead or wounded Duck, often from under their very noses. It will feed on almost anything—birds, snakes, rats, frogs, crabs, turtles—anything in fact but fish, unless, of course, it can get them without much trouble. I may be hard on this otherwise magnificent Eagle, but, if so, it is because I have had ample opportunities of gauging his capabilities, It has, however, at least one virtue—it pairs, I think, for life ! It commences to build as early as the beginning of October, making its nest on some tall, solitary tree overlooking some favorite jhil. The nest is simply a huge platform of sticks, occasionally interlaced with rags and snake skins, and is used from year to year by the same birds or by their heirs or succes- sors. They usually lay in November not more than three eggs, but seldom more than two. On the 3rd, 10th, 17th, 26th and 30th of that month I have found nests containing eggs; on the 24th and 30th nests containing young; while every nest that I have looked at in December was either empty or contained young. On not one of the many occasions that I have sent men to look at or rob their nests did these Hagles ever show fight, though in nine cases out of ten the native climber has gone about his work in fear and trembling. 9 10 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION, 47.—Buteo plumipes, Hodgs. The Harrier Buzzard is only a winter visitor and by no means common. It may, however, be met with occasionally, two or three in company, beating steadily over dhak jungles and raviny and undulating ground. 48.—Butastur teesa, Prankl. Native name—Teesa. 13th January, Female-—Length, 16°75 ; expanse, 36°75 ; wing, 11°20; tail, 7°50 ; tarsus, 2°60 ; bill, from gape, 1:3. The White-eyed Buzzard is common at all seasons, and may be met with, generally in pairs, hawking over usar plains, dhak jungles, and along the undulating and raviny banks of streams; now perching on some solitary shrub or tree, now on a mound or telegraph post, but invariably repairing at night to some sheltered mangoe grove. It generally flies low, merely skimming the ground, and its flight at times is rapid and graceful. It frequently visits road-side railway station yards where the grass is generally long and full of grasshoppers, where lizards abound on the old rails and metal lying about, and where rats and mice are often abundant, both about the station build- ings and in the mud fence around the compound. 51.—Circus macrurus, S. G. Gm. 15th October, Male—Length, 19°25; expanse, 43°0; wing, 14:75 ; tail, 10°50; tarsus, 2°50; bill, from gape, 1:30; weight, 41°25 oz. The Pale Harrier is only a cold weather visitor, but a very common one. It arrives as early as September and leaves as late as the end of April, though the majority may be said to leave about the end of March. The flight of this Harrier is usually noiseless and slow, but it is capable of moving along at considerable speed, and of dropping instantaneously on its prey, no matter how fast it may be going. It may be found either singly or in pairs—occasion- ally in small parties—systematically hawking dhak jungles and patches of cultivation, evidently scanning the ground minutely as it progresses. On one occasion I saw it pursuing a Lark in company with a Red-headed Merlin (falco chiquera). The chase was both interesting and long as the Lark endeavour- ed to escape by ascending, but in an evil moment it made tracks for dhall field, and, though swooped at several times by the Harrier, it fell a prey to the active little Hawk. The former then attempted to rob the latter, and but for a friendly mangoe tope would probably have succeeded. THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 1l 52.—Circus cineraceus, Jont. Captain Irby states that Montague’s Harrier is “ found in the same localities as the Pallid Harrier, and is perhaps more numerous.” If this is so, it is strange that I have no specimens ; but I have occasionally seen a Harrier, with a conspicuous black wing-patch, that may have belonged to this species.* 53.—Circus melanoleucus, Forst. According to the same authority (Captain Irby) this species is “‘ very abundant near the rivers Chowka and Gogra, on the plains covered with thick grass about two feet high, I have never seen this Harrier far away from grass jungle where it appears to replace the preceding species and the Pale Harrier, although they are now and then seen there also.” In the low grass and tamarisk jungles for miles above and below Byramghat, Harriers of various kinds are undoubtedly very abundant; but I don’t recollect ever meeting with this species, though I include it on Captain Irby’s authority. It can scarcely, however, be as plentiful, now-a-days, as his remarks would lead one to infer. 54.—Circus eruginosus, Lin. Native name—Kutar. 15th November, Male—Length, 20; expanse, 47°7; wing, 15°5; tail, 9°75; tarsus, 3-3; bill, from gape, 1°45. The Marsh Harrier, I am disposed to think, is a permanent resident, exceedingly rare in the hot and rainy seasons, it is true, but very common in the cold weather, though for one adult then met with fully 50 youngsters, in all shades of plumage, may be seen. As its trivial name implies, it habitually frequents marshes, jhils, river banks, inundated fields, &ec., but is sometimes met with in almost all kinds of localities. Its food is principally frogs, lizards, rats and any small or weakly mammals or birds that it may come across. Where Marsh Harriers are so numerous as they are on our jhils they are an unmitigated nuisance to the sportsman in quest of wild fowl. Often, when Ihave tried to get a particular or rare duck, have these villains deprived me of the coveted prize by swooping at it or otherwise frightening it away. Teal of all kinds particularly dread them, and will rise or dive at their approach in abject terror, while they drive Coots into fits of frenzy as if in mere wantonness and mischief. The dread they inspire arises, I think, from the fact that when they capture a dead or wounded bird, as * In this species the primaries are black, and there is a rather narrow blackish bar on the grey secondaries, but hardly what would be called ‘‘a conspicuous black wing-patch,’—Ed. 12 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. thev often do, they devour it in the presence of almost every duck on the jhil, by selecting for their repast, either a ridge on its banks or a mud eminence in the water itself. Thus seated and engaged, it is not an unusual thing to see a dozen or so after sportsmen have been their rounds: it is, therefore, not surprising that wild fowl should dread them and look upon all their actions with suspicion, especially as they immediately seize upon any disabled bird that a flock, on taking wing, leave behind them. I have never, however, seen the Marsh Harrier “strike home,” when the bird was of any size and in possession of all its powers. 55.—Haliastur indus, Bodd. Native name— Bahmini Chil. The Maroon-backed or Brahminy Kite isa common and _ per- manent resident, rarely seen in the dry season at any distance from water, but universally spread over the Division during, and for a while after, the rains. Itis generally found in pairs, and is very fond of crabs, judging from the accumulated remains of these occasionally seen on the ground beneath some of its favorite perches on the Goomti. Though it breeds in the Division, I have never been fortunate enough to discover its nest, though I have had its eggs brought to me in March. 56.—Milvus govinda, Sykes. Native name— Chil. The Common Kite is everywhere abundant. It breeds from November to the end of April, making its nest of sticks indiscriminately on trees, mosques, minarets, old buildings, &c., and usually lays from two to three ergs of a dirty or greenish white, spotted or blotched with brown of various shades, rarely two alike, and some very beautifully marked indeed, Average measurement of 12 eggs 2:17 by 1:26 inches. Measurement of largest ego ... 2°25 ,, 1:29 ,, Meesurement of smallest egg... 2°12 ,, 1:22 ,, Though it is scarcely safe to generalize from a couple of instances, it 1s worth recording that on two occasions eggs were again laid in nests from which I had seen incubated eggs taken about a month previously. Though Kites actually swarm in Lucknow I have looked in vain for Milvus major, Hume; M. melanotis, Tem. and Schl? In the jungle, too, where I was most likely to find it, my searches have been equally fruitless; but then, I was probably too particular in expecting to find a Kite with a “huge pure white wing-patch,” though I have seen some old govindas that might pass muster if one was not over-particular about the patch being pure white. THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 13 57.—Pernis ptilorhynchus, Tem. The Crested Honey Buzzard is fairly common about Lucknow from August to November, probably because bee-combs then abound ; but is not so numerous during the colder months, a few only remaining throughout the year, the majority migrating to the hills for the hot and early portion of the rainy seasons. A specimen that I shot in October had evidently been feed- ing on honey-comb ; for, on lifting it up by the legs, the honey ran from its mouth in clear stream, and would probably have filled a tea-cup. These Buzzards, it should be noted, vary astoundingly in plumage, from light fulvous to almost black, so much so that it would not be an easy task to find two eXactly alike. Such, at any rate, is my experience. 59.—Elanus ceruleus, Desf. Nativename—Dasunwa. The Black-winged Kite is a fairly common and permanent resident. On one occasion I saw the Flanus flying over the native city of Lucknow, evidently in a great hurry to reach “ fresh fields and pastures new.’ But it is in the dhak jungles, wherever these are interspersed with taller trees, along the railway, perched on telegraph posts, and about the banks of nullahs, where these are grassy and rugged, particularly if babooi trees exist, that it is chiefly found. In Stray Featruers, Vol. VIIL, pages 415-16, a good deal of information is given about the nidification of this species. It probably breeds twice a year, as I have shot almost nestlings in Janvary, while other observers state that it nidificates very generally from March to June. In November last I noticed a pair making their nest near the top of a mangoe tree, of which there were three in a clump ; a fortnight later I visited the spot, hoping to find eggs, but without success. The birds then appear to have forsaken the nest, for, on re-visiting the place, I found them busily engaged making another nest on the second tree. Thereupon I gave them another fortnight’s grace and then went for the eggs, but found none. The same thing occurred again; they forsook the nest and commenced to build on the third tree. I gave them three weeks this time, but still found no eggs, and on "re-visiting the place a fortnight later found they had decamped. I blessed those birds, I did! 60.—Strix javanica, Gm. Native name— Ulu,* The Indian Screech Owl—though I have never seen it in the district—is pretty common about Lucknow, where it inhabits * Applied to Owls generally. 14 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. deserted buildings, wells, mosques, &ec., in the city and city suburbs. I have seen it frequently in the ruins of the Bailey Guard, and occasionally on trees in the neighbourhood. I may be wrong, but 1 hardly think this Owl is guilty of screeching, at any rate, to any extent. It of course breeds here, though I have never found its nest. 61.—Strix candida, Zick. On one occasion I flushed a solitary Owl, which I took to be the Grass Owl, in grass and scrub jungle near Rahimabad, and, though I followed it from place to place, the Crows kept bothering it, so that it never rested in one spot long enough to allow me to geta shot. Captain Irby mentions it under the name of Glau javanica, and I have little doubt that it occurs, though sparingly, in suitable localities, for instance, in the jungles about the Chowka and Gogra, where Mr. Anderson seems to have met with it—See Srray Featuers, Vol. IIL, page 388. 65.—Syrnium ocellatum, Less. Native name— Khuska (?) The Mottled Wood-Owl is not at all common, but inhabits the better wooded parts of the Division, especially where groves of ancient mangoe trees exist. A specimen was, however, pro- cured for me from a tree in the noisy vicinity of the Railway Workshops at Charbagh. It is a permanent resident. 68.—Asio accipitrinus, Pall. During the cold weather the Short-eared Owl is very common in the grass and tamarisk jungle on the banks of the Chowka’ and Gogra at Byramghat. I have also flushed it in patches of sarpatta or thatching grass about Lucknow, and in other parts of the Division, principally in dhak jungle and in broken grassy ravines and nullahs. It appears to be gregarious in its habits—many being always found together in suitable localities, and even in places less inviting it is rarely seen alone. It flies well during the day, and if pursued by Crows, &c., as it often is, will go for miles without alighting. It migrates, I believe, at the commencement of the hot weather. 69.—Bubo bengalensis, Frankl. Native name— Ghughu.* 13th October, Male.—Length, 22°25; expanse, 54°; wing, 15°25; tail, 9; tarsus, 2°50 ; bill, from gape, 1°90; weight, 23 tbs. * A name elsewhere, and more appropriately (for it exactly represents this bird’s double coo) applied to Zurtur risorius.—Ed. THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 15 13th October, Pemale.—Length, 22°75 ; expanse, 563; wing, 16°75; tail, 9:25 tarsus, 2°50; bill, from gape, 2; weight, (not recorded.) The Rock Horned-Owl is common in suitable localities, and stragglers may be met with in the most unlikely places at all seasons. A favorite resort is aclump of bamboos containing some tall and stately trees, in which it resides, especially if in the vicinity of a stream with raviny and undulating banks. Thave flushed it occasionally in dhak jungle, but more frequent- ly in broken and rugged ground. It flies well during the day, and is often difficult to approach when once it is disturbed. In the stomachs of four specimens that I examined I found nothing but large balls of feathers, unquestionably those of Mynahs and Doves. Does this Owl ever fish? I shot one once, just at dusk, in a very suspicious position, t.¢., on the branch of a tree about two feet above a stream, intently watching something in the water. 70.—Bubo coromandus, Lath, Native name—Jangli Ghughu. 13th October, Male.—Length, 23°75 ; expanse, 58°; wing, 16°50; tail, 9°75; tarsus, 2°50; bill, from gape, 2°; weight, (not recorded). 13th October, Female.—Length, 24°50 ; expanse, 60°; wing, 16°75; tail, 9°75; tarsus, 2°25 ; bill, from gape, 1:90 ; weight, 4 lbs. The Dusky Horned-Owl is a common and permanent resi- dent, frequenting ancient mangoe topes, and is very partial to tamarind trees. In bamboo brakes, containing high and thickly foliaged trees, it is sometimes very abundant. It flies well during the day, making its way through branches with facility. The common native superstition about an inmate dying, should this Owl commence hooting about a_ house, is current throughout the Division. Of three specimens that T examined I found in the stomach of each only one huge ball of feathers. 72.—Ketupa ceylonensis, Gm. 13th Cctober, Male.—Length, 24°; expanse, 55°; wing, 16°25 ; tail, 9°; tarsus, 3-; bill, from gape, 2°10 ; weight, 4 Ibs. Irides bright yellow ; legs dirty yellow ; bill slaty black. The Brown Fish Owl is a fairly common and permanent resident. A glance at the date on which I obtained specimens of this and of the two preceding species, will show that they were all obtained on the same day. I found them inhabiting the 16 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. same trees, chiefly tamarind and pipal, in a dense bamboo clump, evidently once an old fort, but now a jungle. It was perfectly infested with these large Owls—Bubo coromandus predominating—but they got so wide-awake from my firing at them that, in the long run, I found it extremely difficult to get near enough for a shot, though approaching silently and under cover. Though essentially a Fish Owl, XK. ceylonensis, like the rest of its tribe, does not stick at trifles. In the stomachs of four that I examined I discovered nothing but a huge ball of feathers in each. I have, therefore, not the least doubt that it takes readily to birds when its legitimate food is not avail- able. The rainfall of 1877, it must be remembered, was lamentably deficient; many, if not all, of our so-called perennial streams were dry or nearly so, as indeed were all the jhils, with the exception of a few of the largest. Under these circumstances, it is not surprising that K. ceylonensis had to change his usual diet, especially as many thousands of human beings had to do likewise, or starve. 74 bis.—Scops sunia, Hodgs. Notwithstanding all that has been written about the little Scops Owls, I am far from convinced about the specific dis- tinctness of 8. sunia, Hodgson’s Scops Owl. A specimen in my possession aprears to be changing from the rufous to the grey phase of plumage. I am, therefore, inclined to think that, asin the case of the Paradise Flycatcher (4/. paradisi, Lin.), the rufous stage is only transitory or seasonal,* thonghI am not quite prepared to maintain that it is so in the face of a vast deal of evidence to the contrary. Still, the specific distinctness of these little Owls sadly wants working out. 75 ter.—Scops bakkameena, Penn. Pennant’s Scops Owl is very common about Lucknow, and is a permanent resident. It breeds in holes in mangoe trees in the early part of the year, and after the breeding season habi- tually frequents bamboo clumps, in which it may be found generally seated in pairs. It appears to be quite sylvan in its habits, rarely residing near human habitations. 76.—Carine brama, Tem. Native name—Kasuttea. _ Towards dusk and early morning, and throughout moonlight nights, the Spotted Owlet may be heard and seen in the * It is certainly not seasonal, and as I have myself procured two old birds with four young ones, all of the bright uniform rufous type, I do not think it is transitory. Many grey birds show a great deal of rufous, but this is quite a different rufous to that of sunia.—Ld. THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 17 neighbourhood of almost every village, and almost in every compound in Lucknow, many often squabbling and screeching tovether. It resides during the day in holes in trees; often only on branches, and, if disturbed, flies readily and with faci- lity even in bright sunshine. On the 24th March I obtained six eggs of this species from three different nests, all in holes in mangoe trees. In one nest there were four eggs, and one in each of the other two. Average measurement of eggs... 131 by 1:04 inches. Measurement of largest egg... 1°50 ,, 1:02 x Measurement of smallest egg... 1:26 ,, 1:01 Z 77.—Glaucidium radiatum, Zick. Native name— valakasut. The Jungle Owlet is a common and permanent resident. In almost every mangoe tope a pair or two, often many more, may be found. As a rule, it is an inveterate skulker, residing in its hole in spite of any noise. When disturbed and seated on a branch it remains perfectly still, and appears to have the faculty of knowing the moment it is discovered, instantly taking wing, and will, if pursued, repeat the performance until a lucky shot brings it to its bearings. The native superstition regarding Bubo coromandus applies, I think, equally to this Owl; probably indeed to any Owl heard persistently in the neighbourhood of a dwelling. 81.—Ninox lugubris, Tick. 13th December (?)—Length, 11°60; expanse, 25°; wine 8-30; tail, 5-2; tarsus, 1:20, bill, from gape, -95. Irides bricht yellow;. legs yellow; bill dusky black. 5 The Brown Hawk-Owl is frequently met with in bamboo thickets, rarely in mangoe groves, but is nevertheless both a common and permanent resident. It is quite nocturnal in its habits, rarely, if ever, stirring out before dark. One that I wounded and succeeded in recovering cried very much like a hare under similar circumstances. I have never heard its natural call, though for weeks together a pair frequented a tamarind tree in my own compound, and have never found its nest. gs 82.—Hirundo rustica, Zin. Native name—Adadil.* The Common Swallow is abundant during the cold season, making its appearance in October and departing at the com- mencement of the hot weather. A few stragglers may even be found in the early part of May. Here, however, it is never the “® Applied generally to all Swallows, Swifts and Martins. 3 18 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. household pet that it is in England, frequenting for the most part open country, especially in the vicinity of jhils, and is not unfrequently found skimming over water in vast numbers. It sometimes perches on the bare branches of trees, and in some localities probably spends the night on them. It also frequents the telegraph wires, but has not, that I know of, any liking for native villages, though in towns it gets attach- ed to mosques, minarets and old buildings, about which many may always be found. 84.—Hirundo filifera, Steph. The Wire-tailed Swallow—perhaps the loveliest of its tribe—is a permanent resident, and though never found in any great numbers, is universally spread over the Division. It habitually frequents jhils and rivers, the masonry bridges over the latter being favourite resorts ; but it may be met with in any locality on its way to and from its especial haunts. 85.—Hirundo erythropygia, Sykes. The Red-rumped or Mosque Swallow is probably a permanent resident, though it is only in the cold weather that it is at all abundant, the majority migrating to breed either in the hills or in suitable localities on the plains, though I do not see why Lucknow should not suit it as well as most places. A few most likely do breed in the old mosques and minarets about the city, but vn every occasion I have failed either to find their nests or to see the birds. During the cold weather, as already remarked, it is, however, very common about Lucknow, frequenting the deep cutting known as Hyder Ali’s canal, as well as the mosques and minarets in the city, in vast numbers. In the district I have occasionally come across great flocks basking in the sun on the ground, generally in ploughed fields, and sanding them- selves like sparrows; while, at other times, [ have seen them on the telegraph wires, sitting in rows and keeping up an incessant chattering or twittering. They occasionally perch on bare trees, and probably pass the night in mangoe topes in the absence of more suitable resting places. In no other way can I account for their presence in localities, remote even from villages, where 1 have seen them often in great numbers at the break of day. 89.—Cotyle sinensis, J. H. Gr. Native Name— Chota Ababil. The Indian Sand-Martin is abundant along the banks of all our rivers and frequents Hyder Ali’s canal in vast numbers. THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 19 It breeds from February to May, making its nest invariably in holes in river banks, &c., while its daily vocation appears to consist of an incessant whirling to and fro, relieved by frequent visits to its subterranean quarters. During May last I took many eggs from nests in the banks of the Goomti, of which 0°70 by 0°48 inches is the average measurement of ten. 100.—Cypsellus affinis, J. #. Gr. The Common Indian or White-rumped Swift is very abundant about Lucknow and in all suitable localities. It breeds, I think, twice a year, as I have seen inhabited nests as early as February and as late as August. The inside of the roof of the Alumbagh Gateway is usually covered with nests, semi-globularinshapeand closely packed together, so much so that if you took one down half a dozen others would come along with it. Nests are equally abundant about deserted buildings, &e.,in and around Lucknow, while solitary pairs not unfrequent- ly breed in bungalow verandahs. A pair that took up their quarters in the verandah of the house I reside in were so fond of twittering at all hours of the night that 1 came to regard them as a nuisance and banished them from the premises. Average measurement of six eggs, 0°90 by 0°57 inches, 102.—Cypsellus batassiensis, J. #. Gr. The Palm Swift appears to be a strictly rural bird, rarely found, except in the immediate vicinity of palm trees, those on the banks of jhils and streams seemingly preferred. It is a permanent resident. 109.—Caprimulgus albonotatus, Tick. 15th December, Male.—Length, 12°8; expanse, 25°; wing, 8°45 ; tail, 6-8; tarsus, 0°83; bill, from gape, 1°45. Bill black ; legs and feet vinaceous brown. The Large Indian Nightjar is fairly common and a permanent resident. As many as twenty may sometimes be flushed'‘in some favourite spot, but, as a rule, it is found singly or in pairs, generally in thick brushwood under the shade of trees, but it is also very partial to bamboo brakes and thick dhak jungle. When flushed, it usually flies but a short distance and squats again, either on the ground or on the low and spacious arm of some tree. Occasionally it may be found resting during the day high up in thick bamboos, and in clumps of these it probably breeds, though I have never found its nest. But in whatever tangled thickets it may rest for the day, it sallies forth at dusk 20 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION.” to fields and open glaces, where it may be seen flying noiselessly along, or feeding and shuffling about with great activity on the ground, changing the scene of its operations every minute or so, while at intervals its familar call—chuk, chuk, chuk— slowly and monotonously repeated, “is a welcome and pleasing addition” (?) to the “ voices of the night.” 112.—Caprimulgus asiaticus, Lath. 10th January, Male.—Length,9; expanse, 1812; wing, 6:37; tarsus, °80 ; tail, 4-40; bill, from gape, 1:46. Legs flesh color ; irides dark brown; bill fleshy brown. The Common Indian Nightjar is by no means so abundant here as C. albonotatus. Indeed I have rarely or never seen it’ except when the “ shades of evening” have so far advanced as to render shooting it next to impossible. It feeds, I think, by preference on the mud by the water’s edge of streams or jhils, where I have often, when waiting for geese, seen it flitting actively about. 117.—Merops viridis, Zin. Native Name—Patane and Hurrial, 12th January, Male—Length, 9; expanse, 11°75; wing, 3°75 ; tail, 4°70; tarsus, 0-4; bill, from gape, 1:4. Bill black ; irides red ; legs and feet plumbeous grey. The Common Indian Bee-Hater is a permanent resident and very common, being equally at home in our gardens and in the less attractive parts of the Division, inhabiting even wzsar plains, where a pair or two may occasionally be seen seated on some low shrub. It breeds here in March, usually making its nest in the mud walls of compounds, in the banks of Hyder Ali’s canal, and in similar localities about ravines and rivers. It usually lays four almost round, white eggs; the average measurement of 13 being 0-79 by 0°71 inches, while the largest measures 0°83 by 0°70, and the smallest 0°70 by 0°65. Towards the beginning, and again about the end of the cold weather, they may be seen, a little before sunset, collecting in great numbers on some unfrequented road or dry sandy Jand, where they leisurely roll about in the dust. Their sand- bath over, they usually take wing together, and after indulg- ing in a few circular and other evolutions, all the while keeping up an incessant chattering, they separate into small parties for the night. They also often indulge in a similar practice in the mornings, but on such occasions they collect, I think, on the wing or on some tree, and dispense altogether with the preliminary sand or dust bath. THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 21 118.—Merops philippensis, Zin. The Blue-tailed Bee-eater is by no means as common as the last species, while its partiality for the vicinity of water naturally localizes its distribution and makes it appear rarer than it really is. It is, however, a permanent resident, and is fairly abundant along the Goomti where it breeds from March to June in the river banks. It also frequents trees and shrubs in the neigkbourhood of jhils, starting from these at intervals for a long cruise over the water. 123.—Coracias indica, Lin. Native name— Nilkant. The Indian Roller is a common and permanent resident. Tt frequents gardens, groves, dhak jungle, and even serub- covered plains, and is numerous along the railway, where it usually sits on the telegraph wires watching for the crickets that abound in the kunker ballast and for the grasshoppers that frequent the side cuttings. A pair of them made their nest in a hole in a neem tree about 15 yards from the verandah of the house I live in, from which I obtained four white eggs on the 20th April measuring as follows :— Average ad --» 1:27 by 1:03 inches. Largest ege Se saet (S05 oes DOL ile gy Smallestege .... vue WE ZOt ist LOR ay. 127.—Pelargopsis gurial, Pearson. Native name— Badami Kowrilla, The Brown-headed Kingfisher is by no means abundant, and. never, I think, frequents water that 1s not well shaded by trees. One that I shot, and, with an exception or two, the only one I have ever seen, was dodging about a tank surrounded on all sides by dense bamboo jungle. I know nothing regarding its habits or nidification, and cannot say whether it is a permanent resident or not. It probably is. 129.—Halcyon smyrnensis, Zin. Native name— Kowrilla.* 13th December, Male.-—Length, 11:25 ; expanse, 16-5; wing, 4°65; tail, 3:20; tarsus, 0:70; bill, from gape, 2°75. Bill coral red ; irides brown; legs and feet bright orange red. The White-breasted Kingfisher is fairly abundant, frequenting alike jhils and rivers, and not unfrequently mangoe topes in their vicinity. During the rainy season, and for as long as there is # Applied generally to all Kiogfishers. 22 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. water in the side cuttings, it may be seen along the railway, sitting occasionally on the telegraph wires or posts, but usually on the babool trees (planted as a line fence) overlooking the pools. It does not dive for fish—habitually at least; and, though it may catch them occasionally, it appears to depend more upon grasshoppers, &c., for food. It doubtless breeds here, but I have never found its nest. 134,—Alcedo bengalensis, Gm. 13th December, Male.—Length, 6°50; expanse, 10°30; wing, 2°75; tail, 14; tarsus, 0°3; bill, from gape, 1°8. Bill, above horny, below vermilion ; legs and feet bright vermilion ; irides brown. The Common Indian Kingfisher is, here, fairly common and a permanent resident. It frequents jhils and rivers, and also the side cuttings along the railway so long as these contain water, perching occasionally on the telegraph wires. Unlike the last species, it is never seen away from water, unless when migrating from one locality to another; is an expert fisher, living principally upon small fish and tadpoles, and never, according to my observation, condescends to scramble on the eround after grasshoppers and locusts. I know nothing regard- ing its nidification, except that it is said to breed in holes in river banks from March to May. 136.—Ceryle rudis, Zin. The Pied Kingfisher is exceedingly common on all rivers and jhils, and is, of course, a permanent resident. Unlike the last two species, it lives, I think, absolutely on small fish, which it invariably searches for on the wing and cap- tures by a perpendicular plunge into the water. As a preliminary to diving, it usually hovers for a while over its intended victim, as if to make sure of its aim, and rarely misses its object. It often remains under the water for a considerable time, where, perhaps, it continues the pursuit, as it seldom emerges without a fish, which it carries to the nearest perching place—generally a tree or some elevated portion of the banks—and devours, or if small swallows, on the wing. It breeds from February to April in holes in the banks of rivers and jhils. 144.—Ocyceros birostris, Scop. Native name— Chakotra. 11k October, Male.—Length, 26°; expanse, 29°75; wing, 8°80; tail, 12°37; tarsus, 2°; bill, from gape, 3°60; weight, 13°25 oz. Irides reddish-brown ; legs dark plumbeous. THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 23 The Common Grey Hornbill is fairly abundant in localities where there are plenty of pipal and other species of wild-fig trees, upon the fruit of whichit feeds. It is generally met with in pairs, occasionally three or four together, and when one flies from a tree, the others are sure to follow it immediately. Its flight is slow and undulating. Though it doubtless breeds here, I have not yet found its nest. 147 quat.—Paleornis indoburmanicus, Hume. Na- tive name—Paharee Tota. The Indo-Burmese Paroquet only pays a passing visit to the Division. It arrives at Lucknow in flocks about the middle of August, remains to the end of September, and feeds almost exclusively on the berries ot the neem trees, frequenting avenues where these trees are numerous very early in the morning. To the bird-catchers ot Lucknow it is quite a god-send; they catch and retail it (previously giving it some drug to make it appear tame) to Europeans and natives alike, as a bird brought all the way from Nipal, and for which they consequently ask and receive a higher price than they would otherwise get. Perhaps it is the young of this species that the natives bring from Nipal (so they say) for sale in April and May; but if Hodgson’s bird (P. nipalensis) be really distinct, the youngsters may possibly belong to that jaé, probably to both; but on this point I must reserve judgment until I have an opportunity of getting some of the young birds referred to. 148.—Palezornis torquatus, Bodd. Native name— Tota. The Rose-ringed Paroquet is much too common to be regarded in any other light than that of a most unmitigated nuisance. Notwithstanding that it often talks well and is an amusing and pleasant cage-bird, its wholesale depredations in grain fields and gardens, if committed in merry England, would bring upon it a terrible vengeance. Fancy a farmer seeing a thousand or two settle in a field of his, and on being driven off depart, each, with an ear of his precious wheat ! Just imagine his looks on discovering some hundreds of his choicest fruit lying about on the ground, and then picture to yourself what a tolerant being the mild Hindoo is, whose only remonstrance against such havoc is a threatening shout or a tiny mud projectile, which the birds accept as unconcernedly as they do his corn and fruit. The Rose-ringed Paroguet breeds here very generally in March, nesting, I think, for choice in Jamin trees. From the following record it will be seen that I once found five 24 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. egos in a nest, but that four appears to be the normal number laid :— March 10th ... ... nest and 3 fresh eggs. A suaibiieae Uke ts wee “f 4 Ks a edith. aoe * 5 hard-set eggs. Bee a AN aiare shete “ 4 fresh eggs. April 21st ... BAS F 4 young. Average measurement of 11 eggs 1:19 by 91 inches. Measurement of largest egg ... 1°24 ,, 98 4, Measurement of smallest egg... 114 ,, 90 ,, 149.—Palexornis purpureus, P. L. S. Mill. Native name—Lalsira Tota. The Rose-headed Paroquet is a common and _ permanent resident, though not by any means as abundant as P. torquatus. In its habits it is much the same, but prefers well-wooded tracts, and is rarely seen in any numbers in the more open parts of the country. It is particularly numerous along the Chowka at Byramghat where ancient mangoe groves and pipal trees abound, and is fairly common in the vicinity of Lucknow itself. On the 4th March, I found a nest containing four young fledglings in a hole near the top of a pipal tree, and another on the 15th April containing four fresh eggs. These egos measure (average) 0°98 by 0°80 inches. 160.—Picus mahrattensis, Lath. Native name — Kutpurwa.* The Yellow-fronted Woodpecker is both a common and | permanent resident, frequenting gardens, avenues, mangoe groves, &e. It generally moves about in pairs and breeds from February to April in holes, artificially made, in decayed trees. I have frequently found its nest, but could never get at the eggs. 164.—Iyngipicus nanus, Vig. The Indian Pigmy Woodpecker is also a common and perma~ nent resident. J have met with it singly, in pairs, and often in small parties, generally in mangoe groves. It keeps well to the tops of trees, where it may be seen flying from branch to branch, and even hopping about like a Sparrow from bough to bough. I found a nest of this species and two fresh eggs on the 24th March. The nest was placed about eight feet from the ground, in a horizontal and internally decayed (but not hollow) bough of a mangoe tree in a neglected garden in the native city of * This name is applied generally to all Woodpeckers and Barbets. THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 25 Lucknow. The entrance aperture, on the under side of the bough, was about $th of an inch in diameter, gradually widening to the egg cavity about 10 inches away towards the trunk of the tree. The eggs were white, and measured respec- tively -70 by °53 and °70 by *52 inches, 180.—Brachypternus aurantius, Zin. The Golden-backed Woodpecker is common in almost every mangoe grove, and frequently enters compounds and gardens, while its shrill screaming call, uttered usually as it flies from tree to tree, is here quite a familiar “ wood note wild.” A specimen that 1 shot—now in the possession of Mr. Hume— had the upper mandible about a quarter of an inch longer than the lower, and taking its bill as a whole it was, I think, abnor- mally long. B. aurantius breeds, I believe, twice a year—first in March and April, and again after the rains set in. I have on two occasions found its nest, but could not get at the eggs without cutting into, and probably destroying, the large mangoe trees they were in, 188.—Iynx torquilla, Zin. The Wryneck is fairly common during the cold weather. I have seen it frequenting dhak jungles, and on two or three occasions have noticed it in my own garden, but being a quiet and unobtrusive bird, it escapes detection when others less numerous but less retiring in their habits, would surely be seeu. 193.—Megalema caniceps, Frank. The Common Green Barbet is a permanent resident, and is very abundant about Lucknow and in localities where wild fruit trees, especially the banian, pipal, &., abound, upon the berries of which it feeds. Though silent, as a rule, throughout the cold months, it is nevertheless the first to announce the coming of the spring. Just when the days are getting percep- tibly hotter in January, its loud startling call begins to be heard in the land, and from then, till the close of the breeding season in May, must be familiar to everybody, though few perhaps actually know tie bird. During the rains its call is less frequently heard, and ceases gradually as the cold season advances. On the 23rd April, and again on the 5th May, I found nests of this species, each containing two fresh eggs. One nest was in a hole made by the bird in an old mangoe tree, only about six feet from the ground, while the other was in a similar hole just about the same distance from the top of a tall Jamun tree. The 4 26 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. ege-shells were translucent, which gave the eggs a fleshy-white appearance. They measured as follows :— Average of four ... eee 1°14 by °86 inches. Smallest egg 50 ot D2? 4 ea he Largest ege 0s ass HELO SS ay 197.—Xantholema hemacephala, Jill. Native name—Basunta. The Crimson-breasted Barbet is a permanent resident and one of our most common, as it is also one of our most brightly colored, birds. It feeds, like the last species, on fruit and berries and young and tender buds. It begins to pair in January, and from then to the end of May its lovd and monotonous call resounds in every tope, and is perhaps the most familiar heard. Unlike Palcornis torquatus, it invariably excavates the hole for its nest, and selects for that purpose either branches or trunks of trees internally or outwardly decayed—the former, I think, for choice. It generally lays two eggs—occasionally three— smaller of course, but of exactly the same shape and appear- ance as the eggs of J. caniceps. My record of nests is as follows :— March 17th ... nest and 2 eggs (fresh. ) “ 17th Ee ee vate hime otha ye 18th ae oy ee ae Caress in) ss 24th neu 5, 98 4, (semi-incubated.) May Sth ass 9 2 young (just hatched.) As 21st ve , | eee Giledzed-) y] Average measurement of 6 eggs -94 by ‘67 inches. Measurement of largest egg ... ‘97 ,, °70 ,, Measurement of smallest egg ... °90 ,, “64 ,, 199.—Cuculus canorus, Lin. Karly one morning about seven or eight years ago, while wan- dering leisurely about the ruins of the “ Bailey Guard,” I was agreeably surprised to hear the Cuckoo’s ‘ Wandering Voice,” but did not see the bird—fit visitor to such a shrine ; but I was more fortunate on the 29th May last, when I both heard and saw it in a rather forest-looking tract, in which a pineapple garden flourishes under the grateful shade of stately trees, and through which a clear rivulet runs for eight months of the year—a delightful spot about two miles to the north of Lucknow. Though the above record is all I know of the occurrence of the Cuckoo in the Division, others may have met with it oftener. Still, its visits like those of angels, must, I am afraid, be “ few and far between,” THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 27 205.—Hierococcyx varius, Vahl. Native name— Popiya. The Common Hawk Cuckoo is a permanent resident, fre- quenting alike gardens, groves and avenues. During the breeding season, 2.¢e., from March to the commencement of the rains in June, it is a noisy bird, particularly in the evening and early morning, three or four often going up the gamut together, each trying to outdo or silence the other; while during moonlit nights it often vies with the Koel in trying to keep the world astir, but during the cold weather it is shy and retiring, seldom seen and never heard. It feeds usually, I think, on fruit or tender buds, but frequently on small caterpillars for which it may be seen hunting among the leaves of trees. Small birds often mistake it for the Shikra. Though it doubtless deposits its eggs in the nest of some bird or other—probably in that of the Common Babbler— I have never been able to find any, if it is possible to distin- guish them from the Babbler’s eggs. 208.—Cacomantis passerinus, Vahl. The Indian Plaintive Cuckoo I have never seen, though for all that it may occur in the Division. Mr. Adam, I note, would seem to imply that it not only occurs but breeds here— see ** Nests and Eggs,” page 137; but the large eggs to which he refers as belonging to this species were possibly the eggs of Drymeca inornata, some of which vary greatly in size and coloration. 212.—Coccystes jacobinus, Bodd. Native name— Kala Popiya. The Pied Crested Cuckoo, though not so common as the last species, is nevertheless fairly abundant at all seasons ; found alike on high trees and low shrubs, and even feeding on the ground. During the breeding season it also is a noisy bird, and, like varius, deposits its eggs in the nests of other birds. 214.—Eudynamis honorata, Lin. Native name— roel and Kala Koeli. The Indian Koel, or Black Cuckoo, is a permanent resident, very abundant during the rains, but apparently migrates to some extent as the cold weather sets in and advances. It feeds principally on fruit, being very fond of the small berries of the banian and other Fici. During the breeding season several males may often be seen following the same female, and from this it may be inferred that, like the true Cuckoos, they do not 28 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. pair, On such occasions they are very noisy; while at this season their well-known call is often heard at night. The Koel, I think, invariably deposits its eggs in the nest of the Common Indian Grey-necked Crow (C. splendens). Ihave found them onseveral occasions. Details as follows :— June 30th ... 1 egg (fresh) no Crow’s eggs in nest. yO OUM aes, 9K os oust, Nase ” ” July 9th ....1 ,, (hard-set) 2 ,, A a 7a: Oe Peete emer GR Ma? Lp ear A Hy Few ylit tly sees, A. oe ALEGRE) ereer ome - » 2ord, .. lL 5 ( » ) no Crow's eop in nest, Average measurement of 6 eggs... 1°20 by °88 inches. Measurement of largest ege ...1:28 ,, ‘94 ,, Measurement of smallest egg ... 1:14 ,, 86 ,, The above record is rather puzzling, but tends, I think, to show that the Koel ejects the Crow’s eggs from the nest when depositing her own. I may also add that at Chinhut, on the 25th August, I saw a Crow feeding a young Koel. The young- ster, to attract the attention of the Crow, occasionally indulged in a continuous “cawing” for all the world like a young Crow. Jt was fully fledged, and flew from tree to tree after its foster- parent. On another and more recent occasion I saw a batch of three young Koels, being led about and fed by a pair of Crows, the young birds making very fair attempts to “ caw.” 217 quat.—Centrococcyx intermedius, Hume—Na- tive name—Vahok. Hume’s Coucal or Crow Pheasant—which, I believe, is the only species of this genus found in the Division—is a permanent resident. It is fairly abundant but rather locally distributed, frequenting bamboo brakes, particularly where these occur round tanks in the neighbourhood of villages; sugarcane fields in the vicinity of jhils, and generally, any odd patches of jungle bordering on water, from which latter it is seldom found at any distance. In the Horticultural Gardens at Lucknow it is rather common, and breeds there in trees overrun with creepers. It also breeds in bamboo and other thorny thickets, generally in June, but it may have two broodsin the year, as I have seen quite young birds in November. Of two nests that I robbed inJune one contained three and the other two white eggs, rather dull and chalky in appearance. They average in measurement 1°38 by 1:12 inches. 220.—Taccocua sirkee, Gray. The Bengal Sirkeer is a permanent and fairly common resident, but is also somewhat locally distributed. In well-wooded THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNUW CIVIL DIVISION. 29 tracts it will rarely be found unless there is a deal of grass and other jungle growing about ; but in dhak jungles, mingled with Fict and other trees, into which it flies and hides when disturb- ed, it is fairly abundant. Itis a great skulk, and the united efforts of half a dozen beaters will sometimes almost fail to eject it from one of these trees. It feeds, usually on the ground in jungle thickets, on ants, slugs, &c., in this respect resembling C. intermedius very closely. Though I have never found its nest, I shot quite a nestling on the 8rd November, though I need not have wasted my shot as its wing-feathers proved on inspection t« be quite undeveloped. It had evidently left its nest prematurely, and was calling loudly for its parents, or I should never have discovered it. 234.—Cinnyris asiatica, Zath.—Native name— Shukur-khora. The Purple Honey-Sucker is exceedingly common, and is the only Honey-sucker found inthe Division. The males of this species moult, I think, very irregularly, some retaining their purple plumage throughout the cold weather, while as late as May others may be seen in their garb of brown, C. asiatica breeds generally in May and June, making its nest usually on some tow shrub in gardens and groves. The nest is suspended toa twig, is oval with the entrance hole, some- times protected by a slightly projecting roof or awning, on one side near the top. It usually lays two eggs of a greyish white color, spotted dusky, the spots forming in some a distinctly marked zone round the thick end of the egg. Average measurement of 6 eggs ... *62 by °43 inches. Measurement of largest egg one (OO) sath ie aay Measurement of smallestegg ...°58 ,, ‘42 ,, 240.—Piprisoma agile, Tick. The Thick-billed Flowerpecker is a permanent resident. I have usually seen it in smail parties hopping about the tops of mangoe trees, evidently looking for insects and their larve. I have not, however, as yet found its nest. 250.—Sitta castaneiventris, Prank. 30¢h September, Male.—Length, 5°31; expanse, 9°06; wing, 2°95; tail, 1°66; tarsus, °61; bill, from gape, °76; weight, D0 oz. The Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch is a common and permanent resident. After tne breeding season it is usually seen, in almost every mangoe grove and about gardens, in small parties ; at other times, generally in pairs. It feeds om insects and their 30 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION: larvee, and, unlike the Woodpeckers, moves with equal facility either up or down trees. Though this is a very common bird about Lucknow, it has bafiled all my attempts to find its nest, though I am pretty sure that a pair had their nest in a tree in my owa garden. 254.—Upupa epops, Zin. The Hoopoe, of Europe, is not common, and is only found here in the cold weather. Its larger size and the white band on its crest readily distinguish it from the next species. But the scarcity of the bird “here is, to my thinking, much more remarkable than its presence, considering its reputed abundance in other parts of India during the cold season. 255.—Upupa ceylonensis, Reich. Native name— Hudhud. The Indian Hoopoe is a common and permanent resident. It commences to pair in December, if not earlier, and breeds in February and March. On the 5th of the latter month I obtained a nest and seven fresh eggs in an out-house in my own compound. The nest was in a hole in the wall just above the door, and was nothing more or less than a shapeless and gigantic bundle of tow and rags, probably once a squirrel’s nest. Average measurement of eggs... °88 by °65 inches. Measurement of largestege ... ‘91 ,, °68 ,, Measurement of smallest egg ... °83 ,, *60 ,, 256.—Lanius lahtora, Sykes. Native name—Safaid Latora. The Indian Grey Shrike, though it may be found almost anywhere in open country, is numerically rare. It frequents dhak jungles, oftener babool and other low trees on open plains, and occasionally telegraph wires. Though it feeds mostly on crickets, locusts, &e., I have never, as apparently others have done, seen it even attempt to seize young or sickly birds. It breeds here from March to July, making a massive cup- shaped nest in babool trees, generally in solitary ones on open plains. A nest that I came across on the 24th June contained four young, semi-fledged birds. 207.—Lanius erythronotus, Vig. Native name— Mattiya Latora. The Rufous-backed Shrike is decidedly commoner than the last species ; and, like it, is a permanent resident, frequenting THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 31 the same localities, with perhaps less of a liking for open plains, but very abundant in all dhak jungles. In its habits it is much the same as LZ. lahtora, and breeds during the same season, but usually in some thick wild corounda bush surrounded by dhak, On one occasion I saw it succeed in capturing alarge moth on the wing. 260.—Lanius vittatus, Val. The Bay-backed Shrike is not common, but may be met with occasionally in dhak jungles and in well-wooded bushy tracts. It appears to have the usual habits of its tribe, and is a permanent resident. 261.—Lanius cristatus, Lin. The Brown Shrike is fairly common in the cold weather. It frequents the same localities as the last species. 262.—Lanius isabellinus, Hemp. § Ehr. The Desert Shrike is not common, and is probably only a cold weatner visitor. It frequents the same localities as the preceding species, and appears to have, here, precisely the same habits. 265.—Tephrodornis pondicerianus, Gm. Native name—Kerula. 17th November, Male.—Length, 7: ; expanse, 11:25 ; wing, 3°50 ; tail, 3°; tarsus, -90 ; bill, from gape, °90; weight, Z oz. The Common Wood Shrike is a common and permanent resi- dent, frequenting alike gardens, avenues and mangoe groves ; but is rarely, if ever, seen in low scrub or dhak jxngle. It generally moves about in small parties, apparently searching the leaves and branches of trees for insects, caterpillars, &c. I have never found its nest. 270.—Graucalus macii, Less. Native name—Khaki Popiya: 10th October, Female.—Length, 12°25 ; expanse, 20°; wing, 6:90 ; tail, 5°90 ; tarsus, 1-10. The Large Cuckoo Shrike is fairly common in well-wooded tracts, and frequently visits compounds and gardens. A pecu- liarity of this bird is, that it rarely alights on mangoe trees, preferring to pass over them on its way from one tree to another ; while at other times it may be seen on babool bushes, evidently oblivious of the comparatively magnificent mangoe trees around. I cannot account for this, especially as mangoe trees usually swarm with the insects, caterpillars, &c., 32 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION, upon which it principally feeds. Its flight is slow and undu- lating, and it is seldom seen alone, generally in pairs, and sometimes, though rarely, in small parties. It breeds in the Division, though I know nothing about its nidification, having never been fortunate enough to find its nest. 271.—Pericrocotus speciosus, Lath. Native name— Sat suki kapi.* 17th November, Female.—Length, 9°; expanse, 12°75 ; wing, 4°10; tail, 4:50; tarsus, ‘80; bill, from gape, 1:05; weight, 1:40 oz. At one time I was inclined to look upon this lovely bird, the Large Minivet, asa rare and very exceptional cold weather visitor. Rare it undoubtedly is, but small parties, chiefly females, may be met with occasionally, from November to the end of February, in mangoe topes all over the Division, while I have frequently seen it in the Horticultural Gardens at Lucknow. It is strange that while this species visits us P. roseus does not. 273.—Pericrocotus brevirostris, Vig. 11th November, Male.—Length, 8°; expanse, 11°; wing, 3°70; tail, 4°50; tarsus, -70; bill, from gape, ‘70; weight, "62 02. 11th November, Female.—Length, 8°50; expanse, 11°; wing, 3°70; tail, 4°70; tarsus, ‘70; bill, from gape, °70; weight, *62 072. The Short-billed Minivet begins to put in an appearance in October, leaving again at the end of the cold weather, but during its stay is a fairly common visitor to both our gardens and groves. It generally moves about in small parties, in which females and young in the yellow garb usually predomi- nate in the proportion of two or three to one adult male ; keeps well to the tops of trees, be they high or low, and seems always busily engaged hunting for insects and their larvee. 276.—Pericrocotus peregrinus, Lin. 11th November, Male.—Length, 6°25 ; expanse, 8°50; wing, 2°80; tail, 4°; tarsus, ‘60; bill, from gape, 60; weight, °40 oz. 11th November, Female.—Length, 6°25; expanse, 8°50; wing, 2°70; tail, 3°10; tarsus, °70; bill, from gape, 60; weight, 38 oz. The Small Minivet is a common and permanent resident. Like the last species, it is generally seen in small parties, frequenting mangoe topes and gardens. I have never been fortunate enough to find its nest. * This name is also applied to P, brevirostris. THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 32 278.—Buchanga atra, Herm, Native name— Bojanga. The Common Drongo Shrike or “ King Crow” is everywhere common, frequenting gardens, avenues, groves, telegraph wires, jungly and cultivated tracts, and even low scrub on usar plains. It generally perches in positions whence it commands a good look-out; often on the backs of cattle, where it watches for the crickets and grasshoppers they disturb when grazing. It is an active, pugnacious and noisy bird, particularly during the breeding season, when its familiar call-note may be heard long before sunrise and after dusk. It has, however, a pleasant, prolonged, low twittering song, which it occasionally indulges in at dusk when the day’s labor’s done. On one occasion, early in May, I saw what I thought was a curious sight—a Drongo cutting such antics on the wing that I never for a moment suspected it was all the while belaboring a poor Tit or Warbler that it must have had in its talons. The liberation of the little captive fairly astonished me, but judging from the rapidity with which it made for the nearest tree, it was apparently more frightened than hurt, The earliest record I have of the breeding of this species is the 16th May, and the latest the 20th July; but inter- mediately I have come across many nests, by far the most from the 15th June to the 10th July. Out of 54 eggs I have of the two typical kinds—pure white and spotted—13 of the former and 41 of the latter, including four with only about half a dozen minute spots on each. Spotted eggs: Average measurement of 41 eggs ‘99 by °72 inches. 1:06 ,, *72 ,, (longest.) Measurement of largest ege | 1-00 i 78 x (thickest.) Measurement of smallest egg ‘91 ,, °64 ,, Pure white variety: Average measurement of 13 eggs ‘97 by °72 inches. Measurement of largest egg | 1°06 ,, °72 ,, (longest.) ©5( 1:02 ,, °76 ,, (thickest.) Measurement of smallestegg ‘88 ,, ° 9 281.—Buchanga cerulescens, Lin. The White-bellied Drongo is fairly common during the cold weather in well-wooded localities, but rarely, if ever, seen in such open country as the last species. In its habits it is much the same, except that it never frequents cows’ backs, and some- times sings sweetly. I believe it migrates to the hills at the 5 34 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. commencement of the hot weather; at any rate, I have not been able to find its nest, nor have I seen it during the breeding season. 286.—Chibia hottentotta, Zin. The Hair-crested Drongo can only, I think, be considered as a rare yisitor during the rains. It is then occasionally brought into the market, but I have only once seen it in its wild state frequenting the outer trees of a mangoe tope near Lucknow. It seems strange that it should be found here at all during the rains, and not in the cold weather. 288.—Muscipeta paradisi, Zin. Native names— Shah-Bulbul and Sham-Bulbul. 5th June—Brown, Female.—Length, 8:50; expanse, 10°40; wing, 3°89; tail, 4°25; tarsus, -62; bill, from gape, 1:; weight, *62 oz. The Paradise Flycatcher, though by no means common, is uni- versally spread over the Division. Occasionally it may be seen flitting about mangoe topes, but oftener in bamboo brakes and other thickets, and is a frequent visitor to the Horticultural Gardens at Lucknow, where it breeds. On the 6th June last I took a nest and four eggs from a low branch of a mangoe tree. The eggs, of a delicate white salmon color, were minutely spotted with red and ringed with similar spots at the large end. Their measurement averages 0°80 by 0°58 inches, A complete account of the changes of plumage of this species is still very much required. Personally, I am inclined to regard the chestnut phase as its breeding plumage, the female having a short, and the male a long, tail at this season ; while it is also the universal livery of the young, but for how long Heaven only knows. At any rate, during May, June and July, these birds are generally in the chestnut plumage, white ones being then the exception, though it is these very excep- tions that puzzle one so much. Perhaps, some day, we may get to know all about them. In the “ Gulistan of Hafiz” the chestnut and white bird are considered as distinct species; the white—I write from memory—being called the Shah, and the chestnut bird the Sultana Bulbul. 290.—Hypothymis azurea, Bodd. The Black-naped Blue or Azure Flycatcher is only a cold weather visitor, and even then is by no means common. It does not seem to care for mangoe topes, in which I have never seen it; but in forest-looking tracts, with plenty of under- THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION, 35 wood or shrubs, it may occasionally be seen, generally two or three together. 292.—Leucocerca aureola, Viezél. The White-browed Fantail is common throughout the Divi- sion, alike in mangoe groves, avenues, gardens, &c. It feeds on small insects, which it usually seizes on the wing, and breeds from May to August. On the 25th July I was fortu- nate enough to see a pair commence building their nest, and I watched its progress daily very carefully. The place selected was a horizontal and slender mangoe branch about six feet from the ground, at a point where the branch terminated and three slender uprights started. In this fork they commenced the nest by twisting spider webs round the main or horizontal stem upon which their tiny structure was destined to stand. Next morning the nest was but little bigger than, and almost as neat and compact as a large acorn cup, and entirely unconnected with any of the upright twigs. During the next two days good progress was made, and on the fifth day the nest was a perfect full-sized skeleton, having its sides firmly attached to the three perpendicular twigs. The process of thickening the sides of the nest then commenced, and in 13 days, counting from the beginning, the nest was completed. On the fifteenth day it contained two eggs of a creamy white color with a zone of brownish spots at the thick end of each. Average measurement of the two °63 by 50 inches. Respective measurements way les 4 ia . 295.—Culicicapa ceylonensis, Sws. 14th November, Female.—Length, 5:25; expanse, 7:50 ; wing, 2°40 ; tail, 2°20 ; tarsus. 50 ; bill, from gape (?) ; weight, "29 02. The Grey-headed Flycatcher visits the Division in great numbers duriug the cold weather. Itseems to be particularly fond of mango topes, where many may always be seen flitting a good deal about the lower branches, and sallying forth in all directions after insects. 297.—Alseonax latirostris, Raff. The Earth-brown Flycatcher is by no means abundant, and I am at a loss whether to consider it a permanent resident or not. It certainly visits us during the rains; but I have no record or recollection of having seen it at other seasons. 36 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 301.—Stoporala melanops, Vig. The Verditer Flycatcher is only a cold weather visitor. It is never, however, abundant, and frequents for the most part the better wooded tracts of the district, though I have seen it in my own garden, and very often in the Wingfield Park and Horticultural Gardens, Lucknow. It breeds in Kumaon, where it was very plentiful in June. On the 10th of that month, 1 found a nest and three fully fledged young in. a dak bungalow out-house. The nest, for the most part built of moss, semi-globular and rather massive in appearance, and lined with fine black roots, was placed between the roof and ridge-pole, resting on the latter. Again, on the 12th, I took a nest of similar construction from under the exposed roots of a tree ina roadside embankment. The eggs, three in number and quite fresh, were of a creamy white color, with a light but well-defined reddish brown Zone round the thick end of each, with the circular space at the end within the zone of a still lighter shade. They measure respec- tively ‘76 by ‘54, 72 by ‘55, and ‘78 by ‘56 inches. 304.—Cyornis rubeculoides, Vig. The Blue-throated Redbreast is only a cold weather visitor, - numerically rare and seldom seen, except perhaps in the guava groves and gardens about Lucknow. In the district it is occa- sionally met with in mangoe topes, frequenting low branches, often small shoots projecting from the trunks of the trees, from which it sallies forth after insects, rarely returning to the same perch, and seldom to the same tree. 306.—Cyornis tickelli, Bly. Tickell’s Blue Redbreast is perhaps rather commoner than the last species, but is similar in habits, and frequents the same localities, keeping, however, more to the upper than to the lower branches of trees. It is, of course, only acold weather visitor. 323.—Erythrosterna albicilla, Pad. From having for a long while confounded this, the Eastern White-tailed Robin Flycatcher, with the next species, I am unable to say much about it, but my impression is that it is quite as common as E. parva during the cold weather, and in its habits exactly resembles that bird, frequenting the same localities. 323 bis.—Erythrosterna parva, Bechst. The White-tailed Robin Flycatcher is common during the cold weather in mangoe groves, gardens, &c., almost indeed THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 37 anywhere. It is usually seen sporting about the lower branches and trunks of trees, capturing insects, &c., and is an active, restless little bird. It retires to the hills in April. 353.—Petrophila cinclorhyncha, Vig. The Blue-headed Chat Thrush can only, I think, be consi- dered as a rare cold weather visitor. I have only seen it on two or three occasions in the forest-looking topes along the Chowka near Byramghat, and once in a rather jungly mangoe grove not far from Lucknow. In December last I saw and shot a specimen in a mangoe tope near Lucknow. 355.—Geocichla citrina, Zath. The Rusty-throated Ground-Thrush, like the last species, is only a cold weather visitor, but is not so rare. It may, to a certainty, be found in every forest-looking bamboo brake, frequenting damp and dark nooks, where it feeds on the slugs and insects usually found in these, turning over the leaves on the ground to find them. It not unfrequently enters the Horticul- tural Gardens at Lucknow, where it finds suitable haunts in the damp shrubberies there; but in dry dhak jungles, no matter how shady the trees may be, I have never seen it. It also avoids mangoe topes. 371.—Oreocincla dauma, Lath. 28th December, Female.—Length, 10:5 ; expanse, 16°25 ; wing, 5°60; tail, 3°65; tarsus, 1:30; bill, from gape, 1:25. Bill, upper mandible dark brown, lower much paler brown; legs fleshy white. The Small-billed Mountain Thrush, which is also only a winter visitor, is about as common as the last species, resembling it in its habits and frequenting precisely the same localities, though I have not observed it so close to Lucknow as in the Horticultural Gardens. 385.—Pictoris sinensis, Gm. 14th November, Female.—Length, 7°62 ; expanse, (?); wing, 2°50; tail, 4°; tarsus, 1:; bill, from gape, ‘60; weight, *50 oz. The Yellow-eyed Babbler is very common and a_ permanent resident, rather more abundant during the cold than in the hot and rainy seasons. It is fond of grassy bush and dhak jungle, but fonder still of patches and rows of tall thatching grass, on the stalks of which, when seeding, it settles and searches diligently for insects, generally in parties ranging from six to a 38 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. dozen. During the heat of the day the party usually retires: to rest in some bush overgrown with long grass, where they may be heard conversing in a low chatter. If disturbed then, they make a great noise and scuttle through the adjoining grass in all directions, becoming silent as they hide or squat, and remaining so until the intruder moves off, when they generally re-assemble either in the same bush or in some other close by. ‘The male bird sings very sweetly, oftenest, 1 think, in the cold dewy November mornings. 432.—Malacocercus terricolor, Hodgs. Native name—Ghoughar and Sat-bhai. 1st November, Female.—Length, 10°; expanse, 13:; wing, 5°50 ; tail, 4°30; tarsus, 1°40; bill, from gape, (?) ; weight, 2°50 oz. The Bengal Babbler is very common in avenues, gardens, hedgerows, mangoe topes and dhak jungles—in fact where- ever there are trees or bushes it is sure to be found. Jerdon surely could never have mistaken this species for M. maleolmi, yet we find him writing that the latter doubtless “extends through most of the N. W. Provinces, whilst M. terricolor, so tar as we know, is not found there’ —( Birds of India, Vol. [1., page 65). The reverse is the case, and so far from MM. terricolor not occurring it is one of the commonest, and probably the noisiest, bird in the N. W. Provinces. It is universally known amongst the natives as the “ Sat bhai,” or seven brothers ; ‘ babbler’’ or ‘“chatterer’” being the name usually applied to it by Europeans. Being a constant resident in gardens and compounds its habits are very generally known. When the Shikra, as it sometimes does, makes a swoop at a party of babblers, it is curious to observe how silent they become, sneaking off singly to the tops of trees where they hide for some time, and then begin to file away to some other locality where they still keep very quiet until well into the business of feeding again. Their breeding season extends from March to September ; but though by habit gregarious, they never breed in company. Orange, citron, guava and other low trees and shrubs are favorite nesting places, as well as the lower branches of mangoe trees. Their nests are mostly composed of coarse grasses lined with finer grass, but sometimes with coarse hair-like roots, the egg cavity being about 5 by 4 by 2 inches. They gener- ally lay three eggs, of a deep greenish blue (the shade varies in some), and occasionally four may be found in a nest. Average measurement of 12 eggs *99 by ‘77 inches. Measurement of largestegg ... 1:05 ,, °79 Measurement of smallest egg... °95 ,, ‘76> ,, - THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 39 436.—Argya malcolmi, Sykes. Native name.— Bhaina. Since the first part of this paper was published, and long after this part was in type, I met with this species, the Large Grey Babbler, for the first time in this Division in the dhak jungles in the neighbourhood of the Rahimabad Railway. Station, where, on this occasion, I found them common. During the day I spent there I must have seen some seven or eight different parties of from five to ten individuals in each. Though I have explored these jungles before, times without number, I have never previously noticed this species. I could hardly have passed them over as ¢erricolor, for malcolmi is a larger bird and recognizable at a glance when flying by the whitish color of the lateral tail feathers. Still this seems more likely than that this species should now, for the first time during several years, have made its appearance here. Anyhow it must be very locally distributed in the Division, and it is certainly not found in the vicinity of Lucknow. The addition of this species brings my total number up to 414 (wde p. 501, Vol. TX.) 438.—Chatarrhea caudata, Dum. The Striated Bush-Babbler is a common and _ permanent resident, very abundant in dhak and thorn jungle; less so in patches of thatching grass, which it also frequents, and is seen, though not habitually, in hedgerows and about gardens, and is not uncommon in the large, grass-hedged, guava groves about Lucknow. It breeds from April to August, making its nest usually in thick bushes, especially in dhak jungles in the wild corounda. The following is a record of its nests and the dates on which I found them :— May 5th... --- nest and 3 eges (hard-set.) 9 31st ece eco ” 3 ” (fresh.) June 20th eee eee 9 3 39 ( ” ) July 20th ove eee ” 3 ” ( 9 sii, ORD Tae sax P. 3 young (just hatched.) Average measurement of 12 eggs... °81 by °62 inches. Measurement of largest egg ef EB OR igen hunts Measurement of smallest egg deh 92 Ai bvrcson Oe ats The eggs are blue and glossy. 460.—Otocompsa emeria, Lin. Native name— Kangra Bulbul. The Red-whiskered Bulbul is very common all the year round. It frequents gardens and avenues about Lucknow and 40 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. abounds throughout the district in all well-wooded tracts. It breeds very generally in May: in that month I found the following nests :— May ::D6R) 7) sss ..» nest and 3 ego's (fresh.) ods PRIA Suet aie cae 5) FR A) ese) Pe Gion cx sah mutaaal (oa eean(ie o) Sr eee aids as B dean wv pte OLA Ti0 17 ftntels boi = Dh 5 99 Average measurement of 12 eggs *82 by ‘62 inches. Measurement of largestege ... °86 ,,°70 4, Measurement of smallest egg ... °80 ,, 60 ,, It habitually breeds in thickly foliaged shrubs, particularly in creepers running up trees or lattice work, and in the Horti- cultural Gardens, here, nests are consequently very numerous. 462.—Molpastes hemorrhous, Gm. Native name— Bulbul, also Guldum Bulbul. The Common Madras Bulbul is quite as abundant as the last species, and perhaps more generally spread, being frequently found in comparatively woodless tracts. Still, it frequents much the same localities, and is very abundant about Lucknow, where it is prized by the natives for its fighting qualities. In the district, too, it is trained for the same purpose, and on several occasions I have seen as many as a hundred perched on, and fastened to, separate sticks shaped like the letter T, in the courtyards of country magnates. The eggs of this species are somewhat larger and redder than those of O. emeria; but there is but little difference in the size and shape of their nests, and they breed in the same localities ; O. emeria very generally in May, but this species apparently not until June or July. The following is my record of its nests :— June 13th ... nest and 3 eggs (fresh.) ” 15th eee 99 2 39 ? je. 26th be - 3, (hard-set.) : July 18th Nee 3 5, (partly incubated.) 9 Average measurement of 10 eggs 87 by °64 inches. Measurement of largestegg ... ‘95 ,, ‘72 ,, Measurement of smallestegg ... °75 , '63 4, 468—Iora tiphia, Zin. 18th November, Male.—Length, 5°80 ; expanse, 8°25 ; wing, 2°60; tail, 2:20 ; tarsus, °70; bill, from gape, ‘75 ; weight, he oz. Legs dark plumbeous ; irides greyish brown ; bill dark orny. ; THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 41 The Green Iora, or White-winged Green Bulbul, as Jerdon calls it, is a fairly common and‘permanent resident. It frequents avenues, gardens, mangoe topes, &ec., generally in pairs, but occasionally insmall parties, keeping well outof sight, as it quietly searches the leaves and branches of trees for itsinsect food. On the 16th July I found anest and three eggs. The nest was ina mangoe tree on a horizontal bough (attached to that and an upright twig) about 20 feet from the ground ; it was cup-shaped, compact and well made of fine grass stems (lined with finer) and cobwebs, and so well concealed from view that I would have given long odds against any one finding it who had not, as I had, seen the birds building it. The eggs measured ‘75 by ‘56, -75 by °56, ‘73 by °58 inches, and are, I consider, the most beautiful in my collection, being of a creamy white color, beautifully marked with longitudinal wavy streaks of faint purplish brown. 470.—Oriolus kundoo, Sykes. Native name—-Pilak. 5th October, Female, juv.—Length, 9:25; expanse, 15: ; 5°; tail, 3°87; tarsus, °87. The Mango Bird or Indian Oriole, though a permanent resi- dent, is never so abundant during the cold weather as it is during the hot and rainy seasons from about the time the mangoe trees begin to bloom to the end of September. It frequents gardens, avenues, mangoe topes, and is frequently seen in open country, taking long flights between trees, principally the banian and other Fict, upon the berries and buds of which it feeds. I have the following record of its nests :— wing, June 16th ... nest and no eggs (building), July 2nd ae » 2 eggs (fresh). ” 2nd eee Seen ose AGT a) eile UE wD in Yeap Sais gee ame aot ie » 3 young (just hatched), Aug. 5th ee a a ag “(edoed). Average measurement of 6 eggs ... 1:10 by °84 inches. Measurement of largest egg aap EO" BOG: tian Measurement of smallest egg met UO 5 Sods ae The nests were all alike, cup-shaped, made up of coarse grasses, tow, rags, &., suspended to forks in branches of mangoe trees, easily seen from beneath but well concealed by leaves above. A nest, which I saw the birds building, was ready for fully a month before it was used. 472.—Oriolus melanocephalus, Lin. Native name— Pahari Topi-dar Pilak. 12th November, Female.—Lencth, 9°50 ; expanse, 16°50 ; wing, 9°30 ; tail, 4°; tarsus, 1:10; bill, from gape, 1°30 ; weight, 2°50 oz. 6 42 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION, Unlike O. kundoo, the Black-headed Oriole is much more com- mon during the cold weather than it is in either the hot or rainy season; many evidently migrating for these seasons. In its habits it closely resembles the last species, and frequents the same localities. I have never found its nest. It probably does not breed here. 475.—Copsychus saularis, Zin. Native name—Dhyal. The Magpie Robin is a permanent and familiar resident, frequenting compounds, gardens, guava and mangoe groves, as well as dhak jungles and ‘the trees and shrubs in the vicinity of villages. Its food must be very varied, for I found one feeding on a centipede about four inches long that I made it drop with difficulty, On examining the centipede I found that life was not quite extinct. During the pairing and breeding seasons this Robin sings sweetly, “particularly in the early mornings and at dusk. Tt usually nests in holes in trees, but occasionally in walls and deserted buildings, and generally lays four eggs, pale bluish green, spotted or blotched with brown. Of its nests I have thé following record:— May 22nd ... nest and 4 eggs (fresh) mangoe tree. July 9th ues 2 ar Ory fate) ” a Lou oo 7 4, *s, Chard. setyen » doth as af 4 young (unfledged),, Average measurement of 8 eggs ... ‘84 by *74 inches. Measurement of ! largest egg Se ee at el wig Measurement of smallest egg iE ae hes 480.—Thamnobia cambaiensis, Da Native name— Shama.* 5th October, Female.—Length, 6°50; expanse, 9°25 ; wing, 3 ; tail, 2°87; tarsus, 1°; bill, from gape, °62; weight, °75 oz. The familiar Brown-backed Robin is a permanent resident, and frequents the same localities as the last species. It is generally seen in pairs, and during the breeding season has a pleasing song, which it usually war bles forth at morn and even, dancing about all the time with its wings in a trailing position and its tail erect. It generally—almost invariably—nests i in holes in houses, inasonry or mud walls, and old deserted buildings of any kind ; occasionally in nullahs and ravines. The following is my record of its nests :— March 10th ee» nest and 4 eggs (incubated). May 24th is a a tdnes pliteshy June 15th wits Pay net ez) July 7th a 93S SD Se 5 7th ca 99 Duca y .s Chand.sat Y, * Popularly so, though the name properly pertains to Cercotrichas: macrura, ‘ THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 43 Average measurement of 12 eggs... 79 by °56 inches. Measurement of largest egg re OO tage CULT tas Measurement of smallest ege BNE: SE as 1 ge One of the above nests, which I found in a wall of the Secunder Bagh ruins, was entirely composed of human hair! Another, which I robbed on three occasions, each time leaving the nest, had soon afterwards a fourth set. This time I allowed the eggs to remain, and had the satisfaction of knowing that the old lady managed to rear her brood. Possibly Iam, and was, wrong in supposing her to have laid the four clutches; but though I watched closely, I was con- vinced at the time that it was the same pair that kept about the nest. 481.—Pratincola caprata, Zin. Native name—Kala- pidha. The White-winged Black Robin is common in thin dhak and tamarisk jungles, and scrub-covered, undulating and raviny ground; but does not, habitually at least, frequent gardens and well-wooded tracts. It feeds on insects which it usually captures on the ground, darting down on them from some low perch. It is a permanent resident. 483.—Pratincola maurus, Pall. The Indian Bush Chat, which is very common during the cold weather, frequents the same localities as the last species, and its habits are much the same. It usually makes its appearance about the beginning of October and leaves early in April; is in general a very wary bird, keeping well out of range of danger, and flying from bush to bush as one approaches, taking at last to thickets if persistently pursued. 491.—Saxicola isabellinus, Riipp. Menetries’ Wheat-ear is found only in the cold weather, and is not common, being rather locally distributed, as it frequents, generally, rugged and barren tracts and the more open parts of dhak and scrub jungle. I know nothing parti- cular in regard to its habits. 492.—Saxicola deserti, Riipp. The Black-throated Wheat-ear is similarly only a cold weather visitor and far from common. It frequents much the same loca- lities as the last species. On one occasion I found some five or six frequenting block kunker quarries, particularly the material lying exposed and scattered about, on the barren margin of a jhil at Ajgaen. 44 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 494.—Cercomela fusca, Bly. Native name—Dauma. The Brown Rock Chat is fairly common about Lucknow, but I have not seen it elsewhere. It frequents the numerous old buildings and walls in the City Suburbs. A nest which I took from an old mosque on the 24th May contained three fresh eggs of an uniform pale blue color, marked with tiny spots of different shades of brownish red, chiefly towards the larger end where the spots formed an irregular dotted zone. Of five egos in my possession the average measurement is 0°80 by 0:62 inches. 497.—Ruticilla rufiventris, Vici]. Native name— Lalgonda. The Indian Redstart—a cold weather visitor—makes its first appearance about the end of September, stragglers remain- ing as late as May. It is very common, frequenting gardens, mangoe and guava groves, and not unfrequently out-houses, walls and old buildings. It feeds on insects, usually capturing them on the ground. 514.—Cyanecula suecica, Lin. The Red-spot Blue-throat is very common in the cold weather. It habitually freqaents damp places, such as patches of long grass, sugarcane, pea fields, &c., in the vicinity of rivers and jhils, and is common in the tamarisk jungles about Byramghat. It feeds on insects. 518 dis.—Lusciniola melanopogon, Tem. The Moustached Sedge Warbler is fairly common in all suitable localities, but only, I think, during the cold weather. In the low-lying grass-covered lands here and there on the banks of the Goomti, in the grass and tamarisk jungle iu the semi-swamps about Byramghat, and in similar localities on the khadir lands of the Oudh bank of the Ganges, it is not uncommon, while a few may sometimes be found in the rushy swamps and nooks on such rivers as the Goomti and Saie. From its skulking habits, it is difficult to get a fair shot at it unless at very close quarters, when it generally gets mangled almost past recogni- tion. 520.—Locustella hendersoni, Cass. The Eastern Grasshopper Warbler—probably only a cold weather visitor—frequents the same localities as the last, the two being often found together, but it is decidedly a greater skulk and numerically less common. The only specimen I have, I captured alive after a good deal of trouble in THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION, 45 trying to get ‘a fairly distant shot at it (Ihad already blown two to pieces), when I saw it suddenly sneak into a small patch of “ doob” grass, and rushing up I caught it between the rooting runners of the grass and the ground, so tightly squeezed in that I had some difficulty in getting it out. 530.—Orthotomus sutorius, Penn. Native name— Phutki. The Indian Tailor-bird is a common and permanent resident, frequenting gardens, hedgerows, groves, and all kinds of jungles. In gardens it sometimes nests in brinjad bushes, but more frequently in the low shoots of guava trees, sewing two or three of the leaves together, which it lines with some soft material—cotton or wool preferred—if procurable either by fair means or foul. I have known it to enter verandahs, and even rooms, to pick the fibre out of cotton and other ropes. Its eggs are usually white, spotted with reddish brown, but some are of a very pale bluish green color, similarly, but more minutely, spotted with a lighter shade of brown. Of the two varieties, I have nine eggs of the former and four of the latter; they measure respectively :— Bluish variety. Average measurement ... ‘65 by °46 inches, Measurement of largestegg ... ‘69 ,, ‘48 ,, Measurement of smallest egg ... °63,, “43 ,, White variety. Average measurement ... ‘64 by *46 inches. Measurement of largestegg ... ‘70 ,, °48 ,, Measurement of smallestegg ... ‘64 ,, 43 ,, It breeds very generally in June and July. 535.—Prinia stewarti, Bly. Native name—Phutki.* Stewart’s Wren-Warbler is about as common and frequents the same localities as the last species, being particularly abundant in dhak and thorn jungles. It is very destructive in gardens, where it destroys peas with a vengeance, snapping its tailf at any one who attempts to interfere with its apparently favorite pastime. ‘This it habitually does when disturbed, excited or frightened. It makes its nest in any low bush, with leaves large enough to answer its purpose when two or three are tacked together. The nest is very much like a tailor bird’s ; * Applied generally, in this Division, to all small Warblers. + How does it perform this remarkable and unusual operation ?—Ed. 46 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. but the eggs are very different, being of a brick-red color. The average measurement of six is ‘64 by “46 inches. 539.—Cisticola cursitans, Frankl. The Fantail Warbler is a permanent resident, abundant in all suitable localities, principally in long grass wherever this is found —in dhak jungles, where grass is abundant, and in corn and pea-fields in the neighbourhood of, or partially surrounded by, sarpatta grass ; but never, I think, far away from these and such like retreats. It feeds on small insects and their larvee. Ihave no notes regarding its nidification. 543.—Drymeca inornata, Sykes. Native name— Ghas-Phutki. | The Harth-brown Wren-Warbler frequents the same localities as the last, but in far greater numbers. Indeed, it is one of the most common birds in the Division, always found in great numbers wherever thatching or sarpatta grass abounds. When disturbed, it usually takes a short, jerky, flight and darts again into the grass, through which it moves with great facility. Sometimes, when undisturbed and “ alone in its glory,” it takes short excursions into the air, jerks about for a few moments, and then returns to the grass to indulge.in a low twittering song. It breeds very generally in July. Between the 1st and 3lst of that month, I must have seen and examined at least 100 nests in the sarpatta grass clumps so common along the Goomti at Lucknow. The nests were invariably made of fine strips of grass, which is always used when green and pliable, giving them at first a green appearance, but later on, as it fades, a straw color. In shape they are rather elongated oval structures, very neatly woven, with the entrance hole near the top, and are generally about three or four feet from the ground in the middle of a clump of grass firmly attached to five or six of the stems. The eggs are generally of a pale bluish-green, spotted with chocolate and various shades of brown, the larger ends generally with, but occasionally without, a zone of denser spots entangled in a labyrinth of fine hair-like lines. Another variety, though similarly marked, have pure pinkish-white grounds, and are very beautiful eggs. Out of 70 eggs in my possession, 62 belong to the former, and eight to the latter, variety. They measure respectively :— Bluish variety ; Average measurement ... °60 by *45 inches. Measurement of largestega ... °62,, “47 yy Measurement of smallest eg. selOiceapa tou an THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 47 Pinkish-white variety : Average measurement ... ‘57 by ‘41 inches. Measurement of largest egg ... ‘59 ,, 42 ,, x er 2 Measurement of smallest egg ... aie ae nee: 80 551.—Franklinia buchanani, Bly. The Rufous-fronted Wren-Wavrbler is fairly common anda ‘permanent resident. It frequents very much the same localities as the last species, especially low thorn and scrub jungle. It makes an oblong loosely-constructed nest with the aperture near the top, and lays three or four white eggs, minutely spotted with dingy red. Average measurement of four eggs, 0:60 by 0:46 inches. * 554.—Phylloscopus tristis, Bly. The Brown Tree-Warbler is common during the cold weather in trees and jungle on the banks of the Chowka at Byramghat, and on the Goomti about Lucknow, especially in a large tope of young babool trees belonging to the Horticultural Gardens. I have also seen it frequenting mangoe topes. 559.—Phylloscopus nitidus, Bly. The Bright-green Tree-Warbler is only, I think, a cold weather visitor, though I have shot it early in September, and as late as the end of April. It frequents mangoe topes, and is fairly abundant in the babool fences along the railway. 565 bis.—Reguloides humii, Brooks. Hume’s Crowned Tree-Warbler is certainly fairly common in the mangoe groves about Lucknow and elsewhere during the cold weather. On the 11th October I shot two specimens, and saw many more in the same tope, and have seen it often since. ) 582.—Sylvia affinis, Bly. The Allied White-Throat is very generally spread over the Division during the cold weather ; but I have never seen it ‘anywhere so numerous as itis in the babool trees along the Goomti and the railway. In the tall dhak and thorn jungles ‘about Rahimabad it is also pretty common; but. it never, I think, except by chance, enters mangoe topes. . 589. —Motacilla maderaspatensis, Tem. Native name—Khanjan. The Large Pied Wagtail is a permanent resident, but common only, I think, on rivers and streams. -On the Goomti, where 48 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. I have had opportunities of observing it, I have seldom found more than one or two together, and have never seen it associa- ting in flocks like other Wagtails. When flushed it usually flies but a short distance along the river—always, I think, over the water, and on alighting on the beach is often rudely assailed by one of its own species, each evidently considering a certain range his own particular beat. 591.—Motacilla personata, Gould. Native name— Dhobin.* The Black-faced Wagtail is common during the cold weather, making its appearance early in Septemberand remaining to about the end of April. It may be found almost anywhere, viz., in ploughed fields, grassy plains, gardens, topes, and about rivers and jhils, usually running briskly about after insects. 591 dis.—Motacilla dukhunensis, Sykes. The remarks about the last species apply equally to this, the Indian White-faced Wagtail, which is everywhere as common, frequenting the same localities. 592.—Calobates melanope, Pall. I cannot say that I have ever observed the Grey and Yellow Wagtail, though it surely must occur during the cold weather. It is mentioned in Captain Irby’s paper as “ common,” and its occurrence can scarcely be doubted, thozgh I should not think it could be at all abundant, or I could hardly have overlooked it. 593 bis——Budytes melanocephalus, Licht. Native name— Pilkya. The Black-cap Field Wagtail is common during the cold weather, coming in early and remaining late. After a good shower they may be seen in great numbers on usar plains ; are common in rice and well-irrigated corn-fields, and in the neighbourhood of jhils and rivers. They sometimes perch on trees. 594.—Budytes calcaratus, Hodgs. The Black-backed Yellow-headed Wagtail is not quite so common as the last species, but is fairly abundant in marshes, inundated fields and damp tracts in the vicinity of jhils and rivers. It is only a cold weather visitor. 596.—Anthus maculatus, Hodgs. The Indian Tree-Pipit is common during the cold weather, appearing about the end of September and departing about the * Applied to most Grey Wagtails, THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION, 49 end of April. Some few may, however, remain to breed* as I saw a pair ina mangoe tope so late as the 29th of May last. This Tree-Pipit frequents shady places, and is abundant in all mangoe groves where the ground is covered with vegeta- tion, from which it may be seen flying up into the trees as one approaches. In the gardens about Lucknow it is also common. It usually feeds on the ground, but frequently on trees. 597.—Anthus trivialis, Zin. It is not easy to distinguish the European Tree-Pipit from the last species without a closer examination than one usually gets in the fields; but it appears to be equally as common, frequenting the.same localities and very similar in its habits. 600.—Corydalla rufula, Vierll. The Indian Tit-Lark is a common and permanent resi- dent, found alike in cultivated tracts, open plains, and dhak jungles, but more abundantly in damp and wet places, such as thin patches of wild paddy and rice. When the thatch- ing grass grown in the suburbs of Lucknow is cut in April or May, many will always be found frequenting the stumps or tufts, in which they doubtless make their nests. 604.—Agrodroma sordida, Riipp. The Brown Rock-Pipit is not common. I have occasionally met with it in cultivated tracts, ploughed fields, and about mounds covered with broken brick and scrub jungle. It is only a cold weather visitor. 631.—Zosterops palpebrosa, Tem. Native name— Baboona. The White-eyed Tit is both a very common and permanent resident, found in all well-wooded tracts, very numerous in mangoe topes, and the compounds and gardens about Lucknow. It is social in its habits, many being always found together, and appears to feed on small insects. I have found its nest on several occasions. Details as follows :— May 18th ... ... nest and 2 eggs (fresh). ae Sear He) ith CORRE, Au, June 8th ... sats . 3 ,, (incubated). Se LOLI ves ame yi iH) 3, iresia): July Bates) 2s. ee » 3 ” ( » ) * This seems extremely unlikely; up to the present this species has never been known to breed anywhere in the plains—Zd. 7 50 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. Average measurement of 6 eggs °56 by °46 inches. Measurement of largestege ... °60,, 48 ,, Measurement of smallest egg ... °53 ,, ‘45 ,, The nests were all on mangoe trees, suspended to thin twigs at the extreme ends of branches, and very carefully hidden by leaves, to the stems of which they were also attached. This Tit readily forsakes its nest. All the nests that I examined during construction (and I must have looked into a dozen or more) were at once abandoned. 660.—Corvus macrorhynchus, Wagl. Native Name —Kola-kowa. The Bow-billed Corby, though not by any means so common as the next species, is decidedly plentiful wherever there are human habitations, and is often met with in comparatively lonely places. It breeds in thickly-foliaged trees, generally mangoe or tamarind, in March and April. The following is my record of nests :— March 6th ... ... nest and 4 eggs (fresh). 4» 0th oes “ A A ey CORE ” 15th eee ace 9 2 93 ( bb) ) as OA ae tee ” aes ty ) Path ses se » «© ,, Gueubated). 99 Average measurement of 10 eggs 1°74 by 1:4 inches. Measurement of largestegg ... 188 ,, 1:16 _,, Measurement of smallestegg .. 1°60 ,, 1:2 p The nests are stick platforms, always placed high in the trees. 663.—Corvus splendens, Vviezli. Native name— Kowa. The Indian Grey-necked Crow is, of course, abundant, and as impudent and familiar here, as it is elsewhere, wlale its chief characteristics are too well known to need recapitulation. [ may mention, however, that it robs nests, if not habitually, at least occasionally, for | have more than once seen it despatch- ing eggs with great gusto. It breeds very generally in July and August, the first fall of rain in June being the signal for building operations to commence. It may then be seen vigorously stealing the khus- khus from tatties, purloining pea-sticks, annexing twigs, rags, &e., with which it soon completes its nest. It usually lays four eggs of a greenish-blue colour, spotted and blotched with a shades of brown, some remarkably free from any spots at all. THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 51 The Koel, if, may be noted, invariably lays its eggs in the nests of this species. 674.—Dendrocitta rufa, Scop. Native name— . Mootrv. 14th November, Female.—Length, 16; expanse, 18°; wing, 5°90; tail, 9°50; tarsus, 1:30; bill, from gape, 1:20; weight, 3 oz. The Common Indian Tree-pie is a permanent resident, abun- dant in all well-wooded tracts, as well as in the gardens and avenues about Lucknow. A specimen that I shot had evidently robbed some nest, for its bill was smeared with the yolk of eggs. On another occasion, I actually caught one in the act of robbing a Babbler’s nest. This Tree-pie breeds generally from May to the end of July, making its nest on high mangoe trees, invariably very near their tops. I have found the following nests :— May 8th... -. nest and 4 eggs (fresh ). ” 17th eee eee bb) 2 2) ( 9 ) ee abel fens eee ” gy vant) Wc genie daly 5th... a ree meric oi x” 7th eee eco ” 4) 9) ( ” ) In some nests, the eggs were white with reddish-brown spots ; in others of a light bluish-green color with much lighter brown spots. Of the former variety I have six eggs; of the latter ten, They measure respectively :— White variety : Average ae eee 1°14 by °81 inches. Largest aa aria ol (cape 1 a Smallest nee oat LZ ee OU thes Bluish variety : Average “at ... 1:08 by °83 inches. Largest oct goer E20) OO y ae Smallest : FOO: 7.6207, 681.—Sturnus vulgaris, Jin. Native names— Kusnai and Tilora. The Common Starling is very abundant during the cold weather, frequenting open cultivated tracts and putting up for the night in neighbouring trees. It associates in flocks— large or small. These flocks, before roosting, occasionally go through a few evolutionary manceuvres on the wing; at other times they may be seen at dusk flying very low, rising now and then to clear trees, and evidently in a great hurry to reach 52 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. some distant nightly abode. When migrating in April they often. depart in flocks of countless numbers. When out on the Volunteer Rifle Range, on the 13th April last, a flock passed across the range, covering its entire length of 900 yards and extending far beyond the Butts, presenting a dense and zig-zag line fully 40 yards in breadth—a sight to see and hear. There is, I think, another Starling that frequents the Division—probably S. purpurascens; but having no specimens, I cannot, of course, vouch for its occurrence. 683.—Sturnopaster contra, Lin. Native name — Abulka* Mynah. The Pied Starling is a common and permanent resident. It feeds in flocks in company with Mynahs, swarms in the vicinity of every village, and rests for the night in trees in the neighbourhood. In Lucknow it is very generally caged for its song; indeed, when taken young and brought up within hearing of a whistling Shama, ( Cercotrichas macrura) it imitates the song of that bird to perfection. It breeds very generally in July, never, I think, laying more than four glossy blue eggs. Seen at a distance its nest might pass for a shapeless bundle of old rags and grass, paper, &e., of which, indeed, it is generally constructed, in a perfect maze of twigs in babool trees, often in the middle of a village. In the absence of the babool, any tree would, however, seem to answer for its nest, if it only has the recommendation of being in or near a village. Average measurement of 13 eggs 1:09 by ‘77 inches. Measurement of largestege ... 1:14 ,, °80 ,, Measurement of smallest egg ... 1:06 ,, ‘75 ,, 684.—Acridotheres tristis, Zin. Native name— Mynah. The Common Mynah is very abundant, particularly so in the vicinity of towns and villages. When taken young it is easily domesticated, and need never be caged, as it rarely abuses its freedom by flying away. Generally speaking, the Common Mynah, like the Crow (C. splendens), commences to build with the first fall of rain in June—early or late as the case may be—and has done breeding by the middle of September. It nests indiscrimi- nately in old ruins, verandahs, walls of houses, &c., but * Usually even in Oudh the bird is called “ Ablaka” from “ Ablak”=pic-bald, and not “ Abulka.’—ZHd. THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 53 preferentially, I think, in holes in trees, laying generally four, but sometimes five, pale blue eggs :— Average measurement of 14 eggs 1:18 by ‘86 inches. Measurement of largestege ... 1°25 ,, ‘91 ,, Measurement of smallest egg ... 1:14 ,, 82 ,, 685.—Acridotheres ginginianus, Lath. Native name—Daryta Mynah. The Bank Mynah is also excessively common, keeping more to the open country than A. éristis; but generally speaking, where one is the other is almost sure to be found. During the breeding season it associates in large flocks along the banks of the Goomti, where it nidificates in colonies in holes in the banks of the river. From some of these holes I took a few fresh eggs on the 15th May, and again on the 30th June on re-visiting the spot. In the district it breeds in old irriga- tion wells, and occasionally in ravines with good steep banks. Average measurement of 10 eggs 1:09 by ‘76 inches. Measurement of largestege ... 1:14 ,, ‘74 ,, Measurement of smallestege ... ‘98 , ‘78 ,, 687.—Sturnia pagodarum, Gm. Native names— Pawi, Popoya Mynah and Kala-sir Mynah. The Black-headed Mynah, though seldom met with in any numbers, is universally spread over the Division, and in Lucknow inhabits almost every garden. It is perhaps more common in the cold weather than it is at other seasons, but in this I may be mistaken. Like S. contra it is commonly caged, being a good songster and imitator of other birds. It breeds very generally in July, making its nest invariably in holes in trees, and usually lays but three eggs. The following is my record of its nests :— July 9th ... ... nest and 3 eggs (fresh). pai ee ENGL A Lae ‘3s - DS tassre Gays i eeend.\ ys. Ne ee Dey ast ilored od By LOLA) «sige me a Zr, aaaah ahap Average measurement of 11 eggs °99 by 70 inches. Measurement of largestegg ... 1:04 ,, -72 ,, Measurement of smallest ege ... ‘94 ,, “66 ,, 688.—Sturnia malabarica, Gm. Native name— Pawar. The Grey-headed Mynah is possibly a permanent resident, but is by no means common, and for months at a time one ‘may wander about without seeing a single specimen. I am inclined to think that it migrates to the hills to breed, but 54 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. while here it is captured and caged by the natives ; and, though I cannot say that I have ever heard it, it doubtless sings well, and imitates other birds like the last species. 690.—Pastor roseus, Zin. Name name—Golabi Mynah. I have sometimes been inclined to think that some few of the Rose-colored Starlings were permanent residents. It is only, of course, from about the middle of February to the end of April that they occur in vast numbers, but occasional stragglers will be met with throughout the hot and rainy seasons, and it is fairly abundant as early as the commence- ment of October. In the early part of the cold weather they areseldom seen in parties of more than four or five members, but are very generally distributed, particularly in well-wooded and jungly tracts, interspersed with jowar fields. As the cold season advances these small parties would appear to lose their individuality in, or probably combine and constitute, the large flocks that traverse the country in all directions preparatory to migrating, as 95 per cent. undoubtedly do in April or May at latest. Do the few that remain warrant the acceptance of P. roseus, as a permanent resident ?* 694.—Ploceus philippinus, Zin. Native name— aya. The Weaver Bird or Baya is a2 common and _ permanent resident. It is social in its habits, frequenting some localities in vast numbers ; is easily tamed, and when taken young may be taught a lotof tricks, and on this account is a great favorite with the natives. It breeds from June to the end of September, but not very generally until the rains have fairly set in, making its nest usually on trees standing in or over water. Its conspicuous retort-shaped nest in the babool fences along the railway must be familiar to every traveller. Palm trees are also favorite nesting places, from five to fifteen nests being frequently seen on one tree. Occasionally three eggs may be found ina nest, but seldom more than two, cylindrical in form and pure white. Average measurement of 10 eggs °80 by °57 inches. Measurement of largestege .. °86 ,,°60 4 Measurement of smallest ege ... *75 ,,°55 4, * Most certainly the Rosy Starling is nowhere a permanent resident of the plains of India. I very much doubt if Mr. Reid has ever met with one about Lucknow between the 7th of May and the 20th of July. If he has, it can only have been a few isolated, weakly or wounded birds. By the end of July or the first week in August (it varies in different seasons) they begin to return from their bridal tour (see also IX., 456.)—Ead. THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 55 695.—Ploceus manyar, Horsf. Native name— Telia-baya. Though Jerdon states that the Striated Weaver-bird does not appear to occur in the N. W. Provinces (Birds of India, Vol. II., page 349), he must, I think, have been misinformed, as it certainly is not uncommon here during the rains, and in suitable localities throughout both Oudh and the N. W. Provinces. In July 1878, when the Goomti was in high flood, some hundreds of these birds commenced building their nests in a large jungle of sarpatta grass which was then surrounded by and standing in water, the overflow of the river. Soon afterwards the river fell, leaving the grass high and dry, and nesting operations immediately ceased. In only two nests did T afterwards find eggs—three in each ; the average measure- ment of the six being °81 by °59; the largest measuring ‘84 by ‘61 and the smallest ‘78 by 56 inches. 698.—Amadina rubronigra, Hodgs. Native name— Nakalnor. ) The Chestnut-bellied Munia is not very common, though it is a permanent resident. I have rarely seen it, except when the thatching or sarpatta grass is in seed, on the long stalks of which numbers may often be seen feeding. The Lucknow bird- catchers, however, manage to secure large numbers wherever they get them from; but as no two of these gentlemen tell the same story when questioned about the haunts of any bird, I don’t believe, and will not reproduce the yarns they have told me about this species. 699.—Amadina punctulata, Zin. Native name— Seena-baz and Sing-baz. The Spotted Munia is a common and permanent resident. It may be found in dhak and indeed in any jungly localities, and like the last species frequents sarpatta grass when in seed. I have also frequently seen it in flocks in the tamarisk and grass jungles about Byramghat. It is also captured in large numbers and caged. 703.—Amadina malabarica, Zin. Native name— Chirkwa and Chiroka, The Plain Brown Munia is a common and permanent resident, generally found in small parties in dhak and grassy jungles. It also visits gardens and compounds, and is easily caught in trap cages bated with a live bird or two of its own species. It usually builds in small thorny trees or shrubs, making a rugged, globular-looking nest of fine grasses with 56 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. the entrance at the side, and lays from five to seven white eggs. The following is my record of its nests :— July 7th ... nest and 7 eggs (incubated). July 21st pas 99 he Debian Cubes). Sept. 11th wen ™ he ? Measurement of smallestege ... 0°90 ,, °77 .) 795.—Turtur suratensis, Gm. Native name— Chitroka Fachta and Perki, The Spotted Dove is very common in every garden and grove, and is, of course,a permanent resident. It is a familiar bird, often making its nest in verandahs and under the eaves of out-houses ; and with, perhaps, the exception of a month or two in the cold weather, breeds all the year round. It usually selects some moderately-sized thorny bush to build in, making a small thin platform fora nest, and lays two white eggs. Average measurement of 12 eggs 1:05 by ‘81 inches. Measurement of largestege ... 1:10 ,,:°85 ,, Measurement of smallestege ... 1:00,, °75 ,, These Doves hate the Common Tree-pie (Dendrocitta rufa) because it doubtless robs their nests, and on two or three occasions I have seen a couple of them succeed in driving it out of a mangoe tope. 796.—Turtur risorius, Zin, Native name—Dor Fachta and Perki. The Indian Ring Dove, though a common and permanent resident, is far more abundant in the cold weather than it is at other seasons. Many evidently migrate in April, previously THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 61 collecting in vast flocks. Like 7. suratensis it breeds almost throughout the year, never, I think, in verandahs or out-houses, though often in gardens, and very abundantly in all dhak jungles. Average measurement of 10 eggs 1°17 by 91 inches. Measurement of largest ege ... 1°22 ,, 98 ,, Measurement of smallestegg ... 1:10 ,,°88 ,, 797.—Turtur tranquebaricus, Herm, Native name— Biki and Ghirwee Fachta. The Ruddy Ring-Dove, though not so common as the two preceding species, is a permanent resident and frequents gardens and groves. It is very partial to bamboo brakes and to the babool fences along the railway. Dhak and thorn jungle, if old and tall, is also much resorted to by this species. Average measurement of 6 eggs 1:02 by ‘81 inches. Measurement of largestege ... 1:08 ,, ‘83 ,, Measurement of smallestegg ... 1:00 ,, “77 ,, 799.—Pterocles arenarius, Pall. Native name— Bhut-Titur. There is no doubt that the Large or Black-bellied Sand- grouse occasionally occurs, but nowhere in the Division, that I am aware of, is there any locality that it habitually frequents. It is, however, common in the Hurdui district, where I have seen and shot many, and possibly it is equally abundant in the west of the Unao district. 802.—Pterocles exustus, Zem. Native name—Bur- Titur. The Common Sand-grouse, though a permanent resident, is rarely met with strictly within the limits of the Division. I have seen and shot it occasionally on barren land on the banks of the Baita nuddy near Rahimabad, where a few may now and then be found. It is said to be, and probably is, much more common in the west of the Unao district, and I have seen vast flocks on the wing steering in that direction. 803.—Pavo cristatus, Zin. Native name—Wor, The Common Peacock is found permanently throughout the Division wherever suitable localities occur, being abundant in dhak and thorn jungles, particularly on the banks of streams passing through these, and also in bamboo brakes. It is not here the object of that veneration which saves it from molestation elsewhere. In its habits it is pretty regular, 62 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. frequenting daily and for weeks together the same feeding grounds and the same tree at nights. It feeds principally on grain, occasionally on insects and grubs, and even on snakes ; at any rate, years ago, a small snake was taken from the stomach of one in my presence. The breeding season here extends, 1 think, from June to September. The majority probably lay in August, judging from the number of small chicks brought into Lucknow for sale in October. 818.—Francolinus vulgaris, Steph. Native name— Kala-Titur. Though common in many parts of Oudh, I have never seen the Black Partridge strictly within the limits of the Division. Stragglers, according to good testimony, have been shot within its boundaries on the banks of the Goomti:; while native shikaris assert that shey reside in the tamarisk and grass jungles in the khadir of the Ganges (Unao district), From the nature of the localities referred to, I am inclined to believe that they may be found in the vicinity of the Ganges, though I have not personally seen or heard them there. During my rambles in Kumaon in May and June I found this Partridge very abundant in the valleys of the Sarjoo, Ramgunga, and Gori rivers (up the latter almost to the snows), and frequently saw it perched on trees generally about the lower branches; but once about 80 feet high on the top of a dead tree with nothing but the trunk and the stumps of some of the larger branches left. It was calling lustily, but as no one thought of looking at the tops of the trees it bothered us greatly for some time, but was at last discovered. 822.—Ortygornis pondicerianus, Gm. Native name—Titur. The Common Grey Partridge, though found almost any- where, is nowhere very abundant, except, perhaps, in dhak and thorn jungles, to which it flies for shelter when the spring crops are cut. From its skulking habits it is often difficult to flush, and consequently affords poor sport; but a few may always be bagged in the very early morning when out feeding. A few call birds, placed overnight in a suitable place, will generally succeed in collecting about them all the males in the neighbourhood, when a battue may be arranged the following morning. This Partridge also takes readily to trees. A pair that I flushed some half a dozen times, without being able to bag them, eventually took shelter in a huge mangoe tree in which I could not see them, and from which they were with difficulty THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 63 dislodged. Male birds, it may be noted, are eagerly sought after by the partridge-fighting community of Lucknow, and command a good price in the market. Indeed the steady demand for these will probably result in denuding the country of birds, aided as it is by the havoc which some mammals and birds of prey also inflict on the eggs and young. 826.—Perdicula asiatica, Lath. Native name— Lowa. The Jungle Bush Quail is not common. It may, occasion- ally, be flushed when beating about hedges and patches of grass in unfrequented groves or gardens, and sometimes in bush and grass jungle in undulating and ravinv ground. It appears to be a permanent resident, but of this I am not quite sure. 829.—Coturnix communis, Bonn. Native names— Bhatér, Ghagir Bhatér and Burra Bhatér. Essentially a migratory bird, the Common or Grey Quail does not arrive in any nnmbers. until. March, the majority leaving again shortly after the spring crops are cut. It is, however, fairly common during the cold weather, and stragelers—doubtless remaining to breed—may be flushed during the hot and rainy seasons. When abundant, large numbers are taken in nets and brought into Lucknow for sale, prices ranging from Rs. 2 to Rs. 2-8 per hundred. Good males are, however, advantageously retailed for fighting—a favorite pastime among the Mahommedan community, of Lucknow. 830.—Coturnix coromandelica, Gm. Native name—Chinung Bhatér. The Rain Quail—though a permanent resident—is never common until the rains set in, but is then very abundant in standing crops and grassy jungles. Like the last species, it is caught in nets and sold at prices ranging from Rs. 1-8 to Rs. 2 per hundred, realizing less than the Grey Quail, either because it is smaller in size, or because it is. captured, as it usually is, in greater numbers during the rains than C. communis ever is during the cold weather, or even in March when it is most abundant. The males of this species are also prized for fighting. 831.—Excalfactoria chinensis, Zin. Native name-— Gobal-Butai. This lovely bird—the Painted or Blue-breasted Quail—is exceedingly rare, and is only, lam pretty certain, found during 64 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. the rains. Professional Quail-catchers inform me that they occasionally capture one or two when ont netting the Rain Quail, but that, like myself, they have never seen it during the cold weather. 834.—Turnix joudera, Hodgs. Native name—Zowa- Butat. 835.—Turnix dussumieri, Zem, Native names— Ghinwa-Lowa and Chota-Lowa. These Button Quails are permanent residents, though not very abundant, 7. dussumiert predominating. They are generally found in dry grass jungle, but owing to their retiring habits are seldom seen, unless specially looked for, when a good deal of beating is always required to flush them. They also reside in lonely gardens and groves, where the grass is allowed to grow long, particularly if these are surrounded and intersected by rows of sarpatta or thatching grass, being generally, I think, fonder of shade than most of the Quail tribe. 840.—Cursorius coromandelicus, Gm. Native name— Nukri. The Indian Courser or Courier Plover is fairly common and a permanent resident. It frequents by preference bare plains and ploughed fields, generally in small parties, the individual members of which, however, keep well apart. I have never once heard it utter a single sound or call of any kind. 842.—Glareola orientalis, Leach. Of the Larger Swallow Plover or Eastern Pratincole I have no specimens, nor can I recollect ever meeting with it; but Captain Irby says it was “seen at Alumbagh (three miles from Lucknow) in January 1858.” I therefore include it. 843.—Glareola lactea, Zem. The Smaller Hastern Pratincole or Swallow Plover occurs on the Ganges at Cawnpore, and probably also on the Chowka and Gogra rivers at Byramghat. I have not observed it on the Goomti, though it most likely does occur on suitable reaches of the river. 845.—Charadrius fulvus, Gm. Native name— Turali (2) I am inclined to consider the Eastern Golden Plover a perma- nent resident,* having seen, or imagined I saw, a flock of them in * Although for the last twelve years this bird has been closely watched by dozens of keen ya) it has nowhere, as yet, been discovered breeding anywhere in India proper.—Ed, THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 65 July. But be that as it may, they are common enough during the cold weather, and are usually seen in flocks in fallow lands and ploughed fields in the neighbourhood of jhils—now feeding and now moving about in a body, from one spot to another, the whole day long. 848.—Aigialitis cantiana, Lath. The Kentish Ring Plover is common during the cold weather. If itis only, as I suppose it is, a winter visitor, it certainly does not migrate early, for I have seen it throughout the month of April—then in its summer or breeding plumage. It frequents the banks of rivers and jhils, and occasionally usar plains, but only after they have been well saturated by rain. 849.—Aigialitis dubia, Scop. The Indian Ring Plover is a permanent resident, frequenting the same localities as, but in greater numbers than, the last species. It is, however, often met with singly or in pairs in the most unlikely places ; but, as a rule, it occurs generally in small companies of from 10 to 20. Though the individual members of a flock keep well apart when feeding, they usually all rise when one is disturbed, collect together on the wing, and after a deal of whirling to and fro settle down only to part again. 851.—Vanelius vulgaris, Bechst. Native name— Saehoor (?) The Crested Lapwing or English “ Pee-wit ” is only a cold weather visitor, then fairly common, and generally found in flocks about jhils and marshes and neighbouring fields, usually very wary and difficult to approach. 852.—Chettusia gregaria, Pali. Though mentioned in Captain Irby’s list as “ exceedingly common on open sandy plains in January, February and March,” and notwithstanding that it is likely enough to occur, I have not come across this species, the Black-sided Lapwing. From this I conclude that it cannot be common, whatever claim it may have to a place in this list. 853.—Chettusia villotei, Audowin. The White-tailed Lapwing is a cold weather visitor, frequent- ing the same localities as the Pee-wit, but in much smaller flocks, rarely in lotsof more than eight. It would seem to be a very quiet bird, and, as a rule, the members of a flock keep some yards apart when feeding or at rest, and stand stock- 9 66 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. still on being discovered. It is, however, very easily approached, and in this respect differs from my experience of V. vulgaris, which is both noisy and wild. ? 854.—Chettusia cinerea, Bly. Captain Irby states that this species, the Grey Lapwing, is “abundant in the cold season about swamps and jhils, seen generally in lots of seven or eight; ’’ but the description so aptly applies to villotai that 1 fancy he has mistaken it for. cinerea. J have never seen the latter, nor do I think that it occurs in Oude at all, still less in the Lucknow Division. 855.—Lobivanellus indicus, Bodd. Native name— Titiri. The Red-wattled Lapwing is a permanent and common resident, usually found about water, though it may be met with in the driest tracts. It appears to breed very generally in May and June, laying usually four eggs on the bare ground. A favorite breeding place is the kunker ballast on the railway, where the birds may be noticed getting off their nests on the approach of a tvolly or train. I cannot imagine how they manage at night; but one would think that the vibration caused by passing trains would be fatal to successful incuba~ tion. Average measurement of 10 eggs 1:62 by 1:17 inches. Measurement of largest egg ... 1°66 ,, 1:20 ,, Measurement of smallest egg... 1°52 ,, 1:14 ,, 856.—Lobipluvia malabarica, Bodd. The Yellow-wattled Lapwing is also a permanent resident, but not quite so common as the last species, and caring less for the vicinity of water, is seldom seen near it unless this happens to adjoin its feeding grounds. It moves about in pairs or in small parties, and seems to be particularly fond of dhak jungle and any scrub-covered barren land, while I have frequently seen it on usar plains. It breeds in May and June, usually laying four eggs on the bare ground. Average measurement of 6 eggs 1:45 by 1:05 inches, Measurement of largest ego ... 1°47 ,, 1:08 ,, Measurement of smallest egg... 144 ,, 103 ,, 857.—Hoplopterus ventralis, Cwv. The Spur-winged Lapwing is not common, though it may be, and doubtless is,a permanent resident. In the cold weather I have occasionally seen a few on the Chowka and Gogra THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 67 rivers about Byramghat, but nowhere else. It probably also occurs on the Ganges. 858.—Aisacus recurvirostris, Cuv. The Large Stone Plover is fairly common during the cold weather about the Chowka and Gogra rivers in the neighbour- hood of Byramghat, where it is usually met with in flocks of 10 to 20 or 30 generally in fallow land or newly-ploughed fields, I have not observed it elsewhere. 859.—(idicnemus scolopax, S. G. Gm. The Stone or Norfolk Plover, or as many prefer to call it, the Bastard Florican, is a permanent resident, and is fairly com- mop in all dhak jungles. It also frequents groves, a pair or two even visiting the Horticultural Gardens at Lucknow, where, on the 6th May, I found a nest and two eggs at the root of a guava tree. But its favorite breeding place is some lonely mangoe tope, moderately studded with grass tufts. I have never found more than two eggs in a nest, and of eight in my possession, the average measurement is 1°85 by 1°40 inches. 863.—Grus antigone, Lin. Native name—Sarus. The Sarus is more generally distributed during the rains than it is in the hot and dry weather, when it appears to collect in small flocks in the vicinity of jhils, in moist and swampy tracts, (though few then exist), and along the banks of rivers. It breeds during the rains in July and August, in the tem- porary and shallow swamps then so common, making a large platform of mud, grass, and rushes for a nest, (raising it well above water-level), and lays two eggs of a dull white or pale greenish color, generally spotted or blotched with reddish brown, though some few are scarcely marked at all. Another peculiarity about the eggs is, that, while the shells of some are smooth and glossy, others have a chalky appearance and a rough pimpled surface. I have noticed, too, that the latter are generally larger than the former. Average measurement of 6 eggs 3:90 by 2°51 inches, Measurement of largestegg ... 4°21 ,, 2°51 ,, Measurement of smallest egg ... 3°75 ,, 2°44 ,, 864.—Grus leucogeranus, Pall. Native name— Tunhi. The Snow-Wreath or Great White Crane is decidedly rare, and is only met with in the cold weather. Last cold season I saw five in a shallow jhil near Sandila, and determined at once to circumvent them. I had only a shot gun with me, so concealed myself in some dhak bushes, feeling certain they 68 THK BIRDS OF THE LUOKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. would come in my direction, and within easy range; but alas for human expectations—“ bang,” “bang,”’ went a couple of guns to my right, before I had been ten minutes in position, and away went the Cranes. My mortification was complete on discovering a couple of natives frantically endeavouring to catch a wounded duck ! 865.—Grus communis, Bechst. Native name— Kulang. The Common Crane is abundant during the cold weather, and, though not met with every day, may, nevertheless, be seen, occasionally in vast flocks, either on the wing or resting in some of the larger jhils or in river-backwaters, especially on the Gogra, where I have frequently seen it. 866.—Anthropoides virgo, Lin. Native name— Karkarra. The Demoiselle Crane appears early in October—often I think in September—generally in vast flocks, either flying in a straight line or in a line which the letter M. represents very well. Occasionally, but rarely, they will settle on large shallow jhils; but on the Chowka and Gogra at Byramghat they are often numerous, particularly during the very cold weather. They migrate in March, going, as they came, in immense flocks. ? 868.—Gallinago nemoricola, Hodgs. I have on several occasions, but not of late years, flushed a large dark solitary Snipe when out wild-fowl shooting. On the occasions referred to it generally rose from amongst the weeds within four or five yards of the jhil side. It surely could not have been G. solitaria, though it was certainly either this or nemoricola. I should say G. nemoricola, the Wood Snipe, from its dark coloration and lazy flight. 870.—Gallinago sthenura, Kuhl. The Pin-tailed Snipe is undoubtedly a cold weather visitor, but is, according to my experience, exceedingly rare. It is possible I may have overlooked this Snipe before I read for the first time (only I think about four years ago) Captain Marshall’s paper in Stray Fearuers, Vol. 1, page 423. I have only, that I am certain of, seen a single specimen, but it was in too mangled a condition to be worth preserving. 871.—Gallinago gallinaria, Gm. Native name— Chaha. The Common Snipe begins to make its appearance about the end of September, but it is not until the end of October that THE BIRDS OF TH LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 69 it occurs in any numbers. The majority leave again about the middle of March, though detachments may be met with until the end of April. Occasionally—during the course, however, of many years—I have seen several large flocks on the wing, and in November last killed seven out of a flock at a single shot. I was at the time— very early in the morning—looking out for wild-fowl, when T heard what I thought was a large gang of ducks approaching from behind, Looking round I found a flock of something coming down from the clouds at a tremendous pace, I had barely time to fire when they were down upon me, past and gone. There must have been close upon a thousand in the flock, and had I had time to change my eartridge for one of smaller shot, instead of seven, 1 should have bagged a dozen at least. 872.—Gallinago gallinula, Lin. Native name— Chota Chaha. The Jack Snipe is numerically rare compared with the last species, but still far from being scarce. Owing to its skulking habits and the consequent difficulty of flushing it, most sports- men are apt to consider it rarer than it really is, It arrives later and departs earlier than G. gallinaria, few, if any, remain- ing beyond the first week of April. 873.—Rhynchea capensis, Lin. The Painted Snipe, though rarely seen at any other time, is common about the commencement of the rains, disappearing again in the course of fifteen days or so. Wherever they come from they are evidently migrating to the north of Oudh, where they not improbably breed in considerable numbers. 875.—Limosa sgocephala, Zin. Native name— Jangral and Khag. The Black-tailed Godwit is common during the cold weather, when it is usually met with in large flocks frequenting jhils. By the beginning of April they have nearly all migrated. 877.—Numenius lineatus, Cuv. Native name— Burra Goolinda. The Eastern Curlew is generally met with in small flocks, often singly, from October to the end of April, frequenting swamps, jhils and rivers. Its loud whistle is often heard at night as well as by day. It collects, I think, in large flocks before migrating, 70 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION: 878.—Numenius pheopus, Ziv. Native name— Chota Goolinda, The Whimbrel is quite as common here as the Curlew, which it resembles in habits and appearance, though, of course, it is a much smaller bird. 880.—Machetes pugnax, Lin. Ruffs and Reeves are very common during the cold weather, and are almost always seen in large flocks frequenting jhils, and the fields in their vicinity. They arrive early in September and leave in April, having some time previously partially assumed its breeding plumage. Indeed, in some cases, individuals com- mence to get their summer plumage towards the end of January, and these, it may be expected, assume it entirely before migrating. 882.—Tringa subarquata, Giild. The Curlew Stint is only a cold weather visitor, generally found about jhils from October to April, but mostly during these two months, when it is usually met with in considerable flocks. It is probably more of a bird of passage than a winter visitor ; but many will always be met with throughout the season. 883.—Tringa alpina, Lin. The Dunlin, like the last species, is only a cold weather visitor, and arrives and departs about the same time. In its habits it is much the same, frequenting the same localities. 884.—Tringa minuta, Lezsi. The Little Stint is very abundant during the cold weather, and is always met within large flocks, frequenting river sand-. banks and the muddy foreshores of jhils. 885.—Tringa temmincki, Leis!. The White-tailed Stint is common during the cold season, and frequents jhils and river sides, in fact any pool of water wherever found. It arrives early in September and leaves late, probably not much before, some even after, the beginning of May. 891.—Rhyacophila glareola, Lin. Native name— Loot-wart. The Spotted Sandpiper is common during the cold weather, about every pool and jbil as well as along rivers. Favorite resorts are the side cuttings, containing water, along the railway. THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 71 When flushed it usually utters its sharp sibilant note, and seldom flies far. 892.—Totanus ochropus, Lin. The Green Sandpiper is common during the cold weather, frequenting the same localities as the last species. I am inclined to consider this Sandpiper a permanent resident. During the latter part of the hot, and for the first half of the rainy, seasons, it is, no doubt, exceedingly rare. I may be wrong, but my impression is decidedly in favor of recognizing it as a permanent resident, though the majority undoubtedly migrate.* 893.—Tringoides hypoleucus, Lin. The Common Sandpiper is never so abundant as the last species, and is only, so far as I know, a cold weather visitor ; usually seen solitary or in pairs about pools of water, jhils and rivers. 894.—Totanus glottis, Zin. Native name—TZun- tuna, The Greenshanks frequents the same localities as the last species, and is usually seen alone or in small parties, but only during the cold weather. 895.—Totanus stagnatilis, Bechst. The Lesser Greenshanks is common during the cold weather. Though usually seen alone or in small gangs, it is occasionally met with in vast flocks, and frequents the same haunts as the last species. 896.—Totanus fuscus, Lin. Native name—Guini or Soorma. My remarks on the last species apply equally to the Spotted Redshanks. 897.—Totanus calidris, Zin. The Redshanks is a common cold weather visitor, usually seen in flocks, and often very large ones, particularly on shallow jhils, where they seem to congregate if not disturbed. * It most certainly is purely a cold season visitant to the Lucknow Division. The fact of a few weakly or wounded birds, failing (if this be the fact) to make the regular migration, cannot entitle a species to be considered permanent residents.—Zd. 72 THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 898.—Himantopus candidus, Bonn. Native name —Gaj-paun and Linghur. The Stilt or Long-legs is very common during the cold weather, and is usually seen either in small or large flocks frequenting jhils and rivers in the shallow water of which it usually alights, remains and feeds. 900.—Parra indica, Lath. Some five or six years ago, the Bronze-winged Jacana was common on many large weedy jhils, where a few may still be found; but owing to the scanty rainfall of recent years, water has not been abundant, and it has, in consequence, made itself exceedingly scarce. 901.—Hydrophasianus chirurgus, Scop. Native name—Jhil-Voorgah. The Pheasant-tailed Jacana is a common and permanent resident, particularly on jhils covered with vegetation. During the drought of 1877-78 it frequented weedy patches on the Goomti in great numbers, where I am quite sure (though I never took its eggs) that it bred in July, making a nest of aquatic plants on masses of floating vegetation. In years of normal rainfall it invariably nests on suitable jhils. 902.—Porphyrio poliocephalus, Lath. Native name —Khima, The Grey-capped Purple Cootis also a common and perma- nent resident on all rush or weed-covered jhils, particularly on those where the lotus flourishes and clumps of pith trees abound. Though it is said to commit havoc on rice fields, [ cannot. say that I have ever seen any evidence of its depreda- tions. Indeed, I have never seen it off the water except when perched on bushes or climbing about bulrushes and tall reed grass growing in jhils. 903.—Fulica atra, Lin. Native names— > K\e Cape Ne@ bce \ * diguada Rees STRAY FEATHERS. Vol. XJ JULY 1882. [No. 4. A ist of the Birds of Pegu. By Evcene W. Oatss. Tue ornithology of a portion of Pegu was dealt with by Mr. Hume in a former volume of Stray Feraruers (III, pp. 1—194), and subsequently, (LV, pp. 295—451) Dr. Armstrong gave us a list of the birds met with by him in the deltaic portion of the province. The following paper is an attempt to compile a complete list of the birds of the whole of Pegu. The area now dealt with is bounded on the north by the frontier line separating British from Independent Burma, and running east and west at about the latitude of 19° 40’ north; on the east the boundary is the Sittang river; on the west, the Irrawaddy river, and its most westerly discharge channel, the Bassein creek. The sea forms the southern limit of the area. The province, as thus defized, is about 300 miles in length, by an average breadth of about 100 miles. The Pegu hills run down the centre of this tract of country from the frontier to Rangoon, or for about 200 miles. They extend laterally nearly down to the banks of the Irrawaddy and Sittang rivers, leaving a comparatively narrow belt only of level or undulating country along the margins of these two rivers. The remaining portion is a vast plain, little, or not at all, elevated above high water of spring sides. The hills are covered with dense forest, and an undergrowth of shrubs and canes. On the eastern side the vegetation is very luxuriant, and mostly evergreen. On the western side, it is composed of trees which appear to do with less moisture, and the undergrowth is less dense. The difference in the rainfall between the two sides of the hills is probably 30 inches. A vast number of birds are found on the eastern slopes which are never seen on the western. The vast plains which occupy the southern third of the province are, where not cultivated, covered with elephant grass and reeds. The plain is everywhere intersected by tidal channels, and is more or less permanently flooded during 23 176 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. the rains. The floods, however, are not as arule of sucha nature as to prevent cultivation, and vast portions of the plain are yearly planted with rice. The rainfall varies from about 40 inches at the frontier to 130 inches at Pegu. This variation has, however, less to do with the distribution of birds than might be expected. Many species, which a few years ago were thought to be exclusively confined to the drier portions of Pegu, are now known to be very abundant further south in the same province, extending even into Tenasserim where the rainfall is excessive. The materials for this paper have been furnished by large collections made by myself in almost every portion of the area comprised under the general name of the province of Pegu. For many years I collected at or near the town of Pegu, a small place about 60 miles north-east of Rangoon. Near Pegu is the small village of Kyeikpadein on the banks of the canal which I was constructing, and here most of the rarer, and more interesting, species of reed birds and aquatic birds were procured. The tract of country dealt with by Dr. Armstrong has not been explored by me except in a hurried manner, and con- sequently his investigations have enabled me to define the distribution of many species with greater exactness. In the following paper about twenty species are inserted on_ bis authority, which would otherwise have been omitted. Of the species inserted by Mr. Hume in his list of the birds of Upper Pegu I have now omitted the following five :— Anthocincla phayrit. Phylloscopus affinis. 65 indicus. Passer assimilis. Gallinago gallinula.* 1 am not satisfied that any of these birds have occurred within the limits as above defined. The occurrence of the following birds requires confirmation. They are recorded by Blyth in his * Birds of Burma” as having been received from Pegu. They have not again been discovered in Pegu since his time, and it is probable that they do not occur in Pegu as defined in this paper.f They are six :— Circus cineraceus. Rhyacornis fuliginosus. Volvocivora sykest. Allotrius melanotis. Chatarrhea caudata. Lobipluvia malabarica. * But this certainly occurs in Pegu, as I have had a specimen from near the mouth of the Bassein river.—Ep., 8. F + I also omitted all these from the Pegu paper, Vol III, for the same reason, but I was wrong about the last, which must be admitted—Ep., & F. A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEQU. 177 I have also omitted from the list, Poltoaétus humilis. Mr. Hume says (8S. F., V, 130) that this species oceurs as far north at any rate as Cape Negrais,* but I can nowhere find any notice of its occurrence within my limits, and I must consequently decline to admit it for the present. I have not made use of the serial numbers of Mr. Hume’s catalogue as I find numerous instances in Stray Fratrarrs of the same species being referred to under quite different numbers. One instance will suffice. In Volume VI, Anthreptes malaccensis is numbered 224 sextus, while in the general cata- logue in Volume VIII it appears as 233 guintus.t I have, however, followed the order of the catalogue, and, with few exceptions, Mr. tlume’s nomenclature.§ 1.—Otogyps calvus, Scop. (2.) Occurs singly, or in couples, in all parts of the province. 2.—Gyps indicus, Scop, (4.) Mr. Hume records this from Upper Pegu. I have not observed it. 3.—Pseudogyps bengalensis, Gm. (5.) Very abundant. 4.—Faico peregrinus, Gm.|| (8.) By no means rare during the dry weather from November to May. I have procured it at Prome, Pegu, and Shway- gheen. * Whence I received a specimen, but I have never seen a specimen from Pegu, and quite concur in its omission from this list.—Ep., 8. F. + 1 however have added the serial numbers in brackets after each species, because these are most useful to ornithologists all over the world, compiling monographs or working out the distribution of groups. They turn up the species in the general list, find its number, and then run through the various local lists in S. F. Where my catalogue numbers are given, they can ascertain in one minute whether the species they are dealing with is or is not included in any particular list. If this number were not given it would take them ten minutes to make certain of this. This is not theory. The following is a translation of part of a letter from one of the most eminent of ornithological systematists:—‘‘ Your arrangement is, as you admit, antiquated—pardon me if I add barbarous—but your practice of invariably arranging the species in the same order, and under the same serial numbers, renders the StRAY FEATHERs easier to consult for facts than any other ornithological publication.””—Eb., 8. FE. ’ t Of course, because prior to the issue of the general catalogue, slight alterations in some few numbers were made, in order to rectify some of the most glaring misplacements, for which I was answerable. But until the new list of the birds of the British Asian Empire and its dependencies is published, ro further change will be made in the numbers.—Ep., 8S. F. § Mr. Oates in this most excellent list includes altogether 454 species. I have added 16 species that certainly have occurred in Pegu, making a total of 470. It is probable that when the avitauna has been exhaustively worked out, it may prove, including chance stragglers, to include something like 650 species.—ED., 8. F. || Zunst.—Ep., S. F, 178 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 5.—Falco peregrinator, Sund. (9.) Major Lloyd appears to have procured a specimen at Tounghoo. (B. of B., p. 58.} 6.—Poliohierax insignis, Wald. (16 dis.) Fairly abundant from the frontier down to Prome, extending to the west as faras the ridge of the Arakan hills. Captain Ramsay got it at Tounghoo. 7.—Cerchneis tinnuncuius, Liv. (17.) Very abundant from November to March in almost all parts of the province. 8.—Cerchneis amurensis, Radde. (19 dis.) The bird procured at Thyetmyo by Captain Feilden (8S. F., III, p. 22) appears to belong to this species, judging from what Mr. Hume says at a later date (8S. F., V, p. 6). L have never met with this bird. 9.—Microhierax cerulescens,* Zin. (20.) I have procured this small Falcon at Thyetmyo and Prome, where it is abundant. It probably occurs in other parts of Pegu.t 10.—Astur rufitinctus, Wc Clell. (22 vis.) The only specimen I have ever met with was killed on the Pegu hills as recorded in 8. F., III, p. 24. 11.—Astur poliopsis, Hume. (23 dis.) Generally distributed, and common. 12.—Accipiter nisus, Zin. (24.) The Sparrow Hawk was procured at Thyetmyo by Captain Feilden and by myself, and it was got at Tounghoo by Captain Ramsay. It appears to be rare. 13.—Accipiter virgatus, Reinw. (25.) Captain Feilden procured this Hawk at Thyetmyo,{ and I met with it on the Pegu hills just above Pegu. It does not appear to be common. * Should stand us eutolmus, Hodgson, vide Gurney, Ibis, p. 272, 1881. I may add with reference to what Mr. Gurney says further on, that I personally feel quite certain that this species never occurred at Bangalore in a wild state, though I have heard of specimens, brought from the Himalayas and trained to kill Sparrows, having been seen at the Hyderabad and Mysore Courts.—Ep., S. F. + Blanford produced it on the hills of the Bassein district. Ihave also received a specimen labelled Bassein.—Ep., S. F. { I never saw Feilden’s specimen, which, however, from the description I believe to have been virgatus ; but Mr. Gurney, who did see the specimen at one time, at any rate, identified it as 4, rhodogaster, Schl.—Ep., S. F. A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 179 14.—Aquila nipalensis, Hodgs. (27 bis.) Captain Feilden found this Eagle common at Thyetmyo, and it occurs along the banks of the canal near Pegu, where I have shot a few specimens every year about November, 15.—Aquila clanga, Pal/. (28.) I procured some specimens in 1875 at the junction of the canal with the Pegu river from December to March, and J do not recollect ever meeting with itagain. Captain Feilden procured it at Thyetmyo. 16.—Hieraetus pennatus, Gm. (31.) Procured by Captain Feilden at Thyetmyo. 17.—Limnaetus caligatus, Raff. (34). Generally distributed in well-wooded localities, and pretty common. 18.—Spilornis undulatus, Vig.; 8, cheela, Lath. (39.) Occurs along the frontier from Thyetmyo to Tounghoo, and appears to be replaced elsewhere by the next species. 19.—Spilornis rutherfordi, Swink. (89 ter.) Generally distributed in the province, except along or near the frontier, where the larger species only appears to be found. I have never met with any bird which might be considered intermediate to the two species, nor have I ever shot the two birds in the same locality. 20.—Pandion haliaetus, Lin. (40.) Two or three pairs of the Osprey may be seen daily ‘in both the Peeu and the Sittang rivers during the dry weather, and I fancy that a few birds remain in Burma throughout the year, but I cannot make certain of this fact.* 21.—Pelioaetus ichthyaetus, Horsf. (41.) Very generally diffused over the lower and more swampy parts of the country. I found it excessively common in the forests west of Shwaygheen where they were breeding near Pelicans and Adjutants. 22.—Haliaetus leucoryphus, Pail. (42.) Very abundant in the plains lying between the Pegu and Sittang rivers, and especially so along the banks of the canal. _* Note this also from the Southern Coast; from near the mouth of the Bassein river.—Ep., 8. FP. 180 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 23.—Haliaetus leucogaster, Gm. (43.) Frequently seen along the southern coast of Pegu, and on one occasion I observed it near the town of Pegu. 24.—Buteo plumipes, Hodgs. (47.) Recorded from Thyetmyo by Mr. Hume, to whom a speci- men was sent by Captain Feilden.* 25.—Butastur teesa, Frankl. (48.) Apparently restricted to the northern portion of the province. It is common at Thyetmyo, and all the way down to Prome. Captain Ramsay records it from Tounghoo. 26.—Butastur liventer, Zem. (48 ¢er.) Although not abundant this bird is found in every portion of the province which is suited to its habits. It frequents the plains and creeks, and does not appear to be found in forest country or dry hilly ground. A young bird, reared from the nest, escaped at the age of three months, and had to be shot. At this age the w hite bars extend up to the middle of the belly. The edge of the wing is white, the breast is brown, and the throat, with the lores and forehead, nearly pure white; the top of the head is rufous, and the plumage generally is brown where, in the adult, it is grey; the bars on the tail, which in the old bird are interrupt- ed, are in the young very clearly defined and unbroken. 27.—Circus macrurus, S. G. Gm. (51.) Tolerably common during the cold season in all the plains of the southern portion of the province. 28.—Circus melanoleucus, Jorsé.t (53). Very abundant from the end of September to the middle of May in all parts of Pegu, except the hills, where it is not found at all. A young bird differs from that figured by Mr. Swinhoe (ibis, 1874, pl. X) in being very rufous without a trace of yellow in its plumage. 29.—Circus eruginosus, Lin. (54.) As abundant as the preceding, and found in the same tracts during the cold season. * Another ppodnen receiyed from near Tounghoo.—ED., 8, Kr + Penn. —Ep., 8 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 181 30.—Haliastur indus, Bodd. (55.) Very common throughout the province. 31.—Milvus affinis, Gould. (56 ter.) The majority of the smaller Kites of Pegu appears to be ‘referable to this species, but some specimens are not far removed from govinda. It will probably be found impossible hereafter to maintain both species. At one time (S. F., VII, p. 44) I thought it easy to discriminate the two birds; bat as T accumulated a larger and larger series, the salient points of distinction appeared to disappear. The common Kite is very abundant in every part of Pegu, except from June to September. Its return in the latter month indicates the termination of the rainy season. 32.—Milvus melanotis, Tem. & Schl. (56 bis.) Immediately round the village of Kyeikpadein, and away in the plain, where fisheries are worked, this large Kite is very abundant from about October to February, or perhaps later. It does not appear to breed in Pegu. 33-—Pernis ptilorhynchus, Tem. (57.) A rather uncommon bird; found in well-wooded districts generally over the province. 34.—Elanus ceruleus, Desf. (59.) This Kite is seen from July to the middle October in con- siderable quantities on the plains of the south. I procured a specimen at Tounghoo, and Captain Feilden records it from Thyetmyo. 35.—Strix flammea,* Zin. (60.) Abundant in every part of the province. 36.—Strix candida, Zick. (61.) Procured at Tounghoo by the late Colonel Lloyd. 37.—Phodilus badius, Horsf (62.) Captain Ramsay procured this Owl at Tounghoo, and the bird recorded from Thyetmyo by Captain Feilden (8. F., III, p. 37) was probably of the same species. * This is what we call javanica, and I am doubtful of the propriety of following Mr, Sharpe in uniting this with our common European Barn Owl —EL., S, F. 182 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 38.—Syrnium seloputo, Horsf. (65 dis.) I found this handsome Owl abundant in a grove of trees about two miles from Kyeikpadein. Ihave seen birds which were shot at Rangoon, and the Owl referred to as having been procured at Thyetmyo by Captain Feilden (8S. F., III, p. 37) was probably this species. It appears to be generally distri- buted but somewhat local. During the day this Owl sits on the branch of a large tree near the summit, and can be discovered with little difficulty if its presence is suspected. It does not begin to move till after sunset. A young nestling has the upper plumage white, barred with chocolate brown. The rectrices are extensively tipped with very pure white, and the webs are slightly barred. The lower plumage is white, closely barred with brown. The thighs are plain fulvous white. Facial disc as in the adult, spotless bright ferruginous. The sexes are alike in plumage, and they differ little in size. A fine pair, the parents of the nestling described above, measured respectively :—Length, 18:5, 18°3; expanse, 48, 47 ; tail, 7°6, 7°5 ; wing, 14:4, 14; tarsus, 2°15, 2:0; bill from gape, 1:5, 1:65; the first figures in each case referring to the male. The bill and cere are dark horn colour; iris dark brown ; edges of the eyelids pink; feet and claws dark brown; underside of toes whitish. 39.—Asio accipitrinus, Pall. (68.) Captain Wardlaw-Ramsay procured this Owl at Tounghoo. 40.—Bubo nipalensis, Hodgs. (71.) Recorded from Tounghoo by Captain Ramsay. 41.—Ketupa ceylonensis, Gm. (72.) Very abundant in every part of the province. 42,.—Ketupa javanensis, Zess. (‘73 dis.) Appears to be confined, in Pegu, to the delta of the Irrawaddy, where it is common. 43.—Scops pennatus, Hodgs. (74.) I procured two specimens at Kyeikpadein, which have been identified for me by Mr. Gurney and Mr, Sharpe. Captain Feilden got it at Thyetmyo. A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU, 183 44,—Scops lettia, Hodgs. (75.) A very abundant species round Pegu and Kyeikpadein, and probably generally distributed throughout the province.* 45.—Carine pulchra, Hume. (76 quat.) Abundant from Thyetmyo to Prome for a distance of 10 or 15 miles from the Irrawaddy. 46.—Glaucidium cuculoides, Vig. (79.) Found abundantly throughout the province. It comes out some time before sunset, aud remains out till late in the morning. 47.—Ninox lugubris, Tick. (81.) I gather from Mr. Hume’s remarks (S. F., VI, p. 40) that the Pegu birds are not his burmanica. In this case, allowing the distinctness of all the races of this bird, the Pegu one will be lugubris.f This Hawk Owl is very common in every part of Pegu. 48.—Hirundo rustica, Lin.t (82.) Extremely common throughout the year in all parts of the province. It does not, however, appear to breed here. 49.—Hirundo horreorum, Bart. (82 ¢er.) Judging from what Mr. Dresser says about the different races of Swallow in his article on Hirundo rustica (B. of E., part XXXIX) J have little doubt but that tyélert? is a synonym of the above.§ Writing of these two forms he says :— “Should it prove from an examination of a series of speci- mens that it (¢ytleri) does not have the dark band continuous * Add 75 quint.—Scops lempiji, Horsf. One specimen from near Rangoon clearly belongs to this species by its completely unfeathered toes. Lettia is no doubt the common Pegu bird, but I have seen two specimens from Upper Pegu that were quite intermediate between the two species, besides this one from Lower Pegu which is lempiji, pur et simple —Ep., 8. F. + Yes; I find all my Pegu specimens are /ugubris.—ED., S. F. { But note that all the Pegu birds I have seen belong to the smaller race, guttu- ralis, Seop.—Ep., S. F. § I cannot say that I am disposed to agree as yet. It is a great pity Mr. Oates did not himself carefully compare a series of adults of the two forms. Had he done so, and pronounced them identical, I should have had nothing further to say, as I know how careful his work is. But I compared some score of adult ¢ytleri with four adult horreorum kindly lent me, and they seemed to me to differ perceptibly. Of course they are very like each other, quite the same type of bird, but I came to the conclusion that they were distinct and immediately distinguishable, I regret that before returning the birds I did not note the differences, and so many years have passed that I have quite forgotten wherein I supposed the differences to exist, but I am very careful in making comparisons, and I cannot but believe that valid differences do exist,—Hp., 8. F, 24 184 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEQU. across the chest, there will then be no character by which it can be distinguished from the American form.” Now the band of tyélert is constantly interrupted, and in no instance have I ever seen it continuous. Mr. Hume also confirms this (S. F., VI, p. 42). The American Barn Swallow visits Pegu in large numbers almost every winter. In 1874 they were remarkably nume- rous near Pegu, and it would be interesting to know whether the winter of 1873-74 was very severe in North America.* Under the head of H. ¢ytleri, Mr. Hume quotes some remarks of mine (8. F., III, p. 41) which I certainly intended to apply to A. rustica. I never got the former bird at Thyetmyo to the best of my _ recollection.t Before the paper on the birds of Upper Pegu was completely written, I was transferred from Thyetmyo to Pegu, and it was from the latter locality I sent Mr. Hume a specimen of JZ. tytleri. 50.—Hirundo filifera, Steph. (84.) Lieutenant Ramsay records this species from Tounghoo. I have never met with it. I have reason to believe it is common near Rangoon. 51.—Hirundo nipalensis, Hodgs. (85 dis.) The only Red-rumped Swallow I have procured in the pro- vince is this species. It is abundant, and some may be seen in every month of the year. 52.—Cotile riparia, Lin. (87.) I procured two birds in the Peeu river, and I have no doubt the bird is common in the dry weather. I have fre- quently seen a Sand Martin larger than the next, and it must have been riparia. 53.—Cotile sinensis, J. #. Gr. (89.) Very abundant in the Irrawaddy, Pegu, and Sittang rivers. 54.—Cypselus affinis, J. 2 Gr. (100.) I noticed a pair of these Swifts in January at a place about 30 miles above Rangoon, on the road to Pegu. They had a nest under a wooden bridge. To my great disappoint- * But please note that they have been met with in myriads at Dacca and other places in Eastern Bengal in June, This does not look as if they came from America.—Ep., S. F. ee 87) es + This is a mistake ; my friend Mr. Oates sent me aspecimen, which is still in our museum, marked rustica, but clearly tytleri; it is marked “male, Palow, Thyetmyo district, 11th May 1873.” No doubt he also sent me two specimens, also in the Sg from Pegu, which bear date 20th March 1874 and February 1875.— D., 8, F. A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU, 185 ment it only contained a Sparrow’s egg. The nest was quite new, and the birds were constantly coming to it. I failed to shoot them, and after being fired at once or twice they mounted high, far out of shot. Of course I cannot be posi- tive about the identification of this Swift, but itis more likely e be afinis than subfurcatus. One of the two it must have een. 55.—Cypselus pacificus, Lath. (101 bis.) There are few parts of the province where I have not seen this bird, but it was only near Thyetmyo that they were flying sufficiently low to be shot. It does not appear to be very common. 56.—Cypselus infumatus, Sclat. (102 dis.) Very abundant everywhere, where there are toddy palms. They stick to these trees in a most pertinacious way even when not breeding. 57.—Dendrochelidon coronata, Tick, (104.) I have observed these birds only between Thyetmyo and Prome, and never in any other part of Pegu. Lieutenant Ramsay got it at Tounghoo.* 58.—Caprimulgus albonotatus, Tick. (109.) I procured this on the Pegu hills. Captain Ramsay records it from Tounghoo. I do not think it can be well separated from the next species. 59.—Caprimulgus macrurus, Horsf. (110,) This smaller species occurs in every part of the province both in the hills and in the plains. 60.—Caprimulgus asiaticus, Lath, (112.) This is a bird of the plains only. I got it at Thyetmyo, and it is very abundant round Pegu and Kyeikpadein. 61.—Caprimulgus monticolus, Frankl. (114.) I have never met with this Nightjar. Captain Ramsay records it from Tounghoo. * Add 107 bis.—Caprimulgus jotaka, 7. § S. This species certainly occurs in Pegu, as I have had a specimen from some- where near Kangoon, and another from south-west Pegu, near the mouth of the Bassein river. 186 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 62.—Lyncornis cerviniceps, Gould. (114 bis.) © I have heard of this bird being common about 15 miles above Pegu. Captain Ramsay met withit on the Pegu hills near the frontier. The only time I ever met with the bird was in December at the foot of the Arakan hills. It is no doubt fairly common in the province in suitable localities. 63.—Harpactes erythrocephalus, Gozwld. (116.) Occurs in all heavy forest both in the hills and plains, but far more abundant in the former. 64.—Harpactes orescius, Zem. (116 dis.) I saw one specimen on the Pegu hills near the frontier, and I procured a tew birds of this species in the tract of forest between the Sittang and the hills. It is rare within my limits. 65.—Merops viridis, Zin. (117.) Excessively common in all parts of Pegu, except the higher hills. 66.—Merops philippinus, Zin. (118.) As abundant as the preceding, but more confined to the large rivers and their neighbourhood. 67.—Merops swinhoii, ume. (119.) Generally distributed, but comparatively rare. 68.—Nyctiornis athertoni, J. & S, (122.) I met with this bird once near Pegu, and Captain Ramsay got it at Tounghoo.* Itis rare ia the Pegu province. 69.—Coracias affinis, IMcClell. (124.) Very abundant in all parts of the province where the ground is open or the forest not very thick. 70.—Eurystomus orientalis, Zin. (126.) I found this species abundant up the Pegu river a few miles above Pegu. I also vrocured it at Tounghoo and Shwaygheen.t It isa bird of heavy forests, and I have never seen it in the open. -* Blanford also procured it at Bassein.—Ep , F. 7 This also is recorded by Blanford from ety —Ip., 8. F. A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 187 71.—Pelargopsis burmanica, Sharpe. (127 bis.) Found commonly throughout the province in wooded nullahs. On the hills it is especially abundant. I have not observed them in the tidal treeless streams of Lower Pegu, and I see that Dr. Armstrong does not record it from the Irrawaddy delta. 72.—Pelargopsis amauroptera, Pears. (128.) Dr. Armstrong procured this bird at the mouth of the Rangoon river. I have it from other parts of the delta, and it seems to be confined to tidal waters in Pegu.* 73.—Haleyon smyrnensis, Lin. (129.) There are few parts of the province where this bird may not be seen and heard. It is extremely abundant. 74.—Halcyon pileata, Bodd. (180.) I procured one specimen on the Irrawaddy between Prome and Thyetmyo, where it appears to be rare. I observed it common in the streams and fisheries lying between the Sittang and the Pegu hills, north of Paghein, and it seems abundant in the Irrawaddy delta. + 75.—Halcyon coromanda, Lath. (131.) I got one bird near Pegu, and observed another somewhat further north near Shwaygheen. It seems rare in the province. 76.—Halcyon chloris, Bodd. (132.) A bird of tidal creeks. I got a solitary specimen near Pegu, and it seems to be common in the delta: 77.—Carcineutes pulchellus, Horsf. (132 ter.) -Since procuring a pair in the evergreen forests of the Pegu hills, I have never again met with it. 78.—Ceyx tridactylus, Pall. (133.) This Kinefisher is not uncommon in the evergreen forests of the eastern slopes of the Pegu hills. I also shot two birds near Kyeikpadein in a small nullab. 79.—Alcedo bengalensis, Gm. (134.,) Very abundant in every part of the province in swamps, paddy-land and nullahs running in open country. This is not a forest species at all as the next is. ; * Yes, we have received it from near the mouth of the Bassein river.—Ep., S. F. + Especially in places near the sea where there are mangroves.—Ep., S. F. ~ We have received it from near the mouth of the Bassein river.—Ep., §. F. 188 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 80.—Alcedo meningting, Horsf. (1385 ter; ? quat.) Until I have had an opportunity of comparing my series of this bird with others from India and Java, I prefer calling the Pegu birds by the above name.* It is common in the wooded nullahs running into the Pegu river above Pegu, and also in a patch of hilly jungle two miles north of Kyeikpadein, where I have found numerous nests. I have not observed it any- where else. ; Young birds able to fly have the bill black with the tip white ; the legs pale red and the iris dark brown. One young bird, probably a male, has the whole upper plumage just as bright as the adult male, and the cheeks and ear-coverts blue. Another, probably a female, has the upper plumage much duller than the adult. The ear-coverts and cheeks are rufous with a slight intermixture of blue. Adult females have the cheeks and ear-coverts blue and rufous, mixed in about equal quantities. In the adult male the ear-coverts are black, and the part under the ears, as well as the cheeks, are blue, obso- letely barred with black. 81.—Ceryle rudis, Lin. (136.) Excessively common, but confined entirely to the plains. 82.—Psarisomus dalhousiz, Jam. (1388.) I have observed this bird only in the evergreen forests lying on the route from Thyetmyo to Tounghoo on the eastern slopes of the Pegu hills. It appears to be tolerably common in these parts. 83.—Serilophus lunatus, Gould. (139 dis.) Appears to be common over the whole of the Pegu_ hills in good thick forest. I also shot one bird as low down as Kyeikpadein and took its nest there. 84.—Cymborhynchus affinis, Bly. (139 quat.) Although a bird of the Arakan hills, this species comes into the limits of this paper at many points between Bassein and Rangoon. Mr. Strettell gave me a specimen labelled “10 miles east of Rangoon.’? I have many specimens procured near Yandoon on the Irrawaddy. Fora note on the plumage of this bird, see S. F., III, p. 386. 85.—Dichoceros cavatus, Shaw. (140.) Abundant throughout Pegu in forest country, It does not come out much into the comparatively treeless plains of Lower Pegu, except when the peepul trees are in fruit. * Both our Pegu birds are of the intermediate form, which in Vol. VI, p. 84, T have entered as A. beavani. This form differs as explained, loc cit, and LY, 383, alike from beavani and meningting.—Kv., 8. F A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 189 86.—-Hydrocissa albirostris, Shaw. (142.) Very common and generally distributed. 87.—Rhyticeros undulatus, Shaw. (146 dis.) I enter this on the authority of the late Marquis of Tweed- dale, who states (Ibis, 1877, p. 296) that Capt. Ramsay procured a young male at Tounghoo. Ihave never met with it. 88.—Rhyticeros subruficollis, Bly. (146 ¢er.) Occurs from Pegu to Tounghoo along the valley of the Sittang. It is very abundant. This Hornbill feeds on snails a good deal, in search of which it spends much time. Near Myetkyo, at the head of the canal, twenty birds may be seen at one time hopping about those portions of the plain where the grass islow. They are in the habit of flying every day over exactly the same line of route, and they are not to be frightened from this procedure. When I began constructing the lock at Myetkyo I noticed. great numbers of Hornbills passing low overhead every morning. They kept to this route the whole time the lock was being built, regardless of the noise made by a large number of men and two pumping engines. 89.—Paleornis indoburmanicus, Hume. (147 quat.) A very common species throughout the plains. I do not think it frequents the higher hills, 90.—Palexornis torquatus, Bodd. (148.) As common as, or perhaps commoner than, the preceding. Also confined to the plains. 91.—Paleornis cyanocephalus, Lin. (149 dis.) Like the two preceding Parrots, the present one is very numerous in the plains. 92.—Paleornis finschi, Hume. (150 dis.) The birds I formerly procured on the Pegu hills were so dirty and imperfect that Mr. Hume was unable for certain whether they belonged to schisticeps or jinschi. As Capt. Ramsay’s specimens from the Tounghoo hills were identified by Lord Tweeddale with finschi, it is probable that the Pegu hills birds belong to the same race. I found it com- mon in the large forests on the hills between Thyetmyo and Tounghoo, 190 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU.: 93.—Paleornis fasciatus, P. L. S. Mill. (152.) Less common than the other species of the plains. This bird occurs also in the hills, where it is very fond of clearings. It occurs in every part of the province. 94.—Loriculus vernalis, Sparrm. (153.) An abundant species in the well-wooded portions of the province. Itis oneof the few birds that Burmans catch with ' bird-lime and keep in captivity. 95.—Picus analis, Horsf, (157 ¢er.) This species, which is not at all common, has been found in the Thyetmyo district by myself, in Tounghoo by Capt. Ramsay, andat Elephant Point by Dr. Armstrong. These are places very distant one from the other, and the presumption is that this Woodpecker is of general distribution over the province, but undoubtedly rare in many parts. 96.—Picus mahrattensis, Lath. (160.) Appears to be confined to the upper or northern part of the province. It is common in the Thyetmyo district and Captain Ramsay procured it at Tounghoo. 97.—Iyngipicus canicapillus, Bly. (163 bis.) This small Woodpecker is found in every portion of the province, and is abundant. 98.—Hemicercus canente, Less. (165 bis.) Common throughout the province. 99.—Miglyptes jugularis, Bly. (165 quat.) I procured one specimen on the Pegu hills, and have never since met with it. 100.—Chrysocolaptes sultaneus, ZHodgs. (166.) One of the commonest species of Woodpecker ; found every- where in the province. 101.—Muelleripicus pulverulentus, Tem. (168.) This large Woodpecker is found in all the thick forests of the Pegu hills, and less frequently in the plains. 102.—Thriponax feddeni, Blanf. (169 ter.) Is confined to the northern portion of the province*; is * Blanford, however, obtained it at Bassein—Ep, 8, F. _A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 191 abundant in the Thyetmyo district, and becomes less common to the eastward, disappearing altogether, I think, at the sum- mit of the ridge of the Pegu range.* 103.—Gecinus striolatus, Bly. (171.) Confined, as far as my experience goes, to the Thyetmyo and Prome districts, but I notice that Mr. Blanford records it from the Irrawaddy delta, and Lord Tweeddale from Tounghoo. 104.—Gecinus vittatus, Vier. (171 dis.) Distributed over all parts of Pegu, and generally abundant. 105.—Gecinus erythropygius, Elliot. There can be little doubt that Mr. Hume’s nigrigenis is the same as this.t I have procured it at Tounghoo, and it does not seem to cross the Sittang river into my limits in large numbers. I know nothing of its habits from personal acquaintance with the bird. 106.—Gecinus occipitalis, Vig. (172.) One of the commonest Woodpeckers, and found all over the province. 107.—Chrysophlegma flavinuchus, Gould. (173.) Abundant in all thick forests, more especially on hilly ground. 108.—Chrysophlegma chlorolophus, Vieiil. (174.) I have observed this bird only in the northern portion of the province from Thyetmyo to Tounghoo, between the fron- tier and a line parallel to it about 30 miles south of it. It is tolerably common. 109.—Gecinulus viridis, Bly. (177 bis.) Common on the Pegu hills between Thyetmyo and Tounghoo both in dry and in evergreen forest. I have not observed it elsewhere. * But reappearing in the plains country between the Sittang and Salween, and in the hills further east—Ep., S. F. + Time will show. Elliot’s bird is from Cochin China. I admit that the Northern and Central Siamese bird is the same as mine, but I think that the Cochin Chinese bird differs as noted in Vol. Il, 471m, for I have ascertained that the plate and dimensions given in the Nouvelles Archives are accurate— Ep., 8. 25 192 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEQU.. 110.—Micropternus pheoceps, Bly. (178.) Very common on the eastern slopes of the Pegu hills from the frontier right down to Rangoon, round which town it is specially abundant.* 111.—Tiga javanensis, Ljung. (184.) Spread over the whole province in great numbers. It is I fancy the Woodpecker most generally met with, and it affects all descriptions of jungle. 112,—Sasia ochracea, Hodgs. (187.) I got one specimen on the Pegu hills on the eastern side in heavy evergreen forest. It probably occurs in other places. 113.—Iynx torquilla, Lin. (188.) A common cold weather visitor. Ihave procured it near Thyetmyo and also near Kyeikpadein. -114.—Megalema hodgsoni, Bp, (192.) Every mile of forest in the province contains dozens of this bird. It is equally common in the dry and in the evergreen forests. 115.—Megalema asiatica, Lath. (195.) As common as the preceding, but confined to the damp ever- green forests on the Pegu hills. 116.—Xantholeema hemacephala, P.L.S. Miil.(197.) Universally distributed throughout the plains, chiefly in spare jungle, and in cultivated lands. 117.—Megalema cyanotis, Bly. (198 ¢er.) An inhabitant of thick forests from the frontier down to Rangoon, and not occurring, I think, on the western side of the Pegu hills. 118.—Cuculus canorus, Zin. (199.) I have procured this bird from August to February round Peou and Kyeikpadein. It is fairly common, but (probably owing to the season it visits us) I have never heard it call. I got a specimen at Prome in November. Capt. Ramsay heard the call of this Cuckoo quite commonly in Karennee. The wings of Pegu birds run from 7°75 to 8:1. * And we have several specimens from Thyetmyo, and others from Bassein, where also Blanford procured it.—Eb., 8, F. _ A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 193 119.—Cuculus striatus, Drap. (200.) { procured one specimen at Kyeikpadein in October. It seems rare. This bird was a female: Wing, 6:8; tail, 6:0; bill at front, 75. The breast is washed with chestnut and the belly is tinged with buff, 120.—Cuculus sonnerati, Lath. (202.) Captain Ramsay records this Cuckoo from Thyetmyo. I have never met with it. 121.—Cuculus micropterus, Gould, (203.) Very generally distributed over the whole province in forests and well-wooded parts of the country. 122.—Hierococcyx nisicolor, Hodgs. (206.) I procured one specimen at Kyeikpadein in November, a male, with the wing 6:9, and tail 6:0. Another bird, unsexed, from near Tounghoo has the wing 6°8, and tail 6:2. Both are rufous below, but unbarred, and the centres of the feathers are slightly ashy. 123.—Hierococcyx sparveroides, Vig. (207.) Very equally distributed over the whole province, but not common except on the higher hills. 124.—Cacomantis threnodes, Cab. (209.) A very common bird throughout the plains, frequenting gardens and low jungle. They are fond of swamps and jheels, where no doubt caterpillars are abundant. Wings of Pegu birds range from 4:0 to 4°6. 125.—Surniculus lugubris, Horsf. (21C.) A common bird in Lower Pegu from Pegu down to Rangoon. It probably occurs throughout the better-wooded and other parts of the province. 126.—Chrysococcyx maculatus, Gm. (211.) I have heard of only one specimen of this species shot within my limits. It was procured by Mr. Olive, and is now in my possession. It is in adult plumage, and cannot be confounded with the next. It was shot at Prome. 127.—Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus, Horsf. (211 bis.) A fairly common bird near Kyeikpadein, and also at Rangoon. A young bird of this genus, and very probably this 194 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. species and not the preceding, was shot by me at Thyetmyo. I-have also got the bird from Karennee, the only perfectly adult male I have. We may conclude that it occurs in all suitable localities in the province. It frequents orchards and clumps of trees, and lives amongst the leaves, where it 1s not easy to detect it. IJ have not heard its note. At no age does the female ever assume the violet plumage of the adult male, nor even a single violet feather. I feel pretty certain that both basalis, Horsf., and malayanus, Raff., are based on females of this species. It is to be noted with reference to this that in the list of these birds given at page 506, 8S. F., VI, all Mr. Hume’s zanthorhynchus are-males, all his malayanus,* except one unsexed bird, are females. In the adult female, the whole lower surface, from the chin to the tip of the under tail-coverts, the lores, cheeks, ear- coverts and sides of neck are white, closely barred across with greenish bronze; the bars on the under tail-coverts are broader and wider apart than elsewhere; the head, neck, back, rump and upper tail-coverts are shining bronze, tinged with copper on the head; the forehead and over the eye are speckled with white; the lesser wing-coverts are brilliant bronze, each feather narrowly edged with rufous; the greater coverts are less brilliant, and are broadly notched all round with rufous; primaries brown, glossed with green, very narrowly edged with rufous, and the later ones also tipped with the same; the inner web of all with a broad streak of rufous along the basal two-thirds of the edge; secondaries and tertiaries greenish bronze, edged all round with rufous; centre pair of rectrices uniform bronze green, tinged with blue near the tip; the next pair has on each web alternate triangular patches of greenish brown and rufous ; the bases of the brown patches and the apices of the rufous ones lying next the shaft. In the next pair the brown patches are less in extent, each pair being fully separated from the next by the rufous; the tip is white; the next pair again is very similar, the brown being still further reduced and the white tip broader; the outer pair is rufous, with four black bars, and on the outer web between each pair of black bars there is a white patch ; the tip is broadly white. In less mature females the central rectrices are barred greenish brown and rufous ; the white spots on the outer pair * But I find in the museum two specimens of malayanus, sexed by dissection by eae as males, I don’t think he could have made ¢wo mistakes like this.— DS. FB, i A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 195 extend to both webs ; the upper plumage everywhere is closely barred with rufous ; the lower plumage at all ages is the same. The description of malayanus agrees well with the above, except that the lower tail feathers are said to be barred with brown, black and white. This is the only discrepancy. I have never seen a female which had not a vast deal of rufous in the tail. Horsfield’s description of basalis also answers well to the above. Of the tail he says :—Rectrices externe supra viridi- fuscescentes infra nigrescentes albido maculate, relique (duabus intermediis eaceptis) basi castanee, apice albido fasciate. I give the dimensions of a female :—Length, 6-9 ; expanse, 11:5; tail, 3:3; wing, 3°95; tarsus, 5; bill from gape to tip, °85. Iris reddish brown ; eyelids greenish, the edges pale red ; inside of mouth salmon colour; bill brown, paler beneath, and orange at gape; legs and claws brown. The adult male is well known. Immature males have from a very early age one or more violet feathers* shewing out in the plumage, and their recognition is consequently easy. The change goes on by an easy transition and not by a moult. By February the full plumage is assumed. In October the change appears to have just begun. The young male never assumes the adult plumage of the female, the change to mature male plumage taking place while the upper surface is densely barred with rufous. The young male differs in nothing from the young female, except that the green bars below are much broader and further apart. The quite young bird is described (S. F., III, p. 81), by Mr. Hume, from a specimen procured by me at Thyetmyo. He states that the bird is not a nestling. This is true, inasmuch as the specimen has all the feathers fully grown ; but I am of opinion that the bird is not more than a few weeks old In birds of this genus the nestling appears to * T suspect this is not invariably the case, and that our two male malayanus are young males which happen noé to have as yet developed any violet feathers, If not, despite their extreme similarity of female wanthorhynchus and malayanus, we must conclude that the latter is really distinct, both sexes exhibiting a plumage very close to, if not identical with, that of the female of the former. And we must remember that the Australian specimens I have of lucidus or basalis (I do not know which they are) are not separable from my Malayan malayanus, and that in Australia xanthorhynchus does not occur. I myself have long inclined to the view Mr. Oates now sets forth, in consequence of Mr. Cripps having sent me several specimens of xanthorhynchus and malayanus from Dibrugarh, which were all got at the same time and place, and which he affirmed of his own observation were males and females of the same species. But against this were my two undoubted male malayanus, the two perfectly similar birds from Australia (one sexed a male), and the non-occurrence of wanthorhynchus in Australia. I do not think we are yet in a position to decide the question, If basalis and malayanus are not distinct from aanthorhynchus, then we should have, it seems to me, to suppress the latter and call all Jwcidus, Gm., for the Australian birds are, it seems to me, identical with the Malayan ; but then ow is it there are ne violet birds in Australia >—Ep., 8. F, , 196 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. assume a distinct plumage for a short time, and then the change towards adult plumage rapidly progresses. Some interesting remarks on the allied Australian Cuckoos will be found in P. Z. 8., 1865, p. 460, by Mr. Edward P. Ramsay. 128.—Coccystes jacobinus, Bodd. (212.) Confined to Thyetmyo and its neighbourhood where it is common. 129.—Coccystes coromandus, Lin. (2138.) Distributed over the whole province, and fairly common. 130.—Eudynamis malayana, Cab. & Hein. (218.) Common all over Pegu from February to June. I have procured nestling birds in May. 131.—Rhopodytes tristis, Less. (215.) A very common bird in all parts of the provinee. Consider- ing however what a remarkable tail it has, it is wonderful how seldom it is seen. It glides very gracefully from branch to branch, concealing itself admirably. 132.—Centrococcyx intermedius, Hume. (217 quat.) Birds from all parts of the province are similar. It is very common, except in the thicker forests, where I have not observed it. 133.—Centrococcyx bengalensis, Gm. (218.) Extremely abundant in all the lower open parts of the country. It is not a forest bird, but rather one of grass land, especially where swampy. The length of the upper tail-coverts in this bird is, I think, entirely dependent on age and not in any way connected with season or sex. The young birds in first plumage are clothed in the adult winter plumage ;* hence it happens that .in September and October birds in both stages of plumage are found together. * If we are to gather from this that Mr. Oates has ascertained that the white shafted plumage is the normal adult winter plumage, the fact is important. Hitherto the question since I touched upon it, S. F., III, 84, and mentioned for the first time on Mr. Simson’s authority, that this stage of plumage was seasonal, the matter has been sub judice. I have preswmed that the brown white shafted plumage was that of the cold weather, because the great majority of my specimens, killed between the 15th November and 15th March, were in this stage; several killed between 15th March and the end of April in an intermediate stage, and the great majority killed between 1st May and 1st November in the black stage. But then I have perfectly black birds killed at the end of November and in January, and brown birds killed in May and June. But I am not sure that these dates, which are Mandelli’s, are reliable, and certainly every specimen of our own collecting, or of which the dates are certainly reliable, confirm Mr. Oates’ present statement,—ED., §. F. A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. - 197 134.—Arachnothera aurata, Bly. (223 bis.) Common on the eastern slopes of the Pegu hills in evergreen forests. Occurs also in the belt of jungle between the hills. and the Sittang. 135.—Arachnothera longirostra, Lath. (224.) I procured one specimen only on the hills about ten miles north of Pegu. It probably occurs generally over the hills. Captain Ramsay procured it at Tounghoo. 136.—Asthopyga cara, Hume. (225 ter.) Abundant round Rangoon. It is also common on the hills near Pegu. I procured it on the banks of the Sittang a little below Shwaygheen, and Captain Ramsay records it from Tounghoo. 137.—Cinnyris hasselti, Tem. (233 dis.) In the course of some years I have shot a few specimens of this Honeysucker. It occurs at Kyeikpadein, and also on the hills north of Pegu, but is rare. 138.—Anthreptes pheenicotis, Tem. (233 sezt.) I did not meet with this species in Thyetmyo; but throughout Lower Peeu it is extremely common. Captain Ramsay shot it at Tounghoo. It is perhaps more common near Rangoon than elsewhere in the province. As it occurs in Tipperah on one side and Tenasserim on the other, it is pro- bably found in every part of Pegu. 139.—Cinnyris asiaticus, Lath. (234.) Found in every part of the province, but nowhere very com- mon according to my experience. 140.—Cinnyris flammaxillaris, Bly. (234 ter.) Confined to Lower Pegu, south of’a line drawn roughly from Henzada to Shwaygheen. In this tract it is extremely common. In a note contributed by Messrs. Hume and Davison to Captain Shelley’s Sunbirds, they state that, like C. asiaticus, the males put off the breeding plumage in the winter and assume a dress precisely similar to that of the female, except in so far as they retain a gular stripe. Specimens killed at the close of April had nearly completed the change. I presume the change here meant is that of the male from winter to breeding plumage again. 198 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. That this bird undergoes any change of plumage at all is quite contrary to my experience. I have males in full plu- mage shot in every month of the year, and I have taken several nests in March, when certainly the male birds were in full dress. The fact is that the young male is plumaged like the female till the following February, and that during the winter months there are more young males about than old ones, owing to this species having two or more broods a year.* 141.—Diceum cruentatum, Lath. (236.) Extremely common over the whole of the province. 142.—Diceum trigonostigma, Scop. (236 bis.) I have only one female of this species shot at Kyeikpadein. It appears to be very rare. 143.—Diceeum chrysorrheeum, Tem. (237.) Only procured near Rangoon, where it is not uncommon. ‘Captain Ramsay records it from Tounghoo. 144.—Piprisoma agile, Tick. (240.) Several specimens, shot at Kyeikpadein, are identical with an Indian specimen. I have procured it nowhere else within my limits. My men got a specimen at Malewoon in South Tenasserim which I identified with Prionochilus modestus, Hume, till I got an Indian example of P. agile with which to compare it. The two seem very close to each other.} 145.—Sitta neglecta, Walden. (250 bis.) This Nuthatch is found in all the dry forests of the lower hills and plains over the whole province. It also frequents secondary jungle, compounds and open country where there are a few trees. * T have no doubt Mr. Oates is right; at the same time we have very few males in full plumage shot in the winter, and it seemed fair to conclude that these were only exceptions, that as in ‘the parallel case of asiatica retained the breeding plumage right through. Abont one in fifty I should say of asiaticus do this on the average, though this is commoner in damp warm localities, and rarer in dry cold ones. In the case of flammawillaris, I only went by a very large series of specimens. But Davison confirmed this view by his own personal observation of the extreme difficulty of getting full-plumaged males during the winter.—Ep., 8. F. + I hope Mr. Oates will again compare his specimens. I rather doubt Péprisoma agile occurring at Malewoon. The fact is that though usually, broadly speaking, this species isa pale grey brown with a faint greenish tinge, and P, modestus a pure green, yet I have seen faded birds of the latter undistinguishable, so far as colour went, from freshly moulted ones of the former. But the bills differ altogether ; that of modestus is considerably longer, and yet the gonys of agile is a third longer than that of modestus! If P, agile really occurs at Malewoon, it is an interesting fact.—Ep., 8. F. A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 199 146.—Dendrophila frontalis, Horsf. (253.) Common all over the Pecu hills and ranging into the plains where the vegetation is at all evergreen, and suitable to it.* 147.—Upupa longirostris, Jerdon. (254 bis.) Extremely common in all the dry forests of the plains, as well as in cultivated and bare ground. In thick dry forest, such as there is at} Entagan, 13 miles south of Pegu, on the Rangoon road, it is remarkably abundant. 148.—Lanius nigriceps, Frankl. (259.) Common in the rains, somewhat rarer in the dry weather, in the grassy plains between the Pegu and the Sittang rivers. I also procured it at Prome, and Captain Ramsay got it at Tounghoo.f 149.—Lanius colluroides, Less. (260 ter.) Common at Thyetmyo and Prome. Also throughout Lower Pegu it occurs in considerable numbers; but it is not common except in Upper Pegu. It leaves the province from about February to July to breed, and perhaps goes to native Burma for the purpose. 150.—Lanius cristatus, Zin. (261.) Excessively common over the whole province from Septem- ber to April in the plains, frequenting open ground and the neighbourhood of houses and villages. 151.—Tephrodornis pelvicus, Hodgs. (263.) Occurs in all parts of the province in forests and well- wooded localities. 152.—Tephrodornis pondicerianus, Gm. (265.) Very abundant everywhere, but a bird more of the open ground and of cultivation than of the forest. 153.—Muscitrea grisola, Bly. (266.) Apparently rare. I have procured only one specimen which T shot on the banks of the canal about ten miles from Pegu. 154.—Hemipus picatus, Sykes. (267.) Not a common bird, but very generally distributed over the province. _ * We have received it from Bassein, and Blanford also appears to have procured it there—Ep.,S.F + Also near the mouth of the Bassein river,—EDp., 8. F. 26 900. A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU: 155.—Volvocivora* avensis, Bly. (268 dis.) Fairly common everywhere, but not so numerous as the rext. It frequents orchards and clumps of trees, but is not found, I think, in forests. 156.—Volvocivora intermedia, Hume. (269 bis.) More common than the preceding, but more of a forest bird, I think it is confined to the southern portions of the province. 157.—Graucalus macii, Less. (270.) Fairly common in all parts of Pegu. 158.—Pericrocotus elegans, MeClell. (271 fer.) This bird is common in all the forests and well-wooded parts of the province. 159.—Pericrocotus roseus, Vieill. (275.) 1 have found this species very common near Pegu and Kyeikpadein. Captain Ramsay got it at Tounghoo, and Dr. Armstrong at Rangoon and Syriam.t 160.—Pericrocotus peregrinus, Zin. (276.) Extremely abundant everywhere, except perhaps in the thicker forests on the hills. 161.—Pericrocotus albifrons, Jerd. (277 bis.) Confined strictly to Thyetmyo and a few miles south of this place. It probably extends far above the frontier.} 162.—Pericrocotus cinereus, Lafr. (277 quat.) One single bird, a female, procured at Kyeikpadein, is, referable to the present species, and differs in many important particulars from the next species. I have compared it with a series in the British Museum, 163.—Pericrocotus cantonensis, Swink. (277 ter.) I have three females of this species, two killed at Kyeik- padein and one at Malewoon, iu Tenasserim. The three specimens are all alike. The following remarks apply only to females, all my birds being of this sex :-— In cinereus the upper plumage is a dark brown, and the rump and upper tail-coverts concolorous with it. * L prefer to retain Volvocivora for the non-metallic-glossed-plumaged Asiatic species, and restrict Campophaga to the metallic-glossed-plumaged African species,— Ep,S F. + And Blanford got it at Basscin—ED., Sia Oe { Blanford procured it as far as Pagan.—LEp., 8, F. A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PRGU: 201 The wing spot is pure white. The axillaries are pale buff. The dark portion of the tail and the shafts are black. The white of the tailis small. On the first pair, from the outside, the white measure ‘6; on the second also ‘6; on the third, ‘85 ; and on the fourth, 1:7 in length. In the present species the upper plumage is hair brown; the rump and upper tail-coverts conspicuously paler. The wing spot is yellow, The axillaries are yellow. The dark portions of the tail are brown, and the shafts pale hair brown. The white of the tail is extensive. On the first pair, the white measures *8; on the second, *8; on the third, 1:3; on the fourth, 2°1 in length. In cinereus the white on the fourth pair of rectrices extends to only half the width of the inner web. In cantonensis, the white extends to the edge of the inner web for a distance of one and a quarter inches. The tail, closed and viewed fron below, is entirely white. In cinereus the closed tail, viewed from below, has about equal quantities of black and white. The dimensions of the two species do not differ in any important particular, and Mr. Hume has already given sufli- cient information on this head (8. F., V, 176) when dealing with the bird he named tmmodestus.* Both these species occur at Kyeikpadein in a thick and almost impenetrable grove of mango trees with an under- growth of pineapples. I have tried unsuccessfully to procure males, I have compared the Pegu birds with Mr. Swinhoe’s series of cantonensis now in Mr. Seebolim’ s collection. 164.—Buchanga atra, Herm. (278.) In Pegu this Drongo is only a cold weather visitor. It is very abundant from October to January in all suitable loca- lities, and less common from January to March. 165.—Dicrurus annectans, Hodgs. (279.) A passing visitor in October, when it is very abundant near * And this, and not cantonensis, I am inclined to think, Mr. Oates’ birds are, As to the distinctness of this form from cinereus, on which Mr. Oates now insists in detail, I pointed this out when dealing with it, and suggesting the name immodestus, 8. F., V, 176. At the time I pointed out that this approached can- tonensis, but I also showed how it, and especially the male, differed. It is possible that my male (I only got one male and seven females) is a young bird, though it does not look so; but it is separable at once from our only cantonensis, by its much duller rump, distinct wing bar, and darker upper surface. However, with only one adult male of each form it is impossible to be certain, and on the comparison of the females only no reliance can be placed. The matter must remain sub.judice till Mr. Oates gets a series of males.—EbD., 8. F. 202 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. Pegu and Rangoon. I have not seen it at any other time of the year. It is generally considered that the birds with white on the breast and abdomen are young, and that the black birds are adult. Is this proved? Dr. Dohrn (P. Z.8., 1866, p. 327) says of D. modestus: “The older they grow the more the tips of the feathers of the abdomen and breast are white bordered.” 166.—Buchanga longicaudata, 4. Hay. This ashy black Drongo, exactly of the same tint of colour as the Malabar bird, appears to differ in the extent to which the tail is forked—a very important point in this family. I have only one Indian specimen, and the fork is 2-2 deep. In Burmese birds it varies from 15 to 17. The colour of this bird must prevent it ever being confused with the two next which are clear ashy and not ashy black. The present species is a constant resident, and fairly common in all forest country in Lower Pegu. 167.—Buchanga intermedia,* Bly. (280 dzs.) The ashy Drongo, a totally different coloured bird from the preceding, is common throughout the province in wooded Jocalities. Wings, 4°9 to 5:4; tails, 56 to 6-05; fork of tail, 1:7 to 1-9. ; 168.—Buchanga pyrrhops, Hodgs. (280 dvs.) A larger form of the preceding with wing 5°75 ; fork of tail, 2:0. I have no specimen of it, but Lord ‘'weeddale examined specimens collected at Rangoon by Captain Ramsay. 169.—Chaptia enea, Vieill. (282.) Sparingly distributed over the whole province. 170.—Bhringa remifer, Tem. (283.) Generally found, but rather rare. * This and the next are certainly not separable ; every intermediate size occurs, It is simply absurd to pick out all the large birds and call them one species, and all the small ones and call them another. Then as to difference of colour: it is most decided at the two ends of the scale, but we have fully one hundred specimens lying between the extreme forms, and abso- lutely bridging over the difference. It may be convenient to retain one name to indicate this form lying between longicaudatus and leucophea, but it is absolutely illogical for any one who adopts atra as the title for all the black Kingcrows, to go and make two species here. Why atra includes at least five races, each much more distinct (I speak of typical examples of each) than is pyrrhops from inter- media.—¥p., 8. F + And Armstrong procured numbers there and elsewhere along the Pegu coast, and we have specimens from the Bassein river estuary.—Ep., 8. P’. A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 203 171.—Dissemurus paradiseus, Lin. (285.) In a foot note to an account of the nidification of the Great Racket-tailed Drongo which I wrote (S. F., VIII, p. 166), Mr. Hume asks whether paradiseus or grandis is meant. After shooting these birds for some years in all parts of Pegu, and examining specimens procured by my men in Tenasserim, I am now of the opinion that the two cannot be separated.* Upper Pegu birds are larger, and have more ample crests than those from Lower Pegu and Tenasserim; but no line can be drawn between the two, and the difficulty is best met by ranging them all in under one name. 172.—Chibia hottentotta, Zin. (286.) This bird seems to wander about a good dealin flocks, and there are few places where it is not common at one time of the year or the other. 173.—Artamus fuscus, Vieill. (287.) Generally distributed, and very common in many places, such as Thyetmyo, but apparently capricious in its choice of locality. In many tracts of country I have never met it. 174.—Muscipeta affinis, 4. Hay. (289.) Fairly common in all parts of Pegu. In September Jarge numbers sweep through the province, apparently on migration. 175.—Hypothymis azurea, Bodd. (290.) Excessively common everywhere. 176.—Leucocerca albicollis, Viedil. (291.) Generally distributed, but nowhere common. 177.—Leucocerca aureola, Vieill. (292.) Confined to the upper portions of the province near Thyet- myo and Tounghoo. I have never met with it elsewhere. * ‘he great mass of the birds from all over Pegu and Tenasserim are unquese tionably paradiseus. But true grandis is perfectly separable. Very likely Mr. Oates has never seen one in Burma. We have only two, one from the North Arakan hills, and one from the extreme north of Tenasserim. But from Thyetmyo in Pegu, we have two specimens, which might pass for grandis, but which, when closely examined, have smaller crests and smaller bills, though larger than those from Rangoon, &c. I agree therefore with Mr. Oates now, that it is best to keep all the Pegu birds as paradiseus. But if he means that true grandis is not separable from paradiseus, then I must differ from him—five birds in a hundred may be found intermediate between the two near the junctions of their respective areas I admit ; but how about keeping intermedia and pyrrhops separate when posi- tively fifty out of every hundred birds are intermediate between these two forms and both occur as a rule in the same areas? I may note that on the last line of p. 221, Vol. VI, Pegu has been printed for Arakan—Eb., S, F 204 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 178.—Culicicapa ceylonensis, Swans. (295.) In Upper Pegu it seems to be confined to the hills, but in the lower parts it is generally distributed as a cold weather visitor. 179.—Hemichelidon sibiricus, Gm. (296.) A rather rare bird in general, but appears to occur in all parts of the province. 180.—Alseonax latirostris, Raf. (297.) Excessively common in Lower Pegu during the dry weather, particularly near Rangoon and Pegu. Captain Ramsay got it at Tounghoo, but I did not meet with it at Thyetmyo. 181.—Alseonax ferrugineus, Hodgs. (299.) Of rare occurrence. I have got two specimens near Kyeik- padein in the course of five or six years. Thyetmyo (Déyth). 182.—Stoporala melanops, Vig. (301.) During one dry season this bird was excessively abundant round Kyeikpadein, and I ‘procured as many as I wanted. I have seen it every year again, but not in such large numbers. Dr. Armstrong got it at Syriam and Elephant Point.* 183.—Cyornis rubeculoides, Vig. (804,) A common bird over the whole province in the dry weather. 184.—Erythrosterna albicilla, Pall. (823.) Common over the whole province during the dry weather, 185.— Erythrosterna maculata, Tick. (326.) I shot one bird at Kyeikpadein in the cold weather, It is very rare apparently. 186.—Myiophoneus eugenii, Hume. (343 bis.) Confined to the rocky streams in the Pegu hills where it is common. Does not appear to cross the Irrawaddy river to the west, where temmincki replaces it. 187.—Hydrornis oatesi, Zume. (344 dis.) Common in certain streams of the evergreen forests of the Pegu hills. * And Blanford at Bassein, whence we also have received it.—Ep., 9. F, A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU, 205, 188.—Pitta cyanea, Bly. (844 ter.) Generally distributed in the hills and in the well-wooded portions of the plains. 189.—Pitta moluccensis, P. LZ. S. Miitl. (845 bis.) Very common over the whole province from May to July, merely visiting us for breeding purposes. 190.—Pitta megarhyncha, Schl. (345 der.) Appears at much the same time as the preceding species, but is comparatively rare. 191.—Pitta cuculata, Hartl. (346.) Distributed and common in suitable localities over the whole province.* 192.—Cyanocinclus solitarius, P. D. §. Will. (351 bis.) I do not know to which species the Pegu bird belongs—this or cyanus.f It is a fairly common bird, found throughout the province in the dry weather. 193. —Geocichla citrina, Lath. (355.) i‘ Nowhere vary common apparently, but found in all parts of egu. 194.—Turdus obscurus, Gm. (369 bis.) I procured one specimen at Kyeikpadein, and it appears to be rare. 195.—Oreocincla mollissima, Bly. (370.) Capt. Ramsay got this bird at Tounghoo, I have not met. with it. 196.—Oreocincla dauma, Lath. (871.) I found this bird on the hills, and I procured a specimen at: Kyeikpadein.. Capt. Ramsay records it from Tounghoo. It seems to be rare. 197.—Pyctorhis sinensis, Gm. (885.) Very common throughout the plains. * Add 350 bis.— Zoothera marginata, Bly. “A male from the North Pegu hills —Ep., 8. BF + LT hardly understand this. Both forms oceur in Pegu. Hither Mr. Oates accepts, both as species, and then he should enter both, or he thinks them different races ee one species, and then cyanus has priority —ED., 3, 206 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU, 198.—Pyctorhis altirostris, Jerdon. (386 dis.) I have already described this bird (S. F., V, p. 249). Since I became acquainted with the note of this species I have heard it very frequently in the vast plain west of the canal, and have procured many specimens. It is very difficult to shoot, as it clings to the lower parts of the elephant grass, and is seldom seen. I have found it the best plan to go after them ina canoe during high floods. Nothing but the tips of the grass are then available for shelter, and a few birds are secured with tolerable ease. They are abundant along both sides of the reclamation bund extending from the head of the canal to the road from Pegu to Tounghoo. Also down the canal as faras Wan. In marching this year from Pegu to Tounghoo I heard the note every day nearly up to Tounghoo wherever there was elephant grass. As is well known, Dr. Jerdon procured it at Thyetmyo. It also probably occurs in the plains in other parts of the Irrawaddy valley. ie note is peculiar and unlike that of any other bird. It is however impossible to describe it. Although not gregarious, yet the bird is seldom alone, and several may frequently be heard calling and answering from the same clump of grass. It feeds in the rains chiefly on large grasshoppers which abound, to an incredible extent, in all the flooded lands, 199.—Trichastoma abbotti, Bly. (387.) Very common throughout the southern portions of the province in gardens, orchards, and damp forests, provided that in these there is a dense undergrowth of small and entangled brushwood. It has a remarkably pretty note, uttered so frequently, and in such rapid succession, that it may be said almost to have asong. It feeds chiefly on the eround, but I have seen it in trees peering under the leaves of the smaller branches for insects.* 200.—-Alcippe phayrii, Bly. (388 dis.) I procured this bird only in the evergreen forests of the Pegu hills, where it was common. 201.—Stachyrhis nigriceps, Hodgs, (391.) Appears to be fairly common in the Pegu hills on the Eastern slopes, where I have twice taken its nest. * Add 388.—Alcippe nipalensis, Hodgs. I bave examined a specimen of this from the North Pegu hills, —Ep., 8, F. A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 207 202.—Stachyrhis rufifrons, Hume. (393 bis.) IT have no doubt this bird is pretty common on the Pegu hills, but I only met with it once or twice. 203.—Mixornis rubricapillus, Tick. (395.) Excessively common in all parts of Pegu, except perhaps in the drier parts near Thyetmyo, where I do not remember to have observed it. 204.—Timalia bengalensis, God.- Aust. (396.) Common in all parts of the province in the plains both in brushwood and in elephant grass. In all the plains round Pegu it is common to a degree. 205.—Pellorneum tickelli, Bly. ; Trichastoma minus, Hume; Drymocataphus fulvus, Walden. (387 dvs). Mr. Hume favored me some time ago with a specimen of the bird he calls P. ticéelli, and also with one of his 7. minus. The latter is undoubtedly* the bird described by Blyth and Tickell, and also the bird I recorded from Upper Pegu (S. F., III, p. 119). Mr. Hume’s P. tickelli, which is much streaked on the breast, will require a new name I think. T think the Marquis of Tweeddale was right in classing this species under Drymocataphus. It is hardly a Pellorneum. (See Ibis, 1877, p. 451.) 1 found this bird common on the Peeu hills in nullahs, creeping on the ground in brushwood on the banks. I wish to note that Mr. Hume’s P. tichelli appears so rare in Tenasserim that Mr. Davison got only one specimen. Of Trichastoma minus he got ten, and Tickell is therefore hardly likely to have got the former and not the latter. 206.—Pellorneum subochraceum, Swinhoe ; P. minus, Hume. Common in every part of the province, except perhaps on some portions of the hills. 207.—Pomatorhinus nuchalis, Tweeddalet (403.) In the list of the birds of Upper Pegu, (S. F., III, p. 121) * This is rather begging the question. I say per contra, and have quoted both descriptions, that they absolutely do xot apply to ZT. minus, and do exactly, word for word, agree withthe bird I call tickelli. But quot homines tot sententie.—Ep., S. F. {This is the only real point against my view, but can that outweigh he fact that the Gescriptions exactly fit one bird, while they can only, with difficulty, be made to cover the other P—Ep., S. F. { This is P. lewcogaster, Gould. I have fully discussed this question, S. F , IX, 251, One Thyetmyo specimen that we have is typical schisticeps, while another is inseparable from a Simla lJeucogaster. I suspect Mr. Oates had overlooked my elaborate exposition of this question loc, cit. sup.—Ep., 8. FB, 27 208 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. this bird is entered as schisticeps, Hodgs. Having received a bird lately from Mr. Hume from Mr. Mandelli’s collection made in Sikkim, I find that the Thyetmyo bird is clearly different from the Sikkim bird, differing in the flanks being ferruginous instead of olive brown, and by the absence of white streaks on the lateral breast feathers, and also by having a pale ferruginous collar on the nape. I found this species common rovnd Thyetmyo, but have not observed it anywhere else.* 208.—Garrulax belangeri, Less. (407 bis.) Distributed over every portion of the province and abundant. 209.—Garrulax chinensis, Scop. (408 ter.) Rarely met with. I have got it once or twice near Kyeikpa- dein and to the west of Shwaygheen. 210.—Garrulax pectoralis, Gould. (412.) Abundant near Thyetmyo and across the Pegu hills to Tounghoo, appparently not further south than the latitude of Prome. . Mr. Hume remarks (S. F., III, p.123) that, as far as he knows, this species and the next are always found together. In the greater portion however of the Pegu province, moniliger only is found. I notice also that in Tenasserim Mr. Davison saw the present species only once,f whereas he procured a large series of the next. These peculiarities in the distribution are good evidence of the total distinctness of the two species. 211.—Garrulax moniliger, Hodgs. (418.) Very abundant throughout the province, mingling with pectoralis where that species is found, but being found alone in the greater part of Pegu. 212.—Chatarrhea earlii, Bly. (439.) Very abundant in the grass plains west of the canal. I also met with it at Henzada, and Mr. Blanford says he got it ai Thyetmyo. * Add 402.—Pomatorhinus schisticeps, Hodgs. We had one typical specimen of this form from Thyetmeyo andso if leuco- gaster is retained distinct, this (schisticeps) must also appear in the Pegu list. + But this seems to have been a mere personal idiosyncracy, for Darling got lots of pectoralis, and Bingham has found both species equally common in Tenasserim, (vide S. F., IX, 181). I have seen, I may add, specimens of pectoralis from near Rangoon.—ED,, S. F A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 209 213.—Chatarrhea gularis, Bly. (439 dis.) Confined to the Thyetmyo and Prome districts up to the foot of the hills. Particularly abundant in Thyetmyo itself, and fairly common elsewhere. 214.—Megalurus palustris, Horsf. (440.) Very common in the grass plains west of the canal and extend- ing south of the canal some distance, possibly as far as Rangoon. It does not seem to be known that the sexes differ not only in size, but also very markedly in colouration.* Iam sorry my specimens are all packed up, and that I cannot describe them in this paper. 215.—Criniger griseiceps, Hume. (451 dis.) A common bird in all the forests on the eastern slopes of the Pegu hills. I received three specimens of a Criniger from Mr. deWet, who shot them only a few miles east of Tounghoo, and _conse- quently outside my limits. They agree exactly with flaveolus from the Himalayas, with the exception of the crest, which is conspicuously tipped yellow. I note that Mr. Blyth records flaveolus from Tenasserim.f Neither Mr. Davison nor Captain Ramsay appear to have found it. 216.—Ixus davisoni, Hume. (452 quat.) Confined to the southern portions of the province. I have procured it at Rangoon, and all the way up the road to Pegu. Also at Kyeikpadein. Dr. Armstrong procured it at Elephant * This latter is certainly not generally known, nor is it in my opinion a fact, The bird being specially familiar to me, I was much surprised when I read Mr. Oates’ remark as to the sexes differing materially in colouration—but livé and learn—I deter- mined at once to make up, by careful study, for my past ignorance. I had lying handy a large series of this species killed and sexed by myself in Manipur, I examined these, but could detect no sexual difference in plumage. Then I turned out between thirty and forty of each sex, from various parts of India, Assam and Burma, but here too failed to discover any trace of what Mr. Oates contends for. I found that specimens of both sexes varied in colouration to an extraordinary extent; first according to season, from the warm rufescent streakless head, nape and extreme upper back, with unspotted, often yellow, throat and breast, and uniform fulvous brown, lower parts of the freshly moulted bird to the cold greyish brown strongly streaked head, white throat, strongly spotted or streaked lower throat and upper breast and dingy white lower parts of some of the April and May birds; and second according to individuals, birds of the same (as well different) sexes shot at the same place on the same date, differing very markedly both in tone of colour and in the character and intensity of the streakings of the upper surface (especi- ally of the crown), and the spottings, if I may so call the markings, on the lower. throat and upper breast. But I have been able to find no male that I could not match with some female, and no female that I could not match with some male.— Ep., S. F. + Griseiceps had not then been discriminated. There is little doubt that the’ birds Blyth referred to were really griseiceps. In those days, we knew so little of the possible variations of what are now common Himalayan birds, that small differences were not much attended to.—Hp., S. I’. 210 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. Point, and Mr. Blanford at Bassein. He records it under the name of jinlaysoni, which, however, is not found west of the Sittang river. The limits of these two birds are very clearly and curiously defined by the Sittang. On the same day I have shot davisoni on the west bank, and finlaysoni on the east, but I have never known either of the birds to be found on the contrary sides of the river to these. 217.—Ixos blanfordi, Jerd. (452 quint.) Very abundant in all the plains portion of the province, and common as it is at Thyetmyo and Upper Pegu generally, it is much commoner in some places in Lower Pegu, such as Pegu and Kyeikpadein. 218.—Iole viridescens, Bly. (452 dec.) This Bulbul is spread generally over Lower Pegu, in the hilly country chiefly, and extends up the Sittang valley to Tounghoo. 219.—Rubigula flaviventris, Tick. (456.) Common throughout Southern Pegu, and extending up to Touvghoo both in the hills and plains. 220.—Brachypodius melanocephalus, Gm. (457 bis.) Very common rourd Rangoon and up to Pegu, thence extending some miles into the hills. Ihave not met with it elsewhere.* 221.—Brachypodius cinereiventris, Bly. (457 quat.) I have no doubt myself that this is a distinct species. I have never found any bird with the lower plumage mixed up with yellowish green; the grey is always uniform. Mr. Hume’s theory (8. F., VI, p. 320) that the skin of cineretventris has ceased to secrete the yellow pigment is a very convenient one, if you wish to make away with the species.| The same * But Blanford got it at Bassein—Ep., S. F. + I have not the least wish to make away with any species. I merely stated the fact that the difference between melanocephalus, cinereiventris, and chalcocephalus consisted solely in the extent to which the skin did or did not secrete a certain yellow pigment. I distinctly said, “ whether these are species or local races,” or what not, this is the sole difference between them. Now whether sueh differences consti- tute valid species, depends solely on whether they are normal and constant in a body of birds over a certain area, or whether they are abnormal or sporadic, affecting, like albinism, particular individuals only, and not the bulk of the birds of any locality. From what we read, (I do not know the thing of my own knowledge) the entire inability to secrete the yellow pigment, which gives us chalcocephalus, is a constant and persistent character of a vast number of birds covering a huge, but definite area. If this be so. then chalcocephalus must be admitted as a good species. But we know nothing of the same kind about the partial inability to secrete the yeiluw pigment, which gives us cimereiventris. On the A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 211 argument might, with equal justice, be applied to any other pair of similar species, and one of the two abolished. The present species has apparently the same distribution as the preceding. I note, however, that Lieutenant Ramsay got it at Tounghoo, where he does not seem to have observed melano- cephalus. 222.—Otocompsa emeria, Lin. (460) Extremely common, commencing from Prome, extending down to Southern Pegu, and reaching up to Tounghoo, where Captain Ramsay wrote to me it was very abundant. Not found on the hills. 223.—Pycnonotus burmanicus, Shorpe. Cat. VI., p- 125. (462 quat.) Of common occurrence everywhere in Pegu except the hills. I cannot find that birds differ at all from each other from one end of the province to the other. 1 recorded the finding of the nest and eggs of P. intermedius in Pegu (8. F., V, p. 157). This note must be cancelled. It applies to P. burmanicus. 224.—Phyllornis chlorocephalus, Wald, (463 dzs.) Confined to the evergreen forests of the Pegu hills from Rangoon up to the frontier, and pretty common. 225.—Phyllornis aurifrons, Tem. (465.) Extends from Thyetmyo down the valley of the Irrawaddy, Ts common throughout Southern Pegu and runs up to Tounghoo. It is I think confined to the plains. 226.—Iora typhia, Lin. (468.) Extremely common in all parts of the province in gardens and waste land. 227.—Irena puella, Lath. (469.) Confined to the evergreen forests of the hills, and not descending far into the plains unless the forest is very thick. It is extremely common wherever it occurs. contrary, so far as we yet know, this partial inability appears to be rather sporadic, affecting only individual birds, and not general or common to the bulk of the birds anywhere. If this be so, we can no more admit einereiventris as a species, than we can the bright yellow Xantholema hemacephala, Paleornis torquatus, and purpurens, or any other of the fifty odd familiar, and constantly recurring forms of albinism and lutinism. I believe that this form is more common in Tipperah than elsewhere, but even there it did not seem to me to affect one per cent. of the birds. Still, if hereafter in any area this partial inability to secrete the yellow pigment shall prove to be a normal, persistent, hereditary characteristic of any considerable body of birds, I shall willingly accord specific rank to this form. At present, I must repeat, (and it is a question I have carefully studied) that all Sa is opposed to any such general diffusion of this peculiarity — D., 8. FE, 212 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. Young birds of both sexes are clothed in the plumage of the female. The male changes into adult plumage when about: nine months old or about March. The change takes place without a moult. In one young bird nearly changed into adult plumage, the centres of the upper feathers are still of the dull blue of the female. 228.—Oriolus indicus, Jerd. (471.) Confined, as far as my experience goes, to Lower Peou. It is abundant near Rangoon and Pecu, and in the intermediate. tract. 229.—Oriolus tenuirostris, Bly. (471 ter.) Common in the Thyetmyo district, and extending down to Rangoon and Lower Pegu generally, but rare there. Major Lloyd appears to have sent it froma Tounghoo. Where found, it affects the same jungle as indicus. 230.—Oriolus melanocephalus, Zin, (472.) Extremely common in every part of the province. 231.—Oriolus trailli, Vig. (474:.) Captain Ramsay records this from Tounghoo, and I have several specimens shot a few miles east of that place. 232.—Copsychus saularis, Lin. (475.) Very common in all parts. It does not asa rule frequent forests, but I have occasionally seen them in such places. 233.—Cercotrichas macrura, Gm. (476.) A forest bird, remarkably abundant in all parts of Pegu. 234.—Pratincola caprata, Lin. (481.) Very abundant in all parts of the province in the plains. I have not recorded yet the finding of the nest of this bird in Burma. I may as well do so now. I found the nest on the 20th April in a foot-print in anold paddy field, and it contained three eggs quite fresh. This was near Pegu. 235.—Pratincola maurus, Pall. (483.) Generally distributed as a dry weather visitor throughout the province in the plains only. 236.—Pratincola leucurus, Bly. (484.) I only procured this species at Thyetmyo, where it is rather rare. A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 213 237.—Pratincola ferreus, Hodgs. (486.) I procured this at Prome where it is rare. Captain Ramsay records it from Tounghoo. 238.— Oreicola jerdoni, Bly. (487.) Mr. Blanford got this at Bassein. I have never met with it. 239.—Ruticilla aurorea, Pail. (500.) Recorded from Thyetmyo by Mr. Hume, on the strength of aspecimen sent him by Captain Feilden. 1 have never met with it. 240.—Larvivora cyane, Pall. (507 dis.) I shot one specimen, an adult male, at Kyeikpadein. It is probably rare as I have been paying particular attention to this class of birds for some years, and have failed to procure more than one. 241.—Calliope camtschatkensis, Gm. (512.) Very abundant during the cold weather in the neighbour- hood of Kyeikpadein, and near Myitkyo on the canal. At the former place it frequents tangled brushwood, and in the latter, elephant grass. It keeps to the ground a good deal, but perches on shrubs when not feeding. It is very difficult to get a shot at this bird unless it happens to be running along a footpath. The male bird, even in December, has a very pretty little song, by hearing which I got first acquainted with the species. Feilden procured it at Thyetmyo. 242.—Cyanecula suecica, Zin. (514.) Very abundant in the grass plains west of the canal. It comes out habitually into burnt-up open patches to feed, and is very easy to procure. It is silent. It has the habit of running with great speed about ten feet at a time, then stopping suddenly, elevating and jerking its tail a good deal when stop- ping still. It is by no means shy, and at Wan it may frequently be seen running about the compound of the Inspection Bungalow from 7th November to 15th May. 243.—Acrocephalus stentoreus, Hemp. § Hhr. (515.) Not uncommon at Kyeikpadein, and mixed up with orentalis, from which it is difficult to separate it if the wing 1s imperfect. As arule these birds want the marks on the breast, which are almost always present in orientalis. 244.— Acrocephalus orientalis, Tem. § Schl. (515 dis.) I described this bird in S. F., III, p. 337. I have nothing to add to what I then said, except that the amount of striation 214 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. on the breast varies much, in some being very pronounced, and in others obsolete. It is an extremely common species from Kyeikpadein up to Myitkyo, remaining from the beginning of October to the middle of May. Although fond of patches of grass, it is found more frequently in trees, bamboo hedges, and weeds. It has a hoarse croaking note which develops into something like a song in April and May. In orientalis, the second primary equals the fourth, and they fall short of the tip of the third, the longest by -04 to °08; sometimes the second is longer than the fourth by a trifle. In stentoreus, the second primary is equal to the fifth or thereabouts, and they fall short of the tip of the third, the longest, by ‘15 in typical examples. In size and plumage both species are so much alike that they cannot be discriminated by these alone. 245.—Acrocephalus dumetorum, Bly. (516.) Rare, as compared with agricolus. Frequents paddy, and when this is cut, takes to long grass. I have procured it only near Kyeikpadein. 246.—Acrocephalus agricolus, Jerd. (517.) Very abundant from Kyeikpadein up to Myitkyo in paddy and elephant grass. In marching up to Tounghoo this year I saw it on the banks of the Sittang once or twice, and I have no doubt it is common in most parts of the plains. Burmese ue are very rufous, strikingly more so than birds from ndia. 247.—Acrocephalus bistrigiceps, Swink. (517 ter.) Apparently very common, but so difficult to get that six specimens in one season is good work. It arrives at the com- mencement of November, my first bird having been procured on the 5th of that month. On its arrival it takes to the paddy fields, and remains till the crops are cut, when it betakes itself to the thicker patches of grass. 1t moves about from stalk to stalk, searching for minute insects, and has a low note. I have never heard anything like a song proceeding from the bird. It remains in this country at least as late as the 15th April, on which day I shot a specimen. This bird undergoes no change of plumage during the five or six months it remains in Pegu. The sexes also are alike in plumage. A line from the nostril over the eye to the nape is pale yellowish buff; over this runs a broader streak of blackish A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 215 brown, widening posteriorly ; lores brown ; cheeks, ear-coverts, sides of neck and breast, and the flanks, the same as the eye streak, but darker; breast, abdomen, vent, and under tail- coverts pale yellowish buff; chin and throat white, tinged with yellowish ; the head and whole upper plumage olive brown, tinged with rufous, brightest on the rump and upper tail coverts; all the quills brown, edged narrowly on the outer webs with the colour of the back and upper plumage; tail brown, very narrowly edged rufous; upper wing-coverts brown, very broadly edged with rufous olive brown. A male measured:—Leneth, 5°12 ; expanse, 6°6; tail, 2:1; wing, 2:05; tarsus, ‘08; bill from gape, ‘68. The iris was brown; mouth pale yellow; upper mandible brown; lower mandible flesh-coloured, slightly dusky at tip ; legs plumbeous flesh colour; soles of feet yellow; and the claws horn colour. I have met with this bird only in the immediate vicinity of Kyeikpadein, chiefly in the plain in front of the bungalow there. I may as well add that the first primary is uncommonly large for birds of this genus, measuring half an inch in length. The second primary equals the seventh, or falls sometimes between the sixth and seventh. The third, fourth, and fifth primaries are nearly equal in length. 248.—Arundinax aedon, Pall. (518.) Very abundant in all the country lying west of the canal, and also for some distance away from its eastern bank. Captain Ramsay got it at Tounghoo, and Dr. Armstrong at Elephant Point. It seems, therefore, to be universally distributed over the province. It is far more aquatic than any of the five Acrocephali just noted. It is generally found on the banks of streams and ponds in long grass, or even in shrubs. 249.—Locustella lanceolata, Tem. (520 dis.) This bird is very common near Kyeikpadein from the middle of October to the end of February, and probably later. On first arrival it goes into the paddy, and when this is cut, it remains in the ‘stubble, and when this is trodden down ot burnt it takes refuge in grass, the thickest clumps being selected. As long as the paddy fields are wet it feeds from stalk to stalk, but ‘when the ground gets dry, it seems to feed habitually on the ground, running about among the roots of the herbage and rice. Mr. Hume has described this bird at length (8. F., 1, p. 409; VI, p. 339), 28 216 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEQU. The second primary is generally equal to the fourth. Out of 50 birds only three have tke second equal to the third. The first varies in length from *35 to °5. The streaks on the lower surface become reduced in what I take to be aged birds. The bird least marked in my series has a few streaks only on the centre of the breast and on the flanks, with one or two faint marks on the under tail-coverts. In this state it is very: like the Indian L. hendersoni. The majority of the birds are densely streaked from the chin to the tail-coverts, except on the abdomen, and all these are charac- terized by a richer tone of colouring beneath. The tail-coverts vary in the most extraordinary manner. In many of the birds they are entirely unmarked; in others densely streaked, and this follows no rule viewing it in connec- tion with the amount of streaking on the other parts of the lower plumage. I can make no deductions of value from the examination of my large series. We require authenticated birds of the year, and old birds shot off the nest before any- thing can be made out for certain. 250.—Locustella certhiola, Pall. (521.) Another bird, which is extremely common near Kyeikpadein and portions of the canal, but one which is never by any chance seen except by accident. It swarms in inundated paddy fields to an incredible extent. [I have procured it from the 18th October to the 16th December. At this latter date the paddy harvest begins, and the bird disappears entirely. Unlike /anceolata it does not appear to go into grass at all. It frequents those fields in which the paddy is very high and thick, and very swampy. It rises at one’s feet and settles again at once, affording only a snap shot at about two yards distance. The young bird up to October has the whole upper plumage, including the coverts and tertiaries, blackish brown ; the feathers of the head narrowly, and all the others broadly, margined with reddish brown; rectrices chiefly blackish brown, irregularly margined with rufous brown, and very broadly terminated with whitish. The lower plumage is buff, pale on the throat and upper breast, dark on the breast, and increasing in depth of colour down to the tail-coverts; the throat and breast are closely spotted with triangular blackish brown marks ; stripe over the eye, and a streak from the bill under the cheeks and ear-coverts, yellowish buff; ear-coverts hair brown; under wing-coverts whitish; primaries and secondaries dark brown, narrowly edged with reddish brown. A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 217 Birds in this plumage are undoubtedly nestlings. But they differ from what Mr. Seebohm says of this stage by not being yellowish below to such an extent as his description implies, or Mr. Dresser’s plate shews it to be. In the latter also the spots on the throat and breast are hardly numerous enough for an average young specimen, and the tippings to the tail feathers are too narrow, thev being really about ‘2 in breadth. Birds with the bright yellowish buff lower plumage are not spotted, and I take this to be the stage into which the nestling moults in October or November. In_ this stage the upper plumage is much brighter, caused by the black centres to the feathers being smaller, and the margins larger; the rump is almost unstreaked. ‘The black on the rectrices is less in extent, and the white tips reduced to the same size as in the adult ; the eye streak, the chin, throat, and the whole lower plumage are lively yellowish buff, intensifying and becoming warm ochreous on the flanks and under tail-coverts. There are no spots, but a few of the feathers on the sides of the neck are obsoletely tipped darker, but so slightly as not to be noticeable without close inspection. From this stage the bird in spring moults into the full plumage. The adults, according to Mr. Seebohm, (Zbis, 1879, p- 13) have both a spring and an autumn plumage, differing from each other in the colour of the underparts, but my large series does not support this view. The adults—both sexes seem alike—have the head blackish brown, each feather narrowly edged with pale reddish brown. A collar behind the nape is reddish brown without marks. This unspotted collar is only seen ina very few birds, and 1 take it to indicate very old birds; the back, scapulars, and wing-coverts dark blackish brown, rather broadly edged with reddish brown ; ; the rump reddish brown, without marks ; : the upper tail-coverts reddish brown, each feather with a large central drop of black; the outer tail feathers are nearly all black, the rufous margins being small. Towards the middle of the tail each pair of rectrices becomes progressively less black and more margined with rufous, and the middle pair are rufous with a broad shaft line of black. All the rectrices are tipped with white, the breadth of the tips being about ‘05 of an inch. Eye streak yellowish white; ear-coverts hair brown, and a patch below the ear-coverts yellowish buff; chin, throat, and centre of abdomen whitish; remainder of the under parts delicate buff, darkening on the flanks and under tail-coverts ; the wings are brown, the tertiaries being edged with whitish, and the other quills with pale rufous brown. As a rule, the underparts are quite unmarked ; but in many 218 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. birds in adult plumage there are a few tiny marks on the feathers of the side breast. The second primary is equal to the fourth, and the first primary projects very slightly indeed beyond the tips of the primary coverts. I have mislaid my measurements of this bird in the flesh, and also the notes on the colours of the soft parts. In skins the wing measures 2°3 to 2°45, and the tarsus 0°8 ; tail, 2°1 to 2:3. 251.—Tribura taczanowskia, Swinh. P_Z.S., 1871, p- 855. Tribura intermedia, Oates, 8. F., IX, p. 220. (522 A.) Mr. Brooks has recently examined in England the young specimen of this species which was Swinhoe’s type, and he assures me that the two species are identical. The first speci- mens I got I identified with taczanowskia, and under this name it will be found recorded in my list of Burmese birds furnished to the B. B. Gazetteer. Mr. Brooks, however, was of opinion that the bird was new, and I was induced to describe it as intermedia. The adult bird was described (7. c.), and it now remains to deal with the immature plumage. Mr. Swinhoe’s description applies to the bird after the first autumn moult, in which, as in L. certhiola, the bird is characterized by its yellow tone of plumage. The whole upper plumage is olive brown, as in the adult ; the wings and tail hair brown, margined with the colour of the upper plumage; shafts of rectrices, viewed from below, conspicuously pale; ear-coverts, hair brown; super- ciliary streak, cheeks, under the ear-coverts and whole lower plumage ‘yellowish buff, tinged with olive brown on _ the breast, sides of body, thighs, and tail-coverts; the cheeks are faintly barred with olive brown. This description is taken from a bird shot in February, and in beautiful new plumage. Several birds shot in November and December are, I think, birds of the year before the autumnal moult; the chin and throat are nearly white; the breast is tinged with brown and spotted; the whole remaining underparts are ochraceous brown, except the tips of the under tail-coverts, which, as in the adult, are broadly whitish ; the superciliary streak and cheeks are yellowish brown, the latter conspicuously barred. The bird was so fully dealt with when 1 described it first that any further description appears unnecessary. I met again with it this year from November to the middle of February, and had better opportunities of observing its habits. On first arrival, and until the crops are cut, it keeps to the standing paddy together with the Locustellas aad A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEQGU. 219 Acrocephali, and it is impossible to distinguish one species from another till dead, and in the hand. All have the same habit of springing up at your feet and settling again a few feet off. When the rice is cut, it remains in the stubble, creeping about on the ground, and never shewing itself. At sunset it frequently flits about in a restless manner, and it was at this time that I found it possible to get a few specimens with tolerable certainty. The bird is also found in scrub and grass jungle, running about among the roots on the ground. It is abundant all round Kyeikpadein, and near the banks of the Pegu river. 252.—Orthotomus sutorius, Penn. (530.) Very abundant over the whole province in the plains and lower hills. 253.—Orthotomus atrigularis, Tem. (530 bis.) T have found this bird common from Rangoon to Pegu, and further up into the hills in the Pegu river valley. It is a forest species, uttering its loud call from the top of some high tree, which the preceding species never does I think. 254.—Prinia flaviventris, Deless. (532.) I found this species common in the swamps round Rangoon, and it occurs abundantly in the thick grass on the upper parts of the canal, and in the plain to the west of it. 255.—Prinia gracilis, Frankl. (536.) | A common bird over the whole province. It does not appear to occur on the hills or in thick forest where the next species replaces it. 256.—Prinia beavani, Walden. (538 bis.) I have observed this bird in every part of the province I have visited. It frequents the forests, or at all events very well-wooded localities. 257.—Cisticola cursitans, Frankl. (539.) An excessively common bird in all grass land and cultivated ground, and generally distributed in the plains. 258.—Cisticola volitans, Swinhoe.* (541,) Originally found in Formosa. This little Warbler, like so * Blyth’s name has, I believe, precedence. I cannot discover where Blyth first published the name, but as early as 1856 he wrote it on the tickets of ‘T'ytler’s Dacca specimens. So I presume he must have published it at or about that time— but where? Swinhoe’s name was first publishedin 1859 in the Journ. N. Chin. A. 8. Jerdon only published Blyth’s name in 1863. So of course if Blyth himself did not publish the name, Swinhoe’s name will stand, But I feel pretty sure Blyth did publish the name.—Wp., 8, F. 220 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. many other Chinese species, occurs very abundantly alone the banks of the canal wherever there is thick grass and deserted patches of cultivated land. In habits it resembles cursitans, but it has a very different note, and one easily recognizable from it. It flies in the air in the same eccentric manner as cursitans, The male in breeding plumage has the top of the head from the bill to the nape golden fulvous; the nape dusky fulvous ; ear-coverts whitish ; centre of the abdomen and under tail- coverts white. With these exceptions the whole lower surface is pale yellowish buff; the back and scapulars are dark brown, each feather broadly edged with grey ; wing-coverts and wings brown, edged with rufous grey ; tail very dark brown, almost black, each rectrix narrowly tipped with white ; rump and upper tail-coverts plain fulvous. The female in breeding plumage is different from the male in the following respects :—The top of the head is streaked with blackish brown; the nape is darker, and the tips to the tail feathers are double the width, nearly as wide in fact as in cursitans. The amount of streaking on the head varies somewhat, in some being very thick, in others rather spare. Mr. Swinhoe’s type was measured by Mr. Dresser, and recorded in the Birds of Europe in the article relating to C. cursitans. The wing measured 1°7 ; tail, 1°1; tarsus, ‘77 ; and culmen, °42. In two Pegu specimens, both males, the measurements were :—Length, 4:05, 3°85 ; expanse, 5°8, 5-7; tail, 125, 1°15; wing, 1:7, 1:75; tarsus, ‘7, °72; and bill from gape to tip, °h, {Opp The females are about the same size. The third, fourth, and fifth primaries are about equal and longest, the second is about ‘2 shorter, and the first primary mea- sures ‘4 in length, the tip projecting beyond the wing-coverts by 25. The outer tail feathers fall short of the tip of the tail by °25. I cannot describe the bird in winter plumage, but I think the male then has the head streaked like the female, for I have an April bird with a golden head, but with one black feather in the centre. The female probably undergoes no change. Breeding operations commence in the middle of May. On the 28th of this month I found two nests, one containing four egos, slightly incubated, and the other, two quite fresh. The nest is a small bag about four inches in height and two to three in diameter, with an opening about one inch in diameter near the top. The general shape of the nest is oval. It is composed entirely of the white feathery flowers of the thatch grass. The walls of the nest are very thin, but strong. ‘The nest is A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU, 921 placed about one foot from the ground in a bunch of grass, and in the two instances where I found the nest, against a weed, with one or two leaves of which the materials of the nest were slightly bound. . The eggs are very: glossy pale blue, spotted all over with large and small blotches of rusty brown. I have no eggs of cursitans which match them, in this species the spots being always minute and thickly scattered over the shell, whereas in volitans the marks are large, and fewer in number, Six eggs measured in length from *54 to ‘57, and in breadth from *42 to 43, : This species is easily distinguished from cursitans by its small size, the total absence of rufous on the upper plumage, and by the narrow tippings to the tail feathers. The colour of the head is also quite sufficient to separate the males. Since writing the above I am inclined to think that C. rufi- ceps, Gould, C. erythrocephala, Jerdon, C. volitans, Swinhoe, and the Pegu bird may be all one species.* 259. —Drymeeca blanfordi, Wald. (548 ter.) Recorded from Tounghoo by Ramsay. It is probably Phylloscopus fuscatus. I have not met with it. 260.—Drymeca extensicauda, Swinh. Mr. Brooks took home lately a very large series of this bird which I gave him. He has compared them with the birds in the Swinhoe collection, and found them identical.f I have already described the bird, (S. F., IIT, 340). It occurs very abundantly round Pegu and Kyeikpadein, and along the canal and plains on both sides. It also occurs at Rangoon and all the way up to Pegu, but is not so abundant anywhere as it is in the grass plains near Pegu. 261.—Suya crinigera, Hodgs. (547.) Occurs only near Thyetmyo so far as I am aware. 262.—Neornis flavolivaceus, Hodgs. (552.) . Mr. Hume identified a bad specimen of this bird I sent him from Thyetmyo. I have the bird still, and. I think the identi- * Of C. ruficeps, Gould, I have no knowledge, but (C. erythrocephala, Jerdon, with the wing 1:9 to20 is quite distinct. But C.volitans, Swinhoe, is of course nothing but C. ftytleri, Blyth, and as I long ago pointed out, (S. F., V. 351) C. melanocephala, Anderson, and C. ruficollis, Walden, are only the females of tytleri or volitans, whichever name stands—a point I have already discussed, ante p. 219 n—kKEd., S. F. + Seven years ago (vide S. F., III, 340) I identified this species for Mr. Oates, by comparison with birds sent me by Mr. Swinhoe. It hardly needed to send a large series home for cowparison.—LD., 8. F. 222 ‘A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. fication is correct. All I know about this bird is recorded in Sek LIL, p13, 263.—Phylloscopus fuscatus, Bly. (555.) Very abundant all over the province. It is a ground Warbler, being found in grass and brushwood, and not in trees as a rule. 264.—Phylloscopus borealis, Blas. (556 bis.) I have procured a few specimens near Pegu and Kyeik- padein. It cannot be called a common bird. It frequents mango and other trees infested with minute insects. The first primary of this speciesis always very minute, varying in length, in seven birds, from *3 to *45 5 and the second primary is very constantly intermediate in length between the fifth and sixth. In one specimen only was it equal to the sixth. It is one of the easiest species to discriminate. 265.—Phylloscopus schwarzi, Radde. (556 ter.) Apparently rare. I procured one specimen at Kyeikpadein in the same jungle with Locustella and Tribura. This species has been very fully dealt with in various volumes of StRay FEATHERS. 266.— Phylloscopus tenellipes, Swinh. (556 quat.) One of the rarer species. I have procured it two or three times near Kyeikpadein. A male specimen measured :—Leneth, 5°15 ; expanse, 8-2 ; tail, 2:0; wing, 2°67 ; tarsus, ‘73 ; bill from gape, °63; upper mandible brown ; lower mandible pale fleshy, dusky at tip; legs and claws pale flesh colour ; iris brown; the second quill is intermediate between the sixth and seventh. The peculiar tint of buff on the plumage is alone sufficient for the identification of this species. 267.—Phylloscopus lugubris, Bly. (558.) One of the commonest species. Appears to be generally distributed throuchout Southern Peeu. It abounds round Kyeikpadein, and Dr. Armstrong got it at Elephant Point. 268.—Phylloscopus plumbeitarsus, (558 bis.) This is a very common species round Pegu and Kyeikpadein, from September to April. It is strictly arboreal in its habits, and I have never found it near the ground. I do not know how the species ever could have got con- founded with viridanus. Comparing 29 specimens of the latter A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 223 from India, with a large series of plumbeitarsus, the differences between them are sufficiently striking. The smaller size, the constant éwo wing bars, and the abrupt connection of the colour of these with the adjoining green, are always sufficient to separate plumbeitarsus from vwiridanus. The wing of this species varies from 2:1 to 2:5, the latter dimension being however exceptionally large. The tail varies from 1°55 to 1:9; the tarsus from ‘68 to 75; the second primary is almost always intermediate between the seventh and eighth; in one or two cases it is equal to the eighth. The upper mandible is brown, the lower clear yellow; iris brown ; mouth yellow ; legs pale plumbeous brown; and the toes are tinged with yellow ; the claws are pale horn colour. Mr. Brooks has now come to the conclusion that P. burman- icus must be suppressed in being only plumbeitarsus with the second wing bar worn away.” 269.—Phylloscopus coronatus, Zem. §& Schleg. (563 bis.) Not uncommon during migration in September and April, but I have not met with it at other times. 270.—Phylloscopus trochiloides, Swnd. (564.) It seems quite clearly proved now that flavo-olivaceus, Hume, and virtdipennis,t Blyth, are synonymous with the present species. It is abundant in all parts of the province during the winter months. Burmese birds cannot be separated from those procured in Bengal. 271.—Phylloscopus superciliosus, Gm. (565.) By far the commonest species of Phylloscopus in Pegu. It abounds everywhere from October to April. I have never met. with a specimen which could be mistaken for humii or mandelliz. 272.—Cryptolopha tephrocephalus, Anders. (569 dis.) A very abundant cold weather visitor to all parts of the province I have visited, except perhaps in the northern portions, where it appears to be rare. * Mr. Oates is doubtless correct, but this is not the tenor of a letter from Mr. Brooks from Canada, received at the same time as this paper.—Eb., S. F. + The identity of flavo-olivaceus with trochiloides is discussed, ante. p. 169, but the identity of viridipennis with this latter is not only not proved, but I believe not even supposed, 2zow by any ornithologist but my friend Mr. Brooks—vide for the distinctness of viridipennis, not only the numerous notes in this journal, but the B. M. C., V, 53. Possibly however Mr. Oates means viridipennis, Blyth, apud Jerdon, which may be identical with trochiloides, though it is by no means proved. Note that if this bird is to be retained as Phylloscopus, the genus Reguloides being suppressed, then it must stand under Blyth’s name Phylloscopus reguloides, which dates from 1842, against 1846 for Sundevall’s name. If, however, you retain the genus Reguloides, as I prefer to do, then Sundevall’s specific name will stand,—ED., S. F. 29 924 A LIS.) OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 273.—Abrornis superciliaris, Tick, (574.) I procured this on the hills between Thyetmyo and Toun- ghoo, and I have met with it in Southern Pegu between Pegu and Rangoon. It appears to be rare. 274.—Henicurus immaculatus, Hodgs. (585.) Very common in all the rocky hill streams of the Pegu range of hills. 275.—Motacilla leucopsis, Gould. (590.) Very abundant in the plains of the whole province from the middle of September to April. According to my views this species never has more than a mere patch of black on the breast, varying in breadth from half to a quarter of an inch. Birds just arrived in early autumn, and those leaving in late spring, are uniformly the same with regard to this patch. Not a particle of black is ever present on the throat. 276.—Motacilla felix, Swinh. P. Z. S., 1870, p, 121. (590). This is in my opinion a perfectly good species, always to be distinguished from the preceding by the presence of black on the upper breast and throat. It may be said that Wagtails with this amount of black on the throat are merely Jlewcopsis in breeding plumage. I am, however, very certain they are no such thing.* Leucupsis * Such a very positive assertion puts me in a peculiar position. I have the greatest respect and regard for my friend Mr. Oates. L know what a patient and earnest questioner of nature he is, and when I read this statement, I accepted it un- hesitatingly. I knew that I had a good many specimens of felix, and I thought I would separate these out and have the catalogue corrected. There are about 100 specimens of this species in the collection, but I had to get out also those in the Assam collection, in the Malayan collection, and in the duplicate collection—in all over 400 specimens. I spent the whole day, yester- day, in getting these out and studying them, and now I am compelled to say that in my humble opinion Mr. Oates is quite wrong, and that felix is nothing but the breeding plumage of Jeucopsis. My conviction is founded on the following facts :— 1, From every locality where Mr. Brooks and I made, or caused to be made, syste- matic collections of Jeucopsis, viz., Darjeeling, Dinapoor and Patna, Calcutta, Cachar, Shillong, Debrugarh, Rangoon, and Northern Tenasserim, we have both Zeucopsis and felix, 2. Out of this immense series, there is only one single specimen killed between the 1st September and the 15th February, at all of the felia type, and that is only so far of this type that the patch on the breast is about ~ of an inch deep, 3. Every single bird killed on and subsequent to the 18th March is distinctly felix, or passing to felix. ; 4, Fully half the birds killed between the 1st and 17th March show distinctly that they are passing to the felzw stage. 5. A few specimens obtained in the latter half of February show more or less of the same, and one killed 25th February is distinctly felix. Now Mr. Oates refers to April birds. In every locality in which our collections were made the mass of the birds disappeared by the end of March. They come in quite at the beginning of September, we have at least fifty September specimens, A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 235 is extremely common in Pegu, and if it assumes a black throat in summer, a certain proportion of the specimens shot in September and April would shew traces, at any rate, of this eolour on the throat. Dukhunensis invariably shows a good deal of its breeding plumage in those months, so does ocularis. Now the only specimens of the leucopsis type that I have been able to shoot with black throat, during the course of some years, are eight in number. It is preposterous to suppose that if lewcopsis ever assumes a black throat, specimens should be so rare especially when it is remembered. that the bird comes in very early, and leaves very late.* I am bound to believe that feliz is a good species, a rare one in Pegu, but common in some parts of China. It pro- bably does not extend to India; but it would be extremely interesting to go through a large series of Indian killed birds, to ascertain whether feliz does occur, and if it does, in what proportion compared with the true /eucopsis. The plumage and the changes of plumage of feliz appear not to differ from those of the common species, except in regard to the throat patch. The wing-coverts are perhaps more white, but there are no other constant differences. In summer, feliz probably has the whole chin black, and to this bird Mr. Swinhoe applied the name sechuensis. I find that feliz is a smaller bird than leucopsis, The wing runs from 3°2 to 357 in my specimens. 277.—Motacilla dukhunensis, Sykes. (591 bis.) Common in Lower Pegu, but not nearly so much so as leucopsis. 278.—Motacilla ocularis, Swink. (591 quat.) Very common along the banks of the Canal, and less so in and they leave by the end of March. This is our experience. We have, therefore, very few April birds, only seven altogether, and they are one and all “ felix.” Now in the face of the evidence afforded by this gigantic series, it will not be sufficient to show one or two “felix” killed between the 1st September and the 15th February, or one or two Jeucopsis killed later than the 18th March, because, as every one knows, who has studied this group of black, white and grey Wagtails, these birds area little irregular in their changes of plumage; not only are some exceptional birds considerably earlier and later than the rest, but here and there you come across individuals that retain the breeding plumage right through the year, (I have a hodgsoni killed on the 8rd January in the fullest breeding plumage) while others again seem not to assume the breeding plumage at all, these being, we think, backward late or sickly birds of the last year. Lhope Mr. Oates will give us the dates of all his felix, and also state how many leucopsis, as defined by him, he had killed in April, I may here note that Iam inclined to believe that Motacilla francisi, Swinh, P. Z. S., 1870, 123, is nothing but M. hodgsoni.—Ep., S. F. * Yes; but is this a fact? It comes in early no doubt, by the first week in Sep- tember, but according to our experience 999 out of every 1,000 have; in most years, left by the 1st of April.—Ep., S. F. ee = a birds, more or less developed feliv,the wings run from 3°3 to 3'72.— Myth 4 226 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. other parts of Lower Pegu. It does not arrive till November, and remains on to April, when they are in perfect breeding plumage. Males up to December have the head pure black. After this date the black gives place to an ash, more or less marked with black, and in April the pure black is resumed. Females from first arrival up to their departure have the head more or less mixed black and ashy. I have never seen a black-headed female, nor is the head in this sex ever pure ashy. The upper plumage in both sexes is always a pure grey. In the breeding plumage, both sexes are black from the bill down to the breast. In winter the chin and throat become white, but there are always traces of black spots on the throat, especially on its sides. The white on the wing-coverts is not of great extent, being about the same as in dukhunensis. In other respects the plu- mage does not differ from dukhunensis.* A male measured :—Length, 8° ; expanse, 12°; tail, 4°; wing, 3°85; tarsus, *94; bill from gape, ‘8. The iris is brown ; legs and claws black ; bill black, slightly plumbeous at the base. The females are rather smaller than the males. It is a very sprightly bird, and very seldom seen away from water. 279.—Calobates melanope, Pall. (592.) A fairly common bird, and probably extending to all parts of the province. 280.—Budytes cinereocapillus, Saw. (593.) Extremely abundant in all the swamps and paddy fields of the province. A very large series of these yellow Wagtails sent to Mr. Brooks were all identified by him with this species. T notice that Dr. Armstrong found £B. flava common in the Irrawaddy delta, but he did not get the present species. I fear there must have been some confusion of species, the more so as B. flava of Dr, Armstrong’s Catalogue (8. F., IV, p. 329) is numbered 593 quat by Mr. Hume; whereas there is no such number in the Catalogue, Birds of India,f (8. F., VIII). Mr. Brooks is, however, such a very excellent authority of these birds that I enter cinereocapilla in this list, and exclude * Except in the conspicuous black line through the lores, by which the bird is at once distinguished.—Ep., S. F. + No, but flava was 593 quat in the old catalogue, which the list published in Vol, VIIL, superseded—Ep., 5, F.” i A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 227 flava, about the occurrence of which there may be reasonable doubts.* 281—Limonidromus indicus, Gm. (595.) Rather rare, but found in all parts of Pegu. 282.—Pipastes maculatus, Hodgs. (596.) A very common winter species abounding in all parts of the province. 283.—Pipastes trivialis, Zin. (597.) I have only met with this bird once on the Pegu hills (S. EF. IIT, p. 142.) 284.—Corydalla richardi, Vieiil. (599.) Very abundant throughout Lower Pegu in paddy fields and short grass, in winter only. 285.—Corydalla rufula, VieciZ. (600.) Also very abundant in Lower Pegu throughout the year. I do not remember to have met with it in the north. 286.—Anthus cervinus, Pull. (605 dis.) An abundant cold weather visitor throughout the vast plains of Lower Pegu. 287.—Herpornis xantholeucus, Hodgs. (630.) Appears to be generally distributed. I met with it on the hills between Tounghoo and Thyetmyo, and also on some low spurs some few miles from Pegu. 288.—Zosterops palpebrosa, Zem. (631.) A comparatively rare species. I have procured a few speci- mens at Kyeikpadein, and Captain Feilden gotit at Thyetmyo. * Add 592 ¢er.—Budytes beema, Sykes. The oriental form of Budytes flavus, Lin., certainly occurs in Pegu; not only did Dr. Armstrong bring me two specimens which I identified for him, but I have another specimen from ‘12 miles north of Rangoon,” and one from the Bassein river. Considering that at page 297 Dr. Armstrong expressly says that I iden- tified all his specimens for him, and that only a tyro could possibly make a mistake between flavus and cinereocapillus, I cannot think Mr, Oates justified in omitting this species, simply because he never happened to meet with it. Dr. Armstrong himself of course did not in those days know one bird from another; he was only commencing, he happened to shoot two flavus, and for all I know may have observed numbers of cinereccapillus, and thought them the same, and so concluded that flavus was very common. I should say, seeing how few specimens of this, and how many of the former, we have from Pegu, that flavus, 7.e., beema, was rare, and cinereocapillus common, In Northern Tenasserim beema is still rarer. I have only one specimen from north of Moulmein, and Davison never met with it north of this. But surely this is no valid reason for excluding a bird, the occurence ef which has been duly recorded by a reliable collector, all of whose specimens have been carefully identified by a competent ornithologist.—Ep., S. F, 228 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 289.—Zosterops siamensis, Bly. (631 quat.) Very abundant from Rangoon up to Kyeikpadein and Pegr,. going about in flocks and frequenting tall trees. 290.—Parus nipalensis, Hodgs. (645.) A rather rare bird, hitherto only found in the Thyetmyo district.* 291.—Melanochlora sultanea, Hodgs. (650.) Common on the Pegu hills, not descending, I think, into the plains, 292.—Corvus macrorhynchus, Wag. (660.) Common in all parts of Pegu, both in the jungle and in towns and villages. 293.—Corvus insolens, Hume. (663 Dis.) Excessively common in all parts of the province, except on the higher hills. 294.—Garrulus leucotis, Hume. (669 dis.) I got this bird at Tounghoo and at Shwaygheen, and Mr. Olive, Superintendent of Police, who knows the bird well, assures me he has shot it on the hills near Prome. It is how- ever rare in the province. 295.—Urocissa occipitalis, Bly. (671.) I cannot separate the Pegu birds from several birds from the Himalayas with which I have compared them. The colour of the iris and legs is apparently the only point in which the two races differ. It is common in the Thyetmyo district, and Captain Ramsay met with it at Tounghoo. 296.—Cissa chinensis, Bodd. (673.) Abundant on the hills, but not found in the plains. 297.—Dendrocitta rufa, Scop. (674.) Very abundant in all parts of the province. 298.—Crypsirhina cuculata, Jerd. (678 ter.) Confined to the country between Thyetmyo and Prome, and extending laterally on both sides the Irrawaddy to the foot of the hills. * But see that Armstrong says, IV, 350: ‘Met with abundantly in the open tidal jungle bordering portions of the coast, between Elephant Point and China Bakeer, and also in similar localities along the margin of the Rangoon river at Eastern Grove.’—ED., 8. F. A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 229 299.-—Crypsirhina varians, Lath. (678 quat.) Very abundant throughout Lower Pegu, extending up the Sittang valley to Tounghoo, and up the Irrawaddy valley only as far as Prome, aléhough on one occasion I saw a specimen near Thyetmyo. 300.—Sturnopastor superciliaris, Bly. (683 bis.) Excessively abundant over all parts of the province except the hills. 301.—Acridotheres tristis, Lin. (684.) Generally distributed, and common. 302.—Acridotheres fuscus, Wagl. (686.) Found along with the preceding in all parts of the forest country. 303.—Sturnia malabarica, Gm. (688.) 304.—Sturnia nemoricola, Jerd. (688 dis.) Both these species occur together all over the province, except perhaps in the northern parts. In Lower Pegu they are excessively abundant. I have never any difficulty in separating birds of the two species. Ihave already pointed out (S. F., VII, p. 48) how the two species are distinguished, and not- withstanding that nemoricola has occasionally the first primary black, and malabarica has it occasionally white, yet the comdina- tion of the characters I gave will always suffice. 305.—Sturnia sinensis, Gm. (688 ter.) This very beautiful species is rare in Peou. I have succeeded in procuring only three specimens, all near Kyeikpadein, where, on the occasions I met with the bird, it occurred in small flocks feeding on the ground and flying right away when fired at. Mr. Swinhoe’s surmise that this bird wintered in Pegu is erroneous, The following is the description of a fine mature male in its very best plumage :— The head, from the forehead to the crown, the lores, gape, yellowish buff, tinged with ferruginous on the eyelids and adjacent parts; back and sides of the head, the cheeks, ear-co- verts, and the whole back, deep grey ; lower back, rump and upper tail-coverts yellowish buff; quills deep black, the ter- tiaries and the edges of the outer webs of the secondaries glossed with bright steel blue; winglet and primary-coverts black; the upper and lower wing-coverts and scapulars white, 230 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. tinged with pale yellowish buff; the lower neck, breast, and abdomen grey. With this exception the whole lower plumage is a beautiful rosy buff, deeper in colour on the flanks, Tail black, the outer five pairs of feathers broadly, the, middle pair narrowly, tipped with buff. A younger bird has some of the secondaries plain brown, the wing-coverts and scapulars pure white, and the rosy buff tinge on the lower surface is much duller. In other respects it resembles the adult. A male measured :—Length, 8°; expanse, 12:5; tail, 2°6; wing, 4°; tarsus, 1:08; bill from gape, 1:05. The bill was uniformly blue ; the mouth darker; iris white ; legs plumbeous ; claws horn colour. 306.—Sturnia burmanica, Jerd. (689 bis.) Very abundant in the Thyetmyo district, becoming less common, but extending south down to Rangoon. In the Sittang valley I have never seen it, but I note that Captain Ramsay got it at Tounghoo. 307.—Sturnia sturnina, Pall. (689 sev.) I have only seen this bird once. It was a specimen in Mr. Raikes’s collection, and was shot about ten miles north of Pegu. It was an adult bird, with a distinct patch of violet black on the head. 308.—Eulabes intermedia, 4. Hay. (693.) Very common over the whole province. It also extends without change down to the extreme end of Tenasserim, from which province I have a large series. At Malewoon, however, another quite distinct species is also met with, which, if not javanensis, is the Malaccan species indicated by Lord Walden. (lois, 1871, p. 176.) From intermedia it differs in the very large size of the bill and legs, and in having a longer tail and wing. ‘The feathered patch across the side of the head is joined on to the ear-coverts, or is separated by an interval less than the thickness of a hair pin, whereas in intermedia,—and I have examined a hundred birds or more—the interval is never less than ‘15 of an inch—a very striking difference. The first primary is *9 long; in intermedia only *75. The fifth primary is fre- quently the longest, and in no case falls short of the others by more than ‘1, whereas in intermedia the fifth primary is always about ‘25 shorter than the longest. The colour of the bill in dried specimens of the two species is strikingly different. A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 231 Mr. Hume does not admit these different species.* I have however examined enough specimens of both these species to convince myself of their absolute distinctness, I can of course form no opinion of the other Indian species. They are probably like the Phylloscopi, all very much alike, till small structural differences are discovered. 309.—Saraglossa spiloptera, Vig. (691.) Captain Ramsay records this bird from Tounghoo. I have not met with it.f 310.—Ampeliceps coronatus, Bly. (693 ter.) A few specimens have been procured by me _ near Kyeikpadein in the course of some years. It appears to be rare, It is recorded from Tounghoo (? district) by both Blyth and Major Lloyd, and Dr. Armstrong got it at Elephant Point. 311.—Ploceus baya, Bly. (694 dis.) Very common over the whole province in the plains. 312.—Ploceus manyar, Horsf. (695.) Very common, but confined to the grassy plains, never building its nest in any thing but elephant or similarly large grass. 313.—Ploceus bengalensis, Lin. (696.) Mr. Blanford records this from Thyetmyo. I have never met with it. t 314.—Ploceella javanensis, Less. (696 dis.) I think Mr. Hume will prove to have been correct in separat- ing the Pegu bird from the Java bird (8. F., VI, p. 399 n.) under the name of chrysea. Our bird appears to be remarkably local, not even occurring in Tenasserim. It is very common in the Pegu province, extending up to Thyetmyo and Tounghoo. The Sittang and Irrawaddy appear to be the boundaries of its distribution. * No, because while admitting that these and a dozen other minute differences can be pointed out between groups collected in different localities, I hold that as all these can be shown to be bridged over by intermediate forms, none of these races are entitled to specific rank. There is no dispute about the facts; it is merely & question of opinion as to how we shall treat them.—ED., 8. F. + Dr. Armstrong gave me a pair shot near Elephant Point, and we have three other specimens from near Rangoon.—ED., S. F. { Nor have I ever seen it from any part of British Burma, and when Blanford wrote the paper referred to he was only just taking up birds, and I am by no means sure that there was not some mistake in his identificatiun.—Eb., S. F. 30 232 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. The genus Ploceélla may be described thus: Tail rounded, the outer tail featlears falling short of the centre ones by double the distance of that in Ploceus; bill from nostrils to tip as long as the height of the bill at the nostrils, Its mode ef nidification removes it widely from Ploceus as already pointed out (‘ Nests and Eges of Indian Birds.”’) The male commences to change into breeding plumage about the middle of May, and the full change is effected by the Ist June. In the winter months the male is undistinguishable from the female. 315.—Amadina rubronigra, Hodgs. (698.) Very abundant in all the plains of the province. 316.—Amadina superstriata, Hume. (699 bis.) Pegu birds appear referable to this species and not to subun- dulata.* It is excessively common over the whole province in suitable localities. 317.—Amadina acuticauda, ZHodgs. (702.) Comparatively rare, but found in all parts of Pegu. 318.—Estrelda flavidiventris, Wail. (EH. burmanica, Hume.) (704 bis.) Very common in the plains on both sides the Canal and extending down to Rangoon and Elephant Point. The adult male undergoes no changes of plumage, being the same allthe year round.t ‘The sides of the face, the chin, throat, breast, and sides of neck are crimson, the two latter parts speckled with white ; sides of the body pale red, much spotted with white; belly and vent yellowish red; the under tail- coverts vary somewhat. In most they are blackish brown or black, tipped with maroon. Some have the centres of the feathers whitish, tinged with pink, the edges paler, and the tips maroon; in others the feathers are uniformly blackish brown. Upper surface of body pale greenish, washed with crimson; the rump with short transverse lines or elongated spots of white ; upper tail-coverts crimson, speckled with white; tail black, the four outer pairs of rectrices tipped white; the upper series of wing-coverts plain brown, the others brown, each feather with a terminal spot of white; quills plain brown, the ter- tiaries with white tips. * T am in fault here. This species is very variable. Having now procured an immense series in Manipur, whence Godwin-Austen’s types came, I find that subun- dulata covers both superstriata and inglisi, and in my account of the birds of Manipur I have suppressed both these species.—Ep, 8. F. + This is very remarkable, Is Mr. Oates quite certain of the fact? In the very closely allied H. amandava, the adult male has two quite distinct plumages, the breeding crimsov, and non-breeding brown—EpD, 8. F. A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 233 The female has the lores black; the sides of the face and neck, and the upper surface from bill to rump hair brown ; upper tail-coverts dull crimson, generally uniform, but some- times with each feather tipped with a minute spot of white ; tail blackish brown; the two outer pairs with the terminal half of outer web broadly edged with white, this white extending to the tip of the inner web. The next two pairs are tipped with white, as in the male, and the two central pairs are wholly blackish brown; chin, throat, breast, and flanks greyish yellow; abdomen and vent saffron yellow; wings brown; the tertiaries and greater coverts each with a terminal white spot; under tail-coverts saffron yellow, paler than the abdomen, and in some birds a few of the feathers have a mesial black line. Occasionally in both sexes the two centre rectrices are slightly tipped white. Youne birds from the nest are like the female adult. The ' change to male adult plumage takes place in April, the red appearing first on the head. By May the greater portion of the head and breast are red, and the abdomen becomes tinged with red. By July the change is almost complete, and in August there are no immature birds. The length is 4 ; expanse, 5°9; tail, 1:5 ; wing, 1°8; tarsus, *6; bill from gape, °35. 319.—Passer domesticus, Zin. (706.) There is no part of the province where this species is not found, but in general it is less common than montanus. 320.—Passer flaveolus, Bly. (708 dis.) Pretty common at Thyetmyo, and extending down to Rangoon. Near Pegu I see a few every year. It has a very loud note, which immediately attracts attention. The male has already been described (8. F., III, p. 156), and so has the female ; but as the description of the latter is brief—too brief for the identification of the bird—I subjoin a fuller account. The chin, throat, cheeks, and the whole lower plumage with the under wing-coverts pale yellow; a streak from the eye to the nape yellowish white; the upper plumage, including the scapulars and lesser wing-coverts, hair brown, the shafts of all the feathers being darker; the median and greater coverts and quills dark brown, each feather edged with yellowish white; tail brown, edged with whitish on the outer webs. In the male, the iris is dark hazel; bill black; legs, feet 934 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. and claws fleshy plumbeous. The female differs in having the bill flesh coloured. A pair of these birds had a nest with young ones in Kadote bungalow at the end of March. The nest was placed in exactly the sort of place a sparrow usually chooses. The following are the dimensions of a male and female :— Length, 5°5, 5-2; expanse, 9°, 8:4; tail, 2:1, 20; wing, 2°7, 2°5; tarsus, ‘62, ‘6; bill from gape, °52. 321.—Passer montanus, Lin. (710.) Excessively common in all parts of the province. 322.—Emberiza fucata, Pall. (719.) This Bunting is fairly common in some portions of the plains round Pegu, in winter.* 323.—Emberiza rutila, Pall. (722 dis.) Mr. Blanford records this from near Bassein, and Captain Ramsay from Tounghoo. I have never met with it.T 324.—Emberiza aureola, Pall. (723.) Extremely abundant in every portion of the plains of the southern part of the province, and extending up to Thyetmyo and Tounghoo sparingly. 325.—Carpodacus erythrinus, Pail. (738.) Captain Ramsay records this bird from Tounghoo. I have no doubt it occurs in other parts of the province.§ 326.—Mirafra microptera, Hume. (755 bis.) Very abundant at Thyetmyo, and not, I think, found else- where in my limits. 327.—Alaudula raytal, Bly. (762.) Very abundant on the banks of the Irrawaddy from the frontier down to Prome. 328.—Alauda gulgula, Frankl, (767.) A very common bird in the cultivated portions of Lower Pegu, extending up the Sittang to about Shwaygheen. It is * Also west of Tounghoo, and ‘‘ between Tounghoo and Thyetmyo.”—ED., S. F. + The first specimen I think I ever saw of this species was sent from Rangoon, and procured in its immediate neighbourhood.—Eb., S. F : {£ Mr. Oates does not notice that Blyth gives 724, MgLoPpHUS MELANICTERUS, Gm. from Pecu. I have never seen it thence, and I think it very doubtful whether it occurs there, though we got it in the plains country of Tenasserim between the Sittang and Salween, and I have received it from Arakan,—ED.,, S, F. § We received it from near Thyetmyo,—ED., 8, F, A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU: 235 not found to my knowledge in the Irrawaddy valley, but was procured by Dr. Armstrong in the Rangoon district. 329.—Treron nipalensis, Hodgs. (771.) Common in all the hill tracts, descending at times to the well- wooded portions of the plains. 330.—Crocopus viridifrons, Bly. (773 bis.) Common alike in the hills and plains. 331.—Osmotreron bicincta, Jerd. (774.) As common or more so than the above. 332.—Qsmotreron phayrii, Bly. (7 76.) Confined to the hills where it is abundant.* 333.—Sphenocercus sphenurus, Vig. (778.) Confined to the hills and the forests skirting them. 334.—Carpophaga eenea, Lin. (780.) Very abundant in every portion of the province. 339.—Alsocomus puniceus, Zick. (782.) Generally distributed, but comparatively rare. 336.—Turtur meena, Sykes. (793.) Abundant on the hills, but less so in the plains. 30/.—Turtur tigrinus, Tem. (795 dis.) Very common in all the plains of the province. 308.—Turtur risorius, Lin. (796.) I met with this bird only at Thyetmyo, where it is decidedly rare. 339.—Turtur humilis, Tem. (797 bis.) Not very common anywhere, but generally spread over the province. It is commoner in the Thyetmyo and Prome districts than elsewhere. 340.—Chalcophaps indica, Lin. (798.) Common in every part of the province, in bamboo jungle generally. 341.—Pavo muticus, Liz. (803 bis.) An extremely difficult bird to get, but very common in most parts of the province where the forests are thick. * Blanford gives this from the * Irrawaddy delta, near Bassein,’—Ep., 8, F, 236 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 342.—Euplocamus lineatus, Lath. (811 ter.) Found wherever there is rocky ground and good cover, and extremely abundant on the higher hills. 843.—Gallus ferrugineus, Gm. (812.) Abundant alike in the hills and plains. 344.—Francolinus chinensis, Osd. (819 dvs.) Confined to the Irrawaddy valley from about Prome up to the frontier, where itis common. It is not found in the Sittang valley till the mountains on the east are reached, far out of my limits. 345.—Arboricola brunneopectus, Tick. (824 ter.) Confined to the mountain streams of the evergreen forests, where it is abundant. 346.—Arboricola chloropus, Zick. (824 quat.) Of the same distribution as the preceding, and equally abundant.* 347.—Coturnix coromandelica, Gm. (830.) I have found this bird only} in the Thyetmyo district where it is common. 348.—Excalfactoria chinensis, Lin, (831.) Arrives in Lower Pegu in great quantities in May, and after breeding goes away again I think. In the cold weather I have never met with the bird. In January 1874 I trod on a small nestling Quail which must have been a young one of this species, or the preceding. It was too young to make sure. The present bird I know breeds in August, and it quite puzzles me to account for this chick. 349.—Turnix plumbipes, Hodqs. (833.) A tolerably common species, found singly or in couples over the whole province. Pegu birds are identical with Malacca specimens. 350.—Turnix maculosa, Tem. (834 dis.) The commonest species of Turnix found everywhere from * Add 829.—Coturnix communis, Bonn. Procured by Blanford in Pegu, and of ait a single specimen was sent us from near the mouth of the Bassein river.—E p., S. F. et. But I have received it from the Bassein district from close down to the sea— Dye tLe 9 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 237 the frontier down to the sea. I got it high up on the hills, but it is not so common there as in the plains. 351.—Turnix dussumieri, Jem. (835.) I procured a pair of this species at Pegu, but I have not been able to compare them with Indian birds. It appears to be rare. 002.—Glareola orientalis, Leach. (842.) Abundant in the plains throughout Lower Pegu. — It arrives in February, and leaves in June or July, a very few birds remaining till August. It affects burnt up paddy fields, and does not appear to be a bird of the larger rivers like the next. 353.—Gareola lactea, Tem. (843.) Extremely common on the sandbanks of the Irrawaddy, and Jess so in the Sittang.* Immense flocks of this bird come inland in the evening and hawk about for insects, wheeling about on the same spot for some ten minutes at a time. 354.—Squatarola helvetica, Lin. (844.) Dr. Armstrong procured this bird at Elephant Point.t I have never seen it. 355.—Charadrius fulvus, Gm, (845.) Very abundant throughout the plains portion of the pro- vince, coming in about 8th October. 396.—Aigialitis geoffroyi, Wag. (846.) Procured at Elephant Puint by Dr. Armstrong. 357.—Aigialitis mongola, Pall. (847.) Very abundant in the dry season. 308.—Aigialitis cantiana, Lath. (848.) Procured in the Rangoon river by Dr. Armstrong, and at Tounghoo by Captain Ramsay. 309.—Aigialitis dubia, Scop. (849.) Distributed throughout the delta of the Irrawaddy, and the streams of Lower Pegu, but not very abundant. * Armstrong got it at Elephant Point below Rangoon, and we received it from near the mouth of the Bassein river.—Ep., 8S. F. + And Ramsay got it at Tounghoo.—lp., 8. F. ft And we received numerous specimens from near the mouth of the Bassein river.—Ep., 5, F. . 238 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 360.—Abgialitis minuta, Pall.* (850.) I got this bird at Thyetmyo, and I have not met with it elsewhere. 361.—Chettusia cinerea, Bly. (854.) Common in all large swamps. 362.—Lobivanellus atronuchalis, Bly. (855 bis.) A common bird throughout the province, even ascending the hills.f 363.—Hoplopterus ventralis, Cuv. (857.) Distributed over the province in the larger rivers, but not very common. 364.—Aisacus recurvirostris, Cuv. (858.) Found sparingly in the large rivers. 365.—(édicnemus crepitans,{ Tem. (859.) Fairly common in all parts. 366.—Strepsilas interpres, Lin. (860.) I shot one young bird of this species in a flooded paddy field, near Kyeikpadein, on the 23rd September. 367.—Grus antigone, Lin. (863.) Common in the vast plains of Lower Pegu, but becoming less common every year. I did not find it at Thyetmyo, but Captain Ramsay got it at Tounghoo. 368.—Scolopax rusticula, Lin. (867.) A Woodcock is shot in the province almost every year. At Tounghoo it is far from rare. I am informed that an officer in that station has shot seven in one morning. 369.—Gallinago sthenura, Kuhl. (870.) The common Snipe of the country. * Must stand as 2H. jerdoni, Legge. Ramsay procured it at Tounghoo.—Ep., 8. F. tT Add 856.—Lobipluvia malabarica, Bodd. Procured by Blanford at Thyetmyo —Fp., S. F. I Surely S. G. Gumelin’s specific name scolopaw has precedence.—Ep., S. F, A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. “239 370.—Gallinago gallinaria, Gm.* (871.) Less common than the preceding, arriving much later. 371.—Rhynchea bengalensis, Lin.t (873.) Tolerably common in suitable localities. 372.—Pseudoscolopax semipalmatus, Jerd. (874.) Of this rare wader I have only been able to shoot two speci-= mens. This was near Kyeikpadein on the 29th September. I never met with it again. They were apair. The male stillshewed a good deal of the breeding plumage; the breast and flanks being rufous, as well as the edges of the back and scapular feathers. The female was in winter plumage with no trace of rufous. The male and female measured :—Length, 13:5, 13°43 expanse, 23, 21°5; tail, 2°9, 2°53 wing, 7°, 6:8; tarsus, 2°05 ; bill from gape, 2°9, 3°25. The bill is black, turning to plumbeous at base; iris dark brown; legs and toes dark plumbeous ; claws black. They were feeding on the banks of a small pool, and were, as far as I could see, probing the mud with their bills. The white on the wing is very conspicuous when the bird is flying. 373.—Limosa egocephala, Lin. (875.) Abundant in the Sittang and the Canal and adjacent creeks.§ The 11th May is the latest date I have seen them. 374.—Terekia cinerea, Giild. (876.) Dr. Armstrong procured this species at Elephant Point. 375.—Numenius lineatus, Cuv. (877.) Not uncommon in Lower Pegu.|| Captain Feilden found if at Thyetmyo. * Must stand as G@. celestis, Frenzl.—Ep., S. F. t Add 872.—Gallizago gallinula, Lin. This species certainly occurs in Pegu, as I had a specimen sent me shot some- where near the mouth of the Bassein river in Pegu. I note too that, though he now excludes this species, Mr. Oates himself formerly said of it referring to Upper Pegu: “A single specimen is occasionally killed, but it is very far from common,” III, 182). I find too that I had two notes for ‘The Game Birds”—one that a Jack Snipe was killed about seven years ago near Rangoon, and another of one being killed near Tounghoo. It is doubtless extremely rare, but there can be no question that the bird has occurred as a straggler in many parts of Pegu—Eb., S. F. { Must stand as R. capensis, Lin.—Kp., § § And I have received it from the Bassein estuary.—Ep., S. F. || Very common all along the coast line, and in its neighbourhood from the Bassein river to the Sittang—Ep., 8, Fy dl 940 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 376.—Numenius phxopus, Zin. (878.) Less common than the preceding, but generally distributed. 377.—Machetes pugnax, Zin. (880.) Very abundant in the creeks near the mouth of the Sittang and near the Canal.* 378.—Tringa crassirostris, Tem. & Schl. (881 bis.) Dr. Armstrong procured this species in the China Bukeer, one of the numerous streams of the Irrawaddy delta. 3/9.—Tringa subarquata, Giild. (882.) Common in the creeks of Lower Pegu in tidal waters, and neighbouring lagoons. 380.—Tringa minuta, Leisl. (884.) Rather rare. I have procured it near Kyeikpadein, and Dr. Armstrong at Elephant Point. 381.—Tringa ruficollis, Pall. (884 dis.) A common bird in all parts of the province. 382.—Tringa temmincki, Leis?. (885.) The rarest of the small waders. I procured a specimen at Thyetmyo, and one at Kyeikpadein. 383.—Limicola platyrhyncha, Zem. (886). Appears to be rare. I have only met with it once at Kyeik- padein. Dr. Armstrong procured it in the Rangoon river. 384.—Eurynorhynchus pygmeus, Lin. (887.) Dr. Armstrong preured this species at Elephant Point. I have never met with itin Pegu, but I have specimens procured on the Arakanese coast, 385.—Calidris arenaria, Lin. (888.) This is another species, for the discovery of which, in Pegu, we are indebted to Dr. Armstrong. He shotit at Elephant Point. 386.—Rhyacophila, glareola, Lin. (891.) Not common but generally distributed. 387.—Totanus ochropus, Lin. (892.) Fairly common in all parts of the province. * Also sent from the Bassein estuary.—ED., 8, F, A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 241 388.—Tringoides hypoleucus, Lin. (893.) Extremely abundant wherever there is a drop of water lying on the ground, and in every stream both tidal and sweet. 389.—Totanus glottis, Lin. (894.) Very abundant in all streams. 390.—Pseudototanus haughtoni, Armstrong. (894 bis.) Procured by Dr. Armstrong at Elephant Point. 391.—Totanus stagnatilis, Bechst. (895.) Common and generally distributed in Lower Pegu. 392.—Totanus fuscus, Zin. (896.) Fairly common throughout Lower Pegu. 393.—Totanus calidris, Lin. (897.) Less common than the preceding, but found in most parts of Lower Pegu. 394.—Himantopus candidus, Bonn. (898.) Rather common.on the Canal and in the Sittang river. It occurs in other parts of the province, such as the Thyetmyo district.* 395.—Para indica, Lath, (900.) Very common in all swamps and weedy tanks. 396.—Hydrophsianus chirurgus, Scop. (901.) I have seen this bird in most parts of the province, but it is not very abundant anywhere. 397.—Porphyrio poliocephalus, Lath. (902.) Common in very large swamps and flooded tracts of grass land. 398.—Fulica atra, Lin. (903.) This bird was rather common in a large swamp about 20 miles north of Pegu, ata place called Payagalay. Ihave not seen it elsewhere. Captain Ramsay procured it near Tounghoo. 399.—Podica personata, G. BR. Gray. (903 bis.) I got one specimen in the Engmah swamp below Prome, and * And near the mouth of the Bassein estuary.—Ep,,; 8. F. 242 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. I once saw the bird in a forest stream a few miles west of Shwaygheen. Jieutenant Lloyd, R.E., brought me a fine specimen from Karennee shot during the expedition sent out to demarcate the boundaries between Burma and Karennee, It is undoubtedly a rare bird in the province of Pegu. 400.—Gallicrex cinereus, Gm. (904) A common bird in all suitable localities. 401.—Gallinula chloropus, Zin. (905.) I only procured this Waterhen at Thyetmyo. Captain Ramsay found it at Tounghoo. ; 402.—Erythra pheenicura, Penn. (907.) Very abundant in all the plains where there is water and tree, or bamboo jungle. 403.—Porzana bailloni, Viel. (910.) I got only one specimen at Kyeikpadein in a paddy field. It may be, and probably is, common. 404.—Porzana fusca, Lin. (911.) Generally distributed, and fairly abundant. 405.—Rallina euryzonoides, Lafr. (912.) I procured one specimen at Thyetmyo, and have seen no other from my limits. 406.—Hypotenidia striata, Zin. (913.) Very abundant in all parts of the province which are suitable to it. 407.—Leptoptilus argalus, Lath, (915.) Occurs in immense numbers in some parts of Lower Pegu, where it arrives in October, and immediately commences to breed. It Jeaves about February or March. A few birds appear to remain throughout the year. 408.—Leptoptilus javanicus, Horsf. (916.) Occurs throughout the province, but not in very large num- bers. It does not migrate to any great extent. 409.—Xenorhynchus asiaticus, Lath, (917.) Occurs singly or in pairs, more numerously in Lower than in Upper Pegu, A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 243 410.—Dissura episcopa, Bodd. (920.) The remarks about the preceding bird apply equally to this. 411.—Ardea cinerea, Lin. (923.) Rather a common bird in the plains throughout the dry weather, and probably occurs also in the northern dry parts, though I do not remember seeing it there.* 412.—Ardea purpurea, Lin. (924.) Extremely abundant in all parts of the province. 413.—Herodias torra, B. Ham. (925.) As the preceding. Wing, 13°5 to 14°7; bill at front, 4:0 to 4°6; tarsus, 5:2 to 61. 414.—Herodias intermedia, Hass. (926.) Less common than the preceding, but generally distributed. 415.—Herodias garzetta, Lin. (927.) Very common in all parts of the province, Wing, 9°6 to 11'5; bill at front, 2°8 to 3:7; tarsus, 31 to 3:8. 416.—Bubulcus coromandus, Bodd, (929.) Found pretty commonly all over Pegu. 417.—Ardeola grayi, Sykes. (980.) Extremely common. 418.—Butorides javanica, Horsf. (931.) Abundant in all rivers and creeks, the banks of which are well wooded. 419.—Ardetta flavicollis, Zath. (932.) Very common in all the plains, and found also sparingly in the nullahs on the hills, 420.—Ardetta cinnamomea, Gm. (933.) 421.—Ardetta sinensis, Gm. (934.) Both these are equally common, but of course comparatively seldom seen. * But Feilden sent it from Thyetmyo.—Ep., 8, F. tT Add 928 bis.—Demiegretta sacra, Gi. From near the mouth of the Bassein estuary.—Eb., 5, F, 244 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 422.—Botaurus stellaris, Lin. (936.) Captain Jenkins shot two of these Bitterns near Pegu on the 2nd December. He saw several others. These were all in a swamp surrounded by paddy land. Both birds were femules and measured :—Length, 28°; expanse, 46 and 445; wing, 12:5 and 12:2; bill from gape, 8°75 and 3°80. Tris yellow; eyelids greenish; lower mandible and margins of the upper pale green; remainder of upper mandible, and in front of eye, smoky brown; legs green, with a tinge of yellow ; claws horn colour. 493.—Nycticorax griseus, Lin. (937.) Very common all over the province. 424.—Tantalus leucocephalus, Penn. (988.) Occurs numerously from Pegu down to Rangoon, and up the Irrawaddy river as far as the plains extend. It is far more numerous in the rains than at other times. 425.—Anastomus oscitans, Bodd. (940.) I procured one specimen at Thyetmyo many years ago, and have never met with it again. 426.—Ibis melanocephala, Lath. (941.) Occurs in very large flocks in all the plains of Lower Pegu. 427.—Graptocephalus davisoni, Hume, (942 dis.) A few pairs of this bird may be generally seen in the less frequented parts of the plains on either side the Canal, but they are very wary and difficult to shoot. In the dry weather they are fond of recently burnt up patches of grass land, where they may be seen stalking about for hours looking into cracks ‘of the soil for small reptiles. I have heard of there being Black Ibis in the Irrawaddy valley, about Henzada and Bassein, and I expect they belong to this species. A note on the nidification of this Ibis will be found in 8. F., V, p. 168, under the name J. papillosus. At the breeding season it has a most fearful cry which can be heard a couple of miles off. An adult bird from Pegu had the bill bluish, the iris orange, the skin of the head blackish brown, and the band round the neck white, tinged with blue; the legs pale coral colour, and the claws brown. A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU: 245 498,—Falcinellus igneus, S. G. Gm. (943.) I once saw a flock of these birds at Thyetmyo, where also Captain Feilden procured it. I have met with it nowhere else in Peou. 429.—Sarcidiornis melanonotus, Penn. (950.) A permanent resident and common in most swamps and lakes. | 430.—Nettopus coromandelianus, Gm. (951.) Very commen in all parts of the country. 431.—Dendrocygna javanica, Horsf. (952.) Very common throughout Lower Pegu, and less so in the drier northern portions. 432.—Dendrocygna fulva, Gm. (953.) Less common than the preceding, and found all over the province. 433.—Casarca rutila, Pail. (954.) Very abundant in the dry weather on all the sandbanks of the Irrawaddy river, and occurring in pairs sparingly in other suitable localities. 434.—Dafila acuta, Zin. (962.) Very abundant during the dry weather in all large jheels.* 435.—Querquedula crecca, Zin. (964.) This Teal is rather rare. One or two may, however, be shot in the course of a long day’s Duck shooting in most parts of the province. 436.—Querquedula circia, Linx. (965.) Very abundant, occurring in large flocks in such jheels as the Engmah, and the one at Payagalay. It is also found in pairs, or singly on smaller pieces of water. I am not sure whether some remain through the rains to breed or not. 437.—Podiceps minor, Gm. (975.) The small Grebe is found in every part of Pegu, and is very abundant. * I fully believe that we ought to add 963.—Mareca penelope, Lin. I attach little importance to the fact that Mason included it in his List of Pegu Birds, But Colonel McMaster was a great sportsman, and thoroughly reliable, and he knew Waterfowl well, and having been stationed two or three years in Pegu, he deli- berately wrote that the Wigeon was more common in Burma than in India. I suppose he meant the parts with which he was acquainted, and in many parts of Upper India the Wigeon is yery rare~—Ep., 8, F, 246 A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU, 438.—Larus ichthyaetus, Pall. (979.) During the cold weather considerable numbers of this large Gull may be seen in the Sittang river, near Kayasoo, and occa- sionally on the Canal. They are mostly young birds. One young bird measured :—Length, 25:7; expanse, 62; tail, 6:6; wing, 18°6 ; tarsus, 2°85; bill from forehead, 2°2; middle toe and claw, 2°6. The iris was dark brown ; the edges of the eyelids black ; gape and basal half of the margins of the bill pale yellow ; remainder of the bill very dark brown; inside of the mouth pale salmon colour; legs, feet, and webs pale purpurescent brown; claws black. This young bird agrees exactly in colour and dimensions with a bird shot in the Akyab harbour. It is also undoubtedly of the same species as four adult birds, two in full summer plumage, shot at Bhamo. In these adult birds the colouration of the bill, so peculiar, clearly shews them to be ichthyaétus. As Mr. Hume has already pointed out, the full grown bird has the tail pure white, and not with a black bar across. This bar seems peculiar to the young birds only. 439.—Larus brunneicephalus, Jerd. (980.) Very common in all tidal waters. I do not remember to have ever seen it far from salt water. 440.—Sterna caspia, Pail. (982.) Uncommon. I shot two in the Sittang river during a gale of wind and rain, and have never met with it again. 441.—Sterna anglica, Mont. (983.) Doctor Armstrong procured this species at Elephant Point.* 442.—Hydrochelidon hybrida, Pall. (984.) Abundant in all the rivers and creeks of Lower Pegu in the cold weather. 443.—Hydrochelidon leucoptera, Mes. § Schl. (984 dis.) A large series of these birds have been kindly identified for me by Mr. Howard Saunders. It is as common as the pre- ceding, and found in the same localities. 444.—-Sterna seena, Sykes. (985.) Very abundant over the whole province. f —————— * And I have received it from the Bassein estuary.—Ep., 8, F, t Add 985 bis.—Sterna dougalli, Mont. Several specimens from the Bassein estuary.—ED., §. F. A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEGU. 247 445.—Sterna melanogastra, Tem. (987.} Distributed like the preceding, but not quite so common. 446.—Sterna gouldi, Hume. (988 quat.) All the little Terns of Pegu belong to this species. It ig very common in the Pegu and Sittang rivers, and probably also in the Irrawaddy, though I do not remember to have seen it in that river.* 447.—Sterna fuliginosa, Gm. (992 dis.) I shot one specimen in the dusk of the evening as it was flying along the Canal. There were two birds. I have never met with it again. By some oversight Mr. Hume returned me the specimen labelled Anous stolidus, and Mr. Howard Saunders drew my attention to the mistake. ft 448.—Rhynchops albicollis, Sws. (995.) Very abundant in all the streams.t 449.—Pelecanus philippensis, Gm. (1004.) This Pelican is generally distributed over the province, but is common only in the vast plains of the lower portions of the province which are intersected by tidal streams, and covered with pools of water. From October to February there are more birds than at any other period of the year, and Burma is undoubtedly their chief breeding place. I have kept this bird in captivity for years, rearing the voung birds from the nest, and noting the changes of plumage from year to year. I hope to give a full account of these changes soon in another place. 450.—Pelecanus minor, Riipp. (1003.) The Pelican, which usually figures under the name of java- nicus is abundant in Southern Pegu from August to February * Add 989.—Sterna bergii, Licht. Common near the mouth of the estuary of the Bassein river. Add 991.—Sterna sumatrana, /vajl. Two specimens from the south coast, near the mouth of the Bassein estuary.— Ep., 8. F. + These birds, were all named by my friend Mr. Davison. Add 993.—Anous stolidus, Lin. I have a specimen procured off the south coast of Pegu, between Cape Negrais and Rangoon.—Ep., S. F. t{ Add 997.—Phaeton flavirostris, rand. Has been procured on the south coast of Pegu near the mouth of the Bassein estuary. 998.—Sula australis, Steph. Specimen procured on voyage frum Calcutta to Rangoon after rounding Cape Negrais.—Ep., 8. F. 32 248 ON THE FLIGHT OF BIRDS. or March. I have had its breeding places indicated to me by Burmans, but I have not been able to visit them. The white Pelicans are too difficult a group of birds to be dealt with here in Burma. I have studied them carefully for years, and I hope to be able to throw some light on them when working up my series of these birds in England.* 451.—Phalacrocorax carbo, Zin. (1005.) Extremely abundant in all the streams and fisheries of Lower Pegu, and somewhat rare in the high northern parts of the province. 452.—Phalacrocorax fuscicollis, Steph. (1006.) In some parts of Pegu this Cormorant_is very common. Such is the case in the Canal and the Sittang river about Myitkyo. Elsewhere it does not appear to be common, occur- ring in pairs only, or in very small flocks. 453.—Phalacrocorax pygmaeus, Pail. (1007.) Generally distributed, and very common both in large and small streams. 454.—Plotus melanogaster, Penn. (1008.) As the preceding, but perhaps not quite so numerous. On the Hlight of Birds. a TuereE is a high hill behind my house, rising to an elevation of above 8,000 feet, which I often ascend in the early morn- ings. A little below the summit is a broken precipitous slope, nearly a quarter of a mile in length, close along the base of which, in the early mornings, Lammergeyers and Vultures (the jJatter almost exclusively Gyps himalayensis, nobis), are wont * I too have been studying these Pelicans for years, and have several hundred specimens collected from all parts of the British Asian Empire. Unable to procure specimens of onocrotalus from Europe, I cannot decide what bird it is; but I am certain that the three specimens, still in the Asiatic Society’s Museum, on which Jerdon founded his three supposed species, onocrotalus, Lin, mitratus, Licht., and javanicus, Horsf., one and all belong to the same species. I pointed this out nine years ago, vide S. F., I, 128. Of course there 7s a small Pelican in Lower Bengal, and that is what Jerdon had seen and referred to under P. javanicus, but there is no specimen of this in the Asiatic Society’s Museum, nor, though T have twice seen it, have I ever procured a specimen, and the bird he did describe (L have verified the measurements), and which is in the Asiatic Society’s Museum, is not of this small species, but of the same species as those he described under onocrotalus and mitratus. If Mr. Oates will only set us right by careful comparison as to what the Burmese javanicus. of which I have some 70 specimens of different sexes and ages really is, it will be a great boon to Indian ornitholo- gists—Ep , 8, F ON THE FLIGHT OF BIRDS. 249 to sweep on their way to the slaughter-houses and more popu- lous parts of Simla, where they mostly resort during the day. A large colony of Vultures and several pairs of Lammergey- ers always roost and breed in some nearly inaccessible cliffs at the back of the Mahassu range, the crest of which may be distant about four miles, as the crow flies, from the Jacko preci- pices already referred to. It is the denizens of this colony whose “march past” I almost daily observe from a_ recess about half way down the slope, along which, often within five yards of the cliff, the birds sweep, one after the other, en route to their breakfasts. On fine summer mornings the birds begin to pass between six and seven o’clock, but on cold winter days, especially on cold wet days, they will not appear till nearly 9 a.m. From where I sit, I can, on bright mornings, with a glass, clearly see them as they top the Mahassu ridge, and thence observe their whole course until they pass me and for from one to two miles after they have passed me. Now it often happens that one of the Vultures comes the whole way from the Mahassu ridge to my nest, and passes thence southwards, out of sight, a distance of at least five, and often six miles, without having made, during the time it was in sight, a single movement of the wings, or more than three or four gradual shifts of the tail when slightly altering its course. Wishing to ascertain the velocity with which they pass—a velocity which varies very greatly—I put up two posts on two projecting points right and left of my seat, and somewhat further out. I then, for several mornings, noted the times of each bird’s passing each post, and approximately the distance at which each passed outside the posts, and then having pre- viously ascertained all the sides of my fixed triangle, of which my own position was the apex, while the two posts marked the basal angles, it was of course easy to calculate the actual length of that portion of the Vulture’s path visible to me be- tween the two posts. The Vultures, as a rule, slacken speed a good deal in passing my precipice. This faces the east, and is very warm and pleasant in the mornings, and commands a vast view down a deep valley, and not unfrequently, when I have come up a little later than usual, I have found several Vultures, and once or twice a Lammergeyer, sunning themselves on the ledges. So I suspect they slacken speed, intending, if the coast be clear, to alight and enjoy the warm sun awhile before continuing their matutinal cruise for a meal. Well, I found that between seven and eight miles an hour was the lowest speed at which any. Vulture passed 250 ON THE FLIGHT OF BIRDS, me, and between 26 and 27 miles the greatest speed. At the same time, I believe that elsewhere, when not thinking of alighting, or wishing to examine the ground closely, they travel with far greater rapidity. As far as I can make out that portion of the Mahassu ridge, above which they generally first appear, is almost exactly four miles distant from my post of observation, and on more than one occasion only six or seven minutes have elapsed between my first sighting a bird over the ridge, and its passing me, which would give a speed of 34 to 40 miles an hour. But then, of course, it is impossible to be certain that I really sighted the bird directly it did top the ridge. I may only have caught sight of it after it had progressed some considerable distance to- wards my position. Be this as it may, as a rule, the majority of the Vultures pass my station at a velocity of between 12 and 15 miles per hour. These Vultures are about four feet long, have an expanse of about nine feet, and weigh from 18lbs. to 20lbs. But in flight they retract the neck, and so appear much less than their full length, and laying out a freshly killed bird, with the neck drawn in as in flight, and with wings and tail spread to the utmost and tracing the outline, I found that at the outside the flying Vulture does not subtend a total surface of above 12 square feet. It is to be observed that when you shoot these birds dead, they fall like stones ; when you wound one bad!y, in the body, it also falls like a stone for 10,15 or 20 yards, and then re- covering itself by a few laboured strokes, sails away, without another flap of the wings, quite out of sight. Nay, at times, if you only suddenly frighten them, down they dropas if shot. There is a projecting point, which they generally pass very closely. On several occasions I have hid in a clump of bushes, which is just at the hang of the point, and when abird has been about to pass me at the distance of a very few yards have started up shouting and firing both barrels (with powder only) just as he was abreast of me. In many cases, thus assailed, the birds have merely given a shud- der, and have swung on with the irresistible sweep of some planet in its course. But, occasionally, almost exclusively in the case of young, striped or lineated birds, the Vulture has fallen head over heels as if wounded, only recovering itself after a perpendicular descent of several yards. Near my favourite post of observation live two pairs of Black Crows (C. macrorhnychus). These Crows know me perfectly ; they are quite aware that, though I do carry a gun, I shall not shoot them, but still, on .vrinciple, they disapprove of men ON THE FLIGHT OF BIRDS. 251 going about with guns, and some time or other during my morning’s visit, they think it their duty to call in, and circling slowly round and round above my head, ata height of not more than 20 yards, solemnly protest, in voices tremulous with emotion, against my persistent violation of what they consider good manners. For there is nothing in regard to which a Crow feels and expresses himself so strongly as in the matter of what he holds to be that pernicious and low habit of carrying a gun. I remember, when Brooks was rearing some young Eagles, he had at first occasion to shoot a good many Crows, eight or ten daily, to satisfy the cravings of his interesting nurselings. Within a week after he began this massacre of the innocents, let him but show his face outside his house, carrying a gun, and every Crow seemed to have left the country. He might peer and poke about, bustle up and hunt, but there was not a Crow to be seen. One might have fancied that he had killed off all the Crows of the neighbourhood. But let him issue, as on Sunday, without a gun, and presto! the whole place was alive with Crows, cursing and swearing at him in language which, had I understood it, would, I feel sure, have been too dreadful to record, and which was all the more shocking for having been indulged in on the Sabbath. It was no use his putting up a stick, and pretending that it was a gun; only the most infantile Crows were thus imposed upon; the great majority received the demonstration with derisive cheers, and renewed and intensified cbjurgations. I never kill Crows myself—I have a strong liking for them ; perhaps I bave some faint remembrance of the time, in long past zons when I was a Crow, (or what then represented a Crow,} myself—I have five or six pairs about my grounds, some of whom are quite tame; one especially who, if he be drinking at a sunken water barrel, distinctly declines to move to allow of my filling a watering pot. But thereby hangs a tale, for one day hearing a great splashing and running up to the butt, 1 found this Crow, in articulo mortis, wet through and fast smking. The water was low; he had fallen in, there was no foothold, and he was drowning. I caught hold of his bill, and lifting him gently out, laid him on a sunny plot of turf where he soon recovered. Let me do that Crow (and my fellowmen who are mostly equally intelligent) the justice to record, that, from that day forth, he has treated me with an uniformly pitying contempt. But this isa digression. I often carefully watch my Crows up hill as they cirele slowly round and round over head, tenderly admonishing me against the evil habit of carrying a gun, and I notice that when there is no wind, and it is quite calm, 952 ON THE FLIGHT OF BIRDS. they will sail round and round very slowly, six, eight, even ten times, in the course of five to ten minutes, without even once moving their wings, only slightly inclining the tail in varying directions so as torise and fall a little, as they revolve, their rounds being not circles, but a series of ascending and de- scending spirals. Now what keeps the Vultures up, and @ fortiori, what keeps these Crows up ? Stuff a Crow carefully, as I have done, with wings and tail extended; let your stuffed Crow, like mine, weigh 5ozs. instead of llb. 80zs. which the live Crow weighs ; get a multiplying wheel with a thin silk twine, 30 yards long, weighing an ounce at most; attach it to the skin so that this will sail straight without twisting ; place the skin on the top of a post 15 or 20 feet high so as to give it a good start; then whirr the wheel, and your dead Crow shell will come through the air to you three times as fast as ever the live Crow succeed- ed in making his way, but.........the skin will have hit the ground before reaching you. Yet the live Crow, weighing more than four times what the skin does, circles round and round my head without one single action that could, with refer- ence to resistance of the air, &., account for its not falling, at certainly less than one-tenth of the velocity which I, by mechanism, impart to the skin. I venture to hope that no one will fatuously revive that old exploded fallacy of air-cells filled with heated air. If all the cells were filled in the case of a Crow with air at a temperature of 160° F., the outside air being at 70° F., the raising power thus engendered would not suffice to sustain a single ounce weight, whereas my skin that won’t keep up, weighs only 540zs. against llb. 80zs. of the live bird. But for all that the live birds do keep up, and there has never yet been, so far as I am aware, any explanation of their so doing, that can, when tested, be accepted. The real explanation is simple enough, but I do not doubt that when I set it forth, especially when I explain, as I must, how I was led to suspect it, my statement will be received much as the Crows used to receive Brooks’ walking-stick demonstrations. The only difference will be, that, whereas the Crows, having only instinct to guide them, were right in the view they took of the case ; the intellectual people, who will reject my explana- tion, will be wrong. Well, they will know better some day. Every great truth is a folly to the generation in which it first shows itself. Now did any of my readers ever hear of £throbacy? Of course the majority reply: “Is it anything to drink? Is it good ?” No, it is not a potable article; it is a fantastic name, ON THE FLIGHT OF BIRDS. 253 signifying walking in the air, applied to the manifestations of an occult power, occasionally acquired by human beings, of raising themselves for a short distance above the surface of the earth, without any physical support or mechanical aids. A good many (ignorant) people will say at once flatly : “But this is all humbug ; xo one ever did acquire any such power.” This however is a mistake ; there are at least three Yogis at this present moment in India, who possess this power, and you have only to study the question to ascertain that there is no fact in the history of mankind better established, by a greater number of reliable witnesses, than the acquisition of this power by exceptional individuals. This has occurred, alike in ancient and modern times, in Asia and Europe, in the case of men and women, Buddhists, Hindoos, Mahomedans, and Christians. An absolutely pure life and intense religious concentration seem necessary in most cases for the development in human beings of this power, which, in the case of man, is abnormal. It is all very well for Protestants and modern materialists to discard unexamined all facts of this nature as manifestly falsehoods or frauds, fables or dreams; but no candid person can examine the judicial records of the exhibition of this power in the case of some of the Roman Catholic Saints and Saintesses, without admitting that the thing is as well established as any single fact on record. Of course, it had nothing to do with the profession of any par- ticular creed. _Mahomedans, Hindoos and Buddhists, living similar, self-denying, excessively abstemious, absolutely pure unworldly lives, and similarly concentrating their minds and souls on things spiritual, have equally acquired these powers ; and, as I said before, there are men at this time, in this country, endowed with them; but I refer to Roman Catholic Saints, because the records of their doings are more readily available to Europeans, and carry more weight than those of the so- called miracles of Eastern Saints and Sages. But when we begin to study the hidden science that lies at the base of all these abnormal phenomena, we discover that this faculty of Authrobacy is susceptible of a simple scientific explanation ; it depends upon the power of so altering the magnetic polarity of the physical frame that in lieu of being attracted it is repelled by the earth. Gravity is nothing but another name for the force, which, viewed from different aspects, we designate heat, light, elec- tricity, magnetism; or at any rate, all are outward and appreciable manifestations of analogous impulses propelled through one and the same all-pervading medium. Now this power of modifying and reversing the polarity of the physical body, which is so rarely, and only under 254 A NOTE ON THE GENERA SCH@NICOLA AND CATRISCUS. very exceptional circumstances, acquired by human beings, is normal and inherent in the great majority of winged birds. But it varies very greatly in potency in different families and genera, and while in some it operates almost wholly to neutralize the attraction of gravity, in others it only slightly diminishes the tension of this. This power is directly connected with what we may call, even in a bird, the mind principle, and is liable to be suspended by any sudden shock or fright, which for the moment checks the out- going of will power in that direction. This explanation of much that has long puzzled us in connec- tion with the flight of birds, is not an hypothesis, but a fact ; but as I am not in a position to give that demonstration of it, which I am well aware physical science must insist on before accepting anything as a fact, I only ask my readers to treat it as a hvpothesis, and test how far it systematizes and explains the many hitherto inexplicable facts connected with the flight of birds. A. 0. H. A Aote on the Genera Schenicola and Catrisens. By R. Bowdler Sharpe, HLS. H.A.S., ke, Department of Zoology, British Museum. (Reprint from the P. Z. 8., November 1881.) DurinG the last two years a great deal of interest has been shown in India with respect to Jerdon’s Schwnicola platyura, a little Reedbird, which was described by him as 7imalia platyura (Madr. Journ., xiii, p. 170), and was afterwards made the type of the genus Schenicola by Blyth (J. A. S., Beng., XXXiii., p. 374). The typical specimen was lost; and the bird remained unidentified for years, merely receiving a short notice, in 1863, from Jerdon in his “ Birds of of India” (ii., p. 73). In 1878, however, Mr. Frank Bourdillon met with the species in Southern Travancore, as recorded by Mr. Hume in the seventh volume of “Stray Feathers” (p. 37). Again, in Capt. Legge’s “ Birds of Ceylon,” reference is made to a specimen which had been since 1854 lying undetermined in a box in the British Museum; but Capt. Legge (somewhat inconsistently in my opinion) only gave it a place in his work in a foot-note. ‘There is not the slightest reason for believing that the specimen in question is not a genuine Ceylonese skin, as it was purchased by the Museum from Mr. Cuming, who received it doubtless from one of bis correspondents, perhaps Mr. Thwaites or A NOTE ON THE GENERA SCH@NICOLA AND CATRISCUS. 255 Mr. Layard. Anyhow, I have no doubt that the bird occurs in Ceylon, and has escaped observation there just as it did for so lone in India. In the ninth volume of “ Stray Feathers” several notices of this bird are published. At p. 209 Mr. W. Edwin Brooks, who has made the Warblers of India his especial study, gives a minute account of the generic features of Schawnicola, based on the Travancore specimen procured by Mr. Bourdillon (Jus. 4. O. Hume) ; and at p. 211, Mr. Hume gives an editorial note, with additional information from Mr. Bourdillon, recording the capture of three more specimens. Two of these have since passed into the collection of the British Museum, and are marked by the collector as “ breeding”’— a statement on which Capt. Butler afterwards comments. At p. 234, Mr. Hume records the capture of a specimen by Captain Butler at Belgaum, and suggests the possibility of Schanicola being identical with the African genus Catriscus. Lastly, at p. "260 of the same volume of “ Stray Feathers,’ Mr. Hume gives an_ excellent resume of the history of Schenicola platyura as far as known, and Capt. Butler adds some most interesting notes on the nest- ing of the species at Belgaum. In the space of two years, therefore this interesting bird has been rescued from the obli- vion into which it had fallen, and we now know a good deal about its habits and general economy. It is with the object of answering Mr. Hume’s question as to the possibility of the Indian bird being identical with the African Catriscus apicalis, that I write these few lines. A perception of affinities has been one of Mr. Hume’s most noticeable qualities as an ornithologist ; and his association of Schenicola with Catriscus turns out to be perfectly correct; but the Indian species is not exactly the same as the African one. The following I believe to be the literary history of the genus, with its two species :— SCHGNICOLA. Type. Schenicola, Blyth, J. A. S. Bene? peor C4; (1844, nee Bp. 1850). : we 2 ss . platyura. Catriscus, Cab. Mus. Hein. Th, i i. P 43 "(1850) . .S. apicalis. Clavis. specierum. a. Saturate rufescenti-brunneus, regione parotica pileo concolori; hypo- chondriis saturate rufescenti-brunneis ; subcaudalibus fulvescentibus vel rufescenti-brunneis ........ .. platyura. 6. Pallide rufescenti-brunneis, regione parotica "pallide brunnea ; “hypo- chondriis pace 2 aay erent nigricantibus pallide mar- PRE, SS gageencconsocuscne eeeneeeconevecey ces eereenaes cee cer cescesvescee 1c Scuantcona PLATYURA. Timalia platyura, Jerdon, Madr. Journ., xiil., p. 170 (1844) ; Gray, Hand-1. B. i. p, 815, no. 4706, apicalis, 33 956 THE BRITISH MUSEUM CATALOGUE OF BIRDS, VOL. VI. Schenicola platyura, Blyth, J. A.S. Beng., xiii, p. 374 (1844) ; Jerd. B. Ind., ii., p. 73 (1863) ; Hume, Str. F., 1878, vol. vii, p. 37; id. Str. F., 1879, p. 97; Brooks, Str. F., 1880, p- 209; Hume, t. cit., p. 211; Legge, B. Ceylon, p. 532, note (1880) ; Hume, Str. F., 1880, pp. 234, 260; Butler, Cat. B. of South Bombay Press, p. 43 (1880). The Indian Broad-tailed Reed-bird inhabits Southern India, and has been procured by Capt. Butler at Belgaum in 16° N. lat. ; also by Jerdon in the Goodalore Ghat, Wynaad, 11° 30’ N. lat.; again, in Southern Travancore, in 8° 30’ N. lat. (Bourdillon); and extends into Ceylon (spec. in Mus. Brit.), the exact locality being unknown, though Mr. Hume suggests about 7° N. lat. 2. ScCHGNICOLA APICALIS. Sylvia apicalis, Licht, MS. in Mus. Berol., unde. Catriscus apicalis, Cab. Mus. Hein. th., i, p. 43 (note) ; Gurney, Ibis, 1863, p. 323, id. Ibis, 1866, p. 140; Heugl., Ibis, 1869, p. 81; id. Orn. N. O~Afr., p. 273, tab. ix. (1869) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1875, p. 71; Sharpe, ed. Layard B. 8. Afr., p. 283 (1876). Bradypterus brevirostris, Sundev. K. Vet.-Akad. Forh. Stockh., 1850, p. 483. Cettia apicalis, Licht. Nomencl. Av. Berol., p. 29. Spheneacus alexine, Heugl. J. f. O. 1863, p. 166. Drymoica apicalis, Layard, B. 8. Afr., p. 96, no. 173 (1867) ; Gray, Hand-l. B.,i., p. 201, no. 2833 (1869). Calamodyta brevirostris, Gray, Hand-l. B., i., p. 209, no. 2958 1869). In North-eastern Africa the African Broad-tailed Reed-bird was met with by Heuglin in the vast grass-lands on the affiluents of the Gazelle river. In South Africa it appears to be found only in Natal. The British Museum Catalogue of Birds, Vol, VI. By R. BowpLer SHARPE. THE new Volume of the Catalogue contains a portion of the Family of the Time.ip# as defined by Mr. Sharpe, Vol. TV sp. Cs nis Volume is by Mr. Sharpe himself, and well maintains the high standard of this important work. By some oversight at page 1, only the following sub- families are stated to be included in the TIMELIDS, viz., the Brachypodine, the Troglodyting, and the Timeline (proper ;) FURTHER NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. py but as a fact the following five sub-families are included in this volume, viz. :— (1) Brachypodine ... .. or Bulbuls ; (2) Troglodytine .., ... or Wrens; (3) Mimine ae ... or Mocking Thrushes ; (4) Myiadectine ir ... or Solitaires, & ; (5) Ptilonorhyxchine ... or Bower Birds ; and there remain the Zimeline, and possibly some other sub- families to be dealt with in an ensuing volume. With the last three sub-families (two of which in my opi- nion are scarcely rightly here placed), we have no concern in India; even amongst the Troglodytine, the great majority of the genera are American, and Pnepyga and Cinclus are the principal genera with which we here have to do. Of the Brachypodine of course a very large proportion of the genera and species occur within our limits. itis gratifying to learn that the second volume of this family is well advanced, and that there is now a prospect of a somewhat more rapid progress in this work than has hitherto been found possible. The present race of ornithologists will doubt- less be gathered to their fathers before the catalogue is completed, but from what Dr. Giinther intimates in a brief preface which he prefixes to the present volume, our sons may now possibly witness its termination. This is good news, and we will hope that it may prove true. Of this present volume there is little to be said. It is charac- terized by the same completeness, and displays abundant evidence of the same industry and research that have been the leading features of every work of Mr. Sharpe’s since, as scarcely more than a boy, he gave to the world his Monograph of the Kingfishers. Some of the illustrations are decidedly good, while others again strike me as rather harsh, but all are a decided improvement on some that appeared in one at least of the earlier volumes. AS OLE Surther Hotes on the Birds of Gilgit. By Masor J. Brpputpa. Reprint from the “ Ibis.” Since the publication of my former paper on the Birds of Gilgit I have been again resident, from May 1880 till March 1881, in that place, during which time I procured several species not previously obtained, either by Dr. Scully or myself. The summer of 1880 was marked by an unusual amount of bad weather—the monsoon, which, asa rule, is never felt so far 258 FURTHER NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. from the plains of India, having made its influence apparent. The end of July and the beginning of August, which, in ordinary years, is the hottest season in Gilgit, was marked by ten days’ continuous rain and stormy weather. In con- sequence of this the autumn migration commenced a fort- night earlier than usual, and on the first two days in August a number of water-birds and waders, such as Ibidorhynchus struthersi, Machetes pugnax, Tringa temmincki, Totanus gla- geola, Totanus calidris, &c., appeared: amongst them a special prize, in Zringa acuminata, was secured. I also saw several Kites (Milvus melanotis or M. govinda.) In July and August I sent native collectors.to the Darel valley, to the Deosai plain, and to the Shandur plateau, which divides the Gilgit-Yassin valley from the Chitral valley. The jealousy of the Darelis caused them to regard my men as spies who had come to study the nakedness of their land, for which purpose ornithology was but a transparent veil; and my men were obliged to return after four days’ stay in the valley. They brought back forty-six specimens, representing eighteen species. Of these, three do not appear in the Gilgit list, viz., Garrulus lanceolatus, Otocorys longirostris, and Hydrobata leucogaster, the last-named being hitherto unrecorded south of the Himalayas. Oracetes cinelorhynchus, which only appears as an occasional straggler in Gilgit, seems to be exceedingly common in Darel, together with Garrulus lanceo- latus, which appears to be equally abundant. The vegetation of Darel, which valley has remained till now unvisited by any European, probably approaches in character more nearly to that of Cashmere than to that of the Gilgit and Astor valleys. My collector who visited the bleak Deosai plain was also unfortunate in having encountered weather so bad as to make any prolonged stay impossible, even in July, at so great, an elevation. He brought back fifty-seven specimens, repre- senting twenty-four species, only one of which, Otocorys longirostris, does not appear in the Gilgit list. The man who visited the Shandur plateau was more fortu- nate in being well received by the people of the country, and remained there for over a fortnight. During this he collected numerous specimens, which tend to show that the plateau is a favourite breeding-ground for many of our Gilgit birds that are forced to seek a considerable elevation for the purpose. Further observation has tended to confirm my former conjecture, that the Indus valley forms the chief route by which migrants between Central Asia and Northern India pass and repass. This is also borne out by the appearance of several species of rare or previously unknown occurrence in India having been recorded at Attock in the pages of FURTHER NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. 259 Stray Featuers during the last few years. Punjab orni- thologists will probably find themselves well repaid by a careful collection of species during the months of October, November, December, and January at Derbund, where the Indus emerges from the Himalayas into the plains of the Punjab. The Indian Government having decided against the further retention of a British officer at Gilgit for the present, it will probably be some time before any further continuous orni- thological observations at that spot can be made, though many sportsmen will no doubt find their way up to so good a sporting localitv. Up tothe time of my departure I con- tinued to add new species to the list, which now comprises 265 species. Of this number only one, the Owl named after me by Dr. Scully, is new to science. Five are of doubtful iden- tification, no specimen having been secured, though in each instance there is no doubt that a species not otherwise re- corded in the list was observed. These are Vultur monachus, Neophron percnopterus, Corvus umbrinus, Branta rufina, and Mergus castor. ‘The absolute identification of Gyps fulvescens must also remain undecided, for reasons hereafter stated. My identifications of Corvus culminatus and Columba livia may also be accepted with hesitation, as also the specific distinc- tion of Corvus collaris. Without taking these into account, twenty-one species, not previously recorded, or of doubtful occurrence, in India, according to Mr. Hume’s list of Ist March 1879, must now be added to the number of our Indian species. They are Cerchneis vespertina, Lanius homeyeri, Laniwus pheénicuroides, Turdus hyemalis?, Saaicola vittata, Sasicola enanthe, Leptopacile sophie, Accentor fulvescens, Sturnus purpurascens, Petronia stulta, Emberiza hortulana, Erythrospiza incarnata, Propasser blythi, Linaria cannabina, fringilla montifringilla, Leucosticte brandti, Turtur aurita, Ligialitis hiaticula, igialitis jerdoni, Tringa acuminata, and Crex pratensis. The occurrence of Hydrobata leucogaster within Indian limits, though not ineluded in the Gilgit list, is also recorded for the first time. 1.—Vultur monachus, Zin. (1.)* I may have been wrong in my identification of those birds ; but they were certainly not the young of Gyps himalayensis They were a pair of adult birds of a totally different species. 2.—Gyps fulvescens, Hume. (3 dis.) I regret that I did not bring this specimen home for com- parison. To the best of my recollection, however, it was an * I have added our catalogue numbers as usual.—ED., 8. F, 260 FURTHER NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. adult bird. Owing to the difficulty of transport, I left this and a fine specimen of A. chrysaetos behind me. 9 a.—Cerchneis vespertina, Lin. (19.) A single specimen, a young male in immature plumage, was obtained in October. Length, 11°25 inches ; wing, 8°8 ; tail, 5:1 ; tarsus, 1:12, Irides light brown; legs and cere orange; claws paler. I have compared this specimen with those of C. amu- gensis and C.vespertina in Mr. Seebohm’s collection, and have no doubt of its identity with the latter species, though the immature specimens are difficult to discriminate. 12.—Accipiter nisus, Lin. (24.) Out of twenty-one Sparrow Hawks from Gilgit Mr. Sharpe identifies only thirteen as true A. nisus, the rest apparently belonging to the larger race which I have called A. melas- chistus of Hume. 18.—Buteo plumipes, Hodgs. (47.) I obtained a male in the rufous stage of plumage from the Deosai plain. 29.—Scops brucii, Hume. (74 sept.) A fine specimen was brought to me alive, but numbed with cold, after some bad weather in the beginning of July. 33.—Chelidon cashmirensis, Gould. (93.) 33 a.—Chelidon urbica, Lin, (92.) During the time of our being in Gilgit together, Dr. Scully and myself failed to notice that we had more than one House- Martin, and while he only obtained C. urbica, I only ob- tained C. cashmirensis. In the beginning of July 1880 the weather, after being intensely hot, suddenly changed, and for four days rain fell on the neighbouring hills, ending in heavy snow during the night of the fourth day, when the thermometer in Gilgit fell to 45° Fahr. The following morning a number of Martins were picked up, either dead or so numbed with cold as to be unable to move; and I then observed that there were two kinds. Of a dozen brought to me five proved to be C. urdica, and the remaining seven C. cashmirensis, all adults. A male of C. urbica measures: Length, 5°8 inches ; wing, 4°6 ; tail, 2°75 ; tarsus, 0°'4. A female measures: Length, 5:9; wing, 4°36; tail, 2°75 ; tarsus, 0°45. ‘FURTHER NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. 261 A male of C. cashmirensis measures: Length, 5:36 inches ; wing, 4°05 ; tail, 2°28 ; tarsus, 0°45. A female measures: Length, 5°5 ; wing, 4:03; tail, 2°4 ; tarsus, 0°5. All the specimens of C. cashmirensis are dusky beneath, instead of pure-white as in C. urdica, and have dusky mesial centres to the feathers of abdomen, flanks, and rump. The under wing-coverts are brown, instead of dirty white, as in C. urbica. My specimens are identical with Gould’s type in the British Museum. 35.—Caprimulgus unwini, Hume. (111 bis.) My collector brought me a female from the Deosai plain, where it appeared to be common. 46.—Certhia hodgsoni, Brooks, (243 bis.) This species appears to be commoner in the Astor valley, where it probably breeds. I procured two immature speci- mens there in July at an elevation of 10,000 feet. 47.—Tichodroma muraria, Lin. (247.) IT saw one of this species in September at an elevation of 15,000 feet ; and I fancied that I identified one at an elevation of 13,000 feet in July ; so it probably breeds in the district. IT have procured it in Ladakh at 13,000 feet, in the middle of September. 52.—Lanius phoenicuroides, Severiz. (262 bis.) The Shrike referred to (bis, 1881, p. 51) under the name of L. cristatus, proves to belong to this species. I obtained two immature specimens on 6th September and 16th October. 53.—Pericrocotus brevirostris, Vigors. (273.) I procured a single specimen on the 9th August in Gilgit, and a number in September and October, all females, ~ or males in female plumage. This Minivet never appeared in Gilgit during the first two winters I spent there. I certainly never procured it; and it is so conspicuous, even in the grey and yellow plumage, that I could not have helped remarking it had it been there. I procured it in Chitral, in November, at 6,000 feet elevation; and it is probably to be found in Darel, though I did not get it from there. 56.—Hemichelidon sibirica, Gmel. (296.) None of the specimens I have from the North-west Hima- layas appear of so dark a tone as a specimen sent me from Sikkim by the late Mr. Mandelli; this is specially notice- 262 FURTHER NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. able in the colour of the wings and tail. . Most specimens show a faint white streak extending from the nostrils to the eye, and a faint circle of white round the eye. I procured this Flycatcher also from Darel. 58.—Cyornis ruficauda, Swainson. (307.) This Flycatcher extends into the Darel valley, whence my collector brought me several specimens. 59.—Troglodytes neglectus, Brooks. (333 bis.) Birds killed at the same time of year are scarcely distin- guishable from T. nipalensis, Hodgs.; but T. neglectus isa little smaller and paler underneath. ‘The freshly moulted autumn birds and those killed in summer are more distinct, and paler than TZ. nipalensis in every way ; but in the winter they are hardly distinguishable. 62.—Hydrobata cashmirensis, Gould. (348.) I procured an adult specimen of this Dipper from the Deosai plain, but did not meet with it in Gilgit. Dr. Scully’s specimen was procured ina valley between Gilgit and Darel, where its occurrence is somewhat remarkable, as I received from Darel, which is still further to the south, an adult male of H. leucogaster (348 bis) in fine plumage—the first instance, I believe, of its occurrence on the Indian side of the Himalayas. Dr. Scully’s specimen is undoubtedly H. cashmirensis. 64.—Oreecetes cinclorhynchus, Vigors. (353.) I shot a young male of the year, in Gilgit, in August 1880, and later observed two adult males. The species appears to be common in the Darel valley, whence my man brought me back several specimens. Young males of the year are easily distinguishable from the females by the white wing-bar, which appears to be assumed in the earliest stage of plumage and before any trace of blue is apparent. 66.—Turdus hyemalis, Dybowski. (? 364 dis.) The specimen which, in my former paper, I classed as T. ruficollis (Ibis, 1881, p. 53), Ihave compared with a large number of specimens in the British Museum and other col- lections ; and I find that it cannot stand under that name. It isa fully adult male, shot in January. The markings are essentially the same as those of ZT. rujicullis and T. atrogularis, with the exception of the colouring of the tail and breast. The tail is rufous, hardly so vivid as in typical specimens of T. ryficollis, but much more vivid than in any specimen of 7. atrogularis. The breast is a fine deep vandyke-brown, much FURTHER NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. 263 darker than in any specimen of 7. rw/icollis, and easily distin- guishable from that of TZ. atrogularis. It is apparently Dybowski’s 7. hyemalis; but I leave it for Mr. Seebohm to pronounce on its merits as a hybrid ora good species. Mr. Seebohm’s collection contains a similar specimen from Lake Baikal; and I have also one shot in Yarkand. 67.—Turdus atrogularis, Tem. (365.) When I wrote concerning this species in a former paper (Jbis, 1881, p. 53), I did not observe that I had before me a. specimen of an adult male in a melanistic form of plumage. The feathers of the head and hinder part of the neck are tinged with black; the tail is much darker than in other spe- cimens ; and the axillaries and under coverts are dull brown. All other specimens that I have seen have the axillaries and under wing-coverts dull rufous. 70.—Trochalopterum lineatum, Vigors. (425.) My Gilgit specimens of this Babbler are much paler than those I have from Cashmere, which, again, are paler than those sent me by Mandelli. The difference between Gilgit and Simla forms, however, is greater than between the Simla and Darjeeling forms. Specimens of Sibia capis- trdia from Murree and Sikkim show the same differences of colouration. 72.—Pratincola indica, Blyth. Pratincola maura, Pall. (483.) 73.—Pratincola robusta, Tristram. Dr. Scully has shown (/bis, 1881, p. 441) that our large Gilgit Busli-Chat is not Canon Tristram’s species; but I can- not allow that all the Chats of the P. indica (or maura) type are referable to a single species. My collection contains forty-eight adult specimens from different localities. These show two races, more or less well marked, and differing in size and colour, but connected by intermediate forms, which may be hybrids, as the two races apparently exist side by side in Gilgit and in some other localities. As in some spe- cimens the measurements slightly overlap, I have not taken difference of size as a point of diagnosis, but simply colour. The males show a constant difference in the amount of white on the back part of the neck. The race which I will call Form A shows a white patch on the side of neck, but not extending round to the back of it. In no specimen is 34 264 FURTHER NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. there any white discernible on the nape of the neck. The other race, which I will call Form B, also has a white patch on each side of the neck, which extends round to the back, meeting the white from the other side, so as to form a complete demi- collar when viewed from above. This is most conspicuous in breeding-plumage ; but specimens procured at all seasons show some trace of white on the nape. Separating the nine- teen males in my collection with reference to this point alone, I find they measure as follows :— Form A. Wing-measurement. Locality. Season. Inches, 30, ces ae Kumaon Terai... . aarch, 3:0 eee eee Gilgit eee soe eae April. 2:99 ose ore 9 eee ° gee 9 29 eee eee ” ese eee eee September. ZiSD ss0 ees ” eee ene eee April. 2°85 eee eee ” ere eee eee ” eee ore eee September. PEL AGE ae Astor” -- Sot ae A Form B. Wing-measurement. Locality. Season. Inches, 2°75 oes as Gilgit os. én ... September. 2°72 oe coo Wakhan «+. eee eee April 4 27 ace eee Yassin ove ose -. August. 27 . eee ” eee eee eee ” Hee f eee eee 9 eee eee wan! Septembar. 2'GD vee eee Gilgit eee eso ese March. 2°65 : Astor. ov vee «+» September. 26 9 eee eee eee ” 2°58 eee eee Gilgit eco eee aoe October. 2, 55 4 oes Cashmere eee ie0a May. 2:52 we ay Simla... ae a ahhyey N.B.—The last two specimens are in full breeding-plumage. The females also show well-marked differences in colour. Those which in general appearance much resemble the males of Form A in non-breeding plumage, have broad rufescent margins to the feathers of the back, the wing-coverts, and white secondaries, while the tail-feathers are broadly tipped and margined with the same, and there are narrow rufescent edgings to the feathers of the head and neck. ‘These I have referred to Form A. The others are altogether of a much darker tone, having the wing and tail-feathers nearly uniform dull brown, with very faint inconspicuous pale edgings, and the striations of the head and back very broad and dark, with narrow margins, and the whole tone of colouration less rufes- cent. These I refer to Form B. Separating twenty-four FURTHER NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF GILQIT. 265 females solely by differences of colour, I find they measure as follows :— Form A. Wing-measurement, Locality. Season. Inches, 2 eee eee Sikkim eee eee ace March. 2°65 eee eee ” eve eee eee November. ZHD ives eee ASEOPE ans a es. September. OO ack eee Sikkim ... as eo. November. 26 ove sas Gilgit... eee ees September. 26 eco eee Yassin wee eee eee August. ZG es, -cc Cashmere soc eee May. 2°55 eee eee Murree erry eos eee Undated. 2°55 eee eve Astor... sa ... September. Form B. Wing-measurement. Locality. Season. Inches, On Kens eee Astor eee eee eve July. 26 sos) .@caghmere... aaa ay sa 2°6 wee eee Deosal ose =A5 oh 2°55 eee coe Chenab valley eee Aaa May. 2°5D eee eee Gilgit een eee eee April. DD. ees eee Cashmere one eee July. ae eee aee ” eee eee eve May. Oo bes eee Gilgit eee eee eee ” ZiOW recs i ia eee eee ... June, . 2°45... eee ” eee eco ese April. 2°4, eee eee ” eee eee oe July. 2°4, eee eee Cashmere... eee ee Undated. 2°4 eee eee Simla eee eee eee July. 2°4, ete eee Cashmere:e. cece eee May. 2°35 eee eee ” ete eee eee Undated. Five specimens, which I am unable to separate by differ- ences of colour, measure as follows :— Wing-measurement, Locality. Season, Sex. Inches, Gs cee GUISIE tere) Mesa ABE eos §«©—-s Wnsexed, a Occ seen vlecenutiess eos JANUATY eee 2 26 ... ... Wakhan... ee April “0c 2 PAD) cep eee Meerut ... es January ... Unsexed. 2-6 ... esp oo exileitiy).c. a2 April hi ? Now it cannot be denied that these measurements overlap considerably, especially among the females; but the fact remains that, after separating forty-three specimens solely by colour and markings (omitting the last five undetermined), those of one form average considerably larger than those of the other, and that the greatest divergence in colour is shown between those which differ most in size. It may be that the specimens that overlap in measurement are to be account- ed for by bybridism—an explanation that no ornithologist 266 FURTHER NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. can affect totally to ignore when treating of two very closely allied species found in the same locality; or it may be that some of those classed as females would have been found by more careful examination to be males that had not got rid of female plumage. Whatever may be the explanation of this, I believe that we have here two species. The smaller species of Chat, which I have called Form B, is evidently the P. indica of Blyth; but itis more difficult to say which is the P. maura of Pallas. 74.—Saxicola opistholeuca, Strickland. (488.) I find that I got four specimens of this Chat in Gilgit— three at the beginning of April, and one in December. The young bird previously referred to (Zbis, 1881, p. 55) turns out, on further comparison, to be a young specimen of S. morio. There is no reason to suppose that S. opistholeuca breeds in the district. 75.—Saxicola picata, Blyth. (489.) Dr. Scully and myself have brought away from Gilgit 181 specimens of this Chat. Of these there are 102 adult males, 46 adult females, the rest being of both sexes in different stages of immaturity. I can add little to what has already been said about this bird. The specimens of the males before me show every gradation, from the creamy-white head to jet- black ; but those with pure black heads are the most numerous ; next in number come those in different phases, while those that have entirely white heads are the scarcest. The adult females are all of the same type, with the excep- tion of a single specimen, which differs in having the lower throat nearly black. Dr. Scully tells me that he has also a precisely similar female specimen. There is no doubt as to the determination of the sexes of these two specimens ; but the wing-formula is the same as in all other specimens of S. picata. Among the immature specimens females are undistinguishable from males. 77.—Saxicola morio, Hempr. & Ehr, (490.) Dr. Scully and I have brought away from Gilgit alto- gether 153 specimens of this Chat. Dr. Scully’s assertion of the identity of this species with 8S. hendersoni must, I think, be accepted. The specimens of adult males show clearly the gradation of plumage from the black, with pure-white cap, of the breeding-stages, to the S. hendersoni type of autumn. Two specimens, of 27th April and 23rd May, show a few faint brown specks on the back and head. Four specimens, of 18th, 21st, and 25th July, have the freshly moulted secon- FURTHER NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. 267 daries and wing-coverts broadly margined with pale rufes- cent, and the head much infuscated. August specimens have nearly reached the hendersoni stage, but still retain a certain amount of black on the back. No specimen was procured after July of the accepted morio black-and-white type. The females vary considerably in the colour of the lower throat, which, however, does not appear to be connected with the season; it may possibly be a question of age, birds of the second year becoming very dark. I took a nest of this Chat in Astor on the 26th June, at an elevation of 7,000 feet, containing five hard-set eegs. It was placed, about a foot deep, in a wall of loose stones supporting a built-up road on the mountain-side, over which was constant traffic. The eggs were very pale blue, with small dusky-red freckles thinly scattered over the surface, slightly tending towards a zone at the thicker end, and measured ‘725 inch in length by °565 in diameter. 78.—Saxicola vittata, Zempr. § Ehr. (4910.) I procured one specimen, an adult male, in Gilgit, on the 4th June. Three others were seen at the same time. 82.—Ruticilla rufiventris, Viedll. (497.) I procured a specimen as late as 27th November. It ap- parently breeds on the Shandur plateau, whence I received an immature specimen in August. 84.—Ruticilla erythronota, Lversm, (498 bis.) A female of this bird was, by mistake, passed as J?. hodgsoni, which it much resembles in my former paper (Zdis, 1881, p. 62). After noting the specimen I mislaid it, and was unable to put my hand on it again. It has since turned up, and proves to belong to this species. It is to be distinguished from 2. hodgsont by the double wing-bar and conspicuous pile edgings to the secondaries. R&. hodgsoni, which is much whiter on the abdomen, must be expunged from the Gilgit list. 87 a.—Ruticilla fuliginosa, Vigors. (505.) I procured a single specimen, a young bird of the year in immature plumage, on the 8th of July. There is nothing remarkable in the occurrence of this species in Gilgit; but it is somewhat curious that, with the exception of this specimen, neither Dr. Scully nor I have observed any of this species during a period extending altogether over four years, either in or near the Gilgit district. 268 FURTHER NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. The Plumbeous Water-Robin is a true flycatcher ; and I have often watched a pair hawking at insects on the wing, and returning to their post on a stone or tree-stump at the water’s edge. 90.—Calliope pectoralis, Gould. (513.) I received specimens of this bird both from Darel and the Deosai plain. My largest specimen has a wing of exactly three inches. Through some mistake in my former paper it was stated to measure 3°25 inches. 92.—Cyanecula leucocyanea, Brehm. (514 Dis.) It may be useful here to mention that in 1874 I found this species very common on both sides of the Digar pass; between the Nobra and Indus valleys, during the last week of June. With the exception of the specimen secured by Dr. Scully, I never saw another of the species in Gilgit. 93.—Acrocephalus dumetorum, Blyth. (516.) ~ Out of twenty-four specimens brought away from Gilgit, I find that nineteen were procured in August (mostly in the latter half of the month), and the remaining five in the first half of September. In the summer of 1880 they first ap- peared in Gilgit on 22nd August. 93 a.—Locustella straminea, Severtz. (520.) I shot an adult female of this species on Ist September, and saw another on the following day. Length, 5:75 inches ; wing, 2°2; tail, 2°12; tarsus, 0°74. Irides dark brown; legs fleshy red. 97.—Phylloscopus lugubris, Blyth. (558.) ' This species must be expunged from the Gilgit list. 99.—Phylloscopus tytleri, Brooks. (560 dis.) I obtained altogether three specimens, in May, June, and August; so it no doubt breeds in the district. I also got it in Astor in May. 103 a.—Reguloides proregulus, Pallas. (566.) I obtained three specimens, two females and one male, in Gilgit, in January. 105.—Regulus cristatus, Koch. (580.) I procured three specimens in June at an elevation of 10,000 feet, in a valley leading towards Darel. I also pro- cured specimens in the Astor valley, where it appears to be FURTHER NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. 269 common in July and October. A male measures :—Length, 3°75 inches ; wing, 2°12; tail, 1:3; tarsus, 0°62. The female is slightly smaller. 105 a.—Sylvia jerdoni, Blyth. (581.) I somehow overlooked this species in my former list of the Gilgit birds. I procured two specimens, a male, on 6th Sep- tember, in immature plumage, and a female, on 11th June, in full plumage with black cap. The irides of both were pale yellow. 106.—Sylvia affinis, Blyth. (582.) 107.—Sylvia althea, Hume. (582 ter.) Out of thirty-two specimens six are of the S. althea type, thirteen of the S. affinis type, and the rest are of intermediate forms. From Iskardo and Ladakh I have specimens of S. alihea, and from Darel of S. affinis. 109.—Henicurus scouleri, Vigors. (587.) Two young males, shot on 12th September, at 11,000 feet elevation, have the throat and breast white, sullied with dusky markings, and the forehead black. A female, shot on the 23rd September, at 9,000 feet, has the throat black, with a few white feathers showing on the chin, and the forehead partly white. The change of colour on the breast appears to be due to a change in the colouring of the feathers, but on the forehead to a moult of feathers, as small white feathers can be discerned growing under the black feathers on the fore- heads of the two younger specimens. 112.—Motacilla alba, Lin. (591 ter.) I obtained two specimens in February, and two in Decem- ber. Two young birds of the year, shot in September, show a considerable amount of yellow about the face and neck, 116.—Budytes calcaratus, Hodgs. (594.) I procured specimens from Darel and Deosai in July, and from the Shandur plateau in August. 117.—Budytes citreolus, Pall. (594 dis.) I got two specimens, in Gilgit, on the 3rd and 4th August. T also got specimens from Darel and Deosai in July. It is somewhat strange that, out of over 200 specimens of Green Wagtails, neither Dr. Scully nor myself procured a single specimen of B. flavus, Lin., which species I obtained in Wahkan in April 1874. 270 FURTHER NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. 120.—Anthus rosaceus, Hodgs. (605.) I procured two adult specimens in July from Darel. 121.—Anthus cervinus, Pallus. (605 bis.) In addition to the specimens previously recorded I pro- cured two on 21st and 22nd October. 123.—Cephalopyrus flammiceps, Burton. (633.) I obtained specimens in June and September. The general colouration is paler than in speciimens sent me by Mandelli. Birds in full adult plumage appear to lose the yellowish-green margins of wing and tail-feathers. 124,—Lepiopeecile sophix, Severtzoff. (633 bis.) I was mistaken in supposing this to be a winter visitor only. In June I procured a number of specimens of both sexes at an elevation of 10,000 feet ina secluded valley close to the Indus, where they were doubtless breeding. The males at this season have the whole abdomen vinous purple, with- out the buff space in the centre that all winter specimens show ; the colouring of the head is also more vivid. 125.—Aigithaliscus leucogenys, Moore. (634 bis.) I obtained several specimens from the Darel valley. 127.—Lophophanes rufonuchalis, Blyth. (640.) The amount of rufous in the nuchal spot appears in some degree seasonal. ‘Two winter-killed specimens show much more rufous than any procured in summer. I procured this Tit also from Darel. 129.—Accentor nipalensis, Hodgson. (652.) Captain. Wardlaw-Ramsay has shown me specimens of M. Severtzoff’s 4. rujilatus, whieh are identical with Gilgit specimens of A. nipalensis. It would appear as if A. alpinus and A, nipalensis were only the two extremes of one species, which are bridged over by intermediate forms, in the same way as the eastern and western forms of Zrochalopterum lineatum. 131.—Accentor jerdoni, Brooks, (654 bis.) I procured this species both from the Deosai plain and the Shandur plateau. A rubeculoides does not appear to extend further westward than the Astor valley, where I have procured it. 139.—Corvus frugilegus, Lin. (664.) Earliest autumn appearance in Gilgit on the 19th October. FURTHER NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. Q271 147.—Temenuchus pagodarum, G'mel. (687.) I got altogether five specimens during four summers I spent in Gilgit—three in May and two in June. 149.—Passer indicus, Jard. & Selby. (706.) During the winter of 1880-81 which was nota severe one, I procured a few specimens, all males. They were, however, scarce. 152.—Emberiza leucocephala, S$. G. Gmel. (712.) The earliest specimens were observed on the 11th November, and the latest on the 3rd March, but it was only in December that any quantity was obtained. 154.—Emberiza stewarti, Blyth. (718.) I procured a single specimen, a female, in December, in Gilgit. With this exception, no other specimen was observed later than 4th October. 155.—Emberiza buchanani, Blyth. (716.) I received specimens of this Bunting from the upper part of the Yassin valley, near the foot of the Shandur plateau, in August. In the Gilgit district I never saw it except in September. 158.—Euspiza luteola, Sparrm. (722.) I procured a male in adult plumage on the19th May; no others were seen at the time. In August I procured a male and female, and in September two males, all four in imma- ture plumage. I also procured a male and female, in August, from Yassin, at an elevation of over 10,000 feet. I have examined the Huspiza mentioned by Dr. Scully (Ibis, 1881, pp. 575, 576),as appearing to belong to this species. Several of my immature specimens show the same difference in measurement between the longest secondaries and longest primaries, and three specimens also show slight spots on the breast, though in none are the spots so large and conspicuous as in Dr. Scully’s specimen. The bird is, however, so like £. luteola in every other particular that I cannot believe it to belong to another species. 162.—Erythrospiza mongolica, Swinh. (732 bis A.) I obtained a malein breeding plumage in June, at an ele- vation of 9,000 feet. The two wing-patches, which in other specimens are dusky-white, in this are pure white, while the tips of the larger coverts, which are of a faint rose-colour at 35 272 FURTHER NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. other times, are bright carmine. The underparts are washed with bright carmine instead of faint rosy, as at other seasons, and the rump and supercilium are bright rosy. Out of a large number of specimens obtained by Dr. Scully and myself, this is the only one in this stage of plumage, when it differs so greatly from those obtained at other times of the year, that it might almost pass muster as a different species. Mr. See- bohm’s collection contains several * similar specimens from Central Asia. As my collection contains a number of spe- cimens shot within a few daysof this one, and which, though much brighter than ordinary winter specimens, do not show any thing ‘like such bright markings as this one, I am inclined to think that this plumage is not assumed by adult males till after the second moult, that is in the third year of their existence. The males of the Propasser and Carpodacus group, as far as is known, all breed in female plumage the first year, and there is no reason why some such delay in assuming full breeding plumage should not similarly occur in the Lrythros- piza group. The colouring of EL. githaginea appears to under- go a somewhat similar change. Gould’s plate in pt. xxix. of the “ Birds of Asia” shows a male in the plumage I have described, and a female in winter plumage. The figure in David and Oustalet’s “ Oiseaux de Ja Chine” is of a specimen in winter plumage. 166.—Propasser blythi, Sp. nov. (744.) I obtained altogether two males and five females of this species in a secluded valley close to the Indus. The males agree with Blyth’s type of Propasser frontalis in the Calcutta Museum. Blyth first described this species in the “Journal of the Asiatic Society’? for 1863; but in his Appendix to the “ Birds of India,” Jerdon writes that Blyth had ceased to regard it as specifically distinct from P. thura. It is, however, certainly distinct, and hasa wing averaging from ‘10 to ‘25 inch longer, both in the male and female. The whole colouration is fainter and softer, and the general ground-colour of the upper parts is dull earthy brown, un- mixed with rosy, instead of dark rufous brown as in P. thura, or dark crimson-brown, as in P. rhodopeplus, while the bill is finer and less Pyrrhuline. The female has the underparts and rump tinged with pale yellowish chestnut, which in P. thura are deep reddish chestnut, and the upper parts and wings are free from any tinge of rufous. Blyth’s specific name has, unfortunately, been given to a Rose Finch in North America. The generic distinctness of the Carpodacus and Propasser groups does not appear well FURTHER NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. 278 marked in all species, and a different classification must some day be found necessary. Under the circumstances I would suggest the name of Propasser blythi for this species. In the Rose Finch group there is extremely little variation between individuals of a species; but written descriptions of the three species, P. thura, P. blythi, and P. rhodopeplus, are necessarily so similar that, without comparison, a collector must find it difficult to discriminate any single one of the three. Some guidance appears to be furnished by the wing- measurements of the males, which are as follows :—JP. blythi, 3°25 to 3:4 inches; P. thura, 3:15 to 3:3; P. rhodopeplus, 3 to 3:1. The feet and tarsi of P. blythi are also more slender than in the other two species. Still greater difficulty exists in discriminating the females; nor are their measure- ments so sure a guide as in the males, by reason of males of the first year being classed as females when not sexed by dissection. 169.—Metoponia pusilla, Pallas. (751.) I procured a number of specimens from the Shandur pla- teau between Yassin and Chitral. Having now a large number of immature specimens, I see that my former assum p- tion of the adoption of the red feathers in the poll during the first year was incorrect. The black breast and golden mark- ings to the wing-coverts are assumed in the first year during the autumn ; but the red head is not complete till after the first breeding season. I have a specimen shot on the 7th June which barely shows any trace of red on the head, though in other respects the adult plumage is complete. 170.-—Linaria brevirostris, Gould. (751 bis.) As before mentioned (/bis, 1881, pp. 86, 578), I did not meet with this Linnet anywhere in the district during 1876 1877, 1878, and the first eight months of 1879. It suddenly appeared in the autumn of. the last-mentioned year, when Dr. Scully procureda large number of specimens. I subse- quently procured adult examples in Gilgit in June and September, and my collector brought “back twenty-two specimens from the Shandur plateau in August. 171.—Linaria cannabina, Lin. (751 fer.) Both our Gilgit Linnets appear to be capricious and un- certain in their movements. During the four winters through which birds were collected by Dr. Scully and myself this species was only seen in the winters of 1877-78 and 1879-80, but was not seen during the winters of 1878-79 or 1880-81. 274 FURTHER NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. 175.—Calandrella brachydactyla, Levs/. (761.) I procured numerous specimens from the Deosai plain in July, and from the Shandur plateau in August. It appears to breed in both places. Five specimens, procured in Astor, and higher up the Indus, near Iskardo, appear paler than others. 176.—Melanocorypha bimaculata, Ménétr. (761 ter.) During the last winter Iwas at Gilgit this species was common from the 10th November to 21st December. 179.—Otocorys penicillata, Gould. (763.) I obtained three adult specimens and a number of young birds from the Shandur plateau in August, which is, no doubt, a breeding-ground of the species. The young are spotted, like the young of other species of Otocorys. They appeared in Gilgit for the first time on 14th October, and in consi- derable numbers. My specimens of O. longirostris completely bear out Dr. Scully’s remarks (JZbis, 1881, p. 580). I first procured the species in the Pangong district in 1873, and later on the Burzil pass in 1876 and succeeding years. I have six males and two females from the latter place, three males and four females from the Deosai plain, and three males and three females from the high ground between Gilgit and Darel, but from the Darel side of the watershed, so it cannot be counted among the Gilgit species. None of these speci- mens could possibly be mistaken for O. penicillata. The Horned Larks are excellent eating. 189.—Turtur ferrago, Eversm. (792.) I obtained young birds of this species, in Gilgit, as late as 19th October. 191.—Turtur cambayensis, Gmel. (794.) I procured altogether four specimens of this Dove, two in January, one in March, and one in October. In all, the rump and upper tail-coverts are brown, like the back. 192.—Turtur suratensis, Gmel. (795.) I procured specimens of this Dove from the 7th October to 18th April. 192 a.—Turtur humilis, Tem. (797 bis.) A single specimen, a male, was brought to me on 23rd June by a native, who shot it in the middle of Gilgit, and said that he had seen a pair of them. The measurements were as FURTHER NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. 275 follows :—HLength, 9:95 inches ; wing, 5:7 ; tail, 4°1; tarsus, 0°9. Legs blackish purple ;_irides dark brown. This bird is the true 7. humilis of Temminck, as is shown by Lord Walden in his paper on the “ Birds of the Philippine Islands” (Trans. Zool. Soc, CX, pp. 219, 220). Itis darker and richer in colouring than the Indian Red Dove, which stands as T. tranquebaricus, Herm., and has the under wing- coverts dark ashy. The most distinctive point is in the size, T. tranquebaricus averaging 9:25 inches in length, with a wing 5:2 (Srray Featumrs, IV., p. 292). I have examined the series in the British Museum, and the difference between the two species holds good throughout, a specimen from Amoy being undistinguishable from the Gilgit specimen. In the Museum series are several of this species obtained in Nepal by Mr. B. H. Hodgson, One of them is labelled “ 4. murmensis, Hodgs.,’’ printed by mistake LE. murwensis in the “ Zoological Miscellany,” p. 85, and cor- rected by Mr. Hodgson in his own handwriting in the British Museum copy. Giebel, in his “ Thesaurus Ornithologiz,” (sub voc. Zurtur humilis), and Bonaparte, in “Comptes Ren- dus,’ XLL., p. 659, misprint this specific term muroensis. 192 6.—Pterocles arenarius, Pallas. (799.) I secured a single specimen, a female, in the Sai valley, on the 19th December. No others were seen. 198.—Aigialitis cantiana, Latham. (848.) I procured a male in adult plumage on 13th August. 199.—ASgialitis philippensis, Scop. (849.) Figialitis curonica, Gmel. I shot a number of specimens of this Plover in the first half of August. 200 «.—Aigialitis jerdoni, Legge. (850.) I procured two specimens of this Plover, both females, one on the 11th May, and the otheron the 27th September. It differs from 4. curonica in the basal half of the lower man- dible being yellow, in the absence of a black frontal band next to the bill, and in having a fleshy-yellow ring to the eyelids. It is also slightly smaller, and the female is smaller than the male; whereas in 4. curonica the female is the larger. 208 «.—Ibidorhynchus struthersi, Vigors. (879.) On the 6th August I procured a young female in immature plumage in Gilgit. 276 FURTHER NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. 209.—Machetes pugnax, Zin. (880). I obtained four specimens in the beginning of August, and observed others. They all show dark markings on the breast and flanks. 209 a.—Tringa acuminata, Horsf. (883 bis.) I shot a single specimen, a male, in adult plumage, in Gilgit on the Ist August. It was flying about with a number of Machetes pugnax. It measured :—Length, 8-75 inches ; wing, 5°25 ; tail, 2°5; tarsi, 1:3; culmen, 1:05. This is, I believe, the first notice of the occurrence of this species so far to the west- ward, or within Indian limits. It was first described by Horsfield from Java, in 1821, in the following terms :—“ Supra fuscus, plumis dorsalibus ferrugineo tectricibus griseo mar- ginatis; subtus albidus, pectore sublutescente, rectricibus acu- minatis.” It was afterwards figured by Gould in his “ Birds of Australia” under the name of Scheniclus australis. Swiu- hoe met with it in North China, where it was very abundant in August (Ibis, 1863, p. 412). He states that at the end of August it goes southward along the coast and returns in May. The measurements he gives are smaller than those of my specimen, viz. :—Length, 84 inches; wing, 4'9 ; tail, 2°3; tarsi, 1:2 ; culmen, 1. In breeding plumage this species is easily distinguishable from T. alpina by the abdomen being pure white, sparingly spotted with light brown, whereas T. alpina has the whole abdomen dull black. 7’. acuminata also has the ground-colour of the upper breast rufous, with large dark-brown spots, while T. alpina has a faint rufous tinge in some specimens only, with small streaks. The best point of distinction is in the tail- feathers, all of which are pointed in 7. acuminata (whence the name), while in 7. alpina only the central ones are pointed. 210.—Tringa subarquata, Giild. (882.) I shot three adult specimens, all females, on the 2nd and 9th August. The entire underparts are rufous, with black markings in two out of the three specimens. One shot on the 4th September has completely assumed the winter plumage. 211.—Tringa minuta, Leisl. (884.) I obtained two specimens in Gilgit in the middle of August. 212.—Tringa temmincki, Leist. (885.) I obtained one specimen in July, and a great number in August. FURTHER NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. ya be | 213.—Totanus glareola, Gimel. (884.) This Sandpiper was extremely plentiful in Gilgit for ten days in the beginning of August, when I secured several specimens. With one exception, they are much spotted beneath. 315.—Tringoides hypoleucus, Lin. (893.) I obtained an adult male from the Deosai plain in July, and two immature birds and one adult in Gilgit on 7th, 17th, and 25th August. The young birds are almost entirely white on the underparts of the neck and breast, and have the wing-coverts completely covered with fine banded markings of black and reddish brown. 216.—Totanus glottis, Lin. (891.) I procured three specimens, in Gilgit, on the 10th, 14th, and 17th August. 218.—Totanus calidris, Zin. (897.) I procured three specimens, all males, in summer plumage, in the beginning of August. 219.—Himantopus candidus, Bonn. (898.) A specimen shot in Gilgit, 10th August. 229.—Ardetta minuta, Lin, (935.) During the summer of 1880 I procured two specimens in Gilgit-—one, a male in full plumage, in July, the other, a female in immature plumage, on 29th August. 230 a.—Falcinellus igneus, S. G. Gmel. (943 ) I procured a young male, in nearly full plumage, on the 16th September, 245.—Larus ichthyaetus, Pallas. (979.) In my former paper on the birds of Gilgit (Zbis, 1881, p- 101), under the name of L. affiuis, Reinh., I noticed a specimen obtained 26th August, 1876, which has since beea pronounced to belong to L. ichthyaetus by Mr. Howard Saun- ders, who has favoured me with the following note :— “This specimen is a bird of the first year, just going to moult; that is to say, it was hatched about June 1875; its plumage is, therefore, rather more than a year old, and is con- sequently considerably worn and abraded. All immature Gulls of the same size are somewhat alike at the first glance ; but L ichthyaetus, jr., may be distinguished by the following characteristics:—In L. affinis, L, fuscus, L. argentatus, &e., 278 FURTHER NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. the tips of the secondaries are edged with white, forming a band, but in L. ichthyaetus not only the tips, but both edges of the secondaries are distinctly margined with white for a long way up each feather. Again in L. ichthyaetus the tail pre- sents a broad uniform dark band (only the outer feathers being edged with white), whereas in L. affinis, &c., the tail is mottled with dark markings, and the band is completely broken up. Other points of difference exist, but to describe them would only be confusing, as the above are ample for recognition. “T have not as yet been able to examine a young bird of the same year as that in which it was hatched, when the plumage is fresh. Another “ link” which is missing is the stage between the following April, when the mantle is mainly grey, but the wings and tail are brown, and the spring after that, when the mantle is wholly grey, but there are still some brown mottlings on the carpals and primary coverts and a little dark on the tail; the black hood is then assumed for the first time. L. ichthyaetus must, therefore, be substituted for Z. affinis in the list of Gilgit birds. 246.—Gelochelidon anglica, Wont. (983.) I secured an adult male passing through on Ist August ; the black of the head is changing to the winter stage of plumage. Two days later I secured a young bird of the year; the head is white, marked with brown streaks, and the whole back is smeared with brown. Miler, ala, SM ha, ty a ae Rad ALOLID ATL SA —ponagsip gyn fo finyy ws9jsr44 9y) fo sp.rq - ay fo, B87 ybnoy 9 uoeprang “AA 97D4j8NII2 0} HSSQNVH™ AO dvVW AJAY ‘SUaHLVay AVaLS e9 | ! (p2702]]00 Ayuiwu wor r2¢T4 Ul 98047 94D Pat P740j09 BuO?) FAXTOH AL oslFZ eS Te —— SS ee oo Cs ie 0% os S77 Jf? sayooy - at - ‘a | F yf) 4 s a era oe arupedwr gy > A yoryar yt out) o¢loe 6 MOLIMLIL SA th 1 oclle ale gS 7 vb Py » wat O¢ 279 Rough List of the Birds of Gaestern Ithandesh. By J. Davinson, Esq., Bo.C.S. A¥FrTrR many applications it suited the convenience of a paternal Government, in October 1879, to transfer me _ to Khandesh, and from that time till May 1881 I was on duty there. Unfortun: ately my work was confined to the western part of the district, and I was unable even to visit the major portion of the eastern talukas. Still what I saw gave me a very fair idea of the ornithology of the western half, at any rate, of this great district, and I managed to pick up a considerable number of specimens both of birds and of eggs. The results of this year and a half’s observations in Khandesh I now chronicle at the request of the Editor.* ‘At the same time I must caution every one, indulgent enough to read through it, that the subjoined list does not pretend to be an exhaustive one, even of those parts of Khandesh which I have visited, much less of the ornithology of Khandesh as a whole, as, up to the very last day of my stay, I hardly passed a week without meeting with species new to me. It may, however, be of use to any one subsequently visiting the district, and is, so far as it goes, as accurate as I can possibly make it. Khandesh, the lar gest of the Collectorates in the Bombay Presidency, was, when we obtained it in 1818, in great part almost uninhabited. Though once well cultivated, successive wars and raids by the Pindarees and the Holkars had _pre- vented the villagers cultivating, and vast tracts having lapsed into jungle were then only inhabited by a few wandering Bheels and by wild animals, who proved most unpleasant neighbours to any adventurous settlers and their cattle. It was then a perfect paradise for sportsmen. Now, settled Govern- ment and increase of cultivation and population have, in sixty years, transformed these wild jungles into a huge black soil plain, crowded with villages, and covered, as far as the eye can reach, with wheat and cotton fields, and inhabited by a peasantry better off, less discontented, and in every way super ior to that of any other part of India, T have ever served in. The original kingdom of Khandesh was a huge slice of country comprising, ‘outside the present limits of the district, the western portion of Nimar on the east, and the greater part of the Nasik Collectorate on the west. The present district consists of a long strip of land following the river Tapti for over one hundred’ and sixty miles, and * Up to date noining has ever been put on record concerning the Ornithology of Khandesh. —Ep., 58. F 280 ROUGH LIST OF THE BIRDS OF WESTERN KHANDESH. varying in breadth from fifty to a hundred miles at various parts. There are, in addition, nine or ten Dang States in the extreme west of Pimpalnir, and also five or six Mewas States west of Taloda included under the Khandesh Political Agency. As I have never visited any of these States, they are not included in the annexed sketch map. Khandesh naturally divides itself into three parallel belts extending from east to west. The northern consists of the Satpuras, the central of the plain valley of the Tapti, and the southern of the Satmullas or Ajunta hills, and the ranges extending from them, spreading out on the west to the table- land of Nizampur, and the many barren ranges of hills in the western half of the Dhulia taluka. The Satpuras consist of a series of ranges of hills thirty or forty miles broad, and form the northern boundary of Khan- desh. In the eastern portion, z.¢, in Sawda, Chopra, and Hast Shirpur, only the outside ranges and the spurs from them are now in Khandesh, Lord Lytton’s government having pre- sented nearly 200 square miles of country, and that containing the best forests in Khandesh, to the Maharajah Holkar, presum- ably in return for his conspicuous loyalty in 1857. The Satpuras, as we proceed westwards, diminish in width while increasing in height, and only the spurs are in Khandesh along the borders of the Shada taluka, When they reach Taloda they break into two branches—one, the highest, stretching south-west through Taloda, while the other, a much lower range, skirts the Nerbudda, there the boundary of Khandesh; between these lies the tableland of the Akrani. The rainfall is considerable all through the Satpuras, and the talukas north of the Tapti hardly ever suffer from want of rain. In the Akrani itself the rainfall is excessive. The Satpuras, though of trap rock, are, as a rule, well wooded, large areas being under forest management as reserved forest. Nearly every tree found in Western India is found growing there, and though the commonest tree is the worthless “ Salai” (Boswellia thurifera), the beautiful blue Anjan (Hardwickia éinata) is found abundantly through Shirpur and Chopra, and again along the Nerbudda. Khair (dccacia catechu) is also abundant through the hills, and there is a great deal of good teak, particularly in the western forests. The best forests are those forming the Toran-mal reserve, consisting of over 160,006 acres, but owing to the difficulty of transport they are not much worked. Some of the trees in the valleys there are very fine. In the central part of the Akrani there is a ereat deal of cultivation, the people there being mainly Powra Rajputs. These are capital husbandmen and live in scattered ROUGH LIST OF THE BIRDS OF WESTERN KUANDESH. 281 homesteads, and not as most cultivators do in villages. The Akrani is a high tableland, being from 1,600 to 2,500 feet above the sea, and gradually sloping down to the Nerbudda, there a very rapid stream rushing through adeep gorge in the hills. The highest point in the Akrani is Toran-mal hill, about 4,000 feet high, a charming place when you can manage to get at it, with a very old artificial lake over a mile in cir- cumference. The heavy rainfall throughout the Satpuras causes the grass to grow excessively long, and it is almost imprac- ticable to traverse them till February or March, when the grass gets burnt. By that time the Bheels, who find that the long grass interferes with their gathering honey, roots, &c., in spite of piles of legislation manufactured at Simla and Mahableshwar decreeing the most terrible penalties for lighting a fire within miles of a forest, manage to have every yard of grass burnt every year. The hills contain a number of Mhowa trees (Bassia latifolia.) which in the season furnish the staple food of the Bheels as well as of many of the wild animals and birds. The central belt of Khandesh consists, as a rule, of deep black soil, producing capital crops of wheat, cotton, gram, and the various millets, the latter being the staple food of the poorer classes everywhere. In all the central and eastern talukas the whole plain is practically under cultivation, but in the north of Shada and in West Nandurbar and Taloda, as well as in the black soil portion of Pimpalnir below the ghats (Nowapur), a great deal of land is still covered with jungle. In Shada this is very poor, and consists mainly of stumpy Khair trees. In Taloda and Nandurbar however the “ Palas” or “ Dhak” (Butea frondosa) is the principal tree, and the jungles there are lovely in the beginning of the hot weather, when the “ Palas” is in flower. There is some very fine “ Khair’ mixed with the “‘ Palas” in the Nowapur country below the ghats. Except along the Tapti river there are, as a rute, mango and tamarind groves round most of the villages, and in many places there are gardens, some of them extensive, affording cover for small birds. Most of the sides of the roads in Khandesh have been planted, and some of the avenues, though almost entirely composed of ‘ Neem” trees (Azadirachta indica) are exceedingly fine, and give the country a very green, wooded look. T'o the extreme east of the district, there are the Halti hills on the further side of the river Purna, adjoining extensive reserve forests in Nimar. These are mainly skirted by dense Ae jungle, and the best shooting in the district is to be got there. The southern belt of the country consists of the Satmulla or: Ajunta hills, with numerous spurs stretching out from them. 282 ROUGH LIST OF THE BIRDS OF WESTERN KHANDESH; They form the boundary between Khandesh and the high tableland of the Deccan. There are a few villages of the Chalisgaum taluka above the ghats on the Deecan plain, and-entirely surrounded by the Nizam’s territory ; but, asa rule, Khandesh only reaches the edge of the hills. In the west of Pimpalnir the Sahyadra range reaches into Khan- desh, separating Nowapur from the rest of Pimpalnir. Ranges of hills pass from them along the south of the Pim- palnir and Dhulia talukas, separating them from Nasik, and spreading out all over the Dhulia taluka. These are exten- sively clothed in places with “ Anjan’ trees, but they are not good, and have been much cut as food for cattle—a practice which, however, is now strictly prohibited. Other ranges from the ghats spread through Nizampur, separating Nan- durbar from it, and passing through the north of the Dhulia taluka. Nizampur is consequently entirely enclosed among these ranges ard forms a barren tableland. The soil through- out tIns part of the sub-division, except along the small’ rivers, is very poor, and will not bear a crop more than two years consecutively. There are large areas uncultivated ; much of this is, nominally, Government forest, but the barren hills and stunted shrubs do not deserve the name. Along all the Pimpalnir and Dhulia rivers there are old “ bandharas’” opposite nearly every village, forming a small tank at which the village cattle drink, and irrigating some village lands below. These are kept up by Government, and dependent on the water are extensive gardens growing wheat, sugarcane, rice, and other crops, though the amount of rice is very small. There are also large mango groves around almost all the large villages along the Panjra, forming a grand breeding ground for Syrnium ocellatum, Ketupa ceylonensis, and Ocyceros birostris, all of which are common throughout this part of the district. The rainfall is scanty in the central and southern parts of Khandesh, though none of the districts have ever suffered from want of rain so much as the neighbouring Deccan districts. The rainfall from 1861 to 1871 averaged from 20 to 30 inches, the heaviest rainfall being at Pachora, and the least at Virdeil. Khandesh is a very hot district, (not only in the black soil plains but throughout the Satpuras,) the thermometer in March, April and May frequently rising to from 105° to 111° in the shade ; the nights, however, are generally fairly cool, except in the early part of the rains. In spite of all that is said to the contrary, except in the western parts of Pimpalnir and Nandurbar, the climate is fairly healthy, both to Huropeans and Natives, if moderate care be taken; a visit, however, to West Nandurbar or Pimpalnir, except in the hot weather or early rains, is almost certain to be followed by bad malarious fever. ROUGH LIST OF THE BIRDS OF WESTERN KHANDESH. 283 Khandesh was originally one of the best districts for big game shooting in the presidency, and very large bags were frequently made. The great increase of cultivation, and per- petual persecution, have however vastly diminished the amount of game ; still from 1865 to 1879, inclusive, there were 193 tigers and 658 panthers killed in the district. At present tigers, once found all over the district, are very few and are restricted to the Satpuras and the babool jungles east of the Purna; single animals are, however, occasionally found in the west of Nandurbar, the Kondabhari Ghat of Pimpalnir, and sometimes even among the Ajunta hills. Panthers are, on the other hand, fairly common along all the rocky hills, except in the four central districts—Amalnir, Erandole, Nasirabad, and Virdeil. There are a few hunting leopards and lynxes in the Satpuras, but they are very scarce. Bears, originally very common, have diminished much lately. They have been practically exterminated in Pimpalnir, where they formerly abounded, and have become scarce everywhere except in the Akrani. Bison are found in considerable herds in the Akrani all the year through, and they visit the Khandesh Satpuras in the rains and cold weather, but, except in the Akrani, they are seldom found within Khandesh limits at other seasons. Sambur, though in diminished numbers, are found through- out the Satpuras and Satmullas, and occasionally about the Kondabhari Ghat. Cheetul (Avis maculatus) were formerly very common in the jungles east of the Purna river, but were so persecuted during the making of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway that they almost deserted the district. There are still a good many in the babool jungle in Edlabad, and a few small herds in Shada and Shirpur, aud I believe one herd in the Ajunta hills, Bark- ing Deer (Cervulus aureus) are not common, but I have seen them in various places in the Satpuras. Chinkara (Gazella bennetti) are common through all the rocky hills; there area few herds of Antelope (A. bezoartica) spread about the plain country, and a few, I believe, are occasionally met within the Deccan villages beyond the ghats in Chalisgaum. Nilghai (Portax pictus), formerly abundant everywhere, I am told, are now restricted to the edges of the hills. There are a few still in Nizampur, and a herd visit the Koorans near Dhulia every rains. Pig are common in the hilly country, but the ground makes riding them almost hopeless. Jackals are decidedly scarce, but there are loads of foxes and hares, and the country is in many places very well suited for coursing. _ The small game shooting is not very good. Some years 2984 ROUGH LIST OF THE BIRDS OF WESTERN KHANDESH. there are a good many Quail, and I had very nice shooting at them one April in the Shada and Taloda talukas in the bazri stubbles. They are however local, but the shooting is very nice when they are numerous, varied as it is by Painted Partridges, a few of which generally find their way into the bag everywhere. There are few marshy places and not many tanks in Khan- desh, and except the Mukhti and Pawla tanks none are large. With the exception, however, of the Mukhti tank, which is rocky and has no feeding, they are generally well stocked with Duck and Teal. In Nizampur, particularly, some of the small tanks are very good, and as the native community there, reverencing the order of some forgotten superintendent of police not to disturb the Duck, reserve the shooting for the sahibs, capital sport may occasionally be got. The tanks, how- ever, are very small, and will not stand more than a couple of days shooting at a time, but the sport is good. One day I fired between 80 and 90 shots without moving, having waded out and got shelter behind a small bush. The results were disappvinting, as not having a dog, and no attempt being made to pick up the slain till I had exhausted all my cartridges, the wounded birds got lost in the reeds or swam out to the deep water, and we only picked up 33 or 34 Duck. There are few Snipe round the tanks, and few other places where they are found. I have never got more than ten brace in a day, and that only on one oceasion. There are a few places also on the Tapti where Duck may generally be found, and fair shooting ean be got at them, par- ticularly if you have a boat and let it drift down the middle of the stream, as the Duck and Teal keep passing within shot being unwilling to leave the river. Sandgrouse are fairly common through the plains, and there are Peafowl in all the jungles, and a few Jungle Fowl in the Satpuras, but these can hardly be said to afford much sport. Now, however, to turn to my proper subject, the list of Khandesh birds; I find I have entered in all 294 species. Of these, however, Nos. 9, 40, 118, 194, 211, 285, 492, 544bis, 705, 722, 842, 865, 908, 911, 934, and 1004 are entered as doubtful, as I have procured no specimens, and it is just possible that some mistake may have been made. Of the remaining species, all those marked with an asterisk, 210 in number, have been submitted to Mr. Hume for verifica~ tion, and he has kindly verified, and in a good many cases corrected, my identifications; the rest are mostly large and common species, about which there can be no doubt, and which were not considered worth sending, An examination of the sketch which accompanies this, in which the portions of the district ROUGH LIST OF THE BIRDS OF WESTERN KHANDESH. 285 visited by me are marked in red, will show that, although much of the district has not been visited, yet, except in the southern portion, there is no type of country in it of which I have not seen samples, so that the list should contain a fair proportion of the birds of the entire district. These are, as a rule, what might naturally be expected from the position and type of country of Khandesh, but a few rare birds, such as Salpornis spilonotus and Heteroglaux blewittt, seem to have their head- quarters there. The most noticeable deficiency is that of Thrushes and Bulbuls. Of the former I have seen two speci- mens of Pitta brachyura, while Cyanocinclus cyanus is moderate- ly common among the rocky hills. I have, however, never seen such common Decean species as Myiophoneus horsfieldi, Merula nigropilea, Petrophila cinclorhyncha, and at least one species of Geocichla. Some of these probably do occur in the cold weather, but they must be rare, or I should have come across some of them. The only Bulbul I have seenis Molpastes hemorrhous. Otocompsa fuscicaudata I fully expected to find, but I certainly never came across it either in the Sabyadra range in Pimpalnir or among the Satpuras. List. 2.—Otogyps calvus, Scop. The Black Vulture. Permanent resident. Generally distributed throughout the district, but by no means common anywhere. As a rule appears to resort to the Satpuras to breed, numerous nests being found by me in March there, and without exception on high: trees in thick jungle. The only other nest I found was on a “high tree among scrub jungle at the foot of the Bhameir fort in ‘Nizam- pur. “This was in the beginning of January and the bird had not laid. : 3bis.—Gyps fulvescens, Hume. The Bay Vulture. Decidedly rare, but noticed by me on two or three occasions in the cold weather in Dhulia and Nandurbar. 4bis.—Gyps pallescens, Hume. The Long-billed Pale- - brown Vulture. This was the common Vulture of Western Khandesh, and breeds abundantly along the cliffs in the south of Pimpalnir, at the Bhameir fort in Nizampur, and also along the cliffs in the Satpuras. Some nests taken by me in the last week of December at the Bhameir fort ee either hard- set € eggs or small young. r : 2986 ROUGH LIST OF THE BIRDS OF WESTERN KHANDESH. 5.—Pseudogyps bengalensis, Gmel. The Indian White-backed Vulture. | Very rare, and only noticed on one or tivo occasions in the eold weather. I do not think it breeds anywhere in Western Khandesh. 6.—Neophron ginginianus, Lath. The Indian Scavenger Vulture. Permanent resident. Common thronghout the district ; breed- ing here almost invariably on cliffs. Ihave taken eggs from the beginning of February till May. ?9.—Falco peregrinator, Suwnd. The Shaheen Falcon. In December 1880 I noticed a pair of Falcons flying round one of the cliffs below the Bhameir fort, and calling vigorously, They were very red underneath, and I am sure were not Laggar Falcons. Unluckily I had not a gun with me at the time, and when I returned next day they were gone. It was very un- lucky, as they let me watch them within 50 or 60 yards with a good class. I have also seen Falcons among the Satpuras which I believe belonged to this species. 11.—Falco jugger, J. HZ. Gr. The Laggar Falcon. | Permanent resident. Moderately common through the Dhulia, Virdeil and Pimpalnir talukas. It is however scarce along the Tapti. Several nests were taken by me with eggs and young in January and February. 16.—Falco chiquera,* Daud. The Red-headed Merlin. Permanent resident. Fairly common, particularly along the Tapti valley among the groves round the villages ; not nearly so common however as in Sholapur and the Deccan generally. Nests with eggs were taken by me in February and March. 17.—Cerchneis tinnunculus, Zin. The Kestrel. A winter visitant. Not by any means very common, and none remaining to breed about the Satpuras or Kondabhari ghat. 23.—Astur badius, Gm. The Shikra. Very common everywhere during the cold weather; only noticed by me in the plains on one or two occasions during the hot weather, though on one they had anest. It seems to migrate. to the Akrani and higher Satpuras as a rule to breed. In ROUGH LIST OF THE BIRDS OF WESTERN KHANDESH. 287 April it was breeding everywhere in the Akrani and along the higher ranges of the Satpuras ; and as the trees were then almost leafless, four or five of its nests could easily be found in a morning’s work along the hill valleys. 24.—Accipiter nisus, Zin. The Sparrow-hawk. A rare winter visitant I think. Only one specimen was obtain- ed by me in the Dhulia taluka, but doubtless had I been shoot- ing small Hawks as a rule, others would have turned up. 27bis.—Aquila nipalensis,* Hodgs. ‘The Eastern Imperial Eagle. This Eagle is very abundant from November to April all along the plain at the foot of the Satpuras, and is generally distributed through the rest of the district, as far as I know it, during the cold weather. I have never been near the Satpuras later than the end of April, so cannot tell if this Eagle entirely leaves them. In April, however, they certainly appeared much scarcer. I saw no signs of their breeding anywhere. 29.—Aquila vindhiana,* Frankl. The Indian Tawny Eagle. Permanent resident. Very common everywhere both along the jungles at the foot of the Satpuras and through the black soil and scrub districts. It breeds abundantly in November and December, and many are the nests I have taken, and the disappointments they have occasioned, particularly along the foot of the Satpuras, where, tempted by hope of a good reward, some Bheel would declare he had found a nest of the “ bura jat” only a koss off, but always in an unridable direction, and after a walk of miles through long grass and up and down abominably steep-banked nullabs a nest would be pointed out, but alas ! in every case an unlucky vindhiana paid the penalty of being mistaken for its larger sister. ‘Two fresh eggs were brought to me in the end of April from a nest on the south bank of the Tapti. It was not very far from my camp, but I was too done to go myself, and the man sené either missed or could not get the bird. Itthey belonged to this species they must have been a very late nest, but they may have belonged to A. clanga— a bird I have never actually procured in the district. 31.—Hieratus pennatus, Gm. The Booted Hagle. _ This Eagle is rare, but I have seen it at all seasons of the years so I suppose it must be a permanent resident. As its eggs are scarce, 1 took no end of trouble to look for nests, but never 288 ROUGH LIST OF THE BIRDS OF WESTERN KHANDESH. found the slightest sign of its breeding. I have seen pairs very noisy in the cold weather, and in March I found a family of four or five at Koperlee on the Tapti ; the young were, however, quite strong on the wing, and they may have bred elsewhere. 33.—Nisaetus fasciatus, Vieill. Bonelli’s Eagle. Rare; only noticed on twoor three occasions in Pimpalnir, Nizampur and Nandurbar. 35.—Limnaetus cirrhatus,* Gm. The Crested Hawk Eagle. This Eagle is a permanent resident, and very common in the Akrani and Satpuras, and fairly so along the ghats near Kondabhari. I have also noticed it on several occasions along the spurs of hill in the Nandurbar taluka. I have never seen it in the plain country. I have found many of its nests in February, March and April. In Khandesh it seems almost invariably to fix on a high tree growing on the bank of one of the dried-up nullahs along the Satpuras. The only other nest I found was on a huge banyan or peepul close to a large village, but overlooking a dried-up tank (there was, how- ever, loads of jungle up to the very village walls). In no case have I found it building two years running in the same nest, and one generally finds two or three nests of this bird (one only occupied) within acouple of hundred yards. Mr. Vidal says that he found it shy in Rutnagherry, and that if its nest was visited it was sure to desert it. I certainly have not found this to be the case. The very first nest I found was in December, and though I had the tree climbed every three weeks till February, it did not desert. I took an egg from this nest early in March, and even then the birds hung about the nest and laid again on the 22nd April. This second ege was, however, avery small specimen. Next year this pair of birds bred about 300 yards off on the bank of a dried-up nullah. 38.—Circaetus gallicus,* Gm. The Common Serpent Eagle. Uncommon, but generally distributed in the cold weather. I have seen no sign of its breeding anywhere. 39.—Spilornis cheela,* Zath. The Indian Harrier Eagle. Uncommon; and only noticed by me along the Satpuras and in West Nandurbar. Is probably a permanent resident, as a very richly-colored Eagle’s egg was brought to me in April taken from a nest along a running nullah in the heart ROUGH LIST OF THE BIRDS OF WESTERN KHANDESH. 289 of the Satpuras. The men who brought it, however, only produced it as I was leaving, and the distance was too great to send any one on the chance of the bird being still about the nest. It, therefore, like many other good eggs, had to be thrown away. I think however it probably belonged to this species. ? 40.—Pandion haliaetus, Lin. The Osprey. A large whitish Eagle was not uncommon along the Tapti hovering over the river, which I believe to have been an Osprey. I unfortunately have not got a specimen. 48.—Butastur teesa, Frankl. The White-Eyed Buzzard. Permanent resident. It breeds all over the district, but is not as common in Khandeshas in the Deccan. Nests were taken in March and April in the plains, the Satpuras, and Akrani. 51.—Circus macrurus,* 8. G. Gm. The Pale Har- rier. Winter visitant; is exceedingly common; the earliest speci- men I remember seeing was on September 4th, and the latest on 8th April. 52.—Circus cineraceus,* Mont. Montague’s Har- rier, Winter visitant ; common; but not so common as macrurus. 53.—Circus eruginosus,* Zin. The Marsh Har- rier. Winter visitant; not uncommon but local, and generally confined to the river sides. Noticed as late as April 29th. 55.—Haliastur indus,* Bodd. The Brahminy Kite. Permanent resident. Very local. Along the*Panjra“it is common, and breeds in February, there being a nest about every two miles along that river. Elsewhere, except along the Tapti, I have only noticed the bird about a dozen times. 56.—Milvus govinda,* Sykes. The Common Pariah Kite. Permanent resident, very common, breeding from November to March and probably at other seasons. 57.—Pernis ptilorhynchus,* Zem. The Crested Honey Buzzard. | Probably a permanent resident; not common but certainly seen in all months, except March to June. No nests seen. 290 ROUGH LIST OF THE BIRDS OF WESTERN KHANDESH. 59.—Elanus ceruleus,* Desf. The Black-winged Kite. This Kite, formerly rare in the Deccan, after the scarcity in 1876-77-78, became very abundant there, and when I was first sent to Khandesh in October 1879, I found it common all around Dbkulia and through Virdeil, obtaining nests with small voung and hard-set eggs in the middle of November. After that it seemed to disappear, and I don’t think I saw half a dozen specimens during the last fifteen months I was in Khandesh. Now what became of all these birds? Did they go south and join the crowds of this species that had taken up their quarters in the Deccan; or were they like the Deccan birds merely new linmigrants? And have these latter also again left? It would be most interesting to find out if the bird is still as common in the Poona and Sholapur districts now as it was in 1879. 60.—Strix javanica,* Gm. The Eastern Screech- Owl. I have repeatedly come across single specimens of this Owl in the jungles, along the base of the Satpuras, and also in the Akrani in the hot weather. Eleswhere I think it is more or less migratory. In April 1880 I found between 30 or 40 in a small village grove in the Shada taluka, while there were certainly none there in December; and I have similarly come on little groups of say five or six on several occasions. ‘Two eges, said to belong to this Owl, were brought to me in the Akrani in April, and I saw an old well among some jungle where I was told they bred every year. 65.—Syrnium ocellatum,* Less. The Mottled Wood- Owl. This Owl is a permanent resident, and very common in the mango groves everywhere. It breeds in December as a rule, but I obtained eggs at Bhadgaum as late as February. 68.—Asio accipitrinus,* Pall. The Short-eared Owl. A winter visitant. Moderately common among the stubbles and grass fields. 69.—Bubo bengalensis,* rankl. The Rock Horned-Owl. This bird is common along the clay cliffs through the Satpuras, and also among the Pimpalnir hills, and along the ROUGH LIST OF THE BIRDS OF WESTERN KHANDESH. 291 Tapti ; elsewhere it is scarce. It is a permanent resident, and breeds early, eggs being taken by me in November, and young birds nearly able to fly early in December. 70.—Bubo coromandus,* Latham. The Dusky Horned-Owl. Probably a permanent resident, but scarce. I only came across it twice, in both cases in December, breeding. The first nest I obtained contained a single egg nearly ready to hatch and a small young one, and was in the heart of the Satpuras. The second was in an old nest of L. cirrhatus. It had con- tained two fresh eggs, but I was only in time to find a large rock snake finishing the last mouthful of them. 72.—Ketupa ceylonensis,* Gm. The Brown Fish- Owl. A permanent resident ; found along all the streams in which the water runs till the end of March, It breeds in January, laying, as a rule, only one or two eggs. In one case, however, after waiting a week I shot a hen off a single ege. On skin- ning her I found a shelled egg ready to be laid, and a third full-sized egg which only wanted a shell, so that three eaes are occasionally laid. The Bheels have the greatest objection to this bird, and invariably try to kill it when they get a chance, and more than one pair, whose eggs I expected to obtain, 1 found had been killed or driven away by them. T4sept —Scops brucii,* Hume. Bruce's Scops Owl. A Scops Owl is common in the Akrani and in the deep valleys running into the Satpuras. It is, however, a very silent shy bird, remaining all day in holes in trees, aud very likely to be passed over. Several of its eggs were brought to me early in March, and loads of its young in April. The Bheels, however, could not or would not catch the old ones, and I never could get a chance of shvoting one except when big game of sorts was supposed to be about, and I always put off shooting them with the usual result. A very young specimen, sent to Mr. Hume, probably belongs, he informs me, to this species. 76.—Carine brama, Zem.* The Spotted Owlet. Permanent resident ; common up to the edge of the jungles, but never seen by me in the Akrani or in the deep valieys of the Satpuras. Lays in March and April. : 292 ROUGH LIST OF THE BIRDS OF WESTERN KHANDESH. 76bis.—Heteroglaux blewitti,* Hume. The Forest Owlet. This bird was not discriminated by me, but three specimens were included among those of brama sent to Mr Hume. From the dates of the specimens I remember very distinctly about them. All were shot in the heavy jungle below the Satpuras, and all were shot late in the morning sitting alone on the tops of thin trees. This being such an extraordinary position for brama I shot the birds to make sure, but not having specimens of brama to compare them with, stupidly took for granted they were only brama. They are not uncommon in this dense jungle, and I have repeatedly seen others sitting on exposed trees. I do not think they are found in the Akrani or higher Satpuras, as I have never seen any Owl of the brama type there. f 77.—Glaucidium radiatum,* Tick. The Jungle Owlet. I have once or twice noticed this bird during the cold weather in Nizampur and Nandurbar, but only as a casual visitant. It is a permanent resident in the ghAts in Pimpalnir, and is very abundant in the Satpuras and Akrani. It is a late breeder. In 1881 I took a great number of its nests in holes in moderate-sized trees from 15 to 25 feet from the ground. 82.—Hirundo rustica,* Lin. The Swallow. A common cold weather visitant, but local. 83.—Hirundo filifera, Steph. The Wire-tailed : Swallow. Permanent resident. Common throughout the district. Breeds along all the rivers and nullahs over water from Feb- ruary to May. 85.—Hirundo erythropygia, Sykes. The Mosque Swallow. Permanent resident. Common throughout the district. Breeds in the rains. + The type of this hitherto very rare species was shot in December 1872 in the dense forests of the western portions of the Tributary Mehals (in N. E, Peninsular India) by my late lamented friend Mr. F. R, Blewitt. A second specimen was procured several years later by my friend Mr. Valentine Ball in Karial, still in N. E Peninsular India, but about 150 miles south of where the type was procured. No more specimens had been obtained until my friend Mr. Davidson obtained the three referred to in the text in N. W. Peninsular India, 660 miles to the west of where the former specimens had been procured.—Ep., S. F, ROUGH LIST OF THE BIRDS OF WESTERN KHANDESH. 293 86.—Hirundo fluvicola,* Jerd. The Indian Cliff Swallow. Resident from August to March, and probably all the year. It is very local, and I only found it in two or three places along the Panjra river. It bred in October, and again in January, in immense colonies. 89.—Cotyle sinensis, J. Z. Gr. The Indian Sand- Martin. Common in Taloda, Shada, and Nandurbar in the cold weather, I think it left the district in the hot weather, but find nothing about it in my notes and cannot remember. It bred abundantly along the Tapti in November and December. 90.—Ptyonoprogne concolor, Sykes. The Dusky Martin. Permanent resident. Fairly common. Breeds in the rains. 91.—Ptyonoprogne rupestris,* Scop, The Moun- tain Martin. Cold weather visitant; staying till late in the hot weather. Not very common, but noticed all through the Satpuras and at the Bhameir and Lalling forts. 92.—Chelidon urbica,* Zz. The House-Martin. Noticed by me on only two occasions, in November 1880 and in April 1881, in both cases at the same village—Prakasha on the Tapti. On the first occasion there was a very large flock (over 100) flying high and seemingly all immature; on the second there were half'a dozen or so in fine plumage, and I noticed them on several days. 98.—Cypsellus melba,* Zin. The Alpine Swift. Permanent resident. Not common. At one time I thought they bred at the Lalling fort near Dhulia in the rains, and watched them carefully ; but though three or four were seen every day there, and though afinis bred in hundreds, I am sure there were no nests, and the birds may have come immense distances. Unless they bred on the high cliffs in the adjoining Nasik district I do not know where they could have bred, but I have seen them certainly in every month of the vear. 994 ROUGH LIST OF THE BIRDS OF WESTERN KHANDESH. 100.—Cypsellus affinis,* J. B. Gr. The Common Indian Swift. Permanent resident. Common everywhere; apparently breeding at all seasons. 102.—Cypsellus battasiensis,* J. #. Gr. The Palm Swift. Probably a permanent resident. Only noticed by me in the Shada and Taloda talukas, where there are a few palmyra palms round most of the villages on the fringe of the Satpuras. There were a pair or two breeding in the hot weather in almost every one of these. 104.—Dendrochelidon coronata,* Tick. The Indian Crested Swift. Restricted to the lower ranges of the Satpuras, the plains jungle along their bases, the chats near Kondabhari, and a few of the spurs ‘through Nandurbar. I have never noticed it in the Akrani or higher “Satpuras. It breeds early in January and the beginning of February, nesting singly in the low plains jungle. At Wurgaum in Shada, during the last week of February, I found. four nests on consecutive days at heights varying from eight to tw enty-five feet from the ground ; three of these however contained each a young bird, ‘and the fourth contained a fresh egg ofa pale stone colour. The nests are easily found, as_ the male. ‘keeps flying round and round the place in a cirele of a hundred yards or so,:and the hen answers him occa- sionally from the nest, so that finding it is only a matter of a little patience. 107.—Caprimulgus Engligusst Lath, The Jungle Nightjar. Very common in the hot weather in the Satpuras. It isa very noisy bird, and its call cannot: possibly be mistaken. I have repeatedly followed the cry and found the bird sitting on a tree—a fact I have not noticed in the case of other Nightjars. 112.—Caprimulgus asiaticus,* Lath. The Indian Nightjar. | Permanent resident. Very common all through the district wherever there are rocks and scrub jungle. It breeds abun- dantly all round Dhulia in July, August, and the beginning of September. ae: ROUGH LIST OF THE BIRDS OF WESTERN KHANDESH. 295 113.—Caprimulgus mahrattensis,* Sykes, Sykes’ Nightjar. Only obtained durivg the cold weather. Appears scarce. 114.—Caprimulgus monticolus,* Frankl. Frank- lin’s Nightjar, A permanent resident. Very common through the Satpuras in the cold weather, and again all round Dhulia in the rains. I shot a young one in August barely able to fly, and no doubt this species breeds at this season. At that time I offered a considerable reward to the herd boys for Nightjar’s nests, and very many were shown to me. In every case when 1 went myself, and shot the bird, it turned out to be asiaticus. In two cases, however, when I sent a sepoy, a monticolus was brought back. In one of these cases the eggs are quite differently shaped and longer than any I have of asiaticus, but in the other I can discover no difference. On cross examination the sepoy acknowledged that he shot the bird on each occasion near the nest, sitting after it had flown once or twice ; and it is possible that, as both species are common, he may have changed the bird he was following. However, there is no doubt that the bird breeds abundantly in the district. 117.—Merops viridis,* Zin. The Indian Bee-eater. Permanent resident. Breeding abundantly in March along the Tapti. 2? 118.—Merops philippinus, Zin. The Blue-tailed Bee-eater. T saw a flock, apparently migrating, in Pimpalnir in May 1880, and a single specimen in Nizampur in the same month. The flock was flying south-west. As no specimen was secured I enter this as a doubtful species. 120.—Merops persicus,* Pall. The Egyptian Bee- eater. A winter visitant. Large flocks appear in the beginning of October, and stay for a couple of months or so about the Mokhti and Goondoor tanks near Dhulia. 123.—Coracias indica,* Lin. The Indian Roller. Permanent resident, Common all through the district in thre cold weather. In the hot weather migrates to the Satpuras, Akrani, Pimpalnir and Nandurbar jungles, where it breeds in March and April. 38 296 ROUGH LIST OF THE BIRDS OF WESTERN KHANDESH. 124.—Coracias garrula,* Lin. The Roller. A single specimen was obtained by me at Dhulia in Sep- tember 1880. 127.—Pelargopsis gurial,* Pears. The Brown- headed Kingfisher. Rare. Ihave, however, seen’specimens along most of the rivers running among the Satpura hills; also a single specimen on the Panjra at Pimpalnir. 129.—Halcyon smyrnensis,* Zin. The White- breasted Kingfisher. Parmanent resident; scarce. Breeds about Dhulia in July. | 134.—Alcedo bengalensis,* Gm. The Indian King- fisher. Permanent resident. Moderately common along all the rivers. 136.—Ceryle rudis,* Zin. The Pied Kingfisher. Permanent resident. Very common along all the rivers. It breeds in January and February. 144.—Ocyceros birostris,* Scop. The Grey Hornbill. Permanent resident, scarce in the Satpuras, but very common in all the mango groves in Dhulia and Pimpalnir, and fairly common in Nandurbar. It breeds in April, and appears almost invariably to return to the same nest-hole. In 1881 I obtained egos from every nest I had found in 1880, though, from the stupidity of some of the people who discovered them, the hens had been killed in 1880. 147.—Paleornis eupatrius,* Lin. (var).+ The West- ern Kose-band Parroquet. Permanent resident. Restricted to the Akrani, and the higher hills in the Satpuras, though occasionally straggling a few miles from their base. It breeds earlier than either of the other Parroquets, the young being able to fly frequently by Christmas time, though I found one nest containing small young ones as late as the middle of March. This Parroquet + The name eupatria applies to the Cingalese form, the Southern Rose-band Parroquet. This western form differs—it differs even more markedly from the northern form nipalensis (Hodgson), the eastern form indoburmanicus (Hume), and the Andamanese form magnirostris (Ball). Whether ali these five forms should be kept distinct, or “lumped,” will always remain a matter of opinion. If kept distinct the western form will require a name, but it is the least distinct of the five, and 1 do not, myself, propose to name it.—Ep., 8, F. . ROUGH LIST OF THE BIRDS OF WESTERN KHANDESH. 297 is a great favorite with natives, and the hill men bring down numbers for sale on bazar days. 148.—Paleornis torquatus,* Bodd. The Rose- ringed Parroquet. Permanent resident. Found all over the district, though scarcer in the Satpuras than in the plains. It breeds in January and February. 149.—Paleornis purpureus,* P. LZ. §. Mill. The Western Rose-headed Parroquet. Permanent resident. Common all over the plains (wherever there are mango groves) in the rains. In the cold weather found mainly in the villages near the foot of the Satpuras, and then in very large flocks. These it deserts about Feb- ruary, and while a few breed about the ghats in Pimpalnir, the rest seem all to betake’ themselves to the glens of the Satpuras, generally, not high up. It is in February the commonest bird in the low Satpuras, and I have found as many as a dozen nests in a day’s walk through the hills. 160.—Picus mahrattensis,* Lath. The Yellow- fronted Woodpecker. | Permanent resident; very common. Breeds in February, principally in the low khair jungle along the base of the Satpuras. The nest-holes I generally found quite low down, frequently within two or three feet of the ground. It also breeds in the plains. I never noticed this Woodpecker in the Akrani, nor I think on any of the higher peaks of the Satpuras. 164.—Yungipicus nanus,* Vig. The Indian Pigmy Woodpecker. This must be rare as I only got one specimen ona mango tree above my camp at Taloda in December 1879. 167.—Chrysocolaptes festivus,* Bodd. The Black- backed Woodpecker. Permanent resident. Moderately common all through the Satpuras, Western Nandurbar, and the Pimpalnir Ghats, but does not seem, like aurantius, to come down to the plains. It breeds very early in November, December, and January. The first pair I noticed were at Taloda in December 1879. I shot the male not noticing they had just finished excavating a hole. Next year I found a pair of birds still there. They had made at least five or six new nest-holes in rotten stumps but had not laid. I had all the . 298 ROUGH LIST OF THE BIRDS OF WESTERN KHANDESH. holes examined every Monday, but the birds deserted the spot. The only egg I obtained was sent to me early in January from a nest in the Satpuras in a hole in a tree in which the bird had bred the year before. Two nests, found near Shirpur at Christ- mas 1880, each contained one young one just able tofly. The young were very handsome, the crest being flame-colored. They seem to breed, as a rule, every year in the same immediate neighbourhood, but almost always I think in a new hole. They only lay one egg, I think, and certainly I have never seen the old ones accompanied by more than one young bird. 175.—Chrysophlegma chlorigaster,* Jerd. The Southern Yellow-naped Woodpecker. _ Probably a permanent resident. Found throughout all the jungle districts. It is however scarce everywhere. 180.—Brachypternus aurantius,* Zin. The Golden- backed Woodpecker. , Permanent resident. Common in all the jungles, and found pretty well all over the district in the rains. It breeds in February, March and April, and probably sometimes earlier, laying one or two eggs (in one case only I found three). . The form found in Khandesh is, Mr. Hume writes, “ intermediate between aurantivs and puncticollis, but nearer aurantius,” and probably with larger series dilutus,{ puncticollisand aurantius will all be merged in one. 188.—Yunx torquilla, Zin.* The Wryneck. Cold weather visitant. Common everywhere among the scrub jungle. This bird is very tame, and has allowed me to strike it down with a riding whip while riding. 193dis.—Megalaima inornata,* Wald. The Western Green Barbet. Permanent resident in the Akrani, Satpuras, the Kondabhari Ghat, and wherever there is tree jungle. It is fairly common, breeding in April and laying generally three eggs, though I have found: only two eggs nearly fully incubated. ? 194.—Megalaima viridis, Bodd. The Small Green . Barbet. I think I have once or twice noticed this bird in the Satpuras, but unluckily have never got any specimens. + As I pointed out nearly ten years ago, S. F., I., 171-3, dilutus is not only not a species, but is dare/y, if at all, distinguishable as a local race.—Ep , S, F, ROUGH LIST OF THE BIRDS OF WESTERN KHANDESH. 299 197.—Xantholema hemacephala,* P. Z. §. Mill. The Crimson-breasted Barbet. Not noticed by me in the Akrani or higher Satpuras, but a permanent resident, and common everywhere else. In breeds from February to April. 199.—Cuculus canorus, Lin, The Cuckoo. Only noticed by me on two occasions. I have, however, ‘been several times told by others that they had heard it, and that it is common in the Satpuras in the early part of the rains. 201.—Cuculus poliocephalus,* Lath. The Small Cuckoo, Passed through Dhulia in large numbers from the middle of September to the middle of October. I did not notice it on its return migration. 205.—Hierococcyx varius,“ Vahl. The Hawk Cuckoo. Tolerably common about Dhulia in the rains from July to October. It must breed, but I found no eggs anywhere that I could believe to belong to this species. ?.211.—Chrysococcyx hodgsoni, Moore. The Eme- rald Cuckoo. I believe I have noticed this bird in the Satpuras, but have never got any specimens. 212.—Coccystes jacobinus,* Bodd. The Pied Crest- ed. Cuckoo. Arrives early in June. Is very common in all the sernb jungles round Dhulia, laying in the nests of A. malcolmi and C. caudata; from the eggs of the latter its eggs are éasily distinguishable. Itleaves about September, and is a noisy bird in the breeding season. 214.—Eudynamis honorata,* Zin. The Koel. Permanent resident. Common throughout the district. Lays in June, 217.—Centrococcyx rufipennis, Zi/. The Crow Pheasant. Permanent resident. Common throughout the district ; breeding in July and the beginning of August. 1 do not re- member it in the Akrani or Satpuras. 3800 ROUGH LIST OF THE BIRDS OF WESTERN KHANDESH. 220.—Taccocua sirkee,* Gray. The Bengal Sirkeer. Permanent resident. Common throughout the Satpuras, and in Pimpalnir, and seen occasionally in all parts where there is any scrub jungle. I was not fortunate enough to find any nests. 232.—Cinnyris zeylonica,* Lin. The Amethyst- rumped Honeysucker. A scarce straggler. One immature specimen obtained at Dhulia in May. 234.—Cinnyris asiatica,* Lath. The Purple Honeysucker. Permanent resident. Common all over the district. Breeds in March, April and late in February. 238.—Diceum erythrorhynchus,* Lath. Tickell’s F lowerpecker. Probably a permanent resident. Rare, and only observed by me in Nizampur and Pimpalnir, often covered with a viscid resinous substance.* A female shot near Manantoddy measured in the flesh :—Length, 10-0; expanse, 17:0; ‘tail, 3°25 wing, 4:9; tarsus, 0:9; bill rae gape,’ 1°23 weight, 4 ozs. Bill dull black ; ; legs, feet, and claws the same, but tinged with plumbeous ; irides deep brown. 180.—Brachypternus aurantius, Lon. The Golden- backed Woodpecker. I obtained one specimen, a female, shot. three miles from Seegore on the Mysore road, which is intermediate between the typical forms of aurantius and puncticollis. The white spotting on the throat is not nearly so well developed as in aurantius, and the black of the ear-coverts and markings behind these is much more developed than is usual in aurantius, but not quite so much so as in puncticollis. The bird is exactly intermediate between the two forms, and might be classed as a somewhat abberrant form of either. 181.—Brachypternus puncticollis, Jalh. The Southern Golden-backed Woodpecker. I have never obtained this species either on the tableland or higher portion of the slopes of the Nilghiris, but it is not uncommon in the better wooded portions of the Wynaad, toe Mysore country, and about the base of the Nilghiris. The present species is barely entitled to the rank of a species; it should rather be classed as a race. B. dilutus, Blyth (now not usually admitted as a species), is the palest for m, and is from the western portion of India. Then the intermediate form. is B. aurantius, and then comes the darkest of the three, B. punceticollis, from the south. An exactly analogous case is that of Pericrocotus peregrinus, which in Sindh is a pale washed-out bird with hardly any depth of colouring, the colour gradually ‘deepening as the species ranges: * The AMicropterni ave par excellence aut-eaters. The viscid su'stance so con- stantly found adhering to their plumage is not resinous, but is derived os the auts’ nests.—Ep., 8. E. AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN Mysore. 357 south, till in Southern India the birds are as dark as are those from the Andamans and Burmah. I have one lovely specimen of puneticollis, in newly moulted plumage; in this the spots on the throat are small, but ex- ceedingly dense, giving the throat a very white appearance ; the black. of the ear-coverts and sides of the neck is well- developed, each feather of the ear-coverts having a triangular buffy-white spot at the tip, the feathers immediately in front of and above the eye are also buffy white, spotted. The following are the dimensions, &c., taken in the flesh of a fine pair :— _ Male.—Length, 12:1; expanse, 18:9; tail, 3:7; wing, 5°75; tarsus, 1:0; bill from gape, 1-6; weight, 4°25 ozs. Female.—Length, 11:7; expanse, 18:0; tail, 3:5; wing, 5°55 tarsus, 0-9; bill from gape, 15; weight, 4:0 ozs. The colours of the soft parts do not appreciably differ in the sexes ; the legs and feet are a glaucous or bluish green; the claws plumbeous horny; the bill dull black ; and the irides deep brown. 183.—Tiga shorii, Vig. The Large Three-toed W oodpecker. I obtained a pair in some forest below the Government Cinchona Plantations at Neddivuttum; these are the only specimens * I have met with in Southern India. 184. —Tiga javanensis, Zjung. The Common Three- toed Woodpecker. T have only obtained this species in the Wynaad, and there it is not a common bird, frequenting thia tree jungle, or the outskirts of the larger forests. My specimens do not apparently differ from others of the same species collected in Tenasserim and the Malayan Penin- sula. 186.—Vivia innominata, Burt. The Speckled Piculet. I obtained a male of this species below Kotagherry on the 14th of March 1881. It is undistinguishable from Himal: ayan specimens with which I have compared it. The forehead is golden yellow with a strong orange tinge. fF * I think these specimens should be re-examined.—Ep., S. F. Sign of the male; in the female forehead and crown are unicolorous green. Darling sent this years ago from the Wynaad, vide S. F., V., 851. —Ep., 8. F. 358 NOTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS 194.—Megalema viridis, Bodd. The Small Green Barbet. Very numerous indeed on the Nilghiris and its slopes, and through the Wynaad, occurring also. not uncommonly in the better wooded portions of the My sore country. On the Nilghiris a great amount of damage is done in orchards, especially to apples and pears by this Barbet. It lives entirely on fruit, and in the evergreen forests of the south of India some kind of fruit is always in season. It will descend close to the ground to feed on the fruit of the so-called Brazil cherry or cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana. ) Jerdon says that he “ never saw any of these Barbets clinging like a Woodpecker, nor heard them tapping ;”? and says ‘that Mr. Blyth positively asserted that they did not. All I can say isthat the bird is one of the commonest on the Nilghiris, and for about nineteen years I had many opportunities of observing it closely, and I can as positively assert that they both cling like a Woodpecker and tap. They breed in_ holes in trees, and these holes are a/ways cut out by themselves. I do not think they ever bore into the trunks or branches of trees for food, but they certainly do so for nesting purposes. The sexes do not appreciably differ in size. The following are the dimensions taken in the flesh of three adults :— Length, 9:2 to9°5, expanse, 14:0 to 14.5; tail, 2°6 to 2:8; wing, 4°0 to 4115; tarsus, 1:0; bill from gape, 1:4; weight, 2°75 to 3°5 ozs. 197.—Xantholema hemacephala, P. L. 8S. Miill. The Crimson-breasted Barbet. Sparingly distributed about the base of the Nilghiris and through the Wynaad. 198.—Xantholema malabarica, Bly. The Crimson- throated Barbet. This species seems to be spread through the Wynaad, and din some parts, as in the neighbourhood of Manantoddy in North Wynaad, is a comparatively common bird. In its habits it doesn’t differ from the other Barbets; its voice is very similar to that of X. hemacephala, but more subdued. I measured a large number; the sexes do not appear to differ appreciably in size. The following is a resumé of the dimensions, &e., taken in the flesh of fifteen adults :— Leneth, 5°85 to 6°7; expanse, 10°3 to 11°5; tail, 155 to 1:9 ; wing, "3-02 to 3°38 ; tir etis, 0:7 to0°8; bill from gape, 0°85 to 0°91; weight, 1:12 to 1:5 oz. AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND sQUTHERN MysORE. 359 Irides dark brown ; legs and feet litharge red; claws and bill dullblack ; base of lower mandible to just beyond angle of gonys, and base of upper mandible at gape plumbeous blue. In quite young birds of this species the green of the plumage is paler, but somewhat brighter than in the adult; a line above and below the eye, and the throat, are golden orange; the sides of the neck and posterior portion of the ear-coverts are a pale dirty glaucous blue, and there is a-dull black band across the top of the head. In one specimen there are a few orange- coloured feathers immediately above the base of the bill. 200.—Cuculus_ striatus, Drap. The Eastern Cuckoo. Sparingly distributed in the Wynaad. I should think that it was a permanent resident, as I have heard it calling late in May. 202.—Cuculus sonnerati, Lath. The Banded Bay Cuckoo. T have occasionally obtained this species on the slopes of the Nilghiris. I have not noticed itin the Wynaad or Mysore, but it doubtless occurs there. 203.—Cuculus micropterus, Gould. The Large-billed Cuckoo. Like 200. I have found this species occasionally in the Wynaad. Both species doubtless occur in the Mysore coun- try and on the slopes of the Nilghiris, but I have not noticed them. .205.—Hierococcyx varius, Vahl. The Hawk- . Cuckoo. This is the common Cuckoo of Southern India, occurring plentifully on the plateau of the Nilghiris, on their slopes, and all through the Wynaad and Mysore country. It is especially abundant on the Nilghiris, and there is hardly a garden or grove of trees that does not contain one or more. I have seen the young of this species being fed by Trochalopterum cachinnans. 207.—Hierococcyx sparveroides, Vig. The Great Hawk-Cuckoo. This species is nowhere abundant, but occurs most numer- ously on the Nilghiris, frequenting the sholas, and occasionally also well-wooded gardens. Birds from Southern India never 360 NOTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS seem to attain to the very large size that birds from the Hima- layas* do. | 208.—Cacomantis passerinus, Vahl. The Indian Plaititive Cuckoo. Not uncommon on the slopes of the Nilghiris which it ascends to about 5,500 feet. It also occurs, but more sparingly, in the Wynaad and Mysore country. 212.—Coccystes jacobinus, Bodd. The Pied Crested Cuckoo. A common bird on the Nilghiris ; it avoids forest or thickly- wooded country, and fr equents cultivated land interspersed with scrub and bushes; it is most numerous perhaps about the cultivated land in the vicinity of Ootacamund, Coonoor, Kota- gherry, &e., &c. I have also seen it occasionally in the Wynaad, and not unfrequently: i in the Mysore country. It lays its eggs in the nest of the Malacocerci, which frequent the same sort of places that it does. 213.—Coccystes coromandus, Zin. The Red-winged Crested Cuckoo. I have never myself obtained this species anywhere in the tract this paper deals with, but some years ago I saw a skin of this species in the possession of a native taxider mist, who said he had himself shot it in South-East Wynaad. 214.—Eudynamis honorata, Lin. The Koel.’ I once shot a pair of this species ina garden at Ootacamund, but their cecurrence at that elevation is quite unusual ; the bird, however, is not uncommon on the lower slopes of the Nilghiris, and in the plains country. In March and April of 181 I found them common in tne Wynaad, and yery noisy. 216.—Rhopodytes viridirostris, Jerd. The Small Green-billed Malkoha. This species does not ascend the hills, but occurs, though nowhere very numerously, in the better wooded portions of the country about the base of the Nilghiris and Wynaad. The sexes do not differ appreciably in size, and the colours of the soft parts are the same in both. The following is a resumé of the dimensions, &c., recorded in the flesh :— * And a fortiori, from Upper Burmah,—EpD,, 8. F. AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD.AND SOUTHERN MysORE. 361 Length, 15°5 to 15°9 ; expanse, 16:0 to 16:2; tail, 9:0 to 10:0; wing, 5°1 to 5°4; tarsus, 1-4; bill from gape, 14; weight, 2°5 to 8 ozs. Ivides deep brown; bill, pale apple-green ; orbital skin, pale blue, palest round the eye, gradually deepening in shade toward the feathers ; legs and feet plumbeous. 217.—Centrococcyx rufipennis, Z//. The Coucal, or Crow Pheasant, Occurs commonly through the Wynaad and slopes of the Nilghiris.. It occurs also on the plateau of the Nilghiris but Jess numerously. Itis looked upon as a great delicacy by the matives.* I noticed that through the portion of Mysore lying -between the foot of the Nilghiris and Wynaad, it was a com- paratively rare bird. 218.—Centrococcyx bengalensis, Gm. The: Lesser Coucal. I only met with this species on some half a dozen occasions in the Wynaad, and always in long grass. I have never met with it on the Nilghiris or its slopes. 219.—Taccocua leschenaulti, Less. The Southern Sirkee. I have only occasionally met with this species, and should class it as a comparatively rare bird in the portion of Southern India that I have worked. Ihave met with it up to about 6,000 feet on the slopes of the Nilghiris, 924,—Arachnothera longirostra, Zath. The Little Spider-hunter. Not uncommon on the slopes of the Nilghiris up to about 5,500 feet and through the Wynaad. It ‘affects. the better wooded portions of the country. The following are the dimensions, &e., recorded in the flesh of a fine adult male of this species :— Length, 63; expanse, 8:6; tail, 1:7; wing, 2°6; tarsus, 1:4; bill from gape, 06; weight, 0-7 OZ. Upper mandible black; lower mandible pale plumbeous ; legs, feet, and claws plumbeous; irides very deep blackish slate. * So it, and th? allied species maximus and ? catieg appear to be, by the Mahomedang, throughout Northern and Eastern India.—Eb,, S. F, 46 362 NOTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS 232.—Cinnyris zeylonica, Lin. The Amethyst- rumped Honey-sucker. This species is sparingly spread through the Wynaad and round the base of the Nilghiris ascending the slopes to about 2,500 feet. Though apparently so closely allied to C. minima, it does not, like that species, change its brilliant plumage for more sober tints after the breeding season. iz The following are the dimensions, &c., of an adult male :— Length, 4°93 expanse, 69; tail, 1-4; wing, 2°3 ; tarsus, 0°6; bill from gape, 0°65 ; weight, 0°6 oz. Bill, legs, feet, and claws black ; irides deep brown. 933.—Cinnyris minima, Sykes. The Tiny Honey- sucker. This lovely little bird is most abundant on the higher slopes of the Nilghiris, but it occurs also throughout the Wynaad. After the breeding season it loses the bright colors of the throat and head, but retains the amethystine lower back. The following are the dimensions of several males measured in the flesh :— Length, 3°8 to 4:0; expanse, 5:9 to 6:1; tail, 1:2 ta1-3; wing, 1:9; tarsus, 0°5; bill from gape, 06; weight, 0-18 to 0°2 oz. S Bill, legs, feet, and claws black ; irides deep brown. 934.—Cinnyris asiatica, Lath, The Purple Honey- sucker. This species occurs on the Nilghiris and its slopes, but appears to be entirely replaced at the foot of the hills, and in the Wynaad by the next species. 935.—Cinnyris lotenia, Zin. The Large Purple Honey-sucker. This species occurs throughout the Wynaad; it ascends the slopes of the Nilghiris to about 5,000 feet or rather more. I have shot it on the Coonoor Ghat, four miles from the station of Coonoor. This species (as well as C. asiatica) does put off the bright plumage during the non-breeding season. The female is slightly smaller than the male. The following is a resumé of the dimensions of a large: number of specimens care- fully measured in the flesh :— Males.—Length, 5:3 to 5:6; expanse, 7'2 to 7°75 tail, 1:55 to 1:7; wing, 2°2 to 2:4; tarsus, 06; bill from gape, 1°1 to 1:3; weight, 0°35 oz. AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MYSORE. 363 Females.—Length, 4°7 to 4:9; expanse, 6°5 to 6°8; tail, 1:2 to 1-4; wing, 2:0 to 2°05; tarsus, 0°58; bill from gape, 1:0; weight, 0°25 oz. In both sexes the bill, lees, feet, and claws are black ; the irides deep brown. [238.—Diczeum erythrorhynchus, Lath. Tickell’s Flower-pecker, This occurs about the bases of the Nilghiris. I have had a specimen from below Burliar, and another from the Wynaad.— A. O. H.] Ihave shot it at Goodalore—W. D. 239.—Diceum concolor, Jerd. The Nilghiri Flower- pecker, This species is most abundant on the plateau of the Nilghiris ; but it also occurs commonly all over the slopes, and through the Wynaad. Jerdon’s statement (B. of I., Vol. 1., p. 375) about the food of this species is not quite correct. Though it does sip the nectar of flowers, and occasionally, I dare say, may eat insects, its principal food certainly consists of berries. The sexes do not differ in size. The following are the dimen- sions of six specimens measured in the flesh :— Length, 3:5 to 3:7; expanse, 6:1 to 6:6; tail, 1:0 to 1:15; wing, 1°9 to 1:95; tarsus, 0°5 to 0°55; bill from gape, 0°45 to 0:5; weight, 0:13 to 0:180z. Irides dark brown; lower mandible and sides of upper mandible towards base pale leaden blue; rest of upper mandible blackish; legs, feet, and claws dark plumbeous. 250.—Sitta castaneiventris, Frankl. The Chesnut- bellied Nuthatch. This species does not apparently inhabit the hills or their slopes, but it occurs sparingly in the Wynaad and Mysore. I found it most abundant in the tract of thinly-timbered country in Mysore lying between Rampore on the borders of the Wynaad and the foot of the Nilghiris. The following are dimensions and colors of soft parts recorded in the flesh :-— Length, 5:1 to 5:5; expanse, 9°5; tail, 1:5 to 1:7; wing, 3:0 to 3°15; tarsus, 0°65 to 0°7; bill from gape, 0°8 to 0°82; weight, 0°5 to 0°55 oz. Legs and feet dark greenish plum- beous; base of lower mandible, and base of upper mandible . forehead, pale plumbeous; rest of bill black; irides dark rown. 364 NOTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS 253.—Dendrophila frontalis, Horsf. The ‘Velvet- fronted Nuthatch. A common bird all over the region embraced in this paper. On the Nilghiris it is particularly abundant. 254.—Upupa epops, Lin. The Hoopoe., Jerdon records this species from the Nilghiris, but it must, I think, be of extreme rarity there. I have shot a great number of Hoopoes on the Nilghiris and other places in Southern India, but I have never been fortunate enough to meet with it. 255.—Upupa ceylonensis, Reich. The Indian Hoopoe. ' Not an uncommon bird on the Nilghiris and its slopes, any in the Wynaad and Mysore where the country is not heavild wooded. It is a permanent resident in Southern India, breed- ing in holes in trees, old walls, &. The length given by Jerdon, 10°5 inches, seems rather small; the shortest leneth I have recorded is 11 inches, the longest 11°3 inches. The weight varies from 1°5 to nearly 2 ozs. The legs and feet are dirty grey ; claws and bill blackish; pale brownish fleshy at base of lower mandible. 257bis.—Lanius caniceps, Bly.. The. Southern Ru- fous-backed Shrike. _ This Shrike is very common on the Nilghiris and the higher portions of their slopes. It becomes less numerous as one de~ scends towards the plains, and is very ‘sparingly distributed in the Wynaad. I did not meet with it in the portion of Mysore I passed through. Mr. Parker states that this- Shrike impales its prey on thorns. It’ may do so in Ceylon, but it most assuredly does not do so in Southern India. I have had ample oppor- tunities of observing the bird, and I could hardly have failed to have found some evidence of the fact. Nor have Morgan and others, who have also observed the habits of the bird closely, ever obtained any evidence of sucha habit. I once, many years ago, did finda beetle impaled on a thorn, and still alive, but I'am pretty sure it was self-impaled. The following are the dimensions of several specimens measured in the flesh :— _ Length, 9°0 to 10°5; expanse, 11°8 to 12:5; tail, 4:5 to 5-4; wing, 3°6 to 3°85; tarsus, 1:05 to 1-1; bill from gape, 0:8 to 0-9; weight, 1°4 to 1°62 ozs. AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN Mysore. 365 260.—Lanius vittatus, Valenc. The Bay-backed Shrike. This pretty little Shrike is found at the hase:of the Nilghiris and in Mysore, but as far as I have observed only where the country was sparsely wooded. 261.—Lanius cristatus, Zin. The Brown Shrike. A winter visitant to Southern India. From towards the end of November to early in March it is very common on the Nilghiris, frequenting gardens, orchards, &e. The great majority of the birds are immature, showing more or less of the barrings on the lower surface. 264.—Tephrodornis sylvicola, Jerd. The Malabar Wood-shrike. This Wood-shrike does not ascend quite to the tableland of the Nilghiris, but I have shot it at Neddivuttum, at about 5,500 feet elevation, though it is rare at this height. It is nowhere very common, but is, perhaps, most numerous in the well wooded portions of the Wynaad. Usually it is in. parties of from four to eight, occasionally in pairs. It does’ not differ in habits from 7. pedvica. The following are the dimensions, &c., of several taken in the flesh :— Length, 84 to 8:7; expanse, 14°6 to 15:0; tail, 3:3 to 35; wing, 45 to 4°65; tarsus, 0°75; bill from gape, 1:12 to 1:21; weight, 1:12 to 1°4 oz. Bill and claws black ; legs and feet dark plumbeous; irides greenish yellow. 265.—Tephrodornis pondicerianus, Gm. The Com- mon Wood-shrike. I found this species sparingly distributed in the Wynaad. I have never met with it on the slopes of the Nilghiris. 267.—Hemipus picatus, Sykes. The Pied Fly- shrike, ~ This species, though classed as a Shrike, is in habits a Fly- catcher. It is a common bird on the Nilghiris and its slopes, and through the Wynaad-and Mysore. It prefers well-wooded country. 268.—Volvocivora sykesi, Strick/. The Black-headed ©. Cuckoo-shrike. Occurs, but-not abundantly, on the slopes of the Nilghiris in the Wynaad and Mysore. I have shot it in the Government Gardens at Ootacamund. 366 NOTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS 270bis.—Grauculus macii, Less. The Large Cuckoo. shrike. Rarer than the preceding species, but found in the same localities. 272.—Pericrocotus flammeus, forst. The Orange Minivet. Common in the Wynaad and lower slopes of the Nilghiris. It gets less numerous the higher one ascends, and it may be practically said to stop about the elevation of Coonoor, though IT have on two or three occasions seen it as high up as Oota- camund. 276.—-Pericrocotus peregrinus, Zin. The Small Minivet. I have occasionally met with this species in the Wynaad and at the foot of the Nilghiris, but it is rare. 277.—Pericrocotus erythropygius, Jerd. The White- bellied Minivet. I have only met with this species in the thorny scrub at the foot of the Seegore Ghat. 278.—Buchanga atra, Herm. The King Crow. Occurs, but somewhat sparingly, on the slopes of the Nilghiris, the Wynaad and Mysore. It is, however, not very common, and it does not, that I am aware of, go as high up as the plateau of the Nilghiris. 280.—Buchanga longicaudatus, Hay. The Long-tailed King Crow. This species, like the last, is not very common; it occurs where the other does, and I have also not unfrequently procured it in the neighbourhood of Ootacamund. It is more of a forest- loving species than aéra. 281.—Buchanga cerulescens, Zin, The White-bellied King Crow. This species occurs on the lower slopes of, and at the foot of the Nilghiris, and in the Wynaad and Mysore. It is not a forest bird, but frequents thorny scrub and - bamboo jungle as a rule, and comparatively open spaces. AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MYSORE. 367 282.—Chaptia nea, Vicil/. Bronzed Drongo. Jerdon (B.I1., Vol. I., p. 431) says this species is found up to 4,000 feet elevation on the Nilghiris, but it ascends the hills to a much greater height, for I have frequently seen and shot it in the vicinity of Ootacamund, and also on the Bramagherries in Coorg. It is most numerous, however, on the lower ranges. It is a forest-loving species, and is not usually found in open places like B. atra and B. longicaudata. It has much the same habits as these species, however, perch- ing on some dead twig in a conspicuous place from which it seizes its insect prey on the wing, returning usually to the same perch. 285.—Dissemurus paradiseus, Zin. The Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo. This fine species is sparingly distributed on the slopes of the Nilghiris, through the Wynaad, &., very seldom appa- rently ascending toa greater height than about 6,000 feet, though on one occasion I shot a specimen on the Kotagherry road close to Ootacamund. In April I found a pair in a tall Bombax tree close to Manantoddy, but as I saw one of the birds carrying materials to build the nest, and as the treef was a particularly difficult one to climb, I determined to leave the nest for a week to make sure of its containing eggs, but unfortunately at the end of the week the nest contained three young birds, apparently several days old, so the nest, though the birds were still building to it, must have contained eggs when I first found it. I found this species most numerous in the forests on the Peria Ghat; they were at that time generally in parties consisting of two or three young and the old birds. This species, though usually found in forests or their out- skirts, is also not unfrequently found in open spaces, gardens, &e., especially where there is bamboo to which they appear to be particularly partial. They have a wonderful variety of notes, and can imitate the call of almost any of the birds found where they usually occur. 286.—Chibia hottentotta, Z2n. The Hair-Crested Drongo. I have found the Hair-crested Drongo very rare in Southern India, having met with it on only two or three occasions, and always feeding on the flowers of the silk cotton tree (Bombax malabaricum). 368 NOTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS 287.—Artamus fuscus,. Vieil. The Ashy Swallow Shrike. This species does not quite ascend the higher ranges of the Nilghiris, but it is not uncommon at about 5,500 feet at certain seasons. I have also met with it in many places in Wynaad, &e. The following are the dimensions, &c., taken in the flesh of a fine adult male shot at Karote at the foot of Balasore on the 13th of May :— Length, 7:0; expanse, 15°5; tail, 2:2; wing, 5°53; tarsus, 0°6; bill from gape, 0°95 ; weight, 1°62 ozs. Bill pale blue; tip black; irides deep brown; claws black ; legs and feet dull purplish black. The young of this species differs from the adult in having the breast and abdomen suffused with pale buff, with indis- tinct transverse barrings to the feathers. The feathers of the upper parts, except the head, edged with ferruginous buff ; the primaries and secondaries edged with buffy white, and all, except the two central tail feathers, broadly tipped with ashy white, and not merely narrowly fringed as in the adult, and there is a narrow band of ferruginous buff across the fore- head terminating at the anterior angle of the eye. 288.—Muscipeta paradisi, Zin. The Paradise Fly- catcher. Dr. Jerdon says that this species does not generally ascend the hills higher than 2,000 feet, but it is as common a bird at 5,000 feet as it is at 2,000 feet, and I have on several ocea- sions shot it at heights of six to eight thousand feet, and seen it much oftener. My experience is that it is nowhere a very common bird, and rather locally distributed. I have quite failed to make out clearly the various changes that take place in the plumage of this species. I have shot specimens the same day, pure white and in various phases of the chesnut and white plumage, both adult and young birds. The female never, that I am aware, assumes either the long tail feathers or the white plumage, and the immature birds are at first, I think, chesnut. 290.—Hypothymis azurea, Bodd. The Black-naped Blue Flycatcher. A common bird all through the Wynaad and the Nilghiris, but it does not quite ascend to the plateau. It is very fond of bamboo, and is found most numerously where this abounds. AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MYSORE. 369 292.—Leucocerca aureola, Vieill. The White-browed Fantail. I saw this species only on two or three occasions in the Mysore country and Wynaad, and obtained one young bird at Rampore on the 21st of May. It is, I should say, decidedly a rare bird in the country through which I passed. 293.—Leucocerca leucogaster, Cuv. The White- spotted Fantail. This Flycatcher is a common species on the Nilghiris, but it is most abundant on the warmer slopes about 5,000 to 6,000 feet ; it also occurs through the Wynaad and in parts of Mysore, but less abundantly. The following are the dimensions taken in the flesh of a fine male shot in Ootacamund on the 15th of March 1881 :— Length, 7:2; expanse, 9:2; tail, 4:0; wing, 3°05; tarsus, 0-7; bill from gape, 0°5 ; weight, 0°35 ozs. Bill black ; legs and feet dull purplish black; irides dark brown. 295.—Culicicapa ceylonensis, Sws. The Grey- headed Flycatcher. Dr. Jerdon in bis.“ Birds of India’ has given a capital account of the habits of this species. As he remarks, it is very abundant on the higher ranges of the Nilghiris, but it is also common throughout the whole district included in the present paper wherever the country is well-wooded, and where it occurs is, 1 believe, a permanent resident. 297.—Alseonax latirostris, ‘The Southern Brown Flycatcher. I not unfrequently met with this species in the Wynaad. I have not noticed it in those parts of the Mysore country through which I passed. I have on two or three occasions found it on the slopes of the Nilghiris, but it is I think most nu- merous in the Wynaad, but even there it is not a common bird. It is of course only a cold weather visitant. I find I have specimens shot as late as the 4th of April. 300.—Ochromela nigrorufa, Jerd. The Black and Orange Flycatcher, This lovely little bird is common on the Nilghiris and its slopes ; it occurs alsoin the Wynaad, but is rare there. Jerdon’s description of the habits of this is extremely good, except in that he states that “it is a very silent bird.’ I almost always 47 370 NOTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS discover the whereabouts of the bird by its note, a sort of prolonged chur r-r-r. The follow ing are the dimensions, colours, &ec., taken in the flesh of ten specimens, five males and five temales :-— Males.—Length, 5:0 to 5°65; expanse, 7:5 to 7-9; tail, 1°8 to 2°2; wing, 2°4 to 2°5; tarsus, 0°75 to 0°84; bill from gape, 0°58 to 0°6; weight, 0°35 to 0-4 oz. Females.— Length, 4°8 to 5:0; expanse, 7°1 to 7:4; tail, 1:7 te 1°75; wing, 2°21 to 2°35; tarsus, 0°75 to 0°8; bill from gape, 0:55 to 0°6 ; weight, 0°25 to 0°35 oz. In both sexes the legs, feet, and claws vary from fleshy to pale plumbeous brown; irides dark wood brown. 301,.—Stoporala melanops, Vig. The Verditer Fly- catcher. Jerdon gives this species from the Nilghiris, but I myself have never met with it in Southern India; it must be, I think; of extremely rare occurrence. 302.—Stoporala albicaudata, Jerd. The Nilghiri Verditer Flycatcher. A very common bird on the Nilghiris and the slopes to about 4,000 feet elevation ; it also occurs at considerably lower eleva- tions, but in much diminished numbers and only where the country is well wooded. It is a permanent resident, breeding in holes of trees, banks, walls, &e. ‘The male during the breeding season has a pleasing but rather feeble song. The following are the dimensions, &c., of a large number of specimens recorded in the flesh; the sexes do not appear to differ materially in size. Length, 5°83 to 66; expanse, 9°6 to 10°2; tail, 2°4 to 2°85 ; wing, 3°0 to 3:2 ; tarsus, 072 to 0°78; bill from gape, 0°68 to 0:71 ; weight, 0°62 to 0°8 oz. 304.—Cyornis rubeculoides, Vig. The Blue-throated Red-breast. Occurs sparingly about the base of the Nilghiris and in the Wynaad. I obtained only two specimens, both males, in February and March—one at Seegore, the other at Nellacotta in the Wynaad. 306.—Cyornis tickelli, Bly. ‘Vickell’s Blue Red- breast. This species is not uncommon in the drier and less densely wooded portions of the slopes of the Nilghiris and beyond into’ Wynaad and Mysore. I obtained one specimen, a male, close AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MYsorE. 371 to the town of Ootacamund on the 10th of February 1881, but it seldom, indeed, ascends to such an elevation. I found it most numerous in the thinly wooded portion of the country beyond Rampore in the Mysore country. 307.—Cyornis ruficaudus, Sws. The Rufous-tailed Flycatcher. Occurs but sparingly on the plateau of the Nilchiris, along their slopes and in the Wynaad. It is migratory, I believe, leaving about the end of April. 309.—Cyornis pallipes, Jerd. The White-bellied Blue Flycatcher. This species does not seem to ascend higher than about 5,600 feet elevation, but from thence it spreads all over the slopes and into the Wynaad. Itis ashy bird, and keeps to the denser portions of the undergrowth. It is nowhere common, and the females are hardly ever seen ; although I was especially on the look-out for it I only obtained some seven or eight males, and but one female, which latter, I believe, has never before been described. The male is a magnificent songster, the song being particu- larly rich and varied, and is almost exactly like that of Oreo- cincla nilghiriensis heard from a distance—in fact so close is the resemblance that I have often been puzzled whether the song I heard proceeded from a Flycatcher close at hand, or a Thrush at some distance. The following are the dimensions of seven males and one female recorded in the flesh :— Males.— Length, 6:0 to 6°4; expanse, 9°4 to 9:9; tail, 2°3 to 2°65; wing, 2°95 to 3°05; tarsus, 0°7 to 0°74; bill from gape, 0°8 to 0°86; weight, 0°75 to 0°8 oz. ‘emale.—Length, 6°0; expanse, 9°3; tail, 2:1; wing, 2:9; tarsus, 0°7; bill from gape, 0°82 ; weight, 0°62 oz. In both sexes the legs, feet and claws are fleshy, more or less strongly tinged with purple, the bill is black, and the irides deep wood brown. The female of this species is a bird quite sui generis, and is remarkable for having the entire lores snow white, while these in the male are black. In many particulars it closely resembles the English Robin. The lores anda line of feathers on the lower lid white; forehead brownish olive, shading into olive grey on the crown and occiput ; sides of the throat, ear-coverts, and feathers above and behind the eye dull blue grey, most of the ear coverts pale shafted ; chin white, very slightly tinged with 372 NOTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS fulvous (might be more so in other specimens); central portion of the throat, and all but quite the lower part of the breast a rich rusty red; extreme lower breast, abdomen, vent, lower tail-coverts and axillaries white ; the bases of the feathers dusky, which showing through on the lower breast, and ex- treme upper abdomen, give a greyish tinge to these parts; wing-lining brownish white, margined with white; back slightly rufescent olive brown, most so on the rump ; upper tail- coverts intense ferruginous; tail feathers ferruginous, duller, and somewhat brown on the inner webs, and at the tips ; visible portion of coverts, except greater primary coverts, somewhat olivaceous rufescent ; quills and primary greater coverts rather dark hair brown ; the outer webs more or less suffused with the colours of the coverts. [323dis.—Erythrosterna parva, Bechst. The White- | tailed Robin Flycatcher. Occurs in Southern Mysore, at the foot of the Nilghiris on the Bangalore road, and probably all round the bases of the hills and on their lower slopes.—A. O. H.] 339.—Callene rufiventris, Bly. The Rufous-bellied Short-wing. Inhabits the Nilghiris, Bramagherries, and other ranges in South India. It does not, I believe, go much below about 6,000 feet elevation. It has much the habits of Brachypteryz, but even more than that species keeping to the denser portion of the undergrowth in evergreen forest. I can- not recall ever having seen it in the open. It keeps almost entirely to the ground, occasionally, however, when alarmed fiving up into a tree, but soon returning to the ground. Found in pairs usually, sometimes singly, and is very partial to densely-wooded ravines, especially if they are moist. The male has a very pleasing little song, but consisting only of a few notes. I measured a good many specimens. The followingis a resumé of the measurements :— Males.—Length, 6°6 to 6:8; expanse, 9°8 to 10:2; tail, 2°4 to 2°6 ; wing, 3:0 to 3:2; tarsus, 1:15 to 1:2; bill from gape, 0°81 to 0°9 ; weight, 0°8 to 1:0 oz. Females.—Length, 6°35 to 6°» ; expanse, 9°4 to 9-9 ; tail, 2°15 to 2°33; wings, 3:0 to 3:2; tarsus, 1°05 to 1°2; bill from gape, 0°8 to 0°82; weight, 0°8 to 0°82 oz. In both sexes the legs, feet, and claws pale fleshy brown ; bill black ; irides dark wood brown. The bird is of course a permanent resident where it occurs. AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MYSORE. 373 [885.—Pyctorhis sinensis, Gm. The Yellow-eyed Babbler. Common in 8. W. Mysore ; and I believe I have seen it from the Wynaad.—A. O. H.j I have shot this about six miles from Ootacamund.—W. D. 342.—Myiophoneus horsfieldi, Vig. The Malabar Whistling Thrush. This bird.does not occur on the plateau of the Nilghiris, about 6,000 feet being the greatest elevation to which it ascends. It is not very numerous anywhere, but every small stream will contain a pair or two, and the larger ones several. It is always found about streams, and never wanders far (unless much disturbed) from their immediate vicinity, unlike 1. temmincki, which is as often found miles away from any stream as near them. I can add nothing to Jerdon’s excellent account of the bird. The following are the dimensions, &c., recorded in the flesh of a few specimens. The female is slightly smaller than the male :— Males.—Length, 11:9 to 12:2; expanse, 19°5; tail, 4°8 to5; wing, 6:35 to 65; tarsus, 1:9 to 2°0 ; bill from gape, 1:49 to 5 ; weight, 5:0 to 6°0 ozs. Females.—Length, 11°5 to 11°73; expanse, 18:0 to 18:5; tail, 4:27 to 4:4; wing, 5°7 to 6°05; tarsus, 1°7 to 1:8; bill from gape, 1:4 to 15; weight, 4°25 to 4°5 ozs. In both sexes the bill, legs, feet, and claws are black ; irides deep brown. 345.—Pitta brachyura, Zin. The Indian Ground Thrush. A winter visitant to the South. I have shot it near Ootacamund all about the slopes, and in the Wynaad, but I have never found it numerous any where. 351.—Cyanocinclus cyanus, Zin. The Blue Rock Thrush. A cold weather visitant, always solitary, and very fond of frequenting rocky ground. 353.—Petrophila cinclorhyncha, Vig. The Blue- headed Chat Thrush. Also acold weather visitant, generally distributed, but in some places, as at Coonoor and the Ghats below it, the bird is very common. 374 NOTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON TSE NILGHIRIS 354.—Geocichla cyanotis, J. and S. The White- throated Ground Thrush. I have only met with the species in the Wynaad and the slopes of the Nilghiris up to about 4,000 feet elevation. A fine female, shot in the Peria forests, measured in the flesh :— Length, 7-9; expanse, 13-0; tail, 27; wing, 4:1; tarsus, 1'2; bill from gape, 1:0. Bill black ; base of lower mandible whitish; legs and _ feet fleshy white ; claws pale brown ; irides deep brown. 357.—Turdulus wardi, Jerd. Ward’s Pied Blackbird, Rare in the South. I have only shot it a few times. I am not certain, but [ think it is only a winter visitant. 360.—Merula simillima, Jerd. The Nilghiri Black- bird. Very common on the plateau of the Nilghiris, and extending some little way down the slopes, but in considerably decreased numbers. It also occurs on the Bramagherries in Coorg, a female I obtained there being undistinguishable from numerous females obtained on the Nilghiris. 372.—Oreocincla nilghiriensis, Bly. The Nilghiri Thrush. | This fine bird, so far as I am aware, is found only on the higher ranges of the Nilghiris and Bramagherries, and even where it does occur is rare. It is usually found singly, some- times in pairs. It is a glorious songster, and its rich and varied song can be heard for nearly a mile. The following are the dimensions of a fine male shot on the Bramagherries on the 20th April 1881 :— / Length, 10:5; expanse, 16:0; tail, 3:7; wing, 5:3; tarsus, 1-2; bill from gape, 1°55; weight, 3°75 ozs. Legs, feet, and claws dark fleshy ; irides dark brown; upper mandible blackish ; lower brown, palest at base; gape yellowish. 389.—Alcippe poiocephala, Jerd. The Nilghiri Quaker Thrush. Jerdon says that this is not a common bird. On the slopes of the Nilghiris, especially about Coonoor and the Ghat be- low it, it is, I should say, an exceedingly common bird. It ascends the hills to quite 6,000 feet, and is also found in the Wynaad and on the Bramagherries. It goes about in parties of from four or five to twenty or more, keeping chiefly amongst the undergrowth, but also not unfrequently ascending tothe tops AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MYSORE. 3875 of the highest trees, and though acting independently of each other, yet still keeping up communication by continually calling to and answering one another. The following are the dimensions taken in the flesh of an adult male :— Length, 6:1; expanse, 8°5; tail, 2°5; wing, 2:78; innit 0:8; bill. from gape, 0°7; weight, 0°7 oz. Tides slaty grey ; legs, feet, and claws greyish fleshy ; bill horny brown. 390.—Alcippe atriceps, Jerd. The Black-headed Wren Warbler. This species only ascends the hills to about 4,000 feet. All about the base of the hills, and through the Wynaad, &c., it is a common bird, going about in larger or smaller parties, but, unlike potocephala, it seems to prefer bamboo and scrub. But it also occurs in evergreen forest. It is particularly numer- ous about Manantoddy. The following is a resumé of specimens measured in the flesh :— Length, 5°3 to 5:8; expanse, 7:0 to 7:7; tail, 2°0 to 2°15; wing, 2°3 to 2°4; tarsus, 0-9 to 0°98; bill from gape, 0°68 to 0°7 ; weight, 0°6 oz. Irides bright yellow; lower mandible and upper mandible along commissure, fleshy pink ; rest of upper mandible dull black ; the legs, feet, and claws vary much; sometimes they are pale plumbeous, sometimes pure fleshy pink, and at other times pink, more or less strongly ‘tinged with purple. 398.—Dumetia albogularis, Bly. The White-throated Wren Babbler. I found this Babbler very common about Rampore. I also met with it in many places in the Wynaad, and I have shot it at Neddivuttum at an elevation of 6,500 feet, but it seems to be very local in its distribution. Imight march for days with- out seeing one, and then pass through a tract in which I met with a dozen or more parties in a day’s march. The following are the dimensions, &c., of a couple of speci- mens :— Lenoth, (5:8... 59. expanse, ..(°1,. 24% fall, 2a, )emns wing, 2°1, 2°25 tarsus, 0°75, 0°8; bill from gape, 0°6, 0.61; weight, 0°5 oz. Irides white ; bill, legs, feet, and claws pinkish fleshy ; Opps mandible along culmen and claws tinged with brown, 376 NOTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRJS 399.—Pellorneum ruficeps, Sws. Swainson’s Wren Warbler. I have never found this bird very numerous. I have on one occasion shot it at Neddivuttum, and a few times in the station at Coonoor, but it is rare indeed at this elevation. It spreads through the Wynaad, and Ihave seen it on the Bramagherries. It is usually in flocks, but not unfrequently in pairs, and keeps almost entirely on the ground among brushwood or bamboo jungle. It has the same note as the other species of Pellorneum with which I am acquainted, a clear musical whistle resembling the words “pretty dear.” The whistle consists of four notes. This note is continually repeated while the birds are feeding or moving about undis- turbed, but when they are disturbed they utter another and quite different note, a harsh sort of “churr.” The following are dimensions, &c., of two fine males :— Length, 7:2 to 7°33; expanse, 9°3 to 9°6; tail, 2°6 to 2°65; wing, 2:9; tarsus, 1*1; bill from gape, 0:9; weight, 0°8 oz. Irides in the quite adult are crimson lake, in less mature birds cinnamon brown; legs, feet, and claws, and lower man- dible, fleshy white ; upper mandible dark brown. 404.—Pomatorhinus horsfieldi, Sykes. The Southern Scimitar Babbler. his species is a common bird on the Nilghiris, many parts of Wynaad, and the Bramagherries, frequenting forests and gardens, almost always in pairs. Occasionally, however, it does occur in small parties, but in these cases I am inclined to think that the parties consists merely of a pair of adults and their young. Jerdon says it ascends the Nilghiris to above 6,000 feet. So it does, for it goes as high up as it possibly can without leaving the forest. I have myself shot it imme- diately below the summit of Dodabetta, the elevation of which is 8,727 feet. Jerdon also says it is very shy and wary; well that just depends upon circumstances. I have seen it remark- ably shy close to towns where every native boy in the place was continually amusing himself by either throwing stones, or firing with a pellet-bow at every small bird he came across ; and again in places not much frequented Ihave found it so tame as to allow me to approach within a few yards of it; but when it has been much disturbed, and is consequently shy, there is no bird more wary or successful in evading observa- tion. It must, I think, breed twice, as I found a nest on the 10th of March with fully fledged young, and late in April another nest with perfectly fresh eggs. AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MYSORE. 377 There does not seem to be any material difference in the size of the sexes :— Length, 9°3 to 9°7; expanse, 11-8 to 12°25; tail, 3:5 to 42; wing, 3°8 to 4:0; tarsus, 1:2 to 1:3; bill from gape, 1:21 to 1:35 ; weight, 1:5 to 1°38 oz. Lower mandible and part of upper mandible yellow, vary- ing from a very pale to a moderately dark orange yellow; rest of upper mandible blackish ; irides crimson in the adults, dark wood. brown in the immature; legs and feet dark plum- beous brown. 409.—Garrulax delesserti, Jerd. Delessert’s Bab- bler. This species is, as remarked by Jerdon, rare. I have only seen it, and, on but few occasions, on the slopes of the Nilghiris, and on the Bramagherries. It has the habits of the other Babblers, associating in parties and working about on the ground, and amongst the brushwood, the whole party at intervals giving vent to their harsh unmusical laugh, Two specimens I measured in the flesh were as follows :-— Male.—Length, 10:2 ; expanse, 13°5 ; tail, 3°75 ; wing, 4:05; tarsus, 1°45, bill from gape, 1:3; weight, 3:2 ozs. Female.—Length, 10:2 ; expanse, 13-2 ; tail, 3°75 ; wing, 4:2 ; tarsus, 1°45; bill from gape, 1°3; weight, 2°75 ozs. In both sexes the irides are crimson ; lower mandible, legs, feet, and claws fleshy white ; upper mandible blackish brown. 423.—Trochalopterum cachinnans, Jerd. The Nil- ghiri Laughing Thrush. Exceedingly numerous on the plateau of the Nil¢hiris, and occurring on the slopes as low down as 4,000 feet, but not lower I think. This bird is one of the most characteristic birds of the Nilghiris. It is found everywhere in forests, gardens ; in fact wherever there are a few bushes or a little scrub the bird is sure to be found, and its pleasant noisy langhis one of the com- monest sounds one hears about Ootacamund, Coonoor, &c. Jerdon gives a very good description of its food and_ habits. The male is rather larger than the female. The following are the dimensions of a few of both sexes :— Males—Length, 9:2 to 9:5; expanse, 11-1 to 11°53; tail, 3°9 to 395; wing, 3°75 to 3:8; tarsus, 1:4; bill from gape, 0:9 to 0°92 ; weight, 1:4 to 1:6 oz. Females.— Length, 8°3 to 8-6; expanse, 10°2 to 10°5; tail, 3:6 to 3°75 ; wing, 3°32 to 3°5; tarsus, 1:2; bill from gape, 0°78 to 0°89; weight, 1:12 to 1°5 oz. 48 378 NOTES*ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS In both sexes the legs and feet are greenish plumbeous ; the claws and bill black; and the irides crimson lake in the adult, dark reddish brown in the immature. 424.—Trochalopterum jerdoni, Bly. The Banasore Laughing Thrush. The habits of this bird are much the same as those of cachinnans, but it isa much more shy and wary ; at least I found it so, but I had not the opportunity for an extended observation. The voice is also similar, but, as observed by Jerdon, more sub- dued. I procured twelve specimens of jerdoni on the Brama- gherries, a range of hills in Coorg within sight of Banasore or Balasore (it is called as frequently by one name as by the other), the locality where Jerdon procured the type. Banasore is separated from the Bramagherries in a direct line by a distance of only about twenty miles, Jerdon’s description of this species is imperfect and unsatis- factory. Blyth’s original description, J. A. S. B., 1851, Vol. XX, p. 522 (which is given below as a note”), is far better but hardly full enough, and as three other closely allied species are already known, there cannot be a too detailed description. I may here mention that Mr. Rhodes Morgan informs me that thereis onthe higher ranges of the Animullays a Trochalop- terum similar to jerdoni, and having the grey throat and breast of that species. Mr. Morgan did not procure any specimens of the bird, but from what he saw of it he inclines to the belief that it is identical with jerdoni; it would be very interesting to know that this really is the case. Ishould think the probabilities are that it will prove a distinct species. The following is a detailed description of the species :—~ Chin, upper throat, feathers at base of lower mandible, lores, a streak behind the eye, forehead, and a narrow line above the white supercilium, dull black ; supercilium white, as far as pos- terior angle of eye, from whence it gradually becomes tinged with ashy until it merges and _ is lost in the dark ashy of the nape. The supercilium and the narrow black streak above it are the same length, and extend to 0°5 beyond the posterior angle of the eye; crown and occiput (occupying the space within the supercilia) dark slaty brown; feathers of the crown, in most specimens, margined somewhat darker, so as to produce a some- * Norgk:—Blyth’s original description of 7. jerdoni is as follows: — **GARRULAX (P) JERDONI, nobis, resembles G. (?) CACHINNANS, Jerdon, except that there is no trace of rufous on the cheeks, foreneck, and breast; the black of the chin is also less developed, and the nape is of a dull ashy hue: foreneck and breast paler ashy, passing to whitish on the ear-coverts. The medial abdominal feathers only are rufous; those of the flanks, back wings, and tail are olive as in G. (?) cacHinNans, and the head, lores, and supercilia are likewise similar.” AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MYSORE. 379 what scaly effect; this varies a good deal in individual speci- mens ; in some the crown and occiput are the same colour, forming a distinct cap contrasting with the dark grey of the nape and mantle ; in others thecolour gradually shades away till it merges into the grey of the nape, thus not producing any distinct line of demarcation; nape and interscapulary region dark ashy grey, darkest in the centre, gradually paling on the sides _to- wards the breast; rest of the upper surface olive brown (the same colour as in cachinnans). The grey of thenape is not abruptly defined, but gradually shades away into the olive of the back ; ear-coverts pale silver grey,some of the upper fea- thers tipped black, where these merge into the black spot behind the eye; throat mingled grey and white; breast and sides of neck immediately behind the ear-coverts ash grey, the feathers more or less dark shafted, giving a streaky appear- ance to these parts. The amount of white on the throat, the depth of tint of the ash colour of the breast, and the dark shafting to the feathers varies considerably in individual specimens. Flanks, tibial plumes, and lower tail-coverts, olive brown, like that of the upper surface; abdomen rufous but paler than in cackinnans,—in fact nothing more than a ferrugi- nous buff. I append a short key to the four species, adheres jerdont, fairbanki, and meridionale. Throat and breast rusty w+. cachinnans. Chin black ~ Throat and breast white and Brey; ik jhe striated JERE Forehead, crown, lage occiput ane “e , : ing a defined dark cap ‘ n} fair —_ Chin grey ¢ Forehead, crown, and occiput, uni- } colorous with nape into which > meridionale. | they blend : 1 have compared two specimens of sleridanagle with nine of fairbanki, to see how far the seven points of distinction given by Mr. Blanford (J. A. S. B., Vol. XLIX, Pt. II., p. 143) hold good, with the following results : — Mr. Blanford says: ‘“ 7. meridionale is distinguished from T. fairbanki by (1) the much shorter white superciliary stripe terminating above the eye, whereas in 7. fairbanki it extends back to the ear-coverts.”’ This point, as far as I can judge from our not-overgood specimens, appears to hold good. *« (2) By there being no brown band behind the eye, the fea- thers immediately behind the eye being rufescent grey, like the cheeks in 7. meridionale, whilst they are brown like the lores and crownin 7. fairbanki.” 380 NOTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS This point holds good in. one specimen of meridionale, in the other specimen the upper feathers of the ear-coverts (which are grey, strongly tinged with rusty), are tipped with dark brown, forming a small but distinct patch behind the eye, the same colour as the lores and crown. “(3) By the back and upper parts generally being much ereyer, and by the brown colour of the crown passing gradual- ly into the olivaceous tinge of the back, and not being sepa- rated by a distinct margin.” This is the best and most characteristic point of difference between the two species, but it is hardly “the back and upper parts generally being greyer.’” This would perhaps be better expressed by saying that these parts in meridionale want the rusty tinge they have in /airbanki; remove this rusty tinge, and the colour of the upper parts in both species would be identical. “\(4) By the tail feathers being browner, and more distinct- ly transversely barred above.” This point does not hold good as far as the barring is con- cerned. “ (5) By the striation on the throat and breast being more strongly marked.” This point does not hold good; two specimens of fairbanks ee the striation quite as much developed as in the Travancore birds. ‘© (6) By the middle of the abdomen being white instead of ferruginous.” Several of our specimens of fairbanki show traces of white on the abdomen, while in one specimen of meridionale there is not a trace of white on the abdomen, it being uniformly rufous. ““(7) By the rather stouter bill.” This point does not hold good; there is nothing to choose between the stoutest-billed meridionale, and five out of nine specimens of fairbanki in this respect. I obtained twelve specimens of jerdoni on the Bramagherries, hut unfortunately only two out of the ten measured were males. This does not so much matter, however, as these two males do not appreciably differ in size from the females. The follow- ing is a resumé of the dimensions, &c., of these ten specimens :— Length, 8:0 to 86; expanse, 9°9 to 10°7; tail, 3:3 to 3:7; wing, 3°05 to 3°4; tarsus, 1:2 to 1:3; bill from gape, 0:9 to 1:01; weight, 1:5 to 1°82 oz. The bill is dull black ; the legs, feet, and claws dark plumbeous brown; irides in the adult crimson Jake, in immature birds deep red brown. Jerdon in his description (B. of I., Vol. II., page 49) omits AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MYSORE. 381 all mention of the black chin, the most important characteris- tie serving at once to separate it from the other two closely allied species, fairbanki and meridionale.* 433.—Malacocercus griseus, Lath. The White- headed Babbler. I only met with this species in the Mysore country, and even there only in places that were not heavily wooded. I found it most numerous between Muddur and Gundaluput. It was nowhere very common. Jerdon has given a very full and elaborate description of the habits of this bird (vide B. of I., Vol. II., page 60.) } The following are the dimensions, &c., of three specimens :— Length, 9:0 to 9:2; expanse, 12°45 to 12°5; tail, 3°8 to 4:6; wing, 3°9; tarsus, 1°26 to 1:3; bill from gape, 0°9 to 1:0; weight, 2°25 to 2°5 ozs. Legs, feet, claws, bill, and orbital skin dead white, slightly tinged with yellow; irides creamy white. 434.—Malacocercus malabaricus, Jerd. The Jungle Babbler. All over the Nilghiris and its slopes, and through the Wynaad, this species is common. Jerdon calls it the Jungle Babbler. As far as my experience of it goes, it studiously avoids all heavy jungle, and I doubt if it ever enters any forest or heavy jungle a distance of a hundred yards. Its chief haunts are among scrub, and in the cultivated lands in the vicinity of Ootacamund, Coonoor, Kotagherry, &c., it is specially abundant; these fields are asa rule intersected in all direc- tions by ravines filled with brushwood, besides many patches of scrubby uncultivated land; the birds feed in the fields, and when disturbed, or they retire of themselves, they betake themselves to this scrub. They are always in parties, even in the breeding season, and in habits resemble other members of the genus, feeding much on the ground, and mov- ing about together. Their note isa sort of chuckling laugh, and as soon as one commences, the whole party join in a chorus ; they are noisy though sprightly birds. The following are the measurements, &c., taken in the flesh of two males and two females. The sexes do not differ in size :— Length, 9:5 to 10°1; expanse, 12°3 to 13:1; tail, 3-9 to 4:1; wing, 3°8 to 4°31; tarsus, 1:3 to 1:38; bill from gape, 1:05 to 1:1 ; weight, 2°5 ozs. Legs, feet, claws, bill, and orbital skin dirty fleshy white; upper mandible and claws tinged more or less strongly in dif- * But these two were then unknown, and he says like cachinnans which has the chin black.—Ep., S. F 382 NOTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE: NILGHIRIS ferent individuals with pale brown ; lower mandible sometimes tinged with pale yellow; irides bright pearly white. 436.—Argya malcolmi, Sykes. The Large Grey-front- ed Babbler. This Babbler is not a common bird in the country embraced in this paper. I have met with a few flocks occasionally on the lower slopes below Kotagherry, and in the Mysore country near Gundulapet. and Muddur. I have never met with it on the slopes below Coonoor, Neddivuttum, or the Seegore Ghat. I may mention a curious incident about this bird. In 1869 or 1870, Iam not certain which, a flock of about twenty indivi- duals of this species suddenly made their appearance in the town of Ootacamund, taking up their abode in the Government Public Gardens, from whence they strolled among the well- wooded gardens in the vicinity for about a radius of a mile. I noticed their arrival at once, for I was, at that time, quite unacquainted with the bird, and their very peculiar and un- familiar note made them very conspicuous. I left Ootacamund in 1872, and then they seemed to be just the same number ; when I returned nearly ten years afterwards the flock was still there and frequenting the same place, but reduced to five individuals. I made many enquiries among both Europeans and natives who had noticed their arrival, and found that they always remained thereabouts, never seemed to breed, and gradually diminished in numbers. This party always frequent- ed the tops of the highest trees, and if disturbed when feeding in the ground, at once betook themselves to the high trees, I shot one, a female, out of the remaining five, and this I measured with the following results :— Length, 11:1; expanse, 14°5; tail, 5-4; wing, 4:6; tarsus, 1°41; bill from gape, 1:09. Irides bright yellow; upper mandible dark brown; lower mandible, legs, and feet fleshy, slightly tinged blue. 437.—Layardia subrufa, Jerd. The Rufous Bab- bler. This bird in habits and voice is quite a Malacocercus; the only points of difference are that it keeps to much denser cover, being found far away in forests, and the voice is softer and more subdued. It is especially partial to dense thorny scrub jungle and bamboo. It feeds, like the Malacocerci, on the ground chiefly. It does not ascend to the plateau of the Nilghiris, but I have shot it about a couple of miles from Coonoor on the Ghat. It is also not.uncommon in the Wynaad, but I did AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MYSORE.- 383 not meet with it anywhere in the Mysore country, which is very much drier than the Wynaad. I procured a good number of specimens. The following i is a resumé of the dimensions and colours of soft parts of those measured. Sexes do not differ in size :— Length, 9°9 to 10°2; expanse, 11:0 to 11:3; tail, 4-4 to 4:9; wing, 3°5 to 3°6; tarsus, 1°35 to 1°43 bill from gape, 0°92 to 10; ‘weight, 2+1 to 2°75 ozs. Upper “mandible from gape to nostril chrome yellow, rest of upper mandible blackish brown, shaded along commissure with pale yellow ; lower mandible chrome yellow, sometimes shaded with pale brown; irides sometimes creamy white, sometimes pale yellow. Legs and feet vary greatly ; they are dark yellowish fleshy, pale reddish brown, greyish yellow, &c. [438.—Chatarrhea caudata, Dum. The striated Bush Babbler. , I observed three birds of this species, close to the Railway Station, at the base of the Coonoor Ghat. I have no doubt it occurs everywhere on the lower levels where not too; wet and jungly.—A. O. H.] 442.—Scheenicola platyurus, Jerd. The Broad- tailed Reed Bird. I failed to procure specimens of this bird during my raeny though I saw it on two or three occasions in the dense screw- pine swamps in the Wynaad, 446. —Hypsipetes ganeesa, Sykes. The Southen Black Bulbul. This species is very numerous on the higher portion of the Nilghiris, at about Ootacamund, Coonoor, &e. .. but it gradually diminishes in number as it descends, stopping at about ‘4,000 feet. It is also found on the Bramagherries. It goes about in parties usually, though occasionally met with in pairs; it is very noisy, keeping up a continual chatter. It feeds on fruit, and is rather a wary bird. 450.—Criniger ictericus, Strickl. The Yellow-oratibll Bulbul. This bird does not occur on the plateau of the Nilghiriss but it is common from about the elevation of about 6, 500. feet downwards to the foot of the Ghats.- It also occurs. in the forests of Wynaad, on the Peria Ghat for instance, and on the Bramagherries. in Coorg. It goes about in pairs and small 384 NOTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS parties, feeds on fruit, has a soft, rather mellow whistle, and keeps much to the undergrowth of the evergreen forests, ventur- ing occasionally, however, into gardens, A specimen I shot in the Peria forests differed so con- spicuously in the colours of the soft parts, from what is recorded by Jerdon, that I give it. Male, shot 1st May.—Irides wood brown; legs and feet pale blue; claws bluish horny ; upper mandible black ; lower mandible pale brown, darkest along edges and at tip. [452.—Ixos luteolus, Less. The White-browed Bush-Bulbul. Occurs in the Wynaad, whence I once received a specimen, but is, I believe, rare there—A. O.H.] I met with this species at Rampore in Mysore.- W. D. 452.—Rubigula gularis, Gould. The Ruby-throated Bulbul. This little Bulbul is a bird of the evergreen forests, with the usual habits of the genus, and a note very similar to that of R. flaviventris. It is by no means common; and even in the dis- trict in which it occurs is very local; it usually associates in small flocks. I met with it first near Devalain Wynaad. It does not ascend the hills that Iam aware of—at least I have never met with it on the Ghats. - Lonly procured a few specimens. The following are the di- mensions and colours of soft parts of four specimens, two males and two females :— Length, 6:7 to 68; expanse, 9°4 to 9:5; tail, 2-8to 3:0; tarsus, 0°5 to 0°55; bill from gape, 0°7 to 0°78; weight, 0:7 ozs. Irides vary from white to pale yellow; bill and claws black; legs and feet plumbeous, sometimes tinged with brown. 457.—Brachypodius poiocephalus, Jerd. The Grey- headed Bulbul. The species is not uncommon in some parts of the Wynaad, as at Manantoddy and its neighbourhood, the Peria forests, &c. Lhave also found it in other parts of Wynaad, but in much reduced numbers, and in May last I met with one specimen abouta mile from Coonoor. The bird is only found ia well-wooded places-—I mean by that on the outskirts of the evergreen forests, and similar places; for although a place may be well-wooded with deci- duous trees, bamboos, &c., the bird would not frequent it, so that AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MYSORE. 385 it: might, like Zrena puella, be termed a bird of the evergreen forests. It has the same habits as other members of the genus, but the note is quite unlike that of any other species of Brachy- podius, with which I am acquainted, being a single soft low whis- tle. Those I examined had eaten berries. Usually they are in pairs, and I have even found them singly, but in the mornings and evenings they may be found in numbers feeding in company with other Bulbuls, Orioles, Irenas, &c., in flocks. They are very wary, and after being fired at once or twice become so wary that it is next to impossible to approach within shot. I managed to securea large number of specimens, but this was by stationing myself under a tree in fruit in the morning and evening with my air gun. The following is a resumé of the measurements of a large number of specimens taken in the flesh. The sexes do not vary in size :— Length, 7°0 to 75; expanse, 9°2 to 10:0; tail, 2°7 to 3:25; wing, 2°9 to 3:25; tarsus, 0°5 to 0°65; bill from gape, 0:7 to 0:85 ; weight, 0°8 to 1°15 oz. In both sexes the legs are fleshy, strongly tinged with orange ; the bill pale green, almost the same shade exactly as the fore- head; the irides a clear blue grey, the grey tint predominating more or less in different specimens. Jerdon’s description of this species was evidently taken from a single specimen, and as individuals vary to a considerable extent, it will be perhaps as well to re-describe the species. Jer- don, moreover, in his description says: ‘ Feathers of the rump light yellowish green, broadly streaked with black.”’ This is apt to convey a very erroneous impression; the feathers, as in all the Brachypodii, are black, very broadly fringed with a lighter colour, in this. case by green. The following is a detailed description of a fine adult male :— Feathers immediately above nostril and forehead bright greenish yellow ; the feathers immediately in front of the lores are hardly, if at all, tinged with green, the colour being an almost pure gamboge yellow; lores, feathers round eye, a short streak from posterior angle of eye, most of the feathers of the ear-coverts, and a patch at the base of lower mandible, dull green, much the colour of the back, but duller; the bases of the feathers on lores are black, and this showing through gives a blackish appearance to these parts; chin and upper throat dull black ; crown, occiput, nape, sides of neck immedi- ately behind ear-coverts and lower throat, a rather dark ash grey ; interscapulary region, scapulars, upper back, and visible portion of closed wing rather dark warm olive green; there is the same green on the lower surface, but much lighter in tint, 49 286 NOTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON ‘THE NILGHIRIS darkest on the upper breast, gradually. paling, till on the tibial plumes, flanks, and lower: abdomen the feathers are merely washed with a delicate tint of green. Feathers of the lower back and rump black, very broadly edged with pale ashy green, the black showing through to a considerable extent, giving the mottled appearance to these ‘parts characteristic of the Brachypodii; the feathers too are Joose and very full, also characteristic of the genus ; upper and under tail-coverts, fous central tail feathers, and entire. under surface of tail, a delicate French grey; the four lateral tail feathers on each side black for two-thirds of their length, the terminal third French grey and margined on their outer webs with green; the black on the tail is confined entirely to the upper surface of the feathers, the lower surface for their entire length being grey; primaries, secondaries, and tertiaries black- ish brown; “the first primary entirely of this colour, the re- mainder edged on their outer webs with green, at first very narrowly, but more broadly on each succeeding feather, till on the tertiaries the entire outer webs, and on the later: ones the tips of the inner webs also, are green. Taking a.large series, the birds are found to vary somewhat inter se. Insome specimens the grey of the head and throat is almost or entirely wanting, and the amount of black on the ehin and throat of the different specimens varies considerably ; the green edging to the outer webs of the. tail feathers too varies ; in some all the tail feathers are green edged, in others only the outer four on each side. With regard to the almost or entire want of grey on the head and throat, this appears to be a sign of nonage. “This species is apparently figured and described in the “Voy- age dela Bonite, Pl. 5, under the name of Jixos Jisquetti1. A young bird showing the merest trace of grey about. the head and throat, and with the central tail feathers grey edged.- 460dis.—Otocompsa fuscicaudata, Gould. The Southern Red-whiskered Bulbul. — An exceedingly abundant species all over the Nilghiris, through the Wynaad and Mysore. Most numerous perhaps on the higher ranges. Found singly, in pairs, or parties. Itisa very familiar bird, ‘keeping much to eedons &c., and as a. rule avoiding heavy forest. 462. .—Molpastes heemorrhous, Gm. The Madras Bulbul. ‘ This species i is very rare on the highest portion of the Nil- ghiris, being only occasionally seen about Ootacamund, but AND’ IN’ PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MYSORE. 387 about four miles from Ooty, it commences to get common. It is: very numerous about Coonoor, and all down the Ghats. It is much rarer on the Neddivuttum side, owing, I suspect, to there being so much evergreen forest on that-side which it dislikes, its chief haunts being comparatively open land studded with bushes and scrub. Jerdon says it ascends the Nilghiris only to about 6,000 feet. It is quite possible it may have been so when he made his observations, but now, though. rarely, it certainly is found right up to Ootacamund, for I have shot it more than once in the Government Gardens : — A male measured in the flesh :— Length, 8-2; expanse, 12:4; tail, 3:5; wing, 3°8; tarsus, 0°85 ; bill from gape, 0°82 ; weight, 1°2 oz. 463. —Phyllornis jerdoni, Bly. The Green Bulbul. I did. not procure specimens of this species during my trip, T met with it on a few occasions in the Mysore country. 464. —Phyllornis malabaricus, Gm, The Malabar Green Bulbul: . . This. species is not uncommon in the Wynaad and on the slopes of.the Nilghiris. I have shot it as high up as the Government Plantations at Neddivuttum, about 6,000 feet elevation, but it does not go higher than this I think. Its voice is very similar to that of aurifrons, and it has the usual habits of the genus, going about in pairs or small parties, It lives largely on fruit, but I have also found insects in the stomachs of some. It is very fond of frequenting the silk cotton trees (Bombax mala- baricum) when in flower. The following are the dimensions, &c., taken in the flesh of three fine trates — ; . Length, 7:2 to 8:2; expanse, 11:7 to 12:0; tail, 2°7 to 8°85; wing, 3°6 to 3°7; tarsus, 0:7 to 0-75; bill from gape, 0°95 to 1:0 ; weight, 0: 82 to 1°3 ozs. 468.—Iora typhia, Zin. The Common Tora. A common bird all through the Wynaad, the base of the Nilghiris, and up their slopes to an elevation of about 3,000 feet. Jerdon has given-a full account of the habits of the species (B. of I., Vol. II., p. 100) under the head of Zora zeylonica. , 469. een puella, Zath. The Fairy Blue Bird. Found in the Wynaad, and on the slopes of the Nilghiris upto about 5,000 feet, but only in the evergreen forests. It avoids dry opencountry. A full account of its habits, &e., will be found in our Tenasserim paper, 8. F., Vol. VL, and Jerdon, B, on TieWols LE; 105; 388 NOTES OWN SOME BIKDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS 470.—Oriolus kundoo, Sykes. The Indian Oriole, This species occurs on the Nilghiris (rarely ascending higher than about 6,000 feet) and through the Wynaad. It is most abundant at the lower elevations. [471.—Oriolus indicus, Jerd. The Black-naped Indian Oriole. I have received a specimen from the Wynaad from, I think, the neighbourhood of Manantoddy. It must be rare, as it was sent as an unknown bird by astranger.—A. O. H.] 472.—Oriolus melanocephalus, Zin. The Black- headed Oriole. This Oriole occurs over the same country as O. kundoo, but it ascends the hills somewhat higher, and I have on more than one occasion seen and shot it close to Ootacamund. 475.—Copsychus saularis, Zin. The Magpie Robin. The Dhial is common in the Wynaad, and it also oceurs on the slopes of the Nilghiris to an elevation of about 4,500 feet. 476.—Cercotrichas macrura, Gm. The Shama. I only met with this species in some thick bamboo jungle at the foot of the Bramagherries, where I obtained a male, In former years I have once or twice obtained it also in bamboo jungle a few miles from Seegore at the foot of the Nilghiris. 479.—Thamnobia fulicata, Zin. The Southern Black Robin. I found this Robin very common in the Mysore country through which I passed, where the country was not heavily wooded. It also occurs commonly on the slopes of the Nilghiris up to about 38,000 feet, but not higher I think. It avoids heavy jungle, and frequents open stony ground grown over with thorny scrub, On the 23rd of May last year I found a nest of this species containing three partially incubated eggs. The nest was placed under a bush on the very edge of the road. Two males measured :— Length, 65 to 67; expanse, 9°3 to 96; tail, 2°5 to 26; wing, 2°95; tarsus, 1:0 to 101; bill from gape 0-61 to 0°71 ; weight, 0°8 oz. Bill, legs, feet, and claws black.; irides very dark brown. AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MYSORE. 389 481.—Pratincola caprata, Zin. The Black Bush Chat. . Occurs sparingly in the Mysore country, and J observed it two or three times in the Wynaad, in cultivated land. It keeps to the plains country. 482.—Pratincola bicolor, Sykes. The Hill Black Bush Chat. This is one of the. most common, and certainly the most familiar bird on the Nilghiris. It is especially common on the plateau at Ootacamund and its vicinity, and about Coonoor, Kotagherry, &. It loves to frequent the neighbourhood of houses, and it is a most familiar and pleasing little bird. When found away from towns, it keeps to open cultivated land, seldom, I think, descending lower than about 5,000 feet. It breeds freely on the Nilghiris, commencing as early as Feb- ruary. [483.—Pratincola maura, Pall. The Indian Bush Chat. This is reported common in 8S. W. Mysore during the cold season.— A. O. H 497.—Ruticilla rufiventris, Viei//. The Indian Red- start. This Redstart is only a winter visitant to the south, and even then it is not numerous. I have never known it to ascend the hills. I have seen it most often about the stony ground at the base of the hills, and procured specimens near Seegore. 507.—Larvivora superciliaris, Jerd. The Blue Wood Chat. This Wood Chat is very abundant on the Nilghiris and their slopes. It also occurs not uncommonly in the Wynaad, and I found it in the forests on the Bramagherries. It usually keeps in the forests, frequenting chiefly banks of streams and marshy spots, usually singly, sometimes in pairs, hopping about on the ground, and when disturbed, flying up into some low tree, but only to alight again almost immediately. It is a permanent resident on the Nilghiris (breeding in holes of trees), but whether it is so in the Wynaad or not I cannot say. Itis a noticeable fact that the males seem to be very much ‘more numerous than the females. Jerdon gives the bill as dusky, so it is in the immature, but 390 NOTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS in the adult it is quite black; legs and feet fleshy ; artes very: dark brown. [514.—Cyanecula suecica, Zin. The Red-spot Blue- throat. This is common in both 8. W. Mysore and the Wy- naad.—A.O. H.] . ? 515.— Acrocephalus stentorius, Hemp. and Ehr. The Large Reed Warbler. On the 2nd of April last-year, while passing through a coffee estate in Charambady, Wynaad, I noticed two large Acroce- phali in arose hedge, but I was unable to obtain a specimen, so I have entered the species with a query, as it is possible* they might have been 515dis.—A orientalis, Tem. and Sch. 516.—Acrocephalus dumetorum, Bly. The Lesser Reed Warbler. A cold weather visitant; and very abundant from about the middle of December to late in March on the Nilghiris. It occurs also in the Wynaad, and I have shot it on the Brama- gherries. It frequents gardens, and the undergrowth on the outskirts of the jungles, Ww orking its way through tangled and dense, vegetation in a marvellous way, and as it moves about, keeps continually uttering its peculiar note, which cannot be syllablized, but can be produced exactly by placing the tongue against the teeth, and drawing it back rapidly. The sexes do not vary in size, the following being a resumé of a number measured in the flesh :— Length, 5:5 to 5:7; expanse, 7 3 to 7:7; tail, 1:95 to 2° 3 wing, 2: 3 to °255 ; tarsus, 0°9 to 0-95 ; bill from gape, 0°6 to 0:71; weight, 0- 3 to 0:35 OZ. Upper mandible dark brown ; lower mandible fleshy ; legs and feet pale fleshy brown ; irides pale wood to yellow brown. [517.—Acrocephalus agricolus, Jerd. The Paddy- field Warbler. I received one specimen of this from the Wynaad.—A. O. H.] 530.—Orthotomus sutorius, Penn. The Indian (a) ai Parlor Bird: This bird does not ascend to quite the plateau of the Nilghi- ris, but occurs from about the level of Coonoor downward, ‘and “I don’t think so as we have stentorius from all over Southern India —Ep., §, F. » AND IN PARTS OF -WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MYSORE. 391 all through the Wynaad and the Mysore country. It avoids very dry and stony localities, frequenting the better wooded portions of the country. It is such a well known and familiar bird, and has so often been written about, that it would be superfluous for. me to say anything more of it now. 534.—Prinia socialis, Sykes. The Ashy Wren Warb- ler. I have only met with this species on the Nilghiris, where it is not uncommon in the vicinity of Ootacamund, Coonoor, &c. It does not descend the slopes that I am aware of—at least I have, I think, never met with it below about 6,000 feet. It goes about in pairs, or singly, usually the latter, never in flocks or parties. It keeps among the scrub, and is very fond of working its way up to some conspicuous post, to the top of one of the long flower stalks of Lobelia excelsa, for instance, where it will halt for a minute or two, and then after making a feeble attempt ata song will dive suddenly into the brashwood and disappear. Jerdon says (B. of I, Vol. IL, p. 171): “ The eggs are usually reddish white with numerous darker red dots, &c.......” Ihave taken a great number of the nests of this bird in my time, over 50) perhaps, but I never obtained one in which the Pr- nias’ egos were not a uniform red throughout, lighter or darker in different nests, but always red throughout, and not as Jerdon would make out, only sumetimes brick red throughout. The following are the dimensions, &c., of two fine males :— _ Length, 5: 55 expanse, 6°6; tail, 2°3 "to 2°33 ; wing, 2°0 to 2:05; farsue, 0°85 to 0:9 ; bill from gape, 0°62 ; weight, 0°35 OZ8. Bill black : legs and feet yellowish fleshy ; irides litharge red. 536.—Prinia gracilis, Frankl, Franklin’s Wren Warbler. This species, whether gracilis or hodgsoni, does not ascend the hills to any great height; the highest elevation at which I have ever obtained it has been about 3,500 feet. It spreads through the Wynaad, but I have never found it common. It is always in small parties of ‘from four to a dozen or more. An adult male that I shot at Charambady in the Wynaad on the 2nd of April has the pectoral band very distinct. 539.—Cisticola cursitans, frank. the Fantail Warbler. — I met with this species a few times in the Wynaad, near Manantoddy in rice cultivation, and in long grass bordering 392 NOTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS ditches, &c. I procured one specimen, a male, for identification, and this is identical with many among the large series con- tained in our museum. §40.—Cisticola erythrocephalus,* Jerd. The Red- headed Fantail Warbler. I found this species only on the Bramagherries, and on the Peria forest hills, and they were rare there, and very difficult to obtain, keeping, as they do, to the long elephant grass. I found them generally in small parties, very shy, and keeping most persistently to the long grass. I noticed the peculiar loud call mentioned by Jerdon. The following are the dimensions and colours of soft parts of two specimens (both unfortunately females) taken in the flesh :— Length, 4°8 to 5:0 ; expanse, 5°7 ; tail, 2°0 to 2°1 ; wing, 1:7 to 1:75 ; tarsus, 0°7 to 0°75 ; bill from gape, 0°5 to 0:6 ; weight, 0°3 to 0°35 oz. | Irides burnt sienna ; lower mandible, legs, feet, and claws fleshy ; upper mandible pale brown. Two specimens of this species in the museum—one from Saugor, C. P., and the other from the Pulneys—have the entire top of the head and entire lower parts uniform ferruginous ; the Saugor bird is not dated, the bird from the Pulneys was shot on the 12th June, and is sexed a male. I collected five specimens, f four from the Peria forests, shot between the Ist and 6th of May, and one shot on the Bramagherries on the 17th April. All these birds have the head more or less strongly striated,—in fact in four out of the five the black markings preponderate over the ferruginous. In one the entire head is almost black, there being only a supercilium, and a few narrow edgings to the feathers of the feathers of head, ferruginous. In the one exception the head is ferruginous, with only a few black spots showing here and there. In all these five specimens the throat, breast, flanks, and lower tail-coverts alone are ferruginous, the chin and abdomen being white. This species may, however, always be distinguished from cursitans by not having the tail feathers white tipped, and. by the ferruginous of the lower surface, which is always present in a greater or less degree. * From the dimensions given and description, I suspect these birds are C. tytleré (vide ante p. 219 n, and 221 ».)—Ep, S. F. +I have not seen these specimens, and Mr. Davison’s remarks make me doubtful of the identification—Ep , S. F AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MYSORE. 393° 543.—Drymeeca inornata, Sykes. The Earth-brown Warbler. I have entered the Wren Warbler found on the Nilghiris, its slopes, the Wynaad, the Mysore country, &c., under the above name. Imay, however, have confounded two species, D. longicau- data* and the above. However, if the two are distinct species, they certainly do not differ in habits. D. tnornata is found from the plateau of the Nilghiris all down the slopes, in the Wy- naad and Mysore, frequenting by preference the long elephant grass, but found also in scrub jungle. Jerdon has given a very good description of the habits of the species (B. of I, Vol. IL., p 179). | 553.—Hypolais rama, Sykes. Sykes’ Warbler. We have a specimen of this in our museums, a female, procured by Miss Cockburn, at Kotagherry, on the 14th October 1874. °° The measurements of this, as recorded by Miss Cockburn, are as follows :— Length, 5°5; expanse, 7:0; tail, 2-0; weight, 2 drs. Legs and feet light grey; bill brown above, light beneath ; irides greyish. 556.—Phylloscopus magnirostris, Bly. The Large-' billed Tree Warbler. I shot a female of this species in some undergrowth near Manantoddy on the 18th of May 1881. I have compared it very carefully with our large series, and find it is undoubtedly, of this species. 559.—Phylloscopus nitidus, Bly. The Bright-Green, ‘Tree Warbler. T procured a specimen of this species at Manantoddy on the 10th of April 1881; it was a male. I saw several others during the trip. 560.—Phylloscopus viridanus, Bly. The Greenish. Tree Warbler. This is the common Phylloscopus of the Nilghiris, Wynaad, &e. They come in early, and I have shot it in Wynaad as late as the 4th of April. * But D. longicaudata is certainly merely the winter plumage of D. inornata.— Ep,, 8. F. , 50 394 NOTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS 560 dis.—Phylloscopus tytleri, Brooks. Brooks’ Tree Warbler. I obtained one specimen, a male, of this species at Ootaca- mund on the 10th of March 1881. This measured in the flesh :— Length, 4°7; expanse, .7°4; tail, 1:65; wing, 2°4; tarsus, 0:7; bill from gape, 0°52; weight, 0°35 oz. I shot a second specimen at Ooty on the 22nd of January last. I also append the measurements, taken in the flesh, of seven specimens of this rare species which were collected at Simla and its immediate neighbourhood. All these specimens having been collected in September and October are in the bright autumnal plumage. ‘The specimen I obtained at Ootacamund is more like, though not quite so, dull coloured as the specimens collected from April to June in Cashmere. Of the Simla specimens, five are males, one a female, and one has not been sexed. The sexes do not apparently differ in size. My specimen from Ootacamund was most carefully compar- ed with our comparatively large series, both by Mr. Hume and myself, and there is no doubt whatever about the identifica- tion :— Length, 4:4 to 4:7; expanse, 6°65 to 7:3; tail, 1°45 to 18; wing, 2°15 to 2°45; tarsus, 0:7 to 0:75 ; bill from gape, 0°5 to 0°53; weight, 0:25 oz. The legs and feet vary ; they were dark greenish plumbeous, dingy green, yellowish grey, dark brownish green, and very dark plumbeous brown; upper mandible and apical half of lower mandible blackish brown; rest of bill and gape yellowish ; irides dark brown. 561.—Phylloscopus affinis, Zick. Tickell’s Tree Warbler. From December to April this Warbler is very numerous on the plateau of the Nilghiris, and even on the slopes. It has all the habits of the other Phylloscopi, and it also has a pecu- liar habit that I have not noticed in any other species of the enus. : The land in the vicinity of Ootacamund, Coonoor, Kotagherry, &c., is cultivated in a very crude sort. of way by a tribe of hill people called Badagas, and in and about the cultivated land are patches of land lying fallow and sparsely cover- ed with brushwood. Parties of this Phylloscopus assemble together (I have seen twenty or thirty together), and feed AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MYSORE. 395 about on the ground, acting to a certain extent independently of one another. When disturbed they scatter and take refuge in the bushes, but when all is quiet, they drop one by one to the ground, and soon all re-assemble. They are of course commonly found wandering about singly or in small parties, and even then they feed much on the ground ; from what I have observed, I should say, far more than they do in trees and bushes. They are a familiar little bird, and are fond of frequenting gardens, when they hunt about among the flower or vegetable beds, de- stroying a great number of insects. Their note is a feeble ¢sip, tsip, uttered very frequently. The female is slightly smaller than the male, and perhaps in freshly moulted specimens a shade lighter coloured. The following are the dimensions of three males and a female recorded in the flesh :— Males,—Length, 4:7 to 4°8; expanse, 7:1 to 7:3; tail, 1:7 to 18; wing, 2°0 to 2-4; tarsus, 0:7 to 0°71; bill from gape, 0°5 to 0°51; weight, 0°2 oz. Female.—Length, 4°5; expanse, 6°6; wing, 2°0; tail, 1:8; tarsus, 0°71; bill from gape, 0°5. Upper mandible dark greenish brown; lower mandible yel- low; legs and feet yellowish fleshy, sometimes tinged brown. 589.—Motacilla maderaspatensis, Gm. The River or Large Pied Wagtail. A few pairs of this Wagtail frequent the shores of the lake at Ootacamund. I have also seen it at Gundalupet in Mysore, and about the river at Manantoddy, and other streams in the Wynaad, but it is not an abundant bird. It is a permanent resident where it does occur, breeding in holes in banks, among stones and rocks, &c., but always I think in the vicinity of water. [591d¢s.—Motacilla dukhunensis, Sykes. The Indian White-faced Wagtail. Common below the foot of the Coonoor Ghat. Received also from §S. W. Mysore, and I doubt not common everywhere below 3,000 feet, if not higher, in suitable ground during the cold season.—A. O. H.] 592.—Calobates melanope, Pall. The Grey and Yellow Wagtail. A cold weather visitant to the south, but very common dur- ing itsstay. It is found everywhere close to streams, in marshy places, in cultivated land, in gardens, &c. 396 NOTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS It is a very familiar bird, and not at all shy, and will trip along looking for insects. They arrive in September, and have almost all left by the end of March. (593.—Budytes cinereocapillus, Savi. The Slatey- headed Field Wagtail. I have seen this from Wynaad and 8. Mysore.—A. O. H. | 59 ?—Budytes Sp.? Field Wagtail ? In former years, when I neither collected nor worked at birds, Isaw during the cold weather on several occasions a Budytes on the marshy banks of the fake at Ootacamund, but I have not recently been able to procure a specimen for identification. [594 1s.—Budytes citreolus, Pall. The Grey-backed Yellow Wagtail. Several specimens were sent from the Wynaad.—A. O. H.] 595.—Limonidromus indicus, Gm. The Vorest Wagtail. This species, which Jerdon classes as a Wactail, is as far as habits at any rate go, much more of a Pipit. Jerdon well de- scribes it as a “wood-loving species.”” I have shot a good number in my time, but I certainly never met with it in the open. I have always found it under cover. It is usually found singly, ocea- sionally in pairs in thin tree jungle, feeding on the ground. When disturbed, it either runs along the ground till some dis- tance away, when it takes wing, or else rises at once and flies up into some tree, generally alighting on some large bough, along which it walks, and then flies on to another, and so on till, if it sees danger still present, it flies off to another part of the jungle ; or, if it thinks all is quiet, drops on to the ground, and recom- mences feeding. The only note I have heard it utter is a feeble sharp chip. This it utters chiefly when disturbed, but oceasionally also when quietly feeding. It seems to live entirely on insects. ‘At least I have never found anything but insects, chiefly the ‘remains of ants, in those I have examined. It occurs all over the Nilchiris, Wynaad, and the Mysore country through which I passed, but it is rare. 596.—Anthus maculatus, Hodgs. The Indian Tree Pipit. | This Pipit is a cold weather visitant to the south in large numbers, and spreads over the whole of the Nilghiris, the Wynaad, and Mysore. It is always in small flocks, and feeds, AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MYSORE. 397 as a rule, in shady places, such as gardens, forest paths, &e. When disturbed, they immediately take refuge in the nearest trees. I have occasionally found them feeding on grassy hill sides. 598.—Anthus montanus, Jerd. The Hill Tree Pipit. This Pipit seems to be restricted to the platean of the Nil- ghiris. I failed to find it on the Bramagherries, nor can Tlearn that it occurs on the Anamullays or Shevaroys. On the Nilghiris it is not uncommon, frequenting grassy land, but always close to cover, to which it betakes itself when disturbed, perching on some tree or bush. Itis always found singly or in pairs, never in flocks, and itis a permanent resident on the Nilchiris. The following isa resumé of the dimensions of eight speci- mens measured in the flesh ; the sexes do not vary the one from the other in size or colours of soft parts :— Length, 6°6 to 7:0; expanse, 9°8 to 10°4; tail, 2:3 to 2°62; wings, 2°9-to 3:2; tarsus, 0:95 to 1:0; bill from gape, 0°65 to 0°71; weight, 0°8 to 0°85 oz. Upper mandible and apical portion of lower mandible, and claws dark brown; rest of lower mandible, legs, and feet pale fleshy brown ; irides deep wood brown. 600.—Corydalla rufula, Véeill. The Indian Tit- lark. Very common on the Nilghiris, the Bramagherries, the Wynaad, in fact wherever there is open grassy lend. It is a bird of the open grassy country, avoiding cover, and it never, that Iam aware of, perches on trees. Lt is a permanent resident on the Nilghiris and Bramagherries, but I do not know whether it is so in the low country of Wynaad and Mysore. Birds of this species from Southern India are darker and brighter coloured than those from parts of India further north. 603.—Agrodroma similis, Jerd. The Rufous Rock Pipit. 7 | Ihave only noticed this Pipit on the slopes of the hills near Coonoor and Kotagherry. It is decidedly rare. I have found it on grassy land and in barley fields that had been reaped. It is shy. Its flight is strong and undulating, its note is much like that of C. richardi, but louder and clearer. The following are the dimensions and colours of soft parts of a fine male and female :— Male.—Length, 7:95; expanse, 12°3 ; tail, 3-4; wings, 3:7; tarsus, 111; bill. from gape, 0°95 ; weight, 1:2 oz. 398 NOTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS Female.—Length, 7°71; expanse, 11°41; tail, 3-18; wings, 3°3; tarsus, 1°] ; bill from gape, 0°9 ; weight, 1-05 02. Irides wood brown ; > Upper mandible black 5 lower mandible fleshy, the tip blackish ; tarsus reddish fleshy; feet darker ; claws dark reddish brown ; ; gape yellow. 631. aT AON ET ONS palpebrosa, Tem. The White-eyed ‘it. This pretty little bird is very abundant on the higher ranges of the Nilgiiris. It also extends over the slopes, but diminish- es in numbers the lower down it gets, till in the low country of the Wynaad, &c., it may be said to be rare. Except during the breeding season, it goes about in small flocks, working about among the trees and bushes in a most systematic manner, keep- ing up a continuous twitter the while. As faras I have observed, I believe it to be entirely insectivorons, but according to Hutton it eats berries too (vide B. of I., Vol. II., p. 266). I have found many hundreds of its nests in my time, but I certainly never found one, as stated by Hutton, suspended with fibres of silk or hair, but alwavs securely hung in the fork of some branch or twig of a bush. 645.—Parus nipalensis, Hodgs. The Indian Grey Tit. Occurs all over the Nilghiris and the Wynaad, and the better wooded portions of the Mysore country. It is aburdant on the higher ranges of the Nilghiris, specially near the inhabited parts. The natives of the Nilghiris call it Puttant Kurivi (Anglicé Pea Bird) from the destruction it commits among peas, It also eats fruits and berries of various kinds, and insects as well; in fact its food appears to be as much vegetable as animal. It has the usual habits of the tribe, except that it usually goes singly or in pairs, and seldom indeed in flocks. A male mea- sured in the flesh :— Length, 5°7; expanse, 9:2; tail, 2-4; wing, 2°8; tarsus, 0:78; bill from gape, 0°53; weight, 0-6 oz. Bull black; legs and feet plumbeous. 648.—Machlolophus aplonotus, Bly. The Southern Yellow Tit. This Tit does not ascend to the plateau of the Nilghiris, but it is not uncommon in the vicinity of Coonoor, Kotagherry and from thence down the slopes, and into the Wynaad. Unlike the last species it avoids the immediate vicinity of habitations keeping more to the jungles. Its note is exactly like that of its northern representative—M/. xanthogenys. AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MYSORE. 399 The following are the dimensions of two males :-— Length, 5:7, 5°9; expanse, 9°5, 10°8; tail, 2°4, 2:5; wing, 2°9,3:2; tarsus, 0°75, 0°79; bill from gape, 0°5, 051; weight, 0:62, 0°65 oz. Bill black; legs, feet, and claws plumbeous ; irides dark brown. 660.—Corvus macrorhynchus, agi. The Indian Corby. Exceedingly common everywhere throughout the district under consideration. 663.—Corvus splendens, Viewd. The Indian Grea necked Crow. This species does not ascend the hills, and even in some parts of the low country at'the foot of the hills it does not occur, or is rare, for instance from Goodalore to Nellacotta, though on reaching Nellacotta it suddenly appeared, and was common ; and this I noticed in other places, though in general it swarms throughout the low country wherever there are human habitations. Jerdon has given (B. of L., Vol. IL., » 2938 et. seg.) a very full account of its habits. 674.—Dendrocitta rufa, Scop. The Indian Magpie. This species very rarely ascends the hills above 5,000 feet elevation. Ihave onone occasion shot it about seven miles from the town of Ootacamund at an elevation of about 6,500 feet ; but this was the only occasion in allthe years that I resided on the Nilghiris that 1 met with it so high up. But on the Ghats from about 5,000 feet it is not uncommon, and becomes more numerous the lower one descends. It is quite common through the Wynaad and the Mysore country. I can add nothing to Jerdon’s description of its habits. ? 676.—Dendrocitta himalayensis, Bly. The Hima- layan Magpie. Jerdon records this as from the hills of Southern India (wide B. of. I., Vol. II., p. 316). It may beso, but I spent the greater portion ‘of my life in South India, and never from the time I was a boy of about ten or twelve years of age missed collecting birds, and I have never met with it. If it Teally does occur, it must beof extreme rarity. Jerdon himself never procured it ; he merely thought he recognized it onthe Seegore Pass. Hors- field got a specimen in Madras, but on what authority that it was killed in South India he does not say. On the whole I 400 NOTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS should say the evidence was insufficient to class it as a Sonth- ern Indian bird. * 678.—Dendrocitta leucogastra, Gould. The Long- tailed Magpie. This beautiful species occurs on the slopes of the Nilghiris from about 5,000 feet, but it is not common. It is much more numerous in the Wynaad, but I did not observe it in Mysore. It is, unlike D. rufa, a forest species, keeping to the evergreen forests, and avoiding deciduous jungle and bamboo forests, while D. rufa delights in these. It has, however, much the same habits as 7). rufa; the note is similar, but louder, harsher, and less metallic. The following are the measurements of a splendid adult female :— Length, 19:2 ; expanse, 17°6; tail, 12°25 ; wing, 5°65 ; tarsus, 1:12; bill from gape, 1:12; weight, 3°5 ozs. Bill black ; legs and feet dull black ; irides deep brown. 684.—Acridotheres tristis, Zin. The Myna. This Myna in the south of India (at any rate in the district embraced in the present paper) does not ascend the hills at all (while in Northern India, at Simla for instance, it is not uncommon), but at the foot of the hills, and in the Wynaad, it occurs not uncommonly. Wynaad specimens are identical with those from Simla and other parts of Upper India, having the black of the throat and upper breast abruptly defined, and the rest of the upper parts pale, and not as in birds from Ceylon and Anjango, where the dark colour of the throat and breast coalesce with the colour of the lower parts which is also dark. 686 dis.—Acridotheres mahrattensis, Sykes. The Southern Dusky Myna. This Myna is very abundant on the Nilghiris, especially on the. higher ranges. It also oceurs throughout the Wynaad and Mysore but in diminished numbers. They are very fond of attending on cattle while grazing, catching the grasshoppers and other insects disturbed; and, as mentioned by Jerdon, they are very partial to clinging to the stems of the Lobelia excelsa, and L have shot them with their foreheads completely covered with pollen from the flowers. They also do immense damage to the fruit gardens on the Nilghiris, and it is next to impossible, with- out the aid of nets or other means, to preserve pears from their depredations. * T should say, certainly, does not occur in Southern India —ED, S. F. AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MYSORE. 401 687.—Sturnia pagodarum, Gm. The Black-headed Myna. I met with this. Myna only at Gundalupet and Bandipur in Mysore, where I found it not uncommon. I have occasionally seen it about Ootacamund associating with flocks of Acrido- theres mahrattensis, but this has been very rarely, and these birds were evidently only stragglers. 688.—Sturnia malabarica, Gm. The Grey-headed Myna. Occurs sparingly on the slopes of the Nilghiris, of the Wynaad, and parts of Mysore. Jerdon states that it is only a cold weather visitant to the south of India, but I should be inclined to doubt this, as I have repeatedly seen, and often shot it as late as the end of April on the Ghat below Coonoor. It does not, that I am aware, ascend above about 5,000 feet elevation. 689.—Sturnia blythi, Jerd. The White-breasted Tree Myna. I found this species rare in the country I passed through, meeting with it only twice. I obtained two specimens, one quite a young bird; in this theirides were slaty grey, the bill pale yellow, fleshy at base of lower mandible. The other was a fine adult male shot at Karote at the foot of the Balasore peak. In this the bill was blue at base, then green, then yellow ; the irides aclear pearly white; legs, feet, and claws horny yellow. It measured in the flesh :— Length, 7°7 ; expanse, 12°5; tail, 2°25; wing, 3:9; tarsus, 0°9; bill from gape, 1:09; weight, 17 oz. They have a similar note, and similar habits to 8. madabarica, [690.—Pastor roseus, Lin. The Rosy Pastor. I have seen a specimen obtained near Gundalupet.—A. O. H.] : I have obtained several specimens of this species from the foot of the hills near Seegore and about 14 miles from Ooty.— W. D. 692.—Eulabes religiosa, Zi. The Southern Hill Myna. This is a bird of the evergreen forests; it occurs on the slopes of the Nilghiris from about 4,000 feet downwards, and through the Wynaad, but itis very local. It was not uncommon in the Peria forests. It goes in parties of five or six or in pairs as a rule, and is fond of frequenting the highest trees ; enormous trees standing dead in some plantation surrounded by evergreen 51 402 NOTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS forest are favorite resorts, and it is in such places that the bird usually breeds, A fine adult female measured :— Length, 10°0; expanse, 17:0; tail, 2°7; wing, 5:2; tarsus, 1:2; bill from gape, 1:4; weight, 5 ozs. Bill pale orange vermilion; legs and feet dull yellow; claws black; irides deep brown. 694.—Ploceus philippinus, Zin. The Indian Weaver Bird. I am not aware that this bird ascends the hills at all, but it occurs at the foot of the hills and through the Wynaad, and even in Mysore. Jerdon has given a capital account of it (vide Birds of India, Vol. II., p. 344 e¢ seq.) except the passage on p. 345 from the word Sut in line 13 to the end of line 19. This passage evidently refers to 696 bis of our catalogue, Ploceella javanensis, which does, as I have myself observed, suspend its nest from the eaves of houses. 697.—Amadina malacca, Zin. The Black-headed Munia. I met with this Munia in the Wynaad on two or three occa- sions, but did not observe it elsewhere. 699.—Amadina punctulata, Zin. The Spotted Munia. Comparatively common on the Nilghiris and its slopes, but I did not observe it in the Wynaad. It is most abundant about Ootacamund, feeding in small flocks about cultivated land. Tt has the usual habits of the genus, builds a globular nest, which it lines. with feathers, and after the young are hatched and have flown, the two old birds and the young still continue to use the nest at nights till the moonsoon destroys it. 700.—Amadina pectoralis, Jerd. The Rufous-bellied Munia. This Munia occurs on the Ghats of the Nilghiris up to about 5,000 feet, and it is also spread through the Wynaad, but I have not noticed itin Mysore. I have usually found it in small parties or pairs. It is more of a forest Munia than any of the others. I have found it most common about the Ghat below Coonoor, where it feeds in pairs or parties among the droppings ef cattle, and on the grain dropped from carts, &c., passing up to Coonoor. It is rather local in its distribution. AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN Mysore. 403. 704.—Estrelda amandava, Lin. The Red Waxbill. I did not notice this species in the Wynaad, nor in those parts of Mysore which I traversed, but it is common on the Nilghiris and its slopes, most numerous perhaps on the table- land, where it frequents the cultivation. They are always in flocks (even in the breeding season apparently), and when rising, flying, or alighting, they keep up a continuous feeble, sharp, single note. This note too they occasionally utter when seated on the ground, feeding. They breed, asa rule, in thorny bushes, building a large globular nest of grass (generally green), but never lining it wit feathers as JZunia punctulata does. Ihave never, that [ am aware, seen it perch on trees or bushes, except during the breeding season when it is building its nest. 706.—Passer domesticus, Lin. The Sparrow. Common everywhere where there are human habitations ; the Sparrow is specially abundant on the Nilghiris, and about the Badaga villages large flocks may be seen feeding in the fields. As a rule Sparrows build about houses, but on the road between Ootacamund and Coonoor large numbers breed in the holes in the steep cuttings on the road. 711.—Gymnoris flavicollis, Frankl. The Yellow. necked Sparrow. This Sparrow occurs on the slopes of the Nilghiris to about 4,000 feet elevation. I have also seen it in Wynaad and Mysore. I have found it most numerous on the Seegore Ghat. I have never seen it in the large flocks Jerdon speaks of, but in small parties, in pairs, and even singly. I have never found it near habitations, but always in thin tree jungle. [722.—Euspiza luteola, Sparrm. The Red-headed Corn Bunting. Oceurs in the south and south-west of Mysore, and I believe in the Wynaad also at times.— A. O. H.] 738.—Carpodacus erythrinus, Pal/, The Common Rose Finch. A cold weather visitant, and found all over the district, but especially numerous on the Nilghiris, where it remains till quite late, till the last week in April, at any rate, for I have shot specimens then; the males are then in nearly full breeding plumage. Itis always in flocks, and feeds about gardens, &c., on seeds. I have never seen it feeding except when there was a good deal of cover close at hand to which it could easily 404 NoTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS retreat when alarmed. Although associating in flocks, they seem to act to a great extent independently of one another, for coming upon a flock, they do not all rise simultaneously but singly or in pairs, and so on. 755.—Mirafra affinis, Jerd. The Madras Bush Lark This Lark occurs round the base of the Nilghiris, and I found it rather numerous about Gundalupet and Muddur in_ the Mysore country. It frequents stony ground and ploughed land, and is partial to coming on to the roads. When approached it usually runs for a short distance a foot or two, and then squats close to the ground, and only when directly and very closely approached does it fly. I have passed one squatting within a yard, and it has not attempted to fly. Its flight is undulating and rather weak. It has the usual habit of the genus of rising a few feet into the air singing, and then descending with a quivering motion of the wings, usually alighting on a bush, The following are the dimensions taken in the flesh of four specimens :— Length, 5°4 to 5:9; expanse, 10°4 to 11:0; tail, 1°6 to 1:9 ; wing, 3:0 to 33; tarsus, 10 to 1°01; bill from gape, 0°6 to 0:7; weight, 0°75 to 1:0 oz. Irides vary from burnt sienna to cinnamon brown ; legs, feet, lower mandible, gape, and edge of upper mandible along commissure fleshy ; rest of upper mandible brown; claws bluish horny. 760.—Pyrrhulauda grisea, Scop. The Black-bellied Finch Lark. I only met with this species in Mysore, and only in those places that were arid and stony. As remarked by Jerdon, it is particularly partial to roads. When approached it squats close to the ground, and, asa rule, allows of a very near ap- proach. It keeps entirely to the low country, and does not, 1 believe, ascend the hills at all. . 765.—Spizalauda deva, Sykes. The Small Crown-crest. This Lark was not at all uncommon between Gundalupet and Muddur in Mysore, frequenting the grassy plains, cultivated land, edges of roads, &c. It rises to a good height in the air singing (but not so high as d. gulgula). It has much the ‘same habit as A. gulgula. I found it usually in pairs. The following are the dimensions of three specimens, two males AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MYSORE. 405 and one female. The female measures slightly smaller than the males, so I give them separately :— Males.—Length, 5:7 to 6:05 ; expanse, 11°1; tail, 2°1 to 2°2 ; wing, 3°3 to 3°4 ; tarsus, 0°7 to 0°75 ; bill from gape, 0°6; weight, 0:75 oz. Female.—Length, 5:5; expanse, 10:4; tail, 1°85; wing, 3°1; tarsus, 0°8; bill from gape, 0°6 ; weight, 0°7 oz. Lower mandible, and upper mandible along commissure, legs, feet, and claws, fleshy, sometimes more or less tinged with brown; rest of upper mandible horny brown; irides vary from sienna to cinnamon brown. 765 bis.—Spizalauda malabarica, Scop. The Large Crown-crest. - This species replaces the last on the hills; it is not uncommon on the plateau of the Nilghiris, frequenting the grassy hills in pairs or small parties, most usually the latter. It is a per- manent resident there, or more correctly a great proportion are permanent residents, for I once during my trip came across a flock of about thirty a few miles from Gundalupet ; they kept together, and seemed very unsettled in their movements. I shot some to make quite sure that they were S. malabarica. Whether they were migrating to or from the hills I cannot say. This was onthe 23rd of May. This was the only time that I have seen them away from the hills. They avoid the vicinity of cover as arule. A few years ago they were common on many of the grassy hills and downs in the town of Oota- camund, but since these have been planted with trees and shrubs, the Larks have quite deserted them, and taken themselves off to the outskirts of the town where lots of grass land still remains untouched. They have the usual habits of the true Sark, and their song is much more powerful than that of the preced- ing species, but not so prolonged as that of A. gulgula, nor do they rise so high in the air as this last named species. The following is a resumé of the dimensions taken in the flesh of a number of specimens, the males being a little larger than the female, but the sexes not differing in the colors of. the soft parts :— Males.—Length, 6°4 to 6°6; expanse, 12°2 to 12°75; tail, 2°2 to 2°4; wing, 4:0 to 4:12; tarsus, 0°98; bill from gape, 0°71 to 0:72; weight, 1:2 to 1:25 oz. Females.—Length, 6:1 to 6:2; expanse, 11°6 to 12:0; tail, 1:9 to 2:0; wing, 3°5 to 3°8; tarsus, 0°98; bill from gape, 0°7 to 0°71; weight, 1°12 to 1:2 oz. Lower mandible and upper mandible along commissure, legs, feet, and claws pale fleshy brown; rest of upper mandible dark borny brown; irides vary from wood to cinnamon brown. 406 NoTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS 767 ane gulgula, Frankl.* The Indian Sky-' lark. The Skylark is very common on the Nilghiris, and occurs, but. less abundantly, in the Wynaad, &c, It frequents only grassy places and avoids cover. Its song is very fine, and long con- tinued, and it rises toa great height in the air. A few years ago. its song during the season could be heard any morning within the town of Ootacamund, but singe all the hills and swamps within the limits have been planted up with Eucalypti, the bird, like S. malabarica, has retreated to the outskirts of the station where plenty of grassy land still remains unplanted. The following is a resumé of a number of specimens mea- sured in the flesh :— Length, 6°5 to 6°83; expanse, 11°7 to 12°7; tail, 1°85 to 2°45; wing, 3°5 to 4:0; tarsus, 0°95 to 1-0; bill from gape, 0°7 to 0°75; weicht, 50°85 to 1°2 ozs. Legs, feet, claws, and lower mandible fleshy, sometimes more or less tinged reddish ; upper mandible dark horny brown, sometimes edged along commissure with pale fleshy brown ; irides vary from hazel to dark nut brown. 773.—Crocopus chlorigaster, Bly. The Southern Green Pigeon. T met with this Pigeon in flocks in Seegore, and between that place and Bandipur in Mysore. I also noticed it on one or two occasions in the Wynaad. They do not differ in any particular in habits from C. viridifrons of Burma, of which a full account will be found in Vol. VI. of S. F., and they have a similar note. 774.—Osmotreron bicincta, Jerd. The Orange- ; breasted Green Pigeon, ~ I did not obtain this species myself during my trip, but some ears ago I saw a specimen that had been shot in Charambady in Wynaad by Mr. F. Hodgson. 775.—Osmotreron malabarica, Jerd. The Grey- fronted Green Pigeon. I found this Pigeon in small flocks in different parts of the Wynaad, and in the better wooded parts of the Mysore country, but nowhere very abundant. It has the same note and habits as the other members of the genus. It does not ascend the hills, nor does it frequent any but well-wooded districts. ® This of eourse is A. australis, Brooks. Personally I concur with Davison that the southern hill form of gulgula scarcely, merits specific, separation.—Ep,, 8.F. WET} AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MyYsoRE. 407 The following is a resumé of a number of specimens mea- sured in the flesh. The sexes donot appear to differ in size :— Length, 10°6 to 11:1; expanse, 17°2 to 18-0; tail, 3-4 to 3-6; wing, 5°6 to 5:9; tarsus, 0°8 to 0°85; bill from gape, 0-9 to 0°95 ; weight, 4°5 to 5°5 ozs. _ Irides, outer ring pink, inner bright pale blue; horny portion of bill bluish white; rest of bill pale bluish green; legs and feet lake pink ; claws bluish white. 781 bis.—Carpophaga cuprea, Jerd. The Southern Bronze J mperial. This fine Pigeon is not uncommon in the grand forests of the Wynaad and the slopes of the Nilghiris. I have always found it in small flocks. Ihave never found it anywhere except in heavy forest. It is particularly fond of eating the wild nut- meg. It swallows the nutmeg with: the mace on, the latter being digested, but the nutmeg with its hard outer shell being voided. 786.—Palumbus elphinstonii, Sykes. The Nilghiri Wood Pigeon. This Wood Pigeon is not uncommon in the woods on the Nilghiris and its slopes, but I did not meet with it in either the Wynaad or Mysore. It is, however, comparatively common in the Bramagherries in Coorg. It moves about a good deal, and a shola that. may be full of them one week will not contain a single specimen the following week ; this is due, I fancy, to the prevalence or otherwise of berries. I too have often noticed the fact mentioned by Jerdon of their feeding on the ground outside the forests. I found them very numerous in March in the forests about Neddivuttum, and procured a good number of specimens, eight of which I measured. The sexes do not differ in size or colour of soft parts, one from the other. The following isa resumé of the dimensions, &c., of these elght specimens :— Length, 16:1 to 17:7; expanse, 25:0 to 26:5; tail, 6:3 to 6°9; wing, 83 to 9°0; tarsus, 1°08 to 1:15; bill from gape, 1-1 to 1:2; weight, 10°0 to 12:0 ozs. Fleshy portion of bill, legs, feet and eyelids pink; rest of bill and claws horny white ; irides vary from a pale yellowish red to a red brown. 792.—Turtur pulchratus, Hodgs. The Indian Tur- tle Dove. I shot a specimen of this at Manantoddy. This specimen I have carefully compared with others from Simla and its neigh- 408 NoTEs ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS bourhood, and it in no ways differs from them. The abdomen, vent, and lower tail-coverts in the specimen I procured are’ snow white. I saw several others close to where I procured my specimen, and I also noticed some Doves near Muddur in Mysore, which’ T incline to think were of this species. ‘urtur meena may occur, but I have not observed it. 794.—Turtur senegalensis, Lin. The Little Brown Dove. This little Dove occurs sparingly on the tableland of the Nilghiris, and a few can always be obtained about the Badaga cultivation. It is much more common at the foot of the hills in. the Mysore country, but always about cultivation, especially when the fields are stony. It avoids well wooded land. Four specimens measured in the flesh as follows :— ‘Length, 10°5 to 10°8; expanse, 15°5 to 16°0; tail, 4-5 to 4°9; wing, 4:7 to 5:1; tarsus, 0°75 to 0°8; bill from gape, 0°75 to: 0°8 ; weight, 2:75 to3°0 ozs. Bill and claws black; legs and feet pink ; irides deep brown. 795.—Turtur suratensis, Gm. The Spotted Dove. This species was very common all over the district in suitable localities. Some years ago it was much more numerous in the vicinity of Ootacamund than it is now, but it is so slaughtered by the natives that it has greatly diminished in numbers. It is particularly fond of feeding about the roads. 796.—Turtur risorius, Zin. The Eastern Ring Dove. These Doves were not uncommon about Seegore, and near Gundalupet. Many years ago I shot one at a village about seven miles from Ootacamund and on the plateau of the Nilghiris, but it is the only one Iever heard of being killed at this elevation. 798.—Chalcophaps indica, Zin. The Emerald Ground Dove. This species does not occur as high on the Nilghiris as Ootacamund, but I have shot it as high up as Coonoor on the one side, and Neddivuttum on the other, but they are not common at this elevation; lower down on the Ghats and in the Wynaad they occur more numerously, but they are not common anywhere. They keep a good deal to cover, and are fond of feeding along shady roads. Their coo is a very: AND IN PARTS CF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MyYSorE. 409 prolonged and mournful one, and can be heard an immense distance. Their flight is exceedingly rapid. I have taken the nest on several occasions, andl can confirm Layard’s state- ment as to the colour of the eggs. Blyth must have made some mistake, because the eggs always are more or less of “a pale yellowish drab” or very pale café au lait. 803.—Pavo cristatus, Zin. The Pea-fowl. Occurs through the Wynaad and Mysore, and on the slopes of the Nilghiris up to about 4,000 feet; it is local and not common anywhere; the only place where I found it at all abundant was in the vicinity of Muddur in Mysore. 813.—Gallus sonnerati, Tem. The Grey Jungle-fowl. This species occurs all through the Wynaad in the Mysore country, ascending quite to the summit of the Nilghiris, and is prettv abundant. The undergrowth of many of the forests on the Nilghiris is almost entirely composed of Strobilanthes whitiant, and when this seeds,as it does once in about seven years, the Jungle-fowl assemble in vast numbers to feed on the seed. They do this too when the bamboo seeds. Inplaces, where as inthe vicinity of Ootacamund and Coonoor they are much disturbed, they become exceedingly shy and wary, but where they are not much disturbed, they are easily approachable. The crow of the cock is peculiar, and might be syllablized kuk-kah-kaha- kuk, and is quite unlike that of the red Jungle-fowl. The eall of the female is something like kukkun-kuk kun. The cock crows chiefly in the mornings and evenings, and sometimes also during the day in cloudy weather. The cock goes through a partial moult, losing his hackles and central tail feathers during the rains. When in really fine plumage the male is an exceedingly handsome bird. I shot a magnificent male on the 3lst of March at a village a few miles from Ootacamund, and not wishing to carry it about with me all the morning, I sent it back to camp, and when I returned about mid-day, I found to my disgust that it had been skinned, so I can only give partial measurements and those taken from the skin, and I can give no weight, but I should judge that it weighed quite three pounds. The following are the dimensions of theskin:— Male.—Length, 31:3; tail, 18-0; wing, 9°85; tarsus, 2°8; bill from gape, 1:4. The following are dimensions taken in the flesh of three fine but ordinary males, and a female :— Males.—Length, 249 to 26-6; expanse, 28-0 to 30-0; tail, 12-6 to 14°75 wing, 8°75 to 9°6 ; tarsus, 2°8 ; bill from gape, 1-4; weight, 2°0 to 2°5 lbs. 52 410 NoTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS In the male the irides are orange red to wax yellow; the facial skin, comb, wattles, &c., pale pinky vermilion; legs and feet yellowish fleshy. Female.—Length, 17°6 ; expanse, 23°5 ; tail, 5:5; wing, 7°95 ; tarsus, 2°5 ; bill from gape, 1:1; weight, 1°5 lbs. 814.—Galloperdix spadiceus, Gm. The Red Spur- fowl. This Spur-fowl occurs over the same limits as the Grey Jungle- fowl, but is much more numerous, and does not confine itself to the forests and sholas, but occurs in scrub jungle. Since the introduction of a close season on the Nilghiris, this species and all the small resident game have greatly increased in numbers. I have seen the present species feeding on the road- side in the early morning, within the limits of the town of Coonoor. The male has a partridge-like call heard in the morning and evenings during the cold weather. ‘The sexes do not vary in size apparently. The following is a resumé of the dimensions of eight specimens, four males and four females :— Length, 13°3 to 14°2 ; expanse, 18:0 to 20:3 ; tail, 4°3 to 5:7 ; wing, 5°4 to 65; tarsus, 1:7 to 1:9; bill from gape, 0°85 to 1:0; weight, 11-0 to 16 ozs. Legs, feet, facial skin, base of bill, bright red; rest of bill reddish horny ; irides deep red brown. 815.—Galloperdix lunulatus, Valenc. The Painted Spur-fowl. T have once killed this Spur-fowl on the Ghat below Coonoor. Mr. G. R. Dawson of Coonoor procured another there, and Mr. Rhodes Morgan shot one, I believe, on the Seegore Ghat. These are all the specimens that I know of having been procured.* The bird is certainly very rare on the Nilghiris. Ido not know of its occurrence in Wynaad or Mysore. 822.—Ortygornis pondicerianus, Gm. The Grey Partridge. Occurs sparingly ‘on the slopes of the Nilghiris to about 5,000 feet on the Seegore side, and it is not uncommon in some parts of Mysore. * But see “THe Gaur Birps or Inpta,” I. 246. We have had specimens sent us from the Orange Valley below Kotagherry, and at least half a dozen localities about the bases of the Nilghiris.—Ep., S. F. AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MYSORE. 411 826.—Perdicula asiatica, Lath. The Jungle Bush Quail. Not uncommon in some parts of Mysore, between Gun- dalupet and Mnuddur for instance. It is always in coveys keeping much to the thorny scrub. I have not noticed it on the slopes of the Nilghiris, nor did I come across it in the Wynaad. A male measured in the flesh :— Length, 7:2; expanse, 10°6; tail, 1:7; wing, 3:4; tarsus, 1-1; bill from gape, 0°5; weight, 2°75 ozs. Legs and feet pale reddish yellow; upper mandible and tip of lower mandible dull black ; base of lower mandible plum- beous ; irides cinnamon red; claws pale reddish horny. 828.—Microperdix erythrorhynchus, Sykes. The Painted Bush Quail. This handsome Quail occurs all over the district embraced within this paper. It is still common in many parts, but of late years has become quite scarce in the neighbourhood of Ootacamund and Coonoor, &c. But coming as it does under the protection of the close season, it is to be hoped it may again increase in numbers. It occurs in larger or smaller coveys, and with dogs affords some pretty shooting. The sexes do not differ in size. The following are the dimensions of four specimens :— Length, 6:9 to 7:3; expanse, 10°5 to 10°6; tail, 1°75 to 2:1; wings, 3°15 to 3:3; tarsus, 1:0 to 1-07; bill from gape, 0-6 to 0°61; weight, 2:12 to 2-5 ozs. Bill, legs, and feet, ver- milion red ; irides red brown. 829.—Coturnix communis, Bonn. The Quail. I shot a specimen of this Quail, a female, within tliree miles of the town of Ootacamund on the 14th January 1881. In former years too I have on a few occasions met with them on the Nilghiris. I did not meet with it either in the Wynaad or Mysore. 830.—Coturnix coromandelica, Gm. The Rain Quail, This Quail was not uncommon near Muddur in Mysore in moderate sized coveys. I also observed it in other parts of Mysore, near Gundalupet, Teppu Kardu, &., and it also occurs in the Wynaad, though I did not obtain it there. Some years ago I shot one out of a small covey on the edge of the Government Cinchona Plantations at Neddivuttum, and on another occasion [ killed one in Ootacamund. 412 NOTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS 831.—Excalfactoria chinensis, in. The Blue- breasted Quail. I found this beautiful species occurring sparingly through the grassy portions of the Wynaad, and obtained some speci- mens at Rampore, on the confines of the Mysore territory. I did not observe it, nor do I know of its occurrence, on the hills. 832.—Turnix taigoor, Sykes. The Black-breasted Bustard Quail. I found this species not uncommon about the cultivated fields in Mysore, always in pairs or singly, more frequently the latter. I did not meet with it in the Wynaad, but it doubtless occurs. I have never met with it on the hills. 834.—Turnix joudera, Hodgs. The Larger Button Quail. I obtained a single specimen of this species, a male, near Karote at the foot of Banasore Peak in the Wynaad. It was the only time I met with it. It measured— Length, 5°6; expanse, 10:1; tail, 1:05; wing, 2°95; tarsus, 0:9; bill from gape, 0°62 ; weight, 1°62 ozs. Legs, feet, claws, lower mandible and upper mandible to nostril pale yellow; lower mandible tipped pale brown ; rest of upper mandible dark brown; irides white. [839.—Sypheotides aurita, Lath. The Lesser Florican. A single specimen was killed on the slopes of the Nilghiris some years ago between Neddivuttum and Pykarra, going down to the Wynaad.—A. O. H.] [840.—Cursorius coromandelicus Gm. The Indian Courier Plover, Has been sent from 8. W. Mysore, quite near to Gundalupet. —A. O. H.] [849.—Aigialitis dubia, Scop. The Common Ring Plover. Sultan’s Battery, Wynaad; 8. W. Mysore; near the foot of the Coonoor Ghat, and I expect everywhere about the bases of the Nilghiris—A. O. H.] AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MYSORE. 413 855.—Lobivanellus indicus, Bodd. The Red-wattled Lapwing. I found it not uneommon in the Wynaad and Mysore. It occasionally also ascends the hills, for I have shot it within five or six miles of Ootacamund, but it does not, I think, breed on the hills, for I have only met with it during the cold weather. [856.—Lobipluvia malabarica, Bodd. The Yellow- wattled Lapwing. I have seen this from 8. W. Mysore.—A. O. H.] 859.—(idicnemus scolopax, S. G. Gm. ‘The Stone Plover. IT have met. with this species at the foot of the Nilghiris at Seegore. I also came across it at Bandipur, where 1 obtained both adult and young birds. On all occasions I have found it in thin tree jungle with hardly any undergrowth. 867.—Scolopax rusticula, Zin. The Woodcock. On the Nilghiris Woodcock are not uncommon from about October to the end of February ; they frequent the sholas, and Woodcock shooting is a favourite amusement on the hills. 868.—Gallinago nemoricola, Hodgs. The Wood- Snipe. A cold weather visitant to the Nilghiris, and I have heard of its being killedin the Wynaad. It doubtless also occurs on the Bramagherries. On the Nilghiris it was never common, and it seems to be getting still more rare, year by year, and theweh when on the Nilghiris last 1 had offered all the native shikaris a large price for any specimens they could procure me, I failed to cet any. It frequents much the same sort of places as the Woodcock does, but I have flushed it from among some bushes growing on the edge of a marsh. 870.—Gallinago sthenura, uhi. The Pintail Snipe. Also only a cold weather visitant, but coming in earlier and leaving later than either the Jack or Wood Snipe, It arrives on the Nilghiris early in September usually, but I have known it to come in as early as the last week in August, and I have killed it as late as the 5th of May in the Wynaad. [871.—Gallinago ccelestis, Frenzi. The Snipe. This occurs throughout the region treated of, alike in hills and plains; but it may be much rarer, as some say, on the former.—A. QO. H.] 414 NoTEs ON SOME BIBDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS 872.—Gallinago gallinula, Zin. The Jack Snipe. Occasionally visits the Nilghiris. [ have not heard of its being obtained in the Wynaad. It is possible that it is not so rare us it appears, as it may often be overlooked from its inveterate habit of lying so close as to be almost impossible to flush with- out dogs. 873.—Rhynchea bengalensis, Lin. The Painted Snipe. I have seen specimens of this Snipe from the Wyraad, but I do not know whether it is a permanent resident there oer not. T ain not aware of its ever having beea seen or obtained on the hills. Since the above was written Mr. Rhodes Morgan writes to me that a specimen was shot by Mr. Hadfield in January contain- ing a fully shelled eg, so it must breed in the Wynaad. [884.—Tringa minuta, Jeisl. ‘The Little Stint. I myself saw this below the Coonoor Ghat, and have received it from S. W. Mysore,—A. O. H.] 891.—Rhyacophila glareola, Zin. The Spotted Sandpiper. Common about marshes, pools of water, and along the banks of streams, where these are not bordered by trees. On the Nilghiris it remains very late. I have seen specimens about the ponds in the Botanical Gardens at Ootacamund as late as July. I thought that they might possibly breed there, but the most careful searching failed to discover any nest. rv 892.—Totanus ochropus, Zin. The Green Sand- piper. Some years ago I saw a specimen of this Sandpiper shot on the bank of the lake at Ootacamund. It is the only time I have seen it in Southern India. ‘To the hills at any rate it must be a very rare visitant. 893.—Tringoides hypoleucus, Lin. The Common Sandpiper. As commonas 891, and frequenting the same kind of places. On the Nilghiris, at any rate, it does not stay so late as 2. g/areola. [894.—Totanus glottis, Zin. The Green Shank. Received from the Wynaad. Doubtless common everywhere, where there is water, below 3,000 feet.—A. O. H.] AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN Mysore. 415 900.—Parra indica, Zath. The Bronze-winged Jacana. Oceurs in the Wynaad. Mr. T. Darling of the Rasselas Estate, near Manantoddy, obtained a specimen. 905.—Gallinula chloropus, Zin. The Water Hen. Common on the lake at Ootacamund, where it breeds among the sedge, growing on the margin. I have also often seen it in Wynaad, and in Mysore on the Gundalupet lake. 907.—Erythra pheenicura, Penn. The White- breasted Water Hen. Rare on the Nilghiris and its slopes, buf not uncommon at the base of the hills, through the Wynaad, and in Mysore. I have killed it in the Botanical Gardens at Ootacamund. [910.—Porzana bailloni, Vieil?. Baillon’s Crake. Sent us from the Wynaad.—A. O. H.] 911.—Porzana fusca, Zin. The Ruddy Crake. I obtained two specimens, both males, of this species, in some rice fields at Karote in the Wynaad on the 2nd of May. It was the only time I saw it during my trip. I have never met with it, nor am I aware of its ever having been obtained on the hills. In the specimens I obtained, the bill was black, the legs and feet coral red, and the irides crimson. 913.—Hypotenidia striata, Zin. The Blue-breasted Banded Rail. The late Mr. J. Darling shot a specimen of this Rail in the Wynaad ; he showed me some fragments of the skin, sufficient for identification however. 919.—Ciconia alba, Bechst. The White Stork. Mr. G. A. R. Dawson, of Coonoor, obtained two specimens — of this bird on the Nilghiris, one of which is, I believe, still in his possession. He says: “ During the month of October 1870, a flock of eighteen of this species were seen feeding on the open grass land near the sandy nullah between Ootacamund and Pykarra. I was only made aware of the fact by a couple of the birds having been shot by a native and brought to me. I visited the spot early next morning, but found the birds had flown.”’ I have never myself come across this species in Southern India. 416 NOTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS 920.-—Dissura episcopa, Bodd. The White-necked Stork. Saw a pairon a dead tree on the river bank at Manantoddy, Wynaad, the only pair I saw during the trip. [923.—Ardea cinerea, Lin. The Heron. Occurs in S.-W. Mysore. I believe in the very piece of water Davison visited.—A. O. H.] [924.—-Ardea purpurea, Zin. The Purple Heron. One specimen was sent us for identification from somewhere about the bases of the Nilgiris.—A. O. H. | [927.—Herodias garzetta, Zin. The Little Kgret, and 929.—Bubulcus coromandus, Bodd. The Cattle Egret, were both contained in a collection made in 8.-W. Mysore.— A. 0. H.] 930.—Ardeola grayi, Syses. The Pond Heron. Common through the Wynaad and Mysore in suitable locali- ties. Some years ago this species was rare on the Nilghiris, a few occurring during the cold weather about the lake at Ootacamund, but within the last three or four years it has become quite numerous about the marshy banks of the lake. I counted thirty in the course of a walk one morning. It is, however, only acold weather visitant to the Nilghiris, disappear- ing as the breeding season approaches. 931.-—Butorides javanica, Horsf. The Little Green Bittern. On several oceasions I met with this bird both in the Wynaad and in Mysore, always on the banks of well-wooded streams. Iam not aware that it ascends the hills. 932.—Ardetta flavicollis, Zath. The Black Bittern. I have shot this species on the Moyar river immediately below Neddivuttum. I have also seen it in the Wynaad. Very rarely it ascends the hills. I have once seen a specimen killed by a-native shikaree close to Ootacamund. Like many of the Herons this species is crepuscular in its habits. AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MYSORE. 417 (933.—Ardetta cinnamomea, Gm. The Chestnut Bittern. Two or three specimens of this were sent us some years ago from the Wynaad.—A. O. H.] 937.—Nycticorax griseus, Lin. The Night Heron. Though I have never actually procured a specimen, I have on several occasions heard the Night Heron in the Wynaad. 940.—Anastomus oscitans, Bodd. The Shell Ibis. I saw a small flock of about twenty of these birds at Bandi- pur in Mysore. 942.—Inocotis papillosus, Tem. The Warty-headed Ibis. I found flocks of this Ibis frequenting the trees bordering the banks of the river at Manantoddy in the Wynaad during April 1881. It was the only time I saw the species during my trip. They were exceedingly noisy, and were no doubt pre- paring to breed. [950.—Sarcidiornis melanonotus, Penn. The Comb Duck. This occurs in S.-W. Mysore certainly, also I believe in the Wynaad.—A. O. H.] Eten sueenus coromandelianus, Gm. The Cotton eal. This certainly occurs in both the Wynaad and S. Mysore.— A. O. H.] [952.—Dendrocygna javanica, Horsf. The Whist- ling Teal. I have seen this both from the Wynaad and 8. W. Mysore, but never fulva, though this too may possibly occur.—A. O. H.] [954.—Casarca rutila, Pall. The Ruddy Shell Drake. Occurs, but is rare in both the south of Mysore and the north of Coimbatore about the bases of the Nilghiris——A. O. H.] [957.—Spatula clypeata, Zin. The Shoveller. A specimen was sent me from the Wynaad, where I presume it is rare.—A, O. H.] 53 418 NoTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS 959.—Anas peecilorhyncha, forst. The Spot Bill or Grey Duck. I saw a pair of this species in a small swampy jheel surround- ed by jungle about three miles from Muddurin Mysore. I have occasionally seen it in other parts of Mysore near Gundalupet, &e. [961.—Chaulelasmus streperus, Zin. The Gadwall. Is common in 8. Mysore right to the bases of the Nilghiris, and I am almost sure it was reported to me from the Wynaad.— A. O. H.] (962.—Dafila acuta, Zin. The Pintail. Occurs both in the Wynaad where reported rare, and S.-W. Mysore.—A. O. H. | 964.—Querquedula crecca, Zin. The Common Teal. In suitable places this Teal is not uncommon, and in some places as at the Gundalupet lake it is very numerous. I have also on many occasions seen small parties on the lake at Ootaca- mund, but they do not remain many days after their arrival, being either all killed, or frightened away. It is of course only a cold weather visitant. [965.—Querquedula circia, Zin. The Garganey. This has been sent from S..W. Mysore, and occurs in the Wynaad.—A. O. H.] 975.—Podiceps minor, Gm. The Little Grebe, or Dabchick. Common on the lake at Ootacamund, where it is a permanent resident. I have also found it in several places in the Wynaad and Mysore. ? 986.—Sterna fluviatilis, Mawm., The Common Tern. Jerdon notes having obtained this species on the lake at Ootacamund.* I have myself on several occasions in past years noticed a small Tern on this lake, but it would only remain a few days and then disappear. I never saw more than one at a time. It is the only place where I have noticed them. * It is next to certain that Jerdon was mistaken. His specimen was probably either tibetana or albigena, vide S. F., VIII, 159.—Ep., 8. F AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MYSORE. 419 [987.—Sterna melanogastra, Zem. The Black- bellied Tern. &.-W. Mysore, certainly. The Wynaad I think.—A. O. H.] 1007.—Phalacrocorax pygmeus, Pall. The Little Cormorant. I have seen this species on the lake at Gundalupet in Mysore, and I think, late one evening near Manantoddy, I saw a party of this same species flying high overhead. 1008.—Plotus melanogaster, Penn. The Indian Snake Bird. I have obtained this species on the Pykarra river about nine miles from Qotacamund. I have also noticed it in Wynaad and on the lake at Gundalupet in Mysore. Notes, Mr. W. N. Cutt has sent me another specimen of Eris- matura leucocephala, TAR WuITE-FACED StirF-TaiL Duck, pro- eured by him in the Gurgaon district on the 28th October 1882. It will be remembered that the first time this species was obtained eastwards of Palestine and Asia Minor, in our lati- tudes (further north it was known to occur on the Caspian and in Western Turkestan) was when a pair of immature birds were shot near Khelat-i-Ghilzai, by Colonel Sir Oliver St. John on the 20th October 1879. I then predicted that the species would turn up in the Punjab and Sindh. Within a few months of this prediction Mr. F. Field shot an immature bird of this species close to the civil station of Loodhiana. This was on the 28th of October 1880. On the 21st of January 1882 Mr. Chill obtained an immature male of this species near the Najafgarh jheel, (say approximate- ly Lat. 29° N., Lone. 77° H.), and now again another near the same locality on the 28th October of the same year. The bird cannot, therefore, be very rare, as five specimens have reached me in three years. It is, therefore, extremely strange that it should have remained unnoticed up to 1879. Many sportsmen well up in water birds, myself amongst the number, have during the last 20 years shot ducks all over the 420 LETTERS TO TH EDITOR. Punjab, and yet none of us, so far as I can ascertain, ever met with any Stirr-Taits. Now the peculiarity of the wood- pecker-like tail is such that the bird could hardly have been overlooked if shot, and hence a suspicion arises that it has only been within the last few years that this species has ex- tended its migrations so far eastwards. It is possible that just as Patuas’ SanDeGrovse (Syrrhaptes paradoxus) only oc- easionally at long intervals of time makes a far westerly migration, as a rule travelling little out of Asia, though during its abnormal migrations reaching as far west as Ireland, so too the White-faced Stiff-Tail may only at long intervals, for two or three successive years, migrate as far east as Delhi. All the specimens yet obtained have been birds of the year. No adult male or female seems to have been met with thus far within our limits. Since this was written Mr. Lean of the 5th Bengal Cavalry informs me that he has just shot a duck of this species in the Pilibheet district. In India therefore the bird gets at least ns far east as the 80th degree E. Longitude, and later still Mr. Chill reports having obtained two more specimens near Farukhnagger. Metters to the Editor. Sin I writs to inform you that a single egg of the Flori- can (Sypheotides auritus) was found by Mr. F. C. Constable on the Hubb plains on the 13th instant (August.) It is a very broad oval with scarcely any perceptible tendency toa_ point, of a dark olive or stone color, with reddish brown rather broad markings at the larger end and streaks about the middle. James A. Murray. Dear Sir, In your work, the “ Game Birds of India,” I notice your remark regarding the call of the Painted Partridge as being “quite distinct from that of the Common Francolin,” or Black Partridge. Without venturing to contradict your assertion, I merely submit my own experiences in the matter, and should be much obliged if you could set me right. I was sent down to Nowgong in Central India last year in February, and one day, while driving toa distant jheel, I heard, as I thought, several Black Partridges calling. I must premise that I had never seen a Painted Partridge, while Blacks were tolerably common to me, and I could recognise their call LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 42] pretty correctly. I had, however, heard that there were no Blacks in that part of the country, so subsequently concluded that these must be Painted Partridges, and remarked to a friend of mine how very similar the calls of the two birds were. He acquiesced in this, but remarked that the Painted Partridge left out the single preliminary note, with which the Black commences his call. Some time after, when after these birds, I listened very attentively, and I found that the bird occasion- ally omitted this first note, but as often as not, sounded it, while in other respects the calls seemed identical. I shot about three brace of Painters that morning, and not a single Black was flushed,—-in fact, I believe they are never seen there. It is impossible, as you say, to represent the call on paper, but the “‘ beats’’ of the call seem to me something like this =e ee ee ON eyes ot PETE = SSS es SS eee ————— SS SS eS SS SS See I do not mean that these notes played on apiano will give you the least idea of the call as far as the sound goes, but ina certain way expresses the time or cadence of the notes. Iam afraid I have troubled you with a long letter on a somewhat unimportant subject. I have only to add that should there be any birds in this part of the country whose skins you happen to want, I shall be very happy to try and get them for you. F, Monrresor, 5th Bengal Cavalry. BAREILLy, September 28th, 1882. SIR Last year my friend, Mr. A. T. Crawford, while on a short shooting excursion in North Kanara, got a small collection of birds numbering 24 species. The majority of these are common, but there were a few species of some interest amongst them, and as nothing has ever, I believe, been published about the ornithology of the North Kanara jungles, I thought it might be useful to send you the list. 1 am sorry I could not also send you the skins for verification, especially the one I discriminated as Lanius caniceps. I examined them, however, as carefuily as I could, and I do not think I can have made any mistakes. I sent you this same list about a year ago, but it appears never to have reached you. I have now added one or two notes. G.. Vinar Broacs, 10th October 1882. 422 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. List of a small collection of Birds made in the North Kanara Forests in May 1881 dy Mr. A. T. Crawrorp, C.S. 257 bis 285 286 342 345 354 469 678 775 781 bis 796 813 $45 849 907 SPECIES. Strix javanica, Gm. Harpactes fasciatus, Forst Merops swinhoii, Hume Coracias indica, Lin. Hydrocissa coronata, Bodd Paleornis purpureus, Bodd ... Picus mahrattensis, Lath Eudynamys honorata, Lin. ... Aracnothera longirostra, Lath Lanius caniceps Bly. Dissemurus paradiseus, Lin .. Chibin hottentota, Zzn. doc Myiophoneus horsfieldi, Vig. Pitta brachyura, Lin. Bb Geocichla cyanotis, Jard. and Selb. Irena puella, Lath. Dendrocitta leucogustra, Gould. Osmotreron malabarica, Jerd. Carpophaga cuprea, Jerd. ... Turtur risorius, Lin, Gallus sonnerati, Zem. es Charadrius fulvus, Gin. ABgialitis dubia, Scop. Erythra phoenicura, Penn. mr bobo) Snecimens.|| * me bo RPReE OD ee bo a orn mo REMARKS. Dark breasted West Const race ; similar in all respects to Ratnagiri specimens, This species has been obtained by Mr. Laird (teste Butler, vide S. ¥., IX., 389) in the forests west of Belgaum. Capt. Butler had not heard of its occurrence elsewhere within the limits treated of in hig paper. A specimen (vide 8. F., VIL, 35) was got by Mr. Bourdillon in South Travancore. The single specimen obtained appeared to belong to the southern form (vide 8, F., 1V., 243). Whe difference between this specimen and L. erythronotus, in the absence of rufous in the lower back and scapulars, was strongly marked. After a careful examination of the skin according tothe key given at 8S. F., VIL, 374, I have little doubt that it was correctly discrimisated. This species appears to be com- mon in the Travancore Hills (vide 8S. F., IV., 402), and Jerdon states that it is found in some of the jungles of the Malabar Coast and in the Wynaad, and on the slopes of the Neilgherries, besides Coorg and Travancore. Mr. Fairbank does not appear to have met with it on the Palani hills, This species also is said to be abundant in Travancore, vide 8. F., 1V., 403. LETTERS To THE EDITOR. 423 SIR In the Game Birds of India, you say in your descrip- tion of Grus communis or the Kullang that you have never seen it before the 3rd of October. I may tell you I saw a flock consisting of from eight to ten of the above birds pass over this station on the 25th September last. I may also add that yesterday, the 8th of October, I saw a pair of Gadwal on a small jhil about eight miles distant. The Kullang were proceeding in a _ westerly direction, evidently towards the Sutlej river. H. A. Kinuocn, Lieut., FEROZEPORE. 60th Rifles. Sir, I HAVE one addition and a few unimportant correc- tions to make to the ‘“ First List of the Birds of the South Konkan,” published at pp. 1 to 96 of Vol. IX of Srray Featuers. Since I left Ratnagiri my former shikari sent me a skin of the following species :— 902*—PorPHYRIO POLIOCEPHALUS, Lath. The specimen was shot at Malvan in November 1880. I never saw or heard of it myself in the South Konkan, and its occurrence must be rare. The local vernacular name for the species is said to be Kambala fite. Capt. Butler says it is rare in the Deccan, and that he did not find it in the neighbour- hood of Belgaum. I found a small colony of purple Coots last year in the reeds in the Patas tank in the Poona district. This makes the total number of species reeorded 286, instead of 284 as entered in the list, one species having pre- viously escaped enumeration. Of these 269 have been verified by the Editor, not 266, as stated at page 3. The remaining 17 unverified species are as follows :— 4. Gyps indicus, (probably 4bis. G. pallescens.) Dd. Pseudogyps bengalensis. 6. Neophron ginginianus. 63. Syrnium indranee. 115. Harpactes fasciatus. 119. Merops Swinhoiti. 145. Tockus griseus. 166. Chrysocolaptes sultaneus. 198. Megalema malabarica, 767. Sa0 1:75 1:80 From Eastern Narra, Sind, collected by Mr. Doig a TOU 5°40 1:70 1:70 From Cutch, collected by Dr. Sto- liczka ae aes ew §=11°15 550 §=1:70 1:70 From Eastern Narra, Sind, collected by Mr. Doig a ges, .PU:25 5°25 170 1.t5 From Hyderabad, Sind, collected by Col. Butler 11°25 5°50 1:70 1:90 From Hyderabad, Sind, collected by ol. Butler (immature in change) 11:25 5°75 1:70 1:80 From Gulgun Shah, Eastern Turkes- ton, collected by Dr, Scully (im- mature) ... oo eve AP-26 5°70 1:80 1:80 From Eastern Narra, Sind, collecte by Mr. Doig BE tse * L150 5°45 1°75 1:70 From Etawah, collected by Mr. An- derson (Norwich Museum)* eee §=11°50 6:00 1:70 1:90 From Ahmedabad, Guzerat, collected by Mr. Doig, and presented by him to the Norwich Museum ve - 150 5-90 1:80 1:90 The subjoined measurements I have taken from specimens in the British Museum, which I believe to be males of F. babylonicus, but of which the sex was not recorded by the collectors :— * As to some discrepancy between Mr. Anderson’s measurements of his speci and my own, see “ The Ibis,” 1882, p. 311 (note). Sra 61 484 ON FALCO BABYLONICUS AND FALCO BARBARUS. Middte Wing, Tail. Tarsus. toe, s. # THe in. in, in. From Kurrachi, collected by Col. Butler (immature in change) east? L090 5:85 1:80 1-80 From Arung, near Raipur, Central Provinces, collected by Mr. Blewitt (imm ature inchange) . 11:05 5:70 1°75 1:70 From Delhi, collected by Mr. Hume (immature in change) .. 12-15 5°55 170 1:70 From Delhi, collected by Mr. Hume (imm ature in change) .. 11:20 5 65 1:70 175 From Eastern Nara, Sind, collected by Mr. Doig (adult)... 1125 5°40 170 170 From Guzerat, Sind, collected by My. Doig (adult) tas 11°35 5°50 1:70 1:70 I must also refer to a specimen which has much perplexed me, and whichis contained in the collection presented by Mr Hume to the British Museum. This Falcon was con- sidered by Mr. Hume to bea female of F. barbarus ; it was obtained by Mr. F. R. Blewittin the Nursingpoor district of the Indian Central Provinces on 16th December, 1869, and agrees in coloration with the most fully adult males (as I conceive them to be) of F. babylonicus, but is a slightly larger bird. Elaborate measurements of this specimen, taken from it whilst in the flesh, are quoted by Mr. Hume in “Stray Fea- thers, ” Vol. I, p. 21, and from these I extract the following for comparison with others ahove recorded, viz.: Wing, 11:40 inches; tail, 6°40; tarsus, 1°80; middle toe s. w., 1:80. My own measurements, taken from this specimen in the skin, give a slightly different result, viz: Wing, 11°70, tail, 5°60; tarsus, 2 ; middle toe s. u., 1:90. Mr. Hume, writing (loc. cit.} of this Falcon, and of the male obtained by Dr. Stoliczka in Cutch, of which I have already given my measurements, states that heat first referred both of them to F. babylonicus, but subsequently became convinced that they were a male and female of #. barbarus, and adds “in both specimens the sexes were ascertained and recorded by, I need not say, careful observers.” Notwithstanding the strong evidence of Mr. Hume’s state- ment, I cannot but suspect that some accidental error may have occurred in determining the sex of the supposed female _ specimen, and that in reality it is not a female of #. barbarus, but an unusually large and very adult male of #’. babylonicus, and I conceive that some confirmation of this suspicion arises from the circumstance that on the ticket attached to this- specimen, presumably by the collector, a blank space was left for the sex, which has beer filled with the word “ female” ON FALCO BABYLONICUS AND FALCO BARBARUS. 4S5 in a different handwriting from the rest of the ticket, and with a different ink, red instead of black.* The following are measurements which I have taken from specimens of i babylonicus which were marked as females either by the collector or the taxidermist employed ; except where otherwise described, the birds are all adult, and all preserved in the British Museum :— Middle, Wing. Tail. Tarsus. t0e, s. U. in. in. in. in. Purchased at Kashan by Dr. Scully (immature) «Sp. Imp. 1-70 1:90 Kandahar, collected by “Sir O. St. John (immattre in change) Imp. 6°75 2°00 2°08 Kashgar, collected by Dr, Scully (im- mature, wings slightly imperfect)... 11°80 6°10 1-90 1:95 Himalayas, collected by Dr. Jerdon, in possession of Canon Tristram (immature) an le 20 565 185 1:90 Punjab, collected by Dr. Jerdon, in possession of Major Wardlaw Ram- say (immature) Ps eet B230 ¥) esses.” 9. seuceepay one Kast Narra, Sind, collected by Mr, Doig (immature i in change) 12°35 6°56 1:90 2°10 Kandahar, collected by Sir O. St. John (immature in change) 12°40 6°55 1:90 2:00 Peshawar, collected by Mr. Hume (immature i inchange) . 12°45 6°80 2:00 2 05 Dado, Sind, collected by Mr. Doig (im- mature in change) 12°50 6 65 1°85 210 Babylonia, collected by ‘Commander Jones (immature in change) 1270 665 200 2°05 India, collected by Col Delme Rad- cliffe, i in possession of Lord Lilford 12°70 6°50 2°00 2:10 Samarcand, presented to Brit. Mus, by Mr. Seebohm de «ed - 12-70 6°30 2:10 1:90 Etawah District, collected by Mr. Brooks’ cs: 12°70 6:50 1:90 2°00 Eastern Narra, Sind, collected by Mr. Doig 12°90 6°65 1:80 2°10 Allygurh, N. W. India, “collected by Mr. Brooks 13°00 6:50 190 1:96 Umballa, India, collected by Dr. Scott, in possession of ee Ward- law Ramsay vase LOFLO Janene 2-00 2-05 Yarkand, collected by Dr. "Scully ww. 13:15 6°80 2°15 2°00 Tempeer, Lower Sind, collected by Mr. Hume... 13:15 6°90 2°00 2°10 Attock, India, collected by Mr. Hume (immature) 13 15 7:30 1:90 2:10 Hyderabad, Sind, collected by Col. Butler (immature in change) éav- AD20),, «Gi S0y eeu aso The following are measurements which I have taken from presumed females of F. babylonicus, the sex of which has not * Blewitt habitually thus added in the sex in red ink, with his own hand, after the bird had been skinned and he had himself dissected the body.—aA. O. H, 436 ON FALCO BABYLONICUS AND FALCO BARBARUS. been recorded ; these specimens (except where the reverse is mentioned) are all adult and preserved in the British Museum :— Middle. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. toe, s. u. in. in. in. in. Etawah District, collected by Mr. Hume (immature in change) og. 12:20 6°60 2°00 2:10 Khelat, collected by Mr. Hume --. 12.40 6°40 1:90 210 Delhi, collected by Mr. Hume (imma- ture) eee As See eget) 6°55 2:00 2°00 Umritsar, the Punjab, in the posses- sion of Major Wardlaw Ramsay ... 1265 eeeses 2°00 2:10 Oudh, collected by Col. L’Estrange, in the possession of Lord Lilford... 12°80 6 70 2°00 205 Locality unknown, preserved in Nor- wich Museum oer és 12°90 6°50 2°00 2°05 Guzerat, collected by Mr. Doig fe . 12°90 6°90 2°10 2°10 Eastern Narra, Sind, collected by Mr. Doig sce eae wat 2°95 6:30 1:90 2°10 Oudh, (type specimen) collected by Col. Irby and preserved in Norwich Museum ... fet Pe liane. 7:00 1°95 1:95 Said to be from Abyssinia, preserved in Norwich Museum ... sts* 13730 6°50 2°00 1:95 Punjab, collected by Mr. Hume «ss 13°30 710 210 2:00 Nepal, collected by Mr. Hodgson... 13:35 7:00 1:90 1:90 I add for comparison the following measurements of adult, or nearly adult, specimens of Falco barbarus, the sex of which has been recorded by the collectors. These measurements have been taken by myself from the specimens in question, which have all been obtained in Northern Africa; but additional carefully sexed African examples of #’. barbarus- are much to be desired, for the sake of supplying a larger series for comparison than exists at present. Middle. Wing. Tail. Tarsus toe, s. u. 1n. in, In. in. Tangier (Favier), in Norwich Museum 10:95 5°55 1°70 1:90 Sakkara, Egypt, in Norwich Museum 11:00 5°50 1-70 1:80 El Kab, Egypt, shot by and in the col- lection of Capt. Shelley eeell-20 5°45 1:70 1:80 Females. Kef, Boudjato, Eastern Atlas (vide ‘The Ibis,’ 1859, p. 187), in Nor- wich Museum ae ew 11:20 5°60 1:60 180 Egypt, obtained by Mr. W. C. B. Medlycott, in Norwich Museum ... 11°15 5°60 1:70 1:70 In conclusion, I may mention two adult Falcons from Nepal, which were presented by Mr. Hodgson to the British Museum, and which notwithstanding the very eastern locality where they were obtained, I can only refer to Fulco punicus. The smaller of these specimens, which I believe to be a male, is OUR INDIAN PELICANS. 487 entered at p. 387 of the Museum Catalogue under the head of Falco barbarus, and the larger, which is presumably a female, is one of the two specimens entered at p. 389 under the title of Falco babylonicus, to which species the other specimen from Nepal, also thus entered, does appear to me really to belong. The following are my measurements of these Falcons :-— Middle Wing. Tail. Tarsus. toe, 8, w. in. in. in. in. Presumed ¢ ... wat eceletic() 5°80 1:7 1°85 Presumed ¢ ows peceloral) 6-00 170 2°04 Our Indian Pelicans.* Mucu confusion and difference of opinion has prevailed as to the nomenclature and identity of the species of Pelicans which occur in India. This genus is one in which I have long taken a peculiar interest, and which, considering the difficulties which attend the preservation and stowage of such huge birds, is now tolerably well represented (by thirty- one specimens) in my museum.t Altogether nine or ten species of this genus are at present admitted, of which P. australis, Stephen; P. conspicillatus, Tem. from Australia; P. erythrorhynchus, Latham, from N. America; P. molinea, G. R. Gray of 8. America and P. fuscus, Lin., from the Gulf of Mexico and California, cannot in any way concern us; there remain five species which occur, or are supposed, or have been asserted to occur, within our limits. These readily divide themselves into two natural groups. Inthe former of these the frontal feathers extend forwards in a point to the culmen of the bill. In the second this point is truncated, and the feathers of the forehead terminate more or less squarely in a line at right angles and more or less concave to the base of the culmen. According to Mr. D. G. Elliot, whose monograph of the genus (P. Z. 8., 1869, p. 571) is by far the most complete synopsis which has yet appeared, we should include (of birds that may concern us)— * [NoTE,—This paper, written in 1873, but put aside because 1 hoped for better materials than I then possessed, is printed now without alterations, because it puts on record facts that may be useful to other enquirers, and my materials, having now been transferred ta the British Museum, I shall never now have an opportunity, if L even had the time, to revise it.—A. O. H.] ¢ I think when my collection was made over to the British Museum that it must have contained nearly one hundred specimens, 488 OUR INDIAN PELICANS. Under the first group — P. onocrotalus, Linn. P. minor, Rapp. =P. mitratus, Licht. P. javanicus, Horst. And under the second group— P. crispus, Bruch, a species in regard to which no doubts can exist, and to which I need not therefore refer further. P. rufescens, Gmel.= P. philippensis, Gmel., Briss., &c. Professor Schlegel unites all the three former species under onocrotalus. The following are the more important of Mr. Elliott’s remarks in regard to these several species :— ‘« Pelecanus onocrotalus, Zin. “ Occiput with a rather elongated crest during the breeding season; bare space around the eye diamond-shape behind and reaching to the base of the upper mandible; gular pouch extending for about six inches down the throat; feathers of the head form a distinct point upon the forehead ; upper mandible reddish at the base, becoming yellowish at the tip, with a line of crimson along the culmen; under mandible pale red; pouch and bare space about the eye flesh colour; primaries and spurious wing black; occipital crest* and the elongated feathers at the lower part of the neck in front light yellow; rest of plumage white, tinged with rose- colour ; tarsi flesh-colour ; tail of eighteen feathers. Length, about 5 feet; wing, 26 inches; tarsus, 44 inches; upper mandible, 16 inches. “ Habitat.—Europe and northern part of Africa. Common in Hungary, Crimea, Egypt, and Ionian Islands. Accidental in France and Algeria. In West Africa, at Senegambia, and Mozambique,+ also in Abyssinia. “The young during the first year are uniform greyish brown, the lanceolate feathers of the breast being entirely wanting. The perfect plumage is not acquired for some years; and the depth of the rosy tint is increased in the breeding season. + * * * * * * * * “Very great confusion exists in the synonymy of this species, the difficulty in the majority of instances arising from the uncertainty as to whether there are two species, one with alengthened occipital pendent crest, which would appear to be a smaller bird, and the other without any crest properly * This is | fancy a mistake—probably a misprint. I cannot learn that any of this group of Pelicans has a light yellow crest, ; + Ornithologie Westafrikas, p. 259. (Hartl.) OUR INDIAN PELICANS. 489 so called, the feathers of the occiput merely curling slightly upward. “During the breeding-season, however, the present bird, the true P. onocrotalus of Lin., has a somewhat lengthened occipi- tal crest, and at such times in this respect it does not differ materially from its smaller ally, this crest at other periods of the year being inconspicuous. But there is a slight difference in the width and extent of the line made by the feathers, which come down upon the forehead. In the present species it ends abruptly, with little lessening of the width, while in the smaller bird it is long and narrow, ending in almost a sharp point.” “Pelecanus minor, Riipp. “ Occipital crest long and pendent, formed of narrow feathers ; frontal feathers fully as prolonged asin P. onocratalus, forming a narrow line; general color pure white; occipital crest and patch on the breast yellowish ; spurions wing and primaries black; the gular pouch and bare space about the eye is almost precisely similar in shape to that of the preceding species, extending about the same distance down the throat ; the bill is yellowish; nail red ;orbits and pouch flesh color ; irides reddish. Length, about 55 inches; wing from carpal joint, 24 inches ; tail, 7 inches ; bill, 12 inches ; tarsus, 5 inches. “ Hab.—Sicily and Greece, Egypt, Abyssinia, west coast of Africa and India. “]T have given to this bird, if it really must be considered distinct from the common species. Riippell’s name of minor, as his diagnosis appear to agree very accurately with speci- mens of mitratus before me, and his name antedates that of Lichtenstein. As I have already stated in my article on P. onocrotalus the only difference between them is the smaller size, occipital crest, and rather narrower point of the frontal feathers of the present bird.” “Pelecanus javanicus, Horsf. * * * * * * “It is distinguished from P. onocrotalus, according to its describer, by having the margins of the tertiaries black, and by never having any pendent occipital feathers ; instead it has a few recurved feathers upon the nape. According to Blyth, as quoted from “ The Ibis,” the forehead is never tumid, the bare skin of the cheeks is deep purplish or livid carneous, and the pouch intense bright yellow. “ Length, as given by Blyth, 5 feet 6 inches ; alar extent, 8 feet 10 inches ; wing from carpal joint, 26 inches ; tail, 8 inches ; bill 490 OUR INDIAN PELICANS along culmen, 14°5 inches; tarsus, 5°5 inches ; another had the bill 15°5 inches ; wing, 27 inches; ina third the bill was 16 inches in length.” ‘Pelecanus rufescens, Gmel, ‘““ Adult—Head with a long, full pendent crest, some of the feathers five inches in length; feathers of the neck and head short, soft, rather furry to the touch; those of the body and wing-coverts long, and narrow lanceolate in form; feathers of the forehead coming down to the bill, forming a concave line upon the culmen ; gular sac, starting from the base of the lower mandible, descending in a gently curved line for about six inches upon the neck ; bare skin around the eye contracted, of small dimensions, extending no distance behind the eye, reaching to the base of the upper mandible in front ; head and neck soiled white; crest dark grey, tinged with rose, each feather tipped with white; back and upper tail-coverts deep rich rose color; feathers on the crop stiffened yellowish ; wings yellowish white; secondaries silver grey; primaries black with black shafts, white at the base, with the shafts brownish at the tips; tail silver-grey; shafts of greater and lesser coverts, secondaries and tail feathers black; bill yellow- ish, without any spots on the upper mandible; bare ocular space flesh-color, with a black conspicuous spot near the upper mandible; gular pouch yellowish, streaked with reddish lines; tarsi flesh-colored. Length about 60 inches ; wings from carpal joint to end of primaries, 20 to 24 inches ; tail, 8 inches ; bill along culmen, 15 inches ; tarsus, 3? inches ; middle toe, 44 inches. “ A second specimen is somewhat younger, probably assuming for the first time the adult livery, and not in as perfect plumage as the first. It is devoid of crest; the feathers of the head and neck are short, brown, tipped with white, giving to this part amottled appearance. The remainder of the plumage is dark grey, centre of the feathers brown, secondaries tipped with light brown; there is more of the rose colour however present; this hue extending somewhat upon the flanks and also covering the vent and entire tail-coverts. The measure- ments are: Wing, 24 inches; tail, 8 inches; bill along culmen, 134 inches ; tarsus, 3? inches; middle toe. 4 inches. ‘A third specimen, still younger, has the head and neck covered with a whitish down, a few short feathers standing out from the occiput ;_ the feathers of the body rounded, none of the lanceolate shape (so conspicuous a feature in the adult) yet present ; upper parts and wings light brown, each feather with a broad margin of white; secondaries dark brown in the OUR INDIAN PELICANS. 491 centre, fading out gradually to a browinsh-grey on the edges; primaries brownish black; back and upper tail-coverts pure white, with none of the reseate tinge so prevalent in the more matured individuals; tail silvery white; shafts of the feathers of the tertials, secondaries, primaries, and tail black, white at their bases; bill clear yellow; the upper mandible with two rows of impressed black spots; bare skin round the eye yellow (entire underparts pure white, the feathers soft and downy), the colors present in life having all disappeared. Wing from carpal joint, 22 inches; tail, 8 inches; bill along culmen, 124} inches ; tarsus, 3? inches ; middle toe, 4 inches. “¢ Habitat.—Nubia, Abyssinia, Senegal, Madagascar, India, Cochin-China, Malacca, Philippines, Java, &c. “The synonymy of this species appears to be in a sad_ state of coufusion, arising chiefly from the doubts existing whether this bird, and P. philippensis, are distinct—a circumstance which may indeed be very seriously questioned, as the differences that are claimed as sufficient to separate them are very slight, and may only be the result of age * * * “The Pelecanus cristatus of Lesson appears to be a bird of this species. The long lanceolate feathers of the crest and back delicately tinted with yellowish, together with the square shape of the frontal feathers, would seem to point out the present bird. The pure white of the plumage (“plumage blane pur’) cannot be taken as referring to the entire bird, as further on the description says: “ Plumes du con et du dos minces, effilees, legerement soufrees,’? which is observed also in specimens of rufescens. The absence of all mention of rose color on the back arises probably from the fact of Lesson’s specimen not being in the dress of the fully matured bird, which we may suppose alone possess this beauti- ful hue. ‘ M4 * “The P. philippensis of Jerdon is undoubtedly the immature bird of P. rufescens ; and the young, as described by him, is a bird of this species in its first stage of plumage. * * * A specimen of this bird in the British Museum, from Nepal, Hodgson’s collection, is very interesting, asit is just changing to the adult plumage, and exhibits very distinctly the reddish color of the back and rump, while still retaining the black marks on the upper mandible, thus combining the characteristics of rufescens and philippensis, and showing that the latter supposed species is but the young of the former. “Tt is very difficult te decide what species Jerdon intends by his P. javanicus, as he seems to confound three in one, viz., P. javanicus, P. minor, and P. rufescens. He describes his bird as having broad black margins on each side of the tertiaries, which is truly a character of javanicus ; but then 62 492 OUR INDIAN PELICANS. he speaks of an occipital crest, and golden yellow breast, which, with the dimensions given, would seem to refer his specimen to minor ; while at the conclusion of the article, he says, “ forehead with the frontal plumes not narrowed in front, but truncated, and emarginate ; bill with a double series of impressed dark spots.” Now the form of the frontal feathers here described renders it impossible that the bird he had in view could belong to any species of the onocrotalus style, and therefore both javanicus and minor are excluded from all further considera- tion ; while the truncate and emarginate frontal plumes, with dark spots upon the bill, are characteristics of young rufescens ; therefore I have referred Jerdon’s birds to the present species.” Now before going further it is necessary to point out that Dr. Jerdon never meant the words “forehead with frontal plumes, &c.” to refer to javanicus, at the end of the notice of which they appear, but to the next bird, immediately following these words, viz., P. philippensis. This is his invariable habit, and the subsequent short sentence “ can Riippell’s bird be the female of P. mitratus;’ a mere afterthought, in no way interferes with the arrangement. This is quite certain. Jerdon only describes four species of Pelicans, and on page 854 he distinct- ly says that “the first three, viz, onocrotalus, mitratus and javanicus all belong to the frontal point-feathered section. This difficulty, therefore, which seems so insuperable to Mr. Elliott, is one of his own creation, and not, as he fancies, a blunder of poor Jerdon’s, whose description of his javanicus is, as I shall show presently, an accurate picture of one stage of our Pelicans. Before proceeding to speak in detail of the species which, in my opinion, we actually have, I may remark that Dr. Sclater, P. Z. S., 1868, p. 266, refers to specimens received from Calcutta, to P. mitratus, Leicht. ; and adds: “ I have also little doubt that this species is the true P. minor of Riippell, it belongs to the same group as P. onocrotalus, but no one who has seen the two species alive together would deny their specific distinctness. P. mitratus is at once dis- tinguished by its smaller size, by the purer white of the whole plumage, and the long pendent crest.” In regard to the pure white, I must notice that Riippell in his “Voégel nord-ost Afrikas” figures P, minor as throughout tinted with a delicate rose color. In regard to rufescens and philippensis Mr. Sclater says: “ P. philippensis is, as admitted by all authors, a close ally of P. rufescens, but I agree with Prince Bonaparte (C. R., xli, p- 574 et Conep. ii, p. 162), in considering it distinct, rostri maculis impressis seriatim despositis, Several skins of it are in Captain OUR INDIAN PELICANS. 493 Beavan’s collection, and appear undoubtedly different from our living P. rufescens.” Mr. Blyth says also that no one acquainted with the living birds could accede to Prof. Schlegel’s amalgamation of the three species. mC First there is the P. mitratus, Lichtenstein (as adopted by Dr. Jerdon, and also by Mr. G.R. Gray in the British Museum). This, as Dr. Jerdon remarks, is the P. onocrotalus of Bonaparte and Bree, and it is identical with the species so labelled in the Zoological Gardens. It hasa pendent occipital crest of straight and narrow feathers, and in the breeding season the forehead becomes much inflated; the naked skin of the cheeks is pale carneous, and that of the pouch very pale yellow. This race is not common in Bengal, according to my experience. I obtained one specimen, killed near Dacca, and saw one fine living adult in the menagerie of the Maharaja of Burdwan, when it was ac- companied by equally fine examples of the next race, all in thoroughly mature plumage; and I afterwards saw another adult in Calcutta, with Babu Rajendro Mullick. “The ordinary Bengal Pelican (P. onocrotalus, apud Jerdon, and also of the British Museum) has never any pendent occipi- tal feathers, but the crest is formed of loose and open tex- ture, not much elongated, and curling upwards. The forehead is never tumid, as in the preceding race; the bare skin of the cheeks is deep purplish or livid carneous, and that of the pouch intense bright yellow. Moreover, the feathers of the lower parts are conspicuously shorter, and more uniform, not so dis- tinct and lanceolate asin the other. A mature female mea- sured 5 ft. 6 in. in extreme length, and 8 ft. 10 in. in extent of wings; wing from wrist, 2 ft. 2in.; tail, 8 in.; bill to fore- head, 145in.; tarsi, 5°5 in. Another specimen had the bill to forehead 15:5 in., and the wing 27 in. In another the bill measured 16 inches. “A third race is the true P. javanicus, Horsfield, as correctly assigned by Dr. Jerdon, and as now identified from the type specimen in the Indian Museum, distinguished from the last by its inferior size. A male in very fine adult plumage measur- ed 4 ft. 8 in. in extreme length, and 7 ft. 10 in. in extert of wings ; wing from wrist, 1 ft. 11 in.; tail, 7 in.; bill to forehead, 11 in. ; tarsi, 5in. In this individual the usual patch upon the breast characteristic of the breeding-season was deep and dark ferruginous, quite sufficiently like a blood stain to have given rise to the old supposition of the Pelican feeding its young from its own breast ! Dr. Jerdon considers this to be the most abundant of the white Pelicans that visit India. “ A fourth race is a similar diminutive of P. mitratus, which I take to be the Onocrotalus minor of Riippell. A specimen 494: OUR INDIAN PELICANS. lately sent to the Zoological Society by Capt. Beavan, from Burma, has a remarkably full pendent occipital crest, the long- est feathers of which measure 3°5 in. ; bill to forehead, 11 inches. This bird is very distinct from several examples of P. onoerotalus, apud Jerdon, which were forwarded together with it.” Now I may say at once that I have never yet seen or obtained one single specimen of either of Blyth’s two smaller races, in which, according to him, the adult male measures only 56 inches in length and has a bill at forehead of only 11 inches ; the bills in the males are always much larger than in the females, and 12°5 inches is the smallest bill of any female that I possess. Jerdon, however, it is to be noticed, gives the bill at 12 inches to 13 inches, which length, coupled with the size of the wing and the coloration of the bill, would make his javanicus answer very weil to the female of the common Indian species, at one stage of its plumage, while Horsfield’s original description, “ white with a short crest, the primaries black, the secondaries and feathers of the back margined with black, and the shafts white,” would again agree with our bird at an earlier period of the year. Horsfield, it is true, gives the length at only 4 feet; but this and Blyth’s measurements of 4 feet 8 inches were doubtless made from the dry skin. As for Mr. Blyth’s putting down his bird as a male, he did not dissect it himself, and I know from sad experience how little reliance can be placed on the sexes recorded upon tickets of most birds collected in India. Of P. minor, Riippell gives the length as 57 inches, the bill as 13°33 inches, the wing as 25°75 inches ; and this again would answer for our female. It is true that Riippell says that the full-plumaged male is throughout pure white, but the figure by Wolf shows it as tinted with rosy throughout, and in the diagnosis Riippell himself says that his new species is colore persimilis to onocrotalus, which is only pure white at one season of the year. My own present conviction is that we have probably only one, and certainly not more than two, species ef Pelicans belonging to this sub-group in India, and that all the three species described in Jerdon as onocrotalus, mitratus and javanicus, are nothing but different sexes, at different ages and in different stages of plumage, of one and the same species. This last year when in Sindh, where Pelecanus crispus is extraordinarily common, I on the 18th of January, in a huge broad at Madho near Mehur, caught sight in the far distance of a huge rosy white island dimly seen through and over many succeeding bands of rushes and reeds. I at first took them for Flamingoes, but on examination with a glass they proved to be Pelicans. In a small native boat we threaded our OUR INDIAN PELICANS. 495 way through the rush clumps, till we were within about 120 yards. By this time cautiously as we had been stealing along they had observed us, and had all risen on their feet, standing as we then found on a low grassy island only a few inches above the level of the water. One or two rose heavily; a@ moment afterwards the whole vast flock, the largest I have ever seen in my life, rose as one mass. I had in my hand a heavy double-barrelled gun with two 2oz. green 8S. G. wire: cartridges, and 44drs. of powder. I fired both _ barrels instantly into the thick. At the moment I fired we were as nearly as I could afterwards make out distant 100 yards from the nearest birds, but I dropped — seven, aggregating at least 120lbs. in weight, the heaviest bag of birds I ever yet made with shot in one right and left. Two were quite dead; two shortly afterwards gave up the ghost 5 three were only winged, and before we had picked up and attended to the four dead ones, had swum out of sight behind the innumerable bands and clumps of high reeds, with which the whole surface of the lake is thickly studded. Sending home the four dead birds in the heavy luncheon boat which had come up, we started again in the little boat, and soon caught sight of one of the winged birds, but the wind had now come: on to blow ; the boat was not a fleet 8-oar, but a clumsy, though small, square-ended fishing punt, and the Pelican swam like a steamer. All that could be done was to fire long shots at him (I had no rifle with me as it happened) with a long single- barrelled duck gun and S. G. cartridge, in the hope, in nauti- cal phrase, of carrying away some of his spars; but it was: all-in vain. The chase drew steadily away, and in less than two: hours we were nowhere ; the evening was drawing on, and we turned homewards, having a couple of miles through reed and: water to reach the landing place. When about half way, and close to where the first shot was fired, another of the wounded Pelicans suddenly hove in sight, sailing out from behind a clump or reed not twenty yards in front of us, and he was: instantly knocked over. Next day early I returned to the lake, and’ with a_ better boat found' hunted’ down, and saved, as the: Americans would phrase it, the remaining two birds. Now the curious thing was this: the seven birds consisted: of one quite young onocrotalus, one onocrotalus exactly as: described’ by Jerdon, one bird very like his mitratus, but rather larger in actual length than the dimensions he: assigns to that species (but his linear dimensions were avowedly taken from a dried skin), and four birds exactly answering to his javanicus, except a slight excess in total length (due again probably from his measurements being taken from a dried! skin). 496 OUR INDIAN PELICANS. Now no one could examine these seven birds in the flesh carefully without being convinced that one and all belonged to one and the same species; and, accordingly, when we dissected them, we found the three first to be males, the four latter to be the females. The males were indifferent stages of plumage, and so also were the females; but these differences were not so great as to prevent our readily connecting the specimens one with the other. I took most careful measurements and description of the color of the soft parts, legs, and feet of these as I had previously done of specimens obtained elsewhere ; and though Iam by no means prepared to explain all the changes that take place, I think I now understand some of them at any rate. I will first deal with the females, which I take to be the birds described as 7avanicus by Horsfield, minor by Riippell, and probably mératus by Lichtenstein. The following are the dimensions in the flesh taken of several specimens obtained in Etawah and in Sindh :— Length, 57 to 61; expanse,104 to 110; tail from vent, 8 to 85; wing, 24 to 25:5; tarsus, 49 to 5:5; bill at front, including nail, 125 to 13; greatest width of upper mandible about one-third from the point, 1:6 to 18; mid toe and claw, 5:5 to 5-7; weight, 16 to 18tbs. In specimens killed in the middle of January the legs and feet were creamy yellow or creamy fleshy ; the tarsal joints and webs pale or buffy yellow ; the claws orange, with a black patch at the base of each ; the pouch in some bright-yellow, in some a pale turmeric yellow; the face and cheeks are purplish- pink, or in others pinkish-purple; the irides bright or deep red; the culmen, the basal one-fourth of the sides of the upper mandible and basal one half of sides of lower mandi- _ ble, lavender; the nail and the edges of both mandibles bright red ; the rest of upper and lower mandible yellow, pale yellow, or orange yellow, as the case may be, with a more or less distinct row of ill-defined crimson blotches on the terminal half of the upper mandible, more or less connected with its red margin. In a somewhat earlier stage the colors are duller, and the portions of the upper mandible lying between the culmen and the margins exhibit here and there a horny green- ish shade; the upper mandible is often rough and scaly, as if of multitudinous laminz, which were everywhere peeling off in small pieces, and when this is the case, which it chiefly is in the mid-winter birds, whitish patches, due to refraction from the separating lamin, greatly obscure and deaden the tints, and the terminal portions of the upper mandibles on either side of the culmen are not unfrequently a strange medley of red, pink, greenish-brown and white. At a later season OUR INDIAN PELICANS. 497 again, say in March, when the birds begin to leave us, the bills of the adults are brighter colored than I have above described ; the pouch, too, varieseven in specimens killed the same day (showing that these changes are not exactly synchronous in all individuals) frem pale and dingy to very bright yellow. Throughout, however, all these variations in tint, the type of colouring is the same, and the dimensions for such large birds are singularly consistent. There can be no doubt of the unity of the species. The changes of plumage amongst females that I have observed are these: A November bird is all over white, with only a very faint rosy tint; the scapulars and tertials also are almost without exception white ; one or two scapulars may show a black marginal line along the inner web to the point, and on the basal half of the outer web; the base of the neck is unicolorous with the breast; there is nothing to call a crest, only a few of the feathers of the occi- put are slightly longer, and with those succeeding them form a sort of mane ; in birds killed in the latter half of January a distinct rosy hue pervades the whole plumage. At the base of the neck a broad yellowish patch of yellow elongated feathers are seen, which vary from yellowish pink to a decided pale yellow. In most specimens the secondaries are distinctly mar- gined with a black line on the outer web, and some of the tertiaries, at any rate, on both webs. Of the four females killed on the same day and at the same place, two show these black margins very distinctly, one has lost a good many of them and one has lost them. all, except on two of the secondaries and one of the tertiaries. The longer scapularies in some of the specimens are similarly mar- gined. Some show only traces of them, and in one they have apparently almost entirely disappeared. There is no uniformity of process about this, because the bird that has entirely lost the black margins on the secondaries and tertiaries is found, on lifting the feathers, to retain them, conspicuously on lower scapulars, while one bird that still retains them well marked on secondaries and_tertiaries have apparently no trace of them on the scapulars. Then as tothe crest in the birds killed the same day one has the crest just incipient, two inches in length, two others have them three inches, and the fourth has the crest 4$ inches, bright rosy at the base in this latter, whitish towards the tips. When we take the March bird every trace of dark margins have disappeared from the scapulars and tertiaries, and asa rule to a great extent from the secondaries, though some- times these latter still show narrow black margins quite to the tips. The crest is now, measured from the base of the 498 OUR INDIAN PELICANS. first feather to the tip of the longest feather, nearly six inches in length ; the breast patch is more extended, of a duller but deeper straw yellow, inclining slightly to ferruginous, and the rosy tint is, if anything, stronger than in the January birds above described. Turning now tothe males they measure as follows : Length, 70 to 72 ; expanse, 115 to 120; tail from vent, 8 to 92; wing, from 26 to 28°25; tarsus, 5-5 to 5:8; bill at front, 165 to 175; width of upper mandible as before, 1‘7 to 1:88 ; mid toe and claw, 6 to 62; weight, 25 to 28lbs. All that I have above said about the females appears to me to apply equally well to the males; but I have not yet obtained such a good series of these latter asI have of the females. I have no specimen of the male showing the tertiaries margined on both sides with black, and I have no male witha crest more than two inches long. It may be that the males never assume the same long crests that the females do, or exhibit the black margins on both webs of the tertiaries; this is a matter which further investigation must decide. The above measurements and remarks refer of course to adults. The young differ markedly in size of bill and in the color of the soft parts. A fine young male with some lesser and all the greater coverts, scapulars, tertiaries and secondaries brown, the two latter only profusely silvered with grey, measured as follows: Length, 61:5; expanse, 110 ; tail from vent, 85; wing, 25°5; tarsus, 54; bill at front, 14; great- est width of upper mandible as above, 175; mid toe and claw, 52 ; weight, about 18lbs. The legs and feet were pale yellowish fleshy or pinkish yellow, a long black patch on the front of the tarsus, a broad plumbeous patch on the inner side of the tarsus, a black patch on the front of the first joint of the mid toe, and similar but feebler patches on the front of its other joints,and on all the jointsof the outer toe; nails blackish, but that of the fourth toe yellow, with a large black- ish blotch about the middle ; irides yellowish brown; the gular pouch very dingy yellow; the cheeks and orbits dull reddish ink. I dare say that younger birds still, of which I have seen some, though I never procured a specimen, and which appeared tobe a dull brown throughout, have the whole legs and feet dusky, and very likely have the bill quite different from that of the adults. The youngest bird I have obtained had the bill chiefly a dull pale mauve, spotted and marbled with yellow at. the edges and towards the points, the basal portion of the culmen only having a more livid tinge. The question still remains what is this one species; my OUR INDIAN PELICANS. 499 conviction is that it is onocrotalus, pur et simple. These birds all leave us in March, and we know from Captain Hutton, (J. A. S., 1847) that they pass through Kandahar in March, and I have no doubt many of them find their way to Smyrna and the coasts of Asia Minor, where in summer they are, or used to be—for I speak of nearly 30 years ago*—most abundant. I said above that there might be a second species belonging to this sub-group in India. I possess two specimens, both young birds, the whole lower plumage of one (and this, and the head and neck of the other, strongly tinged with ferruginous as one often sees in other water-fowls), possessing such exceptionally elongated and narrow bills that they may possibly belong to a distinct species. These birds are said to be male and female, and I contrast below the dimensions of their bills with those of the largest adult specimens of the other species which I possess :— Male. Female. Length. Greatest width. Length. Greatest width. Onocrotalus ... 17:5” 1°88” 1. 1°82” Dacca birds ... 18°1” Lae 14:75” 1:5" A young male onocrotalus in about the same stage of plumage has the bill 14” and the width 1°75.” The actual greater length coupled with the actual smaller width, is very striking, and these two birds may belong to a distinct species ; but, if so, what can it be? Schlegel gives 17” as the maximum length of the bill in any specimen in the Leyden Museum. It is certainly none of the species yet de- scribed, unless onocrotalus, and, if new, which I myself do not believe, it ought to stand as longirostris, for, unless these are altogether abnormal specimens, to judge from the difference of the bill in the young and old of onocrotalus, the adult should have a bill of at least 20 inches in length. Turning now to P. philippensis (or rufescens, if, as is possible, they are both the same bird) I would remark that at all ages and in all stages this species can be distinguished from all the others by the peculiar compression and convexity of the basal one-fourth of upper mandible. Strange to say, although this Pelican is the commonest throughout Upper India, I possess a very indifferent series, and can therefore add very little to what Mr. Elliott says. I would note, however, that I have no specimen in-the full breeding plumage described by him as that of the adult, and no specimen the upper mandible of which does not bear the double row of dark spots) The best plumaged adult that I possess, killed in August in Jhansi, has the whole head, neck all round, entire lower parts, lesser and *Over 40 years now.—A. QO, H, 63 500 ' OUR INDIAN PELICANS. median wing-coverts, scapular region and all but the longest scapulars, rump, and upper tail-coverts white; a short crest about 25” long, of white feathers, greyish brown at their bases ; the whole of the feathers of the neck short, soft, fur-like, and comparatively thinly set ; the brown bases of the feathers showing through and producing a mottled appearance ; a very faint straw-like tinge on the front of the neck at its base ; the rump and upper tail-coverts, the median wing-coverts and all but the longest scapulars black or brown shafted; the upper and middle back,the whole of the axillaries, the lower coverts at the elbow joint of the wing, and many of those of the lower surface of the wing immediately over the ulnaandthe meta- carpal bones, a delicate but rather dull vinaceous pink ; the longer scapulars, tail feathers, tertials and secondaries brown, very much silvered, the latter on their outer webs only, with grey; the secondary greater coverts similar, primaries, their greater coverts and the spurious wing blackish brown. Another bird, not fully adult, killed on 10th November, is thus noticed in my journal: Length, 58” ; expanse, 92”; wing, 22”; tail from vent, 7-5”; tarsus, 3°5"; bill at front, 13”; gular pouch to where feathers commence, 20.” Legs and feet pale plum- beous, mottled on joints and inner side of tarsus and tibia with cream white; irides brown; orbits cream white, a semi- circle round the lower half of orbits blue ; upper mandible unifurm pale pinkish, with a conspicuous row of purplish brown spots on each side from base to tip; lower mandible, at base, and gular pouch pale café-au-lait color; rest of lower man- dible a fleshy brown. The plumage was generally very similar to that of the bird just described, but there was no crest, no yellowish tinge at the base of the neck in front, and only afaint vinaceous tinge on the back, flanks and axillaries. Another bird, killed the same day and of almost precisely the same size, had the legs and feet almost white, with a creamy tinge ; irides brown ; the orbits pale yellowish but with traces of the blue mark; the upper mandible livid pinkish, with a blue tinge on the basal half; a row of obscure bluish spots on either side of the culmen; nail pale yellow ; lower mandible and pouch pinky white. The extraordinary difference in the color of the soft parts of two birds killed on the same day, at the same place and of the same size and sex, struck me forcibly at the time. I concluded that both were young, but that the latter bird had progressed more rapidly towards the adult plumage. A very young bird has the whole head and neck mingled greyish white and pale ferruginous ; a few short brown feathers, beginning at the occiput and running about 4 inches down the back of the neck, growing shorter as they recede from the occi- put, form asort of mane. The whole of the scapulary region, OUR INDIAN PELICANS. 501 and all but the longest scapulars, pale brown, broadly centred with silver grey; the whole of the lesser and median and secondary greater coverts pale brown; tail, secondaries and longest scapulars slightly darker brown, much_ overlaid with silver grey; primaries and greater coverts a dingy hair brown ; the whole back, rump and upper tail-coverts dull white ; the feathers of the rump tinged brownish and darker shafted, the whole lower parts mottled dull white and pale ferruginous, except about the vent and lower tail-coverts, where the feathers are so broadly tinged with dull ferruginous as to leave no white mottling visible; the whole wing-lining and axillaries white. I think this ferruginous mottling so very conspicuous in this bird, though abnormally developed in the specimen described, as to be traced about the breast and lower tail-coverts in almost all my young individuals. It is very faint indeed in some, but is still 1 think always traceable. These Pelicans do breed in India, though I have never been able to obtain the eggs. Dr. Jerdon mentions a Pelicanry in the Deccan, and Dr. Short in epist. mentions their breeding in the village of PullaGoora Pully about 48 miles north-east of Cuddapah, and also in another village, about 70 miles north-east of Cuddapah, the name of which he does not tell me. I do not think the eggs or nestlings of this species have ever yet been carefully described, and I should be much obliged for specimens of these, or indeed of any Pelican, in regard to which the sexes and dates of killing have been accurately recorded. There is a good deal yet to be done in clearing up the changes of plumage of the Indian birds of this group. P.S.—P. rufescens is clearly distinct from P. philip- pensis, An Abyssinian female, collected by Blanford, has the wing 20°25 ; bill at front, 12.45; its greatest width, 1°5 ; tarsus, 3°5 ; mid toe and claw, 4°6. The plumage of the head and neck is of quite a different character. The irregular curly mane (for it is scarcely a true crest) of philippensis is replaced by a full crest, nearly four inches in length, of straight narrow feathers, the webs of which are a good deal disunited. The feathers of the rest of the head and neck are, as compared with philippensis, regular or close-sitting. The upper mandible wants the double row of impressed spots, a/ways present in philippensis, and is less compressed towards the base than in this species. It also appears to have a distinct frontal groove on the culmen near the base. P.P.S.—I examined the museum specimens. One specimen, numbered 1741, labelled P. javanicus on the stand, and with a label attached to the wing—“ P. onocrotalus, Bengal—” has no crest and bears no signs of breeding plumage. It has the 502 OUR INDIAN PELICANS. ‘bill 15°5 at, front; wing to end of tertials (all primaries destroyed), 27:25; bill, 175 wide, above, at widest place; 1:36 wide or a little more at narrowest place ; about 1°5 down the culmen. All the scapulars, but one or two, pure white, these one or two silvery dusky at base, and with a blackish blue on the outer margin and with another corresponding Jine on the inner web running from the margin to the point. Another specimen, labelled 1741, no other label, bill at front, from edge of skin as before, 11:12; greatest width, 1°62; least width, same as in preceding; no crest; breast densely set with ferruginous plumes, harsh in texture and with disunited webs; bill differs in color in this specimen ; culmen, ridge and sides of basal half of lower mandible nearly uniform with the rest of the bill. In the first specimen these parts are very dark purplish brown, many of the scapulars margined with black line; wing to end of tertials, 24. In both these specimens, though there is no crest, the feathers from either side form an occipital and nuchal crest-like ridge. Another specimen, labelled 1740 on stand, and no other label (named onocratalus according to the catalogue, though no entire specimen of this species is acknowledged im the catalogue) ; bili length, 11°75; greatest width, 1°55 ; least width, 1:3; a distinct occipital crest, 3:5; followed by a ridge similar to that in preceding specimens. A straw-colored breast patch, wing perfect, 25°75; two or three of the scapulars margined with black. Comparing these three specimens with Jerdon’s descriptions, Ihave no doubt that these formed the types of his supposed three species. No. 1 is his onocrotalus, No. 2 his javanicus, No. 3 his mitratus. Now No. 1 is a young male and No. 3 an adult, but not fully adult, female. No. 2 I take to be an old female, but I have never seen anything quite likeit. I believe that the crest had been pulled out (as natives often pull them out) before Blyth got the bird, and I believe the extraordinary ferruginous colour to be due to some post mortem changes. I have never seen this color ina fresh specimen. AA TE 503 “Observations on the Pelican vistting the “Gastern Hara,” By Scrore B. Doie, C.E. [ Note hy the Editor.—There is a great deal of useful detailed information in this old note of Mr Doig’s which it will be well to place on record, I have only to premise that Mr. Doig’s birds all belonged to two species—one P. evispus, and the other that species which, as [I pointed out some 14 years aco 8. F., I, p. 128, Jerdon has in my opinion described under the three different names of mitratus, javanicus and onocrotalus. Whether our birds are really onocrotalus, or what name they should bear, I never could find out for want of proper European and African specimens with which to compare them, but there seems to me, and has always seemed to be, only one species in India of this type. Now that there are in the British Museum nearly 100 specimens of this one species in all stages of plumage and from all parts of the empire, pretty well correctly sexed and in most cases. with the colors of the soft parts accurately recorled, this question ought soon to be (if it has not already been so) set at rest. | Tuts last cold weather I have, at Mr. Hume’s suggestion, devoted my spare time to investigating the different species of Pelican which visit these districts every year in thousands, and I now propose placing before the readers of ‘Stray Feathers” the results of my observations, with the hope that they may be of assistance in determining the different species which visit India. There are two distinct kinds of Pelican to be met with in these districts, and they are distinguishable one from the other at a glance by the termination of their frontal feathers on the culmen. In one species these end in a concave line, in the other in a point. To the latter species I have particularly directed my attention at Mr. Hume’s special request, but as I have from time to time shot a good many of the former, and at the same time preserved a few of their skins, I will proceed first to give a short sketch of my observations regarding them. At the first glance one would suppose there were two kinds of Pelican belonging to this species, riz.,a large silvery white Pelican and a large grey Pelican; but after shooting a goodly series I am satisfied that these are one and the same bird in ditferent stages of plumage. I am aware that two kinds of Pelican, both having their frontal feathers ending in a concave line, have been recorded from this province, viz., P. crispus and P. phinppensis, but as far as this district is concerned I have only come across one kind, which I conclude must be #. crispus, inasmuch as P. philippensis is stated to have a series of spots on each side of the mid-rib of upper mandible which none of my specimens possess. The 504 OBSERVATIONS ON THE PELICAN changes of plumage that the bird to which my specimens belong undergoes are as follows: The young bird has its scapulars and wing-coverts of a dirty pale brown; irides a greyish straw yellow; orbital region, bill and legs of a dusky livid leaden color, the bill and legs being the darker, especially the,latter ;, the pouch is a pale greyish yellow. In the next stage of plumage the scapulars and wing-coverts, in fact the whole bird, becomes a pure silvery white with a moderate crest of long curly white feathers; the orbital region greyish white, with occasional dark purple blotches ; bill, taisus and toes a greyish pink, the two latter having a faint purple tinge, the toes being the darkest. The plumage gradually changes to a light silver and finally to a deep silver grey ; the crest is fully 3 to 4 inches long. The orbital region is a livid purple; the irides a pale straw yellow; bill a greyish pink; tarsus and toes the same but darker ;the pouch from being a pale greyish yellow becomes adeep yellow, and finally a deep ver- milion orange. Ihave watched large flocks of this species through my glasses from a distance of about 100 yards, and could trace the bird through all its different stages very plainly, some being of a light grey color with a part of the pouch deep vermilion orange, the remainder being a deep yellow ; others were of a deep grey, with the whole of the pouch deep vermilion orange. I regret I have been unable to get one of these full adult birds, which from the description in Jerdon I should have thought would belong to P. philippensis, The birds I saw in large flocks, and out of which my specimens were killed, were, I feel convinced, all the same kind. Can it be that the bird recorded from Sind with the spots on the upper mandible is the full adult of crispus,or am I wrong in identifying any birds as erispus when they should be young of philippensis ? I have no doubt Mr. Hume will, in due course of time, give us his opinions on the specimens I have sent him belonging to this species, as well as those of the next, which I will now proceed to discuss. At first I was under the impression there were two kinds of Pelican whose frontal feathers ended in a point, viz., the small pink and the large pink. The small white and large white Pelican I always thought to be the young of these two, and this turns out to be correct. Now, after shooting and care- fully sexing over 80 specimens of the above, it is clearly evi- dent that there is, so far as these districts are concerned, only one kind of Pelican belonging to this species, of which the small pink Pelican is the female and the large pink the male. Of the former I have sent four skins and of the latter eight to Mr. Hume for identification, as I am unable to say what the scientific name of the bird should be. Comparing my skins VISITING THE “ EASTERN NARRA.” 505 with Jerdon’s description, some answer to P. onocrotalus, others to P. mitratus, and others again to javanicus. One extra- ordinary circumstance is that out of over 80 specimens I only shot nine females, four of which I preserved, so that my series of skins of the female is deficient, inasmuch as I have been unable to come across a specimen intermediate between the full adult and the young female. But the series of the male birds’ skins speak for themselves, the changes of plumage and colors of the soft parts being very easily followed from the young bird of the year right up to the old adult in full breeding plumage. I will now endeavour to the best of my ability to describe these changes, first roughly, and then in detail. There are, I make out, three distinct stages of plumage, viz., those of the first, second and third years, and as the changes in both sexes are identical, the following description will auswer equally for both -— The young birds, when they first arrive, are of a plain white color, with their scapulars and wing-coverts of a dirty pale brown ; they have nocrest, but the feathers of the nape and neck form a sort of a hog mane; the tail a!so has a few brown feathers. The orbital region, bill and legs are of a leaden grey color, the bill and legs being slightly the darker, especially the latter ; the irides ar2 of a light brown, almost hazel; pouch greyish yellow. The plumage of the scapulars and wing-coverts aad tail gradually change to a pure white;an incipient crest of soft white curly feathers begins to appear, and on the upper part of the breast a few sharp-pointed stiff feathers of a dirty China white can be discerned ; the winglet and primaries, which in the young bird were of the same dirty brown color as the scapulars and wing-coverts, are now deep brown, almost black ; the irides are hazel, with a slighily reddish tinge ; the orbital region becomes of a purplish white ; the bill changes to a yellow with a few red streaks in it, the mid-rib and base of upper and lower mandibles being of a dull leaden; grey ; the nail from a dusky yellow in the young bird becomes a light red ; the pouch gets more yellow, and the legs and toes are gradually changing this leaden grey color for a greyish yellow ; the portion of leg above knee is now of a pale lemon yellow; the mid-rib, which in the young bird is slightly concave and level with the rest of the bill, is now slightly raised. Finally the pure white plumage turns into a lovely delicate pale rose color, getting deeper as the bird gets older (this color fades slightly in the course of time from the preserved skin). The crest is fully 3” to 4” long, the feathers being straight and soft, with a pale pink tinge; the winglet also gets white 506 OBSERVATIONS ON THE PELICAN with a pink tinge ; tail of a delicate pale pink ; irides reddish hazel, almost carbuncle red in some lights ; the orbital region a lemon yellow ; the forehead considerably swelled (at least in the male) ; the bill of a deep blood red, especially at the edges ; the mid-rib and base of upper and lower mandibles of a still deeper dull leaden color; the nail deep blood red; pouch deep gamboge yellow; the tarsus, toes and webs are of a pale lemon yellow, with the front portion of a pinkish yellow, with some- times a few dark purple scales, which, however, disappear altoge- ther in the old adult. The stiff white feathers on upper portion of breast gradually get of a very pale buff yellow, then pale golden, and finally a deep golden yellow, probably in the very old bird a ferruginous golden yellow, as some of the birds I shot but did not skin had their breast feathers of a reddish golden yellow, after which probably may come the ferruginous stage. The mid-rib in the adult is raised about ;;th inch over the rest of the upper mandible. I will now proceed to give the changes of each particular part in detail :-- hides in young bird are of a light brown color, gradually changing into a hazel, and finally into a deep reddish hazel, almost carbuncle red in some lights, Orbital region at first a very pale pinkish leaden grey, then a pale livid fleshy, and finally a pale lemon yellow, deeper in tint according to age. The forehead in the adult male is considerably swelled. Bill, first year bird.—A_ pale pinkish leaden color slightly darker than orbital region, with the nail dusky yellow, pale at tip; edges of upper mandible are a deep brown, shading off into the pale leaden color of sides and mid-rib. This latter is slightly convex and rises on a level with sides of mid-rib. ; Second year bird —The mid-rib and base of upper and lower mandibles get of a deep leaden color, while the brown edging of the upper mandible gives place to a pale golden yellow ; the edge of lower mandible also at base gets of a pale yellow; the nail reddish yellow; later on in the year the mid-rib and base of upper and lower mandibles increase in duskiness, the pale golden yellow edging of upper mandible changes to light red with streaks of red radiating towards mid-rib, portion between mid-rib and edges of a pale gamboge yellow, with a few dusky greenish blotches ; the nail becomes pale red, paler at tip. The edging of under mandible is now near base of a dusky yellowish red, towards tip a pale yellow. The mid-rib is now slightly raised from rest of upper mandible. Third year.—The mid-rib and base of upper and lower mandi- bles become a deep leaden grey or lavender ; the base of mid-rib. VISITING THE “ EASTERN NARRA.” 507 lighter than the rest ; the portions on each side of mid-rib are of a blood red color with splashes of pale gamboge yellow, especi- ally towards base and tip; the edges of upper mandible are of a continuous deep blood red, those of lower mandible near base are of a deep dusky red; nail of upper mandible of a deep blood red, pale at tip and base ; that of lower mandible a pale red. The mid-rib is now raised fully ~>th of an inch over the rest of upper mandible. Pouch as a rule of young birds is of a pale greyish yellow, gradually changing into a pale lemon yellow and finally into a deep gamboge yellow. But I have shot some young birds with the pouch of nearly as deep a yellow as that ofthe adult bird. Tarsus, toes and webs, first year bird, are of a purplish leaden color, duskier towards the claws. Second year bird.—The portion of leg above the knee first changes into a pale lemon yellow, the tarsus getting of a dusky yellow, lighter at back and darker at front, while the toes and webs increase in duskiness towards the claws. By degrees the dusky color disappears from the tarsus, leaving it of a pale yellow with generally a few of the scales in front of a dusky purple; the toes undergo a similar change, while the webs become of a greyish yellow, dusky towards the claws, Third year bird.—Above knee a lemon yellow ; tarsus and toes of a pale yellow with a warm pinkish yellow tinge in front ; webs of a pale lemon yellow. Claws in the young bird are dusky brown, gradually getting of a brownish yellow, and finally of a pale yellow. The claws appear to be the last to change, often bein dusky yellow, with brown blotches in the young adult. The mid toe is pectinated, being more serrated in the young bird than in the old one. Scapulars, wing-coverts, winglet and tail are in the young bird of a dirty pale brown. In the second year bird these change toa pure white, except one or two feathers of the scapulars, which retain a dark brown edging ; also the wing- let, which is nearly black with a few streaks of white in the third year bird, or rather in the full adult, all have become pure white with a delicate pink tinge. This pink tinge also occurs in the second year. In one specimen, No. _, all the above are whit@ with a pink tinge, except one winglet, which still retains a black feather. Primaries, the second of which is the longest, are in the young bird of a dusky brown, getting deep brown or black in the adult, with the tips frosted over with a silvery grey. The shafts are white brown at tip. Perhaps in the nestling they are all brown. Secondaries are in young bird of a dirty pale brown, in the middle-aged they are deep brown, and in the adult almost 64 508 OBSERVATIONS ON THE PELICAN black in all stages, but as they get older they are closely: frosted over with silvery grey, especially on the outer webs, and more so on those nearer the scapulars, making them at a distance look almost white. Tertiaries are also of a dirty pale brown in the young bird, changing into black in the adult, with the tips slightly frosted over with silver grey. I have attached to this paper full mea- surements of all the specimens preserved, both of this species and of the first kind; also the colors of the soft parts of each specimen sent to Mr. Hume. From these it will be seen that the bills of the females range from 12°25 to 13°5 ; their wings from 24:00 to 26:25 ; and their tarsus from 450 to 462. The bills of the males range from 15°25 to 17:21; wings, 27°25 to 28°50; and the tarsus from 5°50 to 5°75. In conclusion I would again allude to the extraordinary paucity of females, and also to the fact of the males and females keeping in separate flocks; for instance, out of a flock of seven that I found feeding in a small pool of water and got a ‘‘ family” shot at, six proved to be females, the seventh escaped ; to this flock belong specimens Nos. 3 and 4. Again for three days, or rather mornings, I followed one flock of Pelican, which roughly numbered over 1,000. Two of the mornings I got “ family” shots, and the third I bagged three, altogether in the three mornings getting 38 Pelican, all of which I sexed most carefully and roughly measured and found them all males, with their testes all more or less showing signs of breeding. None of these birds had bills less than 15°25 or wings less than 27:25. To this flock belong specimens No. 13. to No. 16 inclusive. Again in another place, some 12 miles. away, there was a flock of about 300. I failed to geta family shot at these, but got a right and left as they flew over my head, dropping two. Both of these proved females, one (specimen No, 12) having eggs as large as big marbles in her (fully one inch in diameter), and the other with ovaries having eggs as big as grains of barley. Specimen No. 1—(P. crispus). Irides pale straw yellow ; orbital region greyish white; 6i17 dusky grey ; edges of upper mandible near nail pale yellow; nail yellow, pale at tip ; lower mandible greyish purple ; pouch greyish yellow ; tarsus greyish pink ; toes dusky pink ; claws dusky pale yellow. MEASUREMENTS. Sex, 2 Date, 4th January, 1880. Weight, 16tbs, Length ese, 65°50" *Bill at front a 1D Bar Expanse eee 116°75" Bill at gape pos 4425" Tail snc 9-00" Tarsus eee 4 50° Wing eae eee Mid toe and claw ia ae Greatest width of bill ... 1°62” * Note.—Length of bill in all cases is measured from point of feathers on culmen, Greatest width of bill is that of upper mandible, No. of Specimen. VISITING THE “EASTERN NARRA.” 509 Specimen No. 2—(P. crispus). Trides pale straw yellow ; orbital region white, with dark purple blotches about edges ; dill pale greyish pink ; edges of upper mandible pale yellow near nail, which is also pale yellow ; pouch greyish pink ; tarsus greyish, with a faint purple tinge ; ¢oes similar, but much darker ; claws pale horny yellow. MEASUREMENTS. Sex, 2 Date, 6th January, 1880 Weight, 15:5tbs. ‘Length Wiehe Bill at front see DS Expanse a. 11600" Bill at gape wwe -18:007 Tail fon |) tO Tarsus owe oe Wing we §=28'0U" Mid toe and claw sce 0, eee Greatest width of bill ... 1°62’ Specimen No. 5—(P. crispus). Colors of soft parts similar to Nos. 1 and 2. MEASUREMENTS, Sex, 2 Date, 8th January, 1880. Weight, 16lbs, Length ewe 65°62" Bill at front we 1450" Expanse Sree Wy be Bill at gape coer OE Tail Bas Tarsus ov 450° Wing eo. 26°50" Mid toe and claw a OTOue Greatest width of bill ... 1°62” Specimen No. 6—(P. crispus). Irides pale straw yellow ; bil/ pale leaden ; edges near nail pale yellow ; nail orange yellow ; ¢arsus and toes dusky leaden, darker nearer claws, The colors of the remaining parts same as those of Nos. 1, 2 and 5. MEASUREMENTS. Sex, 2 Date Weight, 19tbs. Length vee 68°50” Bill at front aioeol Expanse et blag! Oe Bill at gape eve - 16.50" Tail ooe 8 00" Tarsus eee 4°50? Wing vee 26°00" Mid toe and claw we 6°00" Greatest width of bill ,.,. 1°75" And three more P, crispus measured but not skinned, Measurements of Birds measured but not skinned. Bex, Date, Bill at Front. Bill at Gape Mid Toe and Claw. Greatest width of Bill. Weight Length, Expanse Male | 11th Feb., 1880 | 26lbs.|68:75"| 120 00”’| 8:0” disinit 165” | 6:5” | 65" | 187] 4, Male 1st Feb., 1880 | 18ibs.]73 25’’| 118°”) 9°00°"|27 75’"\16°52"|17-50"’| 5°50"’| 6°50] 187”) 3, Male Ist Feb., 1880 | 22ibs.|71:00’’| 118 00’’| 8:00” |27 75” |16-75’’\17°75"'| 6 70’’| 6°70"| 1:87” Pr ————S $$ 510 OBSERVATIONS ON THE PELICAN Tabular List of Females according to age, with full Measurements of the skins sent of the “‘ Frontal-feather-ending-in-a-point species, * Date. Weight Length, Expange Tail, Wing. Bill at Front. Bill at Gape. Tarsus, Mid Toe and Claw. Greatest width of Bill, & | No. of Specimen. 6th Jan., 1880 | 16tbs |59 75°] 104°75"| 7°00” |25:00"|12°877|13°50' | 4°50’ | 5:50”| 1°62” o 4 | 6th Jan., 1880 13°5ibs|58 25’"| 102°50"'| 7 50” 24°75"|12°25'")13 25} 450"| 5 50") 1-78” 17 | 17th Feb., 1880 | 14lbs |61 00") 106:50’’| 7 50’’ 24-00'|13 50°14 50”| 4 62”) 5 62’! 1°75” 12 | lst Feb., 1880 | 18tbs.|60°50"’| 109-25") 8 00’’ |26-25"|12°62”)13°62"’| 4 50°} 550"! 1°75” of colors of soft parts of | Rrmarxs, For detailed description each specimen vide infra, *Viz,, the P. onocrotalus-javanicus-mitratus, apud Jerdon, Tabular List of Males according to age, with Measurements of the skins sent of the “ Frontal feather-ending-in-a-point species.” Date. No. of Specimen. Weight. Length. Expanse. Bill at Front. Bill at Gape. Tarsus, Greatest width of Bill. REMARKS. Tail Wing. | Mid Toe and Claw. 9 | 25th Jan., 1880 | 19Tbs |72-00”} 119 25""| 8-00"'|28°50"’}16°50""|17°50"| 5°50’"| 6-50"} 1°82”’ 10 | 27th Jan,, 1880 | 21ths. |69 25”) 114°75"} 8°00"/27 25°'116°12”")17-12”| 5°50"! 6 50” 1°87” 1 29th Jan., 1880 | 22ths |72 00’| 121°00”| 7°50'’)28-00")16:62"|17 62’"| 5°50"| 6°50"’| 1°87” 8 117th Jan., 1880 | 22tbs.)71:00"| 117°25”| 8°00’’|28 00" |15°50"|17 00"'| 5°50’) 6°50”) 1°87” - 13] 1st Feb., 1880 | 30Ibs.!71 50”) 121°00"| 7°50”/28 00°’116-757"|17-75""| 5°50’’} 6°50"| 1°87” 14 | 9th Feb., 1880 | 29tbs |72:00""| 122°00”) 8°00"’{28 50")17-26 ’}18-25”| 5 62”| 6 62°”) 2°00” each specimen, vide infra, 7 | 17th Jan., 1880 | 17Ibs |71°00") 117°25”| 8 25”/28°26'/15 25°|17-00""| 5°50"| 6 50’’| 1°87” » a 13th Feb., 1880 | 29tbs.|71-00"} 118-00’! 8-00’’|28 50""|17°00°"|18 00”! 5°75"| 6°75"’| 1:90” For detailed description of colors of soft parts of ’ VISITING THE “EASTERN NARRA.” 511 Detailed description of the colors of the soft parts of specimens entered in preceding tables :— FemMa.es. Specimen No, 3. Trides hazel: orbital region light livid purple; 4/11, mid-rib and base of upper and lower mandibles light livid purple, portion between mid-rib and edge of upper mandible of a greenish blue; edges of upper mandible for 1] inches from nail of a faint golden yellow, also upper edge of lower mandible a dusky yellow ; nail dirty yellow, dusky in centre ; pouch deep gamboge yellow ; tarsus and toes greyish yellow, the latter dusky purplish near claws ; webs dusky yellow ; claws dirty yellow, with dusky brown blotches. Specimen No, 4. Trides hazel; orbital region light livid purple ; bil?, mid-rib and base of upper mandible and lower also light livid purple ; portion between mid-rib and edge of upper mandible of a greenish blue; ‘edges of upper mandible for 11 inches from nail of a faint golden yellow; also upper edge of base of lower mandible a dusky yellow; pouch deep gamboge yellow; nail dirty yellow, dusky in centre; tarsus and toes greyish yellow, the latter dusky purplish near claws; webs dusky yellow ; claws, dirty yellow, with dusky brown blotches. Specimen No. 17. Trides light brown, almost light hazel ; orbital region pinkish white; bill pinkish white, but darker than orbital region, especially near edge of upper mandible, where it is dusky brown, mixed with pale golden yellow ; nail dirty brownish yellow, pale at tip; pouch pale greyish yellow ; tarsus, toes and webs dusky yellow, the two latter duskier than the former ; edge of webs deep dusky ; leg above knee pale lemon yellow; claws dark brown, with patches of dirty yellow. ‘ Note.—I found the sex of this bird rather difficult to determine, but as there was nothing that bore the slightest resemblance to the. testes, there being only a whitish yellow film about one inch long by a quarter inch wide, I conclude it was a virgin female. Specimen No. 12, Irides reddish hazel, carbuncle red in some lights ; orbital region pale orange yellow ; 6i//, mid-rib, base of upper and lower mandibles leaden slaty ; the mid-rib has a few scales pale yellow and red ; sides of upper mandible blood red, deeper on edges, paler towards mid-rib ; edge of lower mandible deep dusky red, paling to light yellow at tip; nail of upper mandible blood red, lower mandible paler, portion of lower mandible near nail pale yellow ; pouch deep gamboge yellow ; tarsus and toes pale straw yellow, the former in front a bright pink, with a few purple scales ; elaws dusky with patch of yellow; roof of upper mandible with six lines of red, the four in centre meeting in a point near nail. ' 'Bhis was an adult female, with eggs as large as big marbles. Mates, Specimen No. 9. ‘Colors of soft parts similar exactly to specimen No. 8, with the following exceptions :— Bill has less red ; tarsus and toes have a few scales in front dark purple ; webs greyish pink ; claws dark dusky. _ This bird is evidently a younger bird than No, 8, which is again a younger bird than No, 7. 612 OBSERVATIONS ON THE PELICAN, ETC. Specimen No. 10. Colors of soft parts very similar to No. 8, but with the following exceptions :— Bill slightly redder ; tarsus and toes a few dark purple scales in front ; also front skin of tarsus a reddish yellow, This bird is evidently next in age to No. 9. Specimen No. 11, Colors of soft parts very similar to No. 8, with the exception of the following differences :— Bill of a brighter yellow and a lighter red ; base of upper and lower mandibles and mid-rib of a lighter leaden slaty ; nail a lighter red ; orbital region has yellow patches ; tarsus and toes, the former with a few scales in front slightly dusky. This bird in age evidently comes next to No. 10. Specimen No. 8. Trides deep hazel red, almost carbuncle red in some lights ; orbital region pale purplish white, with a yellow tinge ; bill, mid-rib, base of upper and lower mandible dull leaden slaty, mid-rib paler at base, darkest in centre, and near nail shading off into greyish pink ; sides of upper mandible between mid-rib and edges of a_ pale gamboge yellow, with streaks of light red radiating from edge, which is of a continuous bright light red color, shading off near nail into a pale golden yellow ; nail bright light red ; lower mandible pale greyish yellow for 7 inches near nail; upper edge near base of a dusky red; nail of lower mandible pale red ; pouch light gamboge yellow ; tarsus and toes pale pinkish straw yellow (no dark scales) ; webs greyish yellow ; claws, some reddish yellow, others nearly dark brown. Specimen No. 13. Colors of soft parts similar to No. 8, with the exception of the following differences :— Bill not so much yellow and a little more red ; tarsus and toes have a few purple scales in front. This bird evidently comes next in age to No 8. Specimen No. 14, The colors of the soft parts are exactly similar to those of No. 12, but with the following exception :— Bill not so much red, This bird is much of the same age as No. 13, but if anything slightly older. Specimen No. 7. Trides deeps hazel red, almost carbuncle red in some lights ; orbital recion pale purplish white, with a yellow tinge; bill, mid-rib, base of upper and lower mandible dull leaden slaty ; mid-rib paler at base, darkest in centre, and near nail shading off into greyish pink ; sides of upper mandible between mid-mb and edges of a gamboge yellow ground color, with streaks of deep red radiating froin edge, which is of a continuous deep red color, paling to orange yellow near nail, which is deep bright red ; lower mandible pale greyish yellow for 7 inches near nail; upper edge near base of a deep dusky red ; nail of lower mandible pale red; pouch gamboge yellow ; tarsus and toes pale pink- ish straw yellow, with a few dark purple scales in front of tarsus ; J & Kenaleman Hanhart imp PERWNIS TWEEDDALII NOTES. 513. wehs pale straw yellow; claws dark yellow with blotches of dusky brown bed. Specimen No. 16. - Colors of soft parts exactly similar to those of No. 8, except in the following instances :— Orbital region, the whole of it pale lemon yellow; forehead largely developed. skin over it rather rough ; tarsus and toes pale lemon yellow, darker above knee; in front of tarsus and toes a pinkish yellow ; pouch deep gamboge yellow. This bird evidently is the full adult male ; its testes were very largely developed. * Hotes. I am very glad to be able to give, before “Stray Feathers” altogether disappears, a fine plate, prepared under the kind supervision of my esteemed friend Mr. J. H. Gurney, of PERNIS TWEEDALIL, ‘Mobis, already referred to ante, pp. 446—8 and 122, 123. I have nothing now to add to what has been already said by Mr. Gurney and myself in regard to this species. NEITHER the large Flamingo (944.— PHENICOPTERUS ROSEUS, Pall.) nor the small Ruddy one (94457s—P. MINOR, G. St. Hil.) so far as I have yet been able to ascertain breeds any- where in India. The larger species breeds in enormous companies towards the head of the Persian Gulf, and I have had simply hundreds of eggs of this species sent me thence. Where the small one breeds, if at all out of Africa, I do not know; but both species frequent the Sambhur lake as seasonal visitants, and are much esteemed there for the table, and deservedly so since, when in the fine condition they there soon assume, they are, I used to think in my old unregenerate kreophagite days, superior to the best stubble-fed goose I ever tasted. But, though neither species, so far as I have yet been able to discover (and it may be imagined that I have had them well searched for), breeds either at Sambhur or anywhere else in India, both species have an untidy habit of dropping their eggs about at the lake before leaving. I have had several eggs of both sent me from time to time picked up at the lake’s edge, or on some mud bank—eggs mostly quite fresh when found—and many more eggs of the same kind than I have seen or heard of have, I know, been converted into omelettes and otherwise sacrilegiously disposed of. Now to-day my friend Mr. Ashton sends me an egg of the large species picked up on the morning of the 5th of 514 NOTES. November, 1887, on a mud bank out in the lake a little to the north-east of the town of Sambhur, clearly laid during the night of the 4th, as it lay right in the path followed daily by the labourers. He also sends me an egg of the smaller species laid on the lake edge near Mata Pahar, about May, 1885, the hot season following a great flood, when the flamingoes remained unusually late. THE HawFIncH From AtTTock, by R. Bowdler Sharpe.— Three specimens of a Hawfinch were collected at Attock in the Punjab in March, 1869, and in February, 1870, by Colonel Delmé-Radcliffe. They are mentioned by Mr. Hume in “ The Ibis” for 1869, p. 456, and again in “ Stray Feathers” for 1877, Vol. VII, pp. 413, 462, and are there referred to C. vulgaris, L.e., C. coceothraustes (Linn.). In the Hume Collection there were no specimens of true C. coccothraustes from Europe ; and the comparison of these specimens was therefore doubtless made with plates of the European bird; but on comparing the three birds with a series of true C. coccothraustes, it seems to me certain that they are distinct from the European Hawfinch. The female differs from the corresponding sex of C. cocco- thraustes in being ochreous brown above, pale ashy ochreous on the lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts, while the crown of the head is ashy grey like the hind neck; sides of face also ashy grey, washed with ochreous ; breast and sides of the body ochreous buff, instead of vinaceous brown; centre of breast and abdomen white. Total length, 6°75 inches ; cul- men, 0°75; wing, 3 9 ; tail, 2°35 ; tarsus, 0°8. The male difters less from C. coccothraustes than the female, but it is distinguished by its paler coloration, and by the breast and sides of the body being light orange-brown instead of vinaceous. ‘Total length, 69 inches ; culmen, 0'8; wing, 38 ; tail, 2°1 ; tarsus, 0°8. I may add that the Attock bird is not C. japonicus, for it has a greater extent of pure white on the wing-coverts than in even true C. coccothraustes. OC. japonicus is scarcely to be distinguished from the European bird; and differs only in having the median and greater wing-coverts pale drab at the ends instead of white. I propose to call the Coccothraustes from Attock after my friend Mr. Hume, C. hwmii. Whether it is the Hawfinch recorded by Lieutenant Barnes as a per- manent resident at Chaman in Southern Afghanistan (S. F., IX, p. 456) must remain a question to be decided by an examination of specimens, which I have not yet had the oppor- tunity of doing. NOTES. 515 IN continuation of his letters (ante, p. 425) Mr. R. N. Stoker sends exact measurements and weights of three more female Scaup and three more female Golden Eyes, shot by him subsequent to the date of his former communications on the 20th and 21st of December, some 12 miles up the Indus above Attock. So few specimens of these species have been obtained and carefully examined in India that these figures are worthy of record :— ScAup, No. 1 No, 2 No. 3 Sex a0 a sais ©) 2 2 Expanse ... 559 oe 28 41 28°25 27:25 Length ies ihe 4 16°25 1§:°92 16°12 Tarsus ; wan se 2 54 25 2-7 Bill from gape 308 sac 1°87 192 1-75 Weight * ye rr lib. 60z. lib. 8oz. 1b. 80z. Wing ce acre sas 8°25 «92 T15 GOLDEN EYE. Nos 1: No: 2: No. 3. Sex een sa ae 2 2 Mature @ Expanse.e. one con 27:17 26 08 28°75 Length a oc ice 15°87 15°5 18:08 Tarsus if wae roe 8 45 8 45 4:30 Bill from gape Sod not 1°66 1:8 Height of bill at base . Aan aot pC D OR d.—. ee ee 108 Weight aoe Mc .. | Ifo 230z, |1tb. 230z. | 1fb. 1030z. These six birds were shot 12 miles be the Indus above Attock, December 20th and 2Ist, by R. N. Stoker. Lone ago Mr. Doig sent me exact measurements and description of colours of soft parts of ten svecimens of Falco babylonicus procured by him in Sindh, and I think these accurate particulars recorded from the fresh specimens are worth preserving, and therefore I reproduce them now :— 65 516 NOTES. Measurements of Falco babylonicus. Date. Sex. 1Up EK, Aw | Wi | Bie Boones: : g REMARKS. diss. pee PA PATE Sh oes sae se, eee Re 2ist Noy. 1878) Female | 17” |39°25”| 9-7” |12°75”|_ 87”| 1°25")... | 1 26th Decr. 1878} Female 16" 197°5” { 662” 12°25” LU liar il ee 2 18th Jan. 1879) Male ... 14” |33- 6” |10°62” Wy el vee 3 19th Jan. 1879 | Female |16°62”|38-12”| 7” 12°12”| 1:12”; 12” | .. | 4 28th Nov. 1880) Male ... |13°75” |33°5” CP), Ge ean” A A ep 18th Dec. 1880) Male... |14 25” |34:50”| 5°62’] 11°”) 94”! 1:06”| 175”| 6 Ist Jan. 1881 | Male... 16°12” |38°5” | 6°5” |12°37”| 95”| 122”! 1°75”| 7 | Immature. “u 11°46” 1 (led 1 00” ery 8 or 2nd Jan. 1881} Male... |14°25” |34°5” | 5°7 4th Jan. 1881} Female /|16°80” !38” 7" 112'75”| 1°12") 1°25”| 1°75”| 9 \Weight2tbloz. 3rd Feb. 1881 | Male ... |13°75” 83°75” | 5°75”|11:00"|_ 1” | 106”| 175’| 10 5» 15702. CoLouRs. Specimen No. 2 (26th December 1878)— Cere greenish yellow ; bill pale, horny dusky at tip; feet pale yellow. Specimen No. 3 (18th January 1879)— Irides dark brown ; cere greenish yellow ; bill pale horny, dark at tip ; legs and toes lemon yellow ; claws black. Specimen No. 4 (19th January 1879)— Irides dark brown ; orbital skin pale greenish yellow ; cere greenish yellow ; bill pale horny, dark at tip ; toes and legs ale lemon yellow. Specimen No. 5 (28th November 1880)— Irides dark brown; cere and legs yellow ; bill deep slaty at tip, pale greenish yellow near base ; orbital skin lemon yellow ; claws black. Specimen No. 6 (18th December 1880)— Irides deep black ; bill pale greenish yellow at base of upper and lower mandible, getting duskier towards tip, which is black ; cere, legs and toes bright lemon yellow, i NOTES. 517 Specimen No. 7 (1st January 1881) G@mmature)— Irides dark brown ; cere and orbital skin light whitish yellow, the latter colour very faint; legs pale whitish yellow ; claws dusky ; bill pale slaty blue, dusky horny blue at tip. Section No. 8 (2nd January 1881)— Irides deep brown; orbital skin, cere and legs bright yellow ; bill pale, greenish yellow at base, dusky slaty horny at tip; mid toe and claw=2 inches, Specimen No. 9 (4th January 1881)— Irides deep brown; edge of eyelid, orbital skin and cere pale yellow; legs and toes yellow; claws black. Specimen No. 10 (8rd February 1881)— Inides black ; cere, eyelid, orbital skin and legs bright lemon yellow; bill greenish yellow at base, bluish horny at tip ; claws slaty horny, darker at tips ; testes considerably en- larged. In the cold weather of 1880, Captain Williamson, 43rd Light Infantry, met with the Woodcock (S. rusticola) on several occasions in the neighbourhood of Tonghoo. He says: “The first Woodcock I got was on the march from Thayet- myo to Tonghoo, half way between the two places. I flushed it in a sandy nullah, nearly dry, though with a spring not far off. This was in the last week of March. “ About six miles north of Tonghoo there isa jhil situated in the midst of the jungle. It has very flat banks on the three sides, covered with bushes, which are submerged for about fifty yards during the rains. These bushes are open underneath when the water subsides, I was there after duck and discovered marks in the soft mud of prodding, made by a Woodcock I thought. I measured the depth and found it about the length of a Woodcock’s bill, I then hunted about and flushed and shot a cock. I went there several times after, and to another jhil about half a mile off the same place and killed two or three each time, and on one occasion I got eight. Twenty-three miles south of Tonghoo, when in search of pig, I saw a likely place in the jungle at the head of a spring and flushed acock, but having only a rifle with me could not bag it. I returned there three days afterwards and got a couple. I have looked at several other very likely coverts in the Tonghoo district, but never saw any more cock, but I am sure they are to be got. Could see no difference between these and the English bird, though some are smaller than others,” 518 MHetters to the Editor. SIR, THE Peahen generally nests on the ground. Here the country is very flat and gets so flooded that trees are used. I found, on 30th September, 1884, a nest and five eggs, hard set, in a triple fork of mango tree 12 feet from ground ; in just such a position as is represented in Captain Marshall’s sketch of the nest (Birds Nesting in India) of the Brown Fish Owl. 2. Nest of Jora zeylanica (which is very common here) and three eggs hard set, on October 4th, 1884—very late, was it not ? I shot the female as she flew off nest, We had to bully her off it, and I think the man might have taken her in his hand. 3. Marshall, p. 173 (Birds Nesting) says of 826—/P?. cam- bayensis “ requires confirmation.” I caught the female by pop- ping my hat on her as she sat in a tuft of grass on six fresh eggs, 24th September, 1884, about 50 yards behind my house. On 21st September, 1884, four hard-set eggs of same species were brought me. . H. LitTLeDALe. THE COLLEGE, BARODA, November 7th, 1884, SIR, YESTERDAY I saw in an open field a large flock, over three hundred, of what I think were Rooks (C. frugtlegus). I was unable to shoot one, and should be glad to know ifthe Rook is ever found as far south, as I have never seen it before. Neither Ravens, which are common here, nor Crows ( C. splendens) ever collect in flocks to feed in the fields as far as lam aware. FranK W. CHANTER. LupHIANA, November 1st, 1884. [Rooks, I think, are rarely seen as far east as Ludhiana. They are common some years during the winterin the submontane districts from Sealkote and Rawalpindi to Peshawar, and I have seen specimens from Hoshiarpore, but never, I think, from Ludhiana,—ED., 8. F.] SIR, Witu reference to page 174 of your Vol. III, “Game Birds of India,” I have the pleasure to inform you that this year, on the 16th May, I came across a very large number of the “Pink-headed Duck,” on the “ Koosumba Tal” at the édge of the Sakhoo forest about 25 miles north of Kheeri. Unfortunately I could not shoot one of them as we had a large tiger in a patch of reeds adjoining the Tal (we got him after rather a sharp tussle.) The birds, however, came so close to ns oy I had xo dificulty in identifying them as “ Pink-headed Juck.” LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 519 The place was eminently one for ducks to breed in—retired, plenty of cover, and a deep fringe of grass all round the Tal covering a large space of ground. The ducks would hardly have been there as late as the end of May unless they intended stopping there to breed, and I can positively assert they were Pink-headed Duck. MavRicE TWEEDIE, Lt.-Col. KHEERI, OUDH, 30th September, 1883. SIR, Asin your “ Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds” you have very little information regarding the nidification of Pitta coronata (845), perhaps the following account may inter- est you :-— While walking through one of our reserved forests in this district on the 30th ultimo, I observed a bird which appeared tome like a Nourang fly out of a tree a little in front of me. As I had never before seen this Ground Thrush on a tree it struck me as curious, and I therefore went up to the tree and had a good look at it. Some twenty feet from the ground I thought I saw a nest in a fork, and on going up to look found such was the case. The nest was by no means a large one, such as found by Mr. Blewitt. It was a domed-shaped nest, built chiefly of small twigs and contained very young birds—how many I could not tell, for I did not like disturbing them. While on the tree the parent birds kept flying about at a respectful distance, but quite near enough for me to identify them. This Ground Thrush is to me a very familiar bird, but I have never before found their nests, chiefly, I fancy, because I have looked for them on the ground. On mentioning this matter to Mr. R. Thompson the other day, he told me that he had often found this bird nesting on trees. The same day I founda nest of Zurnix taigoor with four eggs in the same forest. The nest which was at the foot of a small clump of bamboos was, I think, rather a remarkable one for this bird. It was the usual little pad in a small hollow in the ground, but in addition had a little hood over it made of fine grass. The nest seemed to me to be a_ perfectly new one, and not an old one of some other birds used for the occasion. | IvER MAcPHERSON, Cuanpa, C. P., 5th July, 1883. = Dy. Consr. of Forests. 520 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. SIR, I HAVE just, for the first time, been looking at Vol. I of your book about the “ Game Birds of India, &c.,” and I think I have made a discovery. In the beginning of 1881 I shot a Sandgrouse which was different from any I had seen before. The male was some- thing like the Painted Grouse, but of much more sober coloring. The female was very finely and closely barred. I have hardly any doubt that the birds were the Close-barred Sandgrouse. Looking up my diary I find that the date on which I shot them was the 3rd February, 1881. The place was Damokur in the Soane Valley in Rewah, 18 miles from Chundea, which is some 20 miles south of the station of Kutni on the E. I. Railway. My camp was ina stubble field on a hillock with thin jungle all round, and I found the birds close to my tents. There were two or three parties of five or sixin each. They had a whistling cry, laid pretty close, and did not fly far. 1 shot four birds of which I think only one was a male. The plumage of the female struck me very much. It was so very soft and pencilled. Itis a long time ago and I write from memory, but I am convinced the bird was the Close-bar- red Sandgrouse. Iam keen about birds, though I have no scientific knowledge, and whenever I finda bird I don’t know I look him up on the first opportunity. The place is very wild and unfrequented ; and there is far more jungle than cultivation for miles around. J. C. BERKELEY. Morar, 20th May, 1883. [insert this letter because Colonel Berkeley I know was always a keen observer of birds, but [ have no other record of the occurrence of this species, eastwards of Sind.—ED., S. F.] SIR, On the 28th November, 1882, at a small jhil near the Mala Swamp (about 43 miles south of Gujrowla. in Philibhit, one of the officers of my regiment and myself were out shoot- ing duck and teal. He got first shot at a flock of teal and knocked over some six or seven in his first shot or two. They fell near my side, and as I had a dog I went in to retrieve them. They were pretty well scattered, and he and I both saw one (as we thought) of the wounded swimming about near the edge of the open bit of water in thecentre. He asked me to get it, but as the water was deep there I shot it on the water, and my dog retrieved it. I was struck by its peculiar appearance. We both LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 521 examined it very carefully when we had finished off the shoot- ing on that jhil, and he came to the conclusion that it was that very rare duck, the white-faced or stiff-tailed duck. On getting home we consulted the volume on ducks, and there could be no doubt whatever that it was the stiff-tailed duck. Unfortunately the bird was mixed up with the others she that day, and sent into Bareilly, and who got it we don’t now. It was, however, undoubtedly the stiff-tailed duck. After reading your account of the habits of the bird we have come to the conclusion that it was zo¢ wounded when we first notic- edit; we saw no other and did not sex it. The name of the jhil is the “ Musapur Jhil.” The Mala swamp is a grand place for duck if one could only retrieve all the birds shot, but the “ nurkul” reeds are so thick and high that one loses half or more of the birds. W. C. PLOWDEN. BAREILLY, 7th April, 1883. [Vide ante, p. 420.—ED., 8.F.] SIR, A SPECIMEN of a stiff-tailed duck was brought to me by a native who wounded it out of a small number near Keengurh on this side of the Indus in February of this year. The bird lived for a week in captivity. The birds were living on a large, shallow, but very open jhil which is slightly saltish, T. BoMFORD. MULTAN, 20¢2 June, 1887. Sir ‘ You may care to note that I shot two Florican (females) to-day at Nawa tank, seven miles east of Baroda city. I saw one (a female) in the same place in March, 1883. Except these three I have never heard of their being here before the rains. They generally come in July (late} and dis- appear in September. I tried last winter to identify all the ducks I shot, and found that you had noted all the varieties I met with as visiting Guzerat. ; Last year, on June Ist, I shot three Painted Snipe at Pavagadh, 30 miles east of this. I think a few “ painters” stay in the quietest tanks all the year, Two Bitterns were 522 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. shot at Pelol, eight miles north of this, in 1881. I have never met with the Bittern here before or since. Our first ducks last year were pintails: I shot a great number in October, and then not one till February (late), which looks as if they went early south of this. Our commonest duck are the Grey-winged Teal, the Mallard, Common Teal, and occasion- ally Widgeon, besides many Whistling Teal and Cotton Teal. The Cotton and some of the Whistling Teal stay all the year. There are a few Brahminys, but they keep more to the rivers. H. LITTLEDALE. BaRopDA, 6th April, 1884. SIR, THE following notes may be of some interest to you. The Sarus Crane has been seen in the Tanna Collectorate by Mr. T. D. Mackenzie, the Collector. He saw four, two old and two young, birds ona tank at Tembhi in the Dahanu taluka on March 4th, 1883. He got within 25 yards of them. He also in the month of January, 1883, when acting as Collec- tor of Salt, saw Sarus cn two occasions in the Tanna district contiguous to the Daman territory, As Mr. Mackenzie has served for several years in Guzerat, he knows a Sarus, to use his own expression, as wellas he knows a Snipe. Ishota brace of Spotted Crake at Joo near Panwell on the other side of the Bombay Harbour on 2nd December, 1883. On January 13th, 1884, I shot a female Scaup Duckon a small tank on the roadside about a mile from Panwell, close to the -18th milestone from Tanna. It was alone with a lot of Coots. I had some difficulty in getting it, as whenever I went to one side of the tank it swam to the other with the Coots. I fired along shot at it when it dived and remained under water some time. On my firing at it again, it took wing, avery slow and laboured flight, when I got it with the second barrel. I showed the skin to Col. Swinhoe, who pronounces it to be a Scaup. I have sent you the skin by parcel post in order that you may identify it. Idon’t want the skin back again. It had a yellow eye. I fancy this is the first record of a Scaup so far south. Iobserve that you say in the “ Game Birds of India” that you have never seenthe Gadwall on the sea coast, and that they are essentially a fresh-water bird. Ihave frequently seen them in the Salt Creeks on the other side of the Bombay Harbour, and I shot one out of a very large flock in a salt water creek close to the tank, where I got the Scaup on the same day. I don’t think the Tufted Pochard can be said to be fairly common in Guzerat as stated in the “ Game Birds of India.” I LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.~ 523° have shot a good deal in Guzerat, and have only shot one. This last Christmas in a bag of 527 duck, shot within 40 miles. of Ahmedabad, there. was not one and none were seen. The Bittern this year is very common about here ; I have. seen one or two almost every day I have been out shooting snipe. J. D. INVERARITY. Bompay, 17th January, 1884. SIR, In your account of the range of the Grey Lag Goose you put the course of the Subanreeka as the southern boundary on the east. Marching along the banks of the Chilka lake with the regi- ment, I was out on the lake shooting at a stage called Tanghi, where I found almost any number of Grey Lags, of which I got one on the evening of the 16th November and six next morning, none of the bar-headed being in the bag. Next day, however, (we halted aday because it was Sunday) my batman went out and shot seven geese, five being grey lags and two bar- headed, my first introduction to the Bar-headed Goose. The weights of the Grey Lags killed by myself are as follows :— lbs. ozs. Ist (16th November) 6 9 Ist (17th ; ) 6 4, 2nd 5 12 { xpress: vase ore S32 a ae 8) hole where the bullet left body. Sth: ids i pete uu: 48 Do. do, Sth: inc see we 0 9 re 6th ae Pr a: 0 - The weight alone would prove them to be Grey Lags. I did not weigh those killed by my batman.. Only yesterday, 25th November, at Kantalu on the Mahanadi, I came across a large flock of geese feeding in the fields, and about a sixth of them were Grey Lags, easily distinguishable by their dark colour, I have preserved the heads and beaks of several of those shot by myself. < ‘Mr. Taylor, Deputy Magistrate, and Mr. Wylly, Forest Officer, both of the Khurda division, told me that in the early part of the season the Grey Lag always very much outnumbered the Bar-headed Goose on the Chilka, ‘pina _ At Kalapathar, Khurda division, on the 22nd November, I killed a female Wigeon which “can always be distinguish- ed from other ducks by her tiny blue black-tipped bill.” 66 5Q4 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. (Game Birds, Vol. III, p. 202.) Unfortunately, I could not visit the jhil on which I killed it. G. Rippon, Lieut. Ortssa, 26th November, 1883. SIR, On Wednesday last, November 7th, I shot a Wood- cock in the Gurdaspur district, when out snipe-shooting in the low lands between thé Bari Doab canal and the Bias river, some two or three miles east of the Tehi Bungalow (four miles east from Gurdaspur) where the canal branches. He was flushed in comparatively hard but rather sloppy ground, sparsely covered with “phoos” grass, some five or six feet in height. None of my coolies who were here constantly employed with shooting parties in the neighbourhood, and far above the com- mon cooly in knowledge and intelligence, could say they had ever seen a similar bird. One youngster said he believed it to be the cock bird of the pin-tailed snipe. The bird was in fair condition, and weighed, in the evening, some seven hours after it was killed, about lloz. I have shot many years off and on in the neighbourhood, though usually later in the year, and never saw a Woodcock there before, and have never heard of any one seeing one there. H. M. PLOWDEN. LAHORE, November 13th, 1883. SIR, - IT aot a Naga Pheasant sent to me the other day from the Daffla hills by Mr. Crowe, who went on a visit to a Dafila tribe. oes wee + . The Dafflas informed him that they were very common on the lower ranges. . I showed it to Captain Stevens who at once identified it as the Ceriornis blythi, as hitherto only found on the Naga and Mishmee hills. RosBeRT Cran, M.D. NortH LAKHIMPUR, Upper AssAM, 18th April, 1883. Sir, | It has been my good luck lately to come across a beautiful specimen of Fulco severus (?), and as I cannot find a. good description of the female in either Jerdon, “S. F.” or -LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 525 Rough Notes on the Indian Raptores, I send you one taken from this skin, which I imagine from the size belonged to an adult female. I showed it to Mr. Bowdler Sharpe, so there is no doubt about the species. Falco severus, Horsf. Drscrirtion.—Adult (¢). Above dark slaty blue, darkeet on the head, neck and shoulders, which are almost black ; the head, nape, moustachial stripe, cheeks and ear-coverts forming one homogeneous unbroken black, or slaty black; cap as described in the case of F. atriceps, Hume, some of the feathers of the forehead being slightly edged with rufescent, which may disappear in very old specimens. The feathers of the back, upper tail-coverts, tertials, scapulars, and some of the wing- coverts have a conspicuous dark shaft, giving those parts a striated appearance. : Chin and throat, as far as upper breast, buffy white, indenting deeply into the sides of the neck, where it becomes rufous, like the breast. Breast, abdomen, thigh and lower tail-coverts deep ferrugi- nous, the breast feathers having a few inconspicuous dark blackish central streaks, principally on the sides. Lower abdomen and vent inclining to pale buff like the throat. ~ Wing-lining rufous, like the breast, most of the under- coverts having blackish shafts to the feathers, and some of the feathers being mottled or patched with dark slate also ; wings blackish, the inner webs of primaries and secondaries being cross-barred with rufescent or pinkish cream, the bars about: ‘18 inch in width, commencing about 25 inches from the end of the second primary which is the longest, and becoming smaller and less distinct towards the tips of the feathers + the primary under wing-coverts are similarly marked, but on both webs, and the first primary most peculiarly notched, as if a piece of the web had been cut out with a pair of Scissors. Tail, viewed from the underside, cross-barred like the, wings, ‘the bars growing fainter in the same way also towards the ‘tip ; viewed from the upper side, when the tail is closed, inconspicuously barred with dusky, having avery narrow pale whitish edging at the extreme tip, and the black bar nearest the tip broader than the others, being about ‘62 inch in width. Measurements of the dried skin which looked very natural and was not overstretched :— : Sez, Length, Wing. Tail. Locality. Q 11°62, 9°75. 525, Himalayas. EK. BUTLER. 526 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. SIR, 7 _In your book on the “Game Birds of India” you request your readers to send you any information they may be able to furnish with respect to the same birds or to new species not mentioned. I have jotted down a few notes which, though of small value as containing little or nothing that is new, may perhaps help to corroborate information received from other sources. I give a list of all the game birds that are to be found in Khorda, Orissa. Khorda is a sub-division of Pooree ; my father, Mr. W. C. Taylor, has been sixteen years resident here as Settlement Officer, and in his final Settlement Report, not yet sent up, he includes the following list of game birds of Khorda, all of which he has shot. . This list also includes the Uriya names of most of the birds. The Uriyas, however, are not very observant of birds. They are first class botanists, but their nomenclature of birds is very defective, and a great deal pirated from other Oriental languages. Khorda lies between parallels 19° 41’ and 20° 26’ North and 84° 59’ and 85° 56 East. - You will notice names of birds mentioned which you refer to as not having been met with so far south or in this part of the country. - Khorda is bounded by the greater portion of the Chilka lake, a splendid shallow tract of water 45 miles long by 11 miles broad, connected by anarrow outlet with the sea. The water is brackish all the year round, slightly so during the autumn and winter months, but getting considerably salter towards March and April owing to the southern winds. The Chilka, for two or three miles out from the Khorda shore, is but three or four feet in depth. This shallowness is especially the case at the northern end of the lake and on the south eastern side ; it is covered for the greater part with a light feathery weed, which grows in compact masses, and affords both food to the wild fowl and also. grand concealment to a wounded Blue-winged Teal or Pochard. I have myself shot all the birds entered in the subjoined list, except the Peacock, the Painted Spur Fowl, the Grey Partridge, the Rain and Bush Quails, the Comb Duck, the Pink-headed Duck and the White-eyed Pochard. I have however seen all except the Pink-headed Duck and the Painted Spur Fowl. , _The list I send is, I should say, nearly exhaustive. The Wigeon may occur, and should do so, but we have not come across it, and I am nearly certain I saw the Burrow Duck last year, but I do not ‘add it to the list,as I am not quite sure, not having shot it or seen it close enough LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 527 to be able to swear to it. The Grey Jungle Fowl also, I more than strongly suspect, is to be found in the Mals near the Ghumsur boundary. I myself one day came ona Grey Jungle Fowl, which immediately flew into a tree. I took a careful pot at it about ten yards off and missed it horribly. When the smoke cleared away I discovered that the fowl had done the same. This was within half a mile of a village,so the bird in question might have been a village Murgi astray, or a cross with a village one. On the other hand the Raja of Nyagarh assured me that on his estate there were two kinds of Jungle Fowl—one a grey one, “Chitra” he called it, and the ordinary red and black one. He has promised to send me _ specimens. We also questioned several Konds independently, and they all made similar statements. It would be difficult to exaggerate the number of wild fowl that visit the Chilka annually. They come literally in millions. The best feeding grounds are near Bhusandpur, a village at the north-western corner of the lake, and at Parikud, an estate situated at the south-eastern and eastern border. Here, as I stated before, the lake is very shallow and filled with weed (Linli); there are large crops of rice grown in the vicinity and besides, near Bhusandpur, some thousands of acres of mud flat extend into the Chilka. There are rice fields however and lots of weeds the whole way round the Chilka shore, so that, although most of the birds are to be found either near Bhusandpur or Parikud, yet a fair sprinkling occur all over the lake. The birds that occur in the greatest numbers are the Barred-headed Goose, the Pintail and the Greylag Goose. One flock of Barred-headed Geese, which we came across in December, 1885, were standing ona mud flat in a line over three-quarters of a mile long and three and four birds deep, all closely packed. They were much too wise to let the chaprasi that we sent after them get within two hundred yards of them. The birds get very wild on the Chilka, as native shikaries are potting at them all day long. No one has tried a proper punt and swivel gun at them yet, and I have no doubt immense bags could be made in that manner, The usual way here is to get into a native “danga” or dug- out, and let the boatmen pole you to within range. In this way you can get lots of pretty shots, but very rarely one within fifty yards. On some days the birds are much wilder than others. I remember one day, when out with my brother, a party of nine Ruddy Sheldrakes let us come up within thirty yards of them before they rose, and another pair settled down within twenty yards of the boat and let us pass them without 528 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR- bothering their heads at all about us. Some Pintail too allowed us to come up within twenty or thirty yards of them: After the first shot, however, nothing did we fire at under fifty yards, and most of the birds rose at a hundred. The Pintail come in enormous numbers to the Chilka; the flocks are dotted all over the lake, either alone or mixed with Blue-winged Teal and Shovellers. I have, on several occasions, come across flocks composed entirely of males and others en- tirely of females. On the 28th of March this year at Barkul I shot a brace out of a small party of 15 birds, all female Pintails. The Greylags too are very numerous, though not nearly so much so as dmser indicus ; they however are to be numbered by thousands and chiefly to be seen at Bhusandpur and Pari- kud; the latitude of the latter place is 19° 45’, or rather lower than you allow in the “ Game Birds of India.” The Ducks, which are least common on the Chilka, though they are to be met with in fair numbers in special portions of the lake, are the Fuligula rufina and nyroca, Sarcidiornis melanonotus and Anas pecilorhyncha. The last two are found in greater num- bers in the fresh-water jhils inland, chiefly about Banki, Haldia and Kalapathar. I have nevertheless shot several Grey Duck on the Chilka, which, considering that the water is brackish, is rather un- common. I ‘have never seen them feeding there, and my im- pression is that they feed inland on fresh-water jhils at night, flying to the Chilka by day for protection. ; The Pink-headed Duck has not been seen on the Chilka. My father has only seen and shot it at Kalapathar, not far from the Mahanadi river. The natives say it breeds there ; anyhow it is a rare bird in Khorda. The Comb Duck breeds on the estate as do the two kinds of Whistling Teal, the Cotton Teal and the Grey Duck. Nalbana, a large marshy island covered with reeds in the Chilka lake, is a great place in the rains for nests of wild fowl. This information has been derived chiefly from natives, as neither my father nor self have looked into the nidification of birds except in a most desultory manner. I have only seen and shot Dendrocygna fulva twice. Once my brother and myself obtained six out of a flock of about twenty on a jhil on the Madras Trunk Road, about seven miles south of Cuttack, and last month I shot a brace out of a party of seven that I found on a jhil about two miles from Jenkia and 15 miles south of Khorda. Dendrocygna javanica are very common, both in immense flocks of several thousands on the Chilka and in much smaller parties on many jhils and tanks. The Gadwall LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 529 are, I should say, only in fair numbers on the lake. I have never seen large flocks of them, and, although I have met with a few near Barkul and off Monglajuri, the majority congregate near Bhusandpur and Parikud. At Barkul, the D. P. W. bungalow is built on the edge of the lake, so I had many opportunities last month of watching the com- paratively few Water-fowl that had not left for the north from the verandah. There were numerous parties of Limosa cgo- cephala along the shore, ranging from a pair of birds to a couple of hundred. I several times noticed that those birds which were standing a little way out where the water was about six or seven inches deep submerged their heads and necks entirely in search of food, somuch so indeed that I often mistook them for Teal until they raised their heads. Their plumage then (at the end of March) was in the transition stage, the head and neck being quite rufous; we shot 13 or 14 of these birds. The Demoiselle Crane, the Uriyas call it Garara, is to be found in flocks cf about 100 birds here and there along the shore of the Chilka. One flock annually visits Bhusandpur, where we shot the Crane. I have also seen flocks flying overhead at Khorda head-quarters, at Barkul and Cuttack, their peculiar cry, like a grating cart wheel, being quite unmistakable. And now to come back to our jungle birds. The Red Spur Fowl is very common all over the estate ; any rocky bamboo-clad hill is a certain find with us. They do come also into the jungle at the base of the hill and for some distance on to the flat, but the majority will be found either on the hill itself or in the very skirts of the bam- boo in the open at the base of the hill. Of course they are only found in the open either in the morning or evening. The Painted Spur Fowl is very rare; only one specimen has been shot here as far as Iam aware, and that was shot last year by Mr. E. Wylly, of the Forest Department, at or near Panchgarh. By the way we have often heard a peculiar call in the early morning, something like the syllables To-Kay, To-Kay, repeated several times. The natives say it is the call of the “ Kainjar” or Red Spur Fowl. I have not been able to verify this, but my father has. I know that Spur Fowl were in the vicinity wherever we heard this call. Among the Quails we get a few of the “common” in the cold weather, and the Rain, Bush, Indian, Bustard and Button (Turniz joudera) Quails all the year round. The Khorda jungles are very difficult to shoot in, being excessively dense in most places and one mass of thorny bushes. I am speaking now of those jungles where the Quails are to be found. The birds get up so close, and after dodging over the first bush drop so suddenly that nearly every attempt to shoot 530 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. © them blows them to atoms or results in a miss. Now and then we been able to get specimens sufficiently good to iden- tify. I have many times seen the Indian Bustard Quail (Turnizx taigoor) and Perdicula asiatica running about within a couple of feet or so of the bush under which I have been resting. I have only seen two specimens of Z'urnix jouderu ; one I shot last year in a low scrub jungle and one my brother obtained last month on a low hill covered with thorny bushes. We have had several specimens of Turnix taigoor, and in July, 1886, I found a nest of taigoor, a mere depression under a small bush, containing five eggs. I know the Quail was taigoor, for I waited for the mother and shot her. The Rain Quail I have not been able to get a specimen of, but my father has shot it here. Snipe are not very abundant in Khorda except in certain very favorable localities on the Chilka shore and round a few favorite jhils. The Common Snipe and the Pintail seem equally distributed; some days we will get more of the former and on another the latter will be the more abundant. The little Jack is not common and the Painted rather rare. I have only seenthree specimens within these two last seasons. In Khorda apparently we do not get the Painted Partridge, Francolinus pictus. This is strange, as it should occur, but we have neither seen it or heard of it in Khorda, neither do we get its northern ally Francolinus vulgaris which stops at the left bank of the Mahanadi except near the coast at Jaldanda, where my father has shot several on the right bank of a nala leading from the right bank of the Mahanadi. The Grey Partridge is not very common, still it is not rare in a few isolated places on the estate; its distribution seems very irregular. JAMES H. TAYLOR. P.S—It will be interesting for you to hear that in March, 1885, my father found in the jungles near Banpur quite fresh eggs (of which he barbarously made an omelette) of the Red Jungle Fowl and the Red Spur Fowl in the same nest in the centre of a clump of bamboos. There were four or five eggs of each bird. The Pavo cristatws down here get their full tails sometimes by the end of March, J. Fie ie LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. The Game Birds of Khorda, Orissa. No. on NO ORO Pw & | -_ an = et ed oO em Ww bO 16 Common Names. Scientifie Names. Pea Fowl Red Jungle Fowl ... Red Spur Fowl _... Painted Spur Fowl Grey Partridge... Common Quail he Rain * Bush ” Button A, Indian Bustard Quail Common Snipe tee Pintail Snipe Painted Snipe “ Grey Duck ae Comb Duck “7 Pink-headed Duck... Whistling Teal Larger Whistling Teal Cotton Teal eos Greylag Goose Barred-headed Gonse Ruddy Sheldrake ... The Shoveller The Gadwall Pintail Common Teal Garganey te Pochard Red-crested Pochard White-eyed Pochard Demoiselle Crane ... Black-tailed Godwit Jack Snipe Pavo cristatus Gallus ferrugineus.., Galloperdix spadiceus Do. lunulatus Ortygornis pondice- rianus, Coturnix communis Do. coromandelica Perdicula asiatica .. Turnix joudera Do. taigoor .. Gallinago ccelestis... Do. sthenura Rhyncheea capensis Anas pecilorhyncha Sarcidiornis mela- nonotus. Rhodonessa caryo- phyllacea. Dendrocygna java- nica. Dendrocygna fulva Nettopus coroman- delianus, Anser cinereus “5 Do. indicus Casarca rutila Spatula clypeata Chaulelasmus — stre- perus. Dafila acuta Querquedula crecca Do. circia Fuligula ferina Do, rufina Do. nyroca Anthropoides virgo Limosa gocephala Gallinago gallinula 531 Uriya Names. “ Manir,” male called 6 Nanja.” as Kukra,” male called “ Ganja.” as a “ Hutia Gundri” .. “ Gundri” 0. te Do. Do. Do. ‘*Chaha charai” Do. : Do. a ‘ Bhera” ‘ “ Naki hansa”’ a “ Hansrali’”’ te Do. ics “ Dandana” dae “ Raj hansa’” aK “Raj” or ‘ Raj han- sa ”? “ Kesar pandia” * Panda hansa.’’ * Gendu” Hansa” or “ Nanda” & a ‘ Gendu” * Garara’ vas “Chaha charai” ... Do. : REMARKs. Breed Khorda. Do, in Do. Do, Migratory. Breed in Khorda, Migratory. Do, Breed Khorda, 0. in Do. Do. Migratory. Do, Nearly all the smaller Ducks and Teal are known here only by the generic name cf “Gendu,” and every wader not so large as a paddy bird by the name of ‘* Chaha,” End of Vol. X. 67 INGE), Eee Axpsorti, Bly. Trichastoma ,,, 206 Abrornis superciliaris, Tick. Va ey 224 Accentor alpinus, Bechsé. 124 Accentor altaicus, Brandt, 124 Accentor atrogularis, Brandt, .. vee 124 Accentor fulvescens, Severtz. ws. vee 125 Accentor jerdoni, Brooks. 124, 270 Accentor montanellus, Pall, 125 Accentor multistriatus, David ie aes 124 Accentor nipalensis, Hodgs. 124, 270 Accentor strophiatus, HOdgS= ss. ae 124 Accipiter nisus, Lin. et ozs 178, 260, 287, 335, 455 Accipiter virgatus, Reinw. 6, 178, 335 accipitrinus, Pall, Asio.. 14, 97, 182, 290, 343 eedon, Pall, Arundinax 215 Acridotheres fuscus, Wagl. 229, 462, 478 Acridotheres ginginianus, Lath. ee see Acridotheres mahrattensis, 53, 312 Sykes oe ... 400, 478 Acridotheres tristis, Zin. 52, 229, 311, 400, 462 Acrocephalus agricolus, Jerd. ay 214, 390 Acrocephalus bistrigiceps, Swink. ee sc 214 Acrocephalus dumetorum, Bly, + ... 118,214, 268, 308, 390, 476 Acrocephalus _ orientalis, cae, | ens acc 213 Acrocephalus _ stentorius, Hemp. & Ehr. ve. 213, 307, 390 Actitis glareola, Lin. i 466 Actitis hypoleucus, Zin.... 466 Actitis ochropus, Zin. ... 466 acuminata, Horsf. Tringa 276 acuta, Zin. Dafila . 82, 145, 164, 245, 326, 418, 466, 531 acnticauda, Hodgs. Ama- dina nae Ses 232 adamsi, Hume. Alauda.., 134 ARgialitis cantiana, Lath..., 65, 237, 275 AAgialitis curonica, Gmel, 275 Adgialitis dubia, Scop. ,,., 65, 139, 237, 412 JKgialitis Geoffroyi, Wagl. 237 AMvialitis hiaticula, Lin. 139 ANgiulitis jerdoni, Legge. 238n, 275, 318 AMgialitis minuta, Pall. ... 238 AGginlitis mongola, Pall... 237 Kgialitis philippensis, Scop. 278 Aigitialiscus leucogenys, Moore .-. 123, 270 segocephala, Lin. Limosa 239, 320, 529, 531 seenanthe, Zzn. Saxicola ,,, 115 senea, Lin. Curpophaga ... 235 senea, Vieill. Chaptia .., 202, 367 seruginosus, Lin, Circus ... 11, 94, 180, 289, 340, 435 Adsacus recurvirostris, Cuv, 67, 166, 238, 319 sesalon, Zunst. Falco we 90 eetherius, Lin. Pheton ,,, 146 A&thopyga cara, Hume .. 197 affinis, MeClell. Coracias 186 affinis, Bly. Cymborhyn- chus one 188 affinis, J. HE. Gr. Cypsellus 19, 184, 294, 347, 456, 478 affinis, Hodgs. Dumeticola 170 affinis, Gould. Milvus «.. 181 affinis, Jerd. Mirafra 404, 440, 463 affinis, Hay. Muscipeta .., 203, 459 affinis, Zick. Phylloscopus 119,176, 394, 477 alpinus, Vieill. Pyrrhocorax 127 affinis, Bly. Sylvia we 47, 120, 269, 309 agile, Tick. Piprisoma 29, 198, 438 agricolus, Jerd. Acroce- phalus ae wee 214, 390 Agrodroma campestris, Lin. 310 Agrodroma similis, Jerd.... 397 Agrodroma sordida, Riipp. 49, 311 akool,;Sykes. Porzana ,., 322, ste 4 alaschanica, Prjev. Ruticilla 115 INDEX. Doo alba, Bechst. Ciconia ,,, 74, 323, 415 alba, Zin. Herodias On 75 alba, Zia. Motacilla _,., 121, 269 albicaudata, Jerd. Stopo- rala . 370, 473 albicilla, Pall. Erythros- terna w. 30, 204 albicollis, Vieill. Leuco- cerca eee 203 albicollis, ‘Sws. Rhyn- chops nee ws O75 400, 247 albellus, Zin. Mergellus.., 85 albifrons, Scop. Anser .., 78 albifrons, Jerd. Pericro- cotus 200 albiventris, Fairb. Callene 473 albogularis, Blyth. Dume- tia 305 albonigra, Hume. Saxicola 113 albonotatus, Tick. Cap- rimulgus ... .. 19, 185 albirostris, Shaw. Hydro- Cissa es ork 189 Alauda adamsi, Hume. 134 Alauda arvensis, Lin. ... 135 Alauda australis, vas 463, 479 Alauda dulcivox, Hodgs... 135 Alauda gulgula, Frankl. ... 58, 136, 234, 406, 463, 478 Alauda guttata, Brooks. ... 136 Alaudula raytal, Bly. ... 234, 452 Alcedo beavani, Wald. ...188”, 351 Alcedo bengalensis, G@m.... 22, 187, 296, 351, 457, 471 Alcedo meningting, Horsf. 188 Alcippe atriceps, Jerd. ... 375 Alcippe nipalensis, Hodgs. 206n Alcippe phayrii, Bly. .., 206 Alcippe poiocephala, Jerd. 374 Allotrius melanotis, Hodgs. ... owe 176 alpina, Zin. Tringa ace 70 alpinus, Bechst. Accentor 124 Alseonax ferrugineus, Hodgs. ee 204 Alseonax latirostris, Raff. 35, 204, 304, 369, 473 Alsocomus hodgsoni, Vig. 136 Alsocomus puniceus, Tick. 235 altaicus, Brandt. Accentor 124 althea, Hume, Sylvia. ,..120, 269, 310 altirostris, Jerd. Pyctorhis 206 atra, Lin, Fulica 72, 142, 241 Amadina acuticauda, Hodgs. 232 Amadina inglisi, Hume. .., 232n Amadina malabarica, Lin. 55, 312, 439 Amadina malacea, Zin.,., 402, 462 478 Amadina pectoralis, Jerd. 402, 478 Amadina punctulata, Zin. 55, 312, 402, 439, 463 Amadinarubronigra, Hodgs 55, 232 Amadina striata, Zin .., 478 Amadina subundulata, G. Aust. oa . 232 Fn Amnadina superstriata, Hume vs . 247 amandaya, Lin. Estrelda 56, 312, 403, 463, 478 Arundinax don, Pall. .., 215 amauroptera, Pears. Pelar- gopsis ane oct 187 Ammomanes_ pheenicura, Hrankin vse ... 314, 440 amurensis, Radde. Cerch » neis wee Vee 178 Ampeliceps coronatus, ly. on eae 231 analis, Horsf. Picus .., 190 Anas boscas, Lin. .. 81, 144 Anas pecilorhyncha, Forst, 81,325, 418, 442, 466, 528, 531 Anastomus oscitans, Bodd. 77, 244, 324, 417 anglica, Mont. Geloche- lidon Bir oe 278 anglica, Mont. Sternn .., 86, 246 angustirostris, Ménétr. Querquedula 82, 168, 174 annectans, Hodgs. Dicru- rus sac 201 Anser albifrons, Scop. ... "8 Anser barchyrhynchus, Baill. ae 78, 168, 169 Anser cinereus, Mey. 78, 163, 531 Anser indicus, Gm. 79, 163, 528, 531 Anser minutus, Naum. a 79 Anthocincla phayrii, Bly. 176 Anthus blakistoni, Swink, 122 Anthus cervinus, Pallas.... 227, 270 Anthus maculatus, Hodgs. 48, 122 227, 396 477 Anthus montanus, Jerd .,, 397, 477 Anthus rosaceus, Hodgs.... 122, 270 Anthus trivialis, Zin. .., 49, 122, 227, 310 Anthreptes phoenicotis, Tem. 197 Anthropoides virgo, Zin. 68, 140, antigone, Zin. Grus sae GM eoSe aplonotus, Blyth. Machlo- lophus 311, 398, 461, 478 apus, Lin. Cypsellus ang 100 aquaticus, Zin, Rallus ,,, Lis PO INDEX. Aquila clanga, Pall. ae aks Aquila chrysaétus, Lin. , 92 Aquila fulvescens, Gray... 450 Aguila hastata, Less... 450 Aquila mogilnik, SS. G. Gm. we §66, 448, Aquila nipalensis, Hodgs. 7,179, 287, 443 Aquila vindhiana, Frankl. 7, 287 Avachnothera aurata, Bly. 197 Arachnothera longirostra, Lath. Ze ey LO OO aralensis, Severt. Capri- mulgus... 101 Arboricola brunneopectus, Tick. “A 236 Arboricola chloropus, Tick. 236 Ardea brag, J. Geoff. ... 144 Ardea cinerea, Lin. wee 74, 144, 149, 243, 323, 416 Ardea goliath, Riipp. ... 149 Ardea purpurea, Lin. ... 74, 243, 323, 416, 442 .. 76, 248, 324, 416, 466 Ardetta cinnamomea, Gm. 76, 213, 324, 417, 442 Lath. 243, 416 Ardeola grayi, Sykes Ardetta flavicollis, Ardetta minuta, Zin. ,,, 144, 277 Ardetta sinensis, Gm. ... 243 arenaria, Zin. Calidris ... 240 arenarius, Pall. Pterocles 61, 275 argalus, Lath. Leptopti- lus eae nee CB I 323 argoonda, Sykes. Perdicula 317, 465 Argya malcolmi, Sykes. 39, 305, 382, 438, 448, 475 arvensis, Zin. Alauda ... 135 Artamus fuscus, Viedll. 203, 368, 459 asintica, Lath. Cinnyris ... 29, 197, 300, 362, 458, 472 asintica, Lath. Megalema 192 asiatica, Lath. Perdicula 63, 317, 411, 465, 530, 531 asiaticus, Sws. Cinclus ... 109, 120 asiaticus, Lath. Caprimul- gus 20, 185, 294, 349, 456 asinticus, Lath, Kenorhyn- chus ¥, w =74, 242 Asio accipitrinus, Pall. 14, 97, 182, 290, 343 Asio otus, Lin. 504 97 assimilis, Hodgs. Neornis 170 assimilis, Wald. Passer ... 176 Astur badius, Gm. 5, 92, 286, 335, 405 Astur palumbarius, Zzn..,,. 92 Astur poliopsis, Hume... 178 Astur rufitinctus, Me Clell 178 Astur trivirgatus, Tem. .., 334 athertoni, J.g S. Nycti- ornis 186 athertoni, Jerd. Nyetior- nis we OD1, 436 atra, Herm. Buchanga . 3B, 20, 302, 366, 438, 459, 473 atra, Lin. Fulica 241, 322, 441, 466 atriceps, Hume. Falco .. 525 atriceps, Jerd. Alcippe ... 375 albogularis, Bly. Dumetia 375 atripennis, Jerd. Caprimul- gus ... 849, 436 atrogularis, “Brandt, Ac- centor eae bc 124 atrogularis, Tem. Merula 40 atrogularis, Zem. Ortho- tomus sah 219 atrogularis, Tem. Turdus 263 atronuchalis, Bly. Lobi- vanellus ... ace 238 aurantiaca, Gould. Pyrr- hula 480 ane 131 aurantius, Zin. Brachyp- ternus 25, 298, 356, 458 aureola, Pall. Emberiza... 234 aureola, Vzeill. Leuco- cerca... 35, 208, 308, 369, 438 aurifrons, Zem. Phyllor- nis aan 211 auritus, Gr. Turtur As 138 aurata, Bly. Arachno- thera 197 aurita, Lath. ‘Sypheotides 160, 161, 168, 318, 412 aurorea, Pall. Ruticilla 213 austeni, Hume. Pomator- hinus 36 2 152 australis, Brooks. Alauda 463, 479 australis, Steph. Pelecanus 487 ayensis, Bly. Volvocivora 200 avocetta, Lim. Recur- virostra ... a 453 azurea, Bodd. Hypothymis 34, 203, 303, 368 Banytonicu, Gurn. Falco 3 babylonicus, Irby. Falco 449, pee 6 badius, Gm, Astur... 5, 92, 286, 335, 455 badius, Horsf. Phodilus 181 bailloni, Viedld. Porzana 73, 143, 242, 415, 441 bakkameena, Penn. Scops 16 barbatus, Zin. Gypaétus 89 basalis, Horsf. Chryso- coccyx nae ens 194 INDEX. batassiensis, J. ZH. Gr. Cypsellus .., «1 19; 294, 348 Batrachostomus moniliger, Lay. “te aa 348 baya, Bly. Ploceus ae8 231 beavani, Wald. Alvedo, 188n, 351 beavani, Wald. Prinia .., 219 beema, Sykes. Budytes ... 227n belangeri, Zess. Garrulax 208 bella, Hiv, Linaria avs 133 bengalensis, Gm. Alcedo 22, 187, 296, 351, 457, 471 bengalensis, Frankl. Bubo 14, 98, 290, 343 bengalensis, Gm. Centro- coccyx acs .. 196, 361, 458 bengalensis, Gu. Gyps... 454 bengulensis, Lin. Ploceus 231 bengalensis, Gm. Pseu- dogyps ... 2,177, 286, 332 bengalensis, Zin. Rhyn- cheea 239, 414 bengalensis, P. L. S. Mili. Sypheotis .. 162 bengalensis, ar Ves Timalin ss et 207 birostris, Scop. Ocy- ceros oe 22 Bhringa remifer, Dem. es 202 bicinucta, Jerd, Osmotre- ron 235, 406, 463 bicolor, Sykes, Pratincola 389, 476 biddulphi, Seud/y. Syrnium 95 bimaculata, Wénétr.Melano- corypha ... ... 184, 274 birostris, Scop. Ovyceros 296 bistrigiceps, Swink. Acro- cephalus... ee 214 blakistori, Swink, Anthus 122 blanfordi, Wald, Dry- moeca a 221 blanfordi, Jerd. Ixus ee 210 blewitti, Hume. Hetero- glaux se Ree 292 blytbi, Hume. Ceriornis .., 524, blythi, Sp. Nov. Pro- passer, s 272 biythi, Jerd. Sturnia " 401, 462 borealis, Szund. Motacilln 451 borealis, Blas. Phylloscopus 222 boseas, Lin. Anas ... 81, 144 Betaurue stellaris, Lin. Brachydactyla, Zeisl, Ca- 76, 244 landrella 58, 133, 274, 314 Brachypodius cinereiven- tris, Bly. ... 21052 Brachynodius chaleocepha- Mus Reman, 2: aa8 210n Brachypodius melanocepha- lus, Gm. ... wv 210 Gn Brachypodius poiocepha- lus, Jerd. ... ic 384 Brachypternus aurantius, Lin. 25, 298, 356, 458 Brachypternus dilutus, Bly. 356 Brachypternus puncti- collis; Math, Fed 356 brachyrhynchus, Baill. Amnseray Meee .. | 48, 168, 169 brachyura, Zin. Pitta ,,. 304, 373, 459 brag, J. Geoffr. Ardea ,,, 144 brama, Zem, Carine . ‘16, 291, 344, 436, 455 brevirostris, Gould, Lina- ria . 133, 273 brevirostris, Tig. Pericro- cotus re tex (Oe MLO Te 261 Gee POON ZOUs 291 brucii, Hume. Scops brunneicephalus, Jerd. Larus -« 86, 246 brunreapectus, Tick. Arbo- ricola es 236 Bubo bengalensis, Frankl. 14, 98, 290, 343 15, 291, 455 Bubo ignavus, Forst. .., 98 Bubo nipulensis, Hodgs. ... 182, 343 Bubo turcomanua, Lversm. 98 Bubuleus coromandus, Bodd. sue sow ORIZAS, 323, 416 buchanani, Bly, Emberiza 57, 129, 271,313 buchanani, Bly Franklinia 47, 309 Buchanga atra, Herm. . 33, 201, «802, 366, 438, 459, 473 Buchangaccerulescens, Lin. 33, 303, 366, 438, 473 Buchanga intermedia, Bly. 202 Bu-hanga longicaudara, Hay. ... 107, 202, 302, 366, 459 Buchanga pyrrhops, Hodgs. 202 Budytes beema, Sykes... 227n Budytes,calcaratus, Hodgs 48, 122, 269 Budytes cinereocapillus, Savz. 226, 310, 396, 451 Budytes citreolus, Pall... 122, 269, Bubo coromandus, Lath. 310, 396 Budytes flavus, Zin. .,, 226 *n, 227n Budstes melanocephalus, Licht ies . 48,310 536 Budytes viridis, Gm. see 121 Budytes, Sp. ? 396 burmanica, Hume. Estrelda 232 burmanica, Sharpe. Pe- largopsis ... 187 burmaniea, Jerd. Sturnia 230 burmanicus, Brooks. Phyl- loscopus ... vee 223 burmanicus, Sharpe. Pyc- nonotus .,.. ees 211 Butastur liventer, Zem. ... 180 Butastur teesa, Frankl. ... 10,180, 289, 435 Buteo desertorum, Daud. 159, 338 Buteo ferox, Gm. we 98, 450 Buteo plumipes, Hodgs. 10,94, 159, 180, 260, 338 Buteo rufiventer, Jerd. ... 159 Buteo vulgaris, Leach. ... 450 Butorides javanica, Horsf. 243, 324, 416, 453 CACCABIS CHUKAR, Gr. See 139 Caccabis pallescens, Hume. 139 Caccabis pallidus, Hume.... 139 Cacomantes passerinus, Vahl. eve 27, 360, 437 Cacomantes threnodes, Cab. 193 cachinnans, Jerd. Trocha- lopterum ... te 377 canicapillus, Bly. Iyngi- picus 190 colestis, Frenzl. Gallinago 68, 140, 164, 172, 239 ceeruleocephala, Vig. Ruti- cilla s0¢ 116 ceruleus, Desf, Elanus ... 13, 181, 290, 340 cerulescens, Jin. Bu- changa 33, 303, 366 cerulescens, Zin. Micro- hierax 178 Calandrella brachydactyla, Leisl. 58, 133, 274, 311 Calandrella pispoletta, Pall. cre < 134 Calandritis heinii, ’. Hom. 134 calcaratus, Hodgs. Budytes 48, 122, 26 Calidris arenaria, Zin. ,., 240 calidris, Zin. Totanus 71, 142, 241, 277, 321, 466 caligata, Licht. Hypolais 309, 439 caligatus, Raff. Limnaétus 179 Callene albiventris, Bly. 473 Callene rufiventris, Bly. ... 372 Calliope camtschatkensis, Gin. 213 Calliope pectoralia, Gould. 117, 268 INDEX. Calliope tschebaiewi, Prjev. 117 Calobates melanope, Pall. 48, 121, 226, 310, 395, 477 calyus, Scop. Otogyps 1, 177, 285, 331, 454, 468 cambaiensis, Lath. Tham- nobia eae 42 cambayensis, Perdicula ... 518 cambayensis, Gm. Turtur 138, 274 campestris, Zin. Agrodro- ma 310 camtschatkensis, Gm. Cal liope 20 243 canente, Less. Hemicer- cus wee 190 caudata, Dum. Chatarr- hoa ... 39, 176, 305, 383 candida, Zick. Strix 14, 341, 469 candidus, Bonn. Himan- topus 72, 142, 241, 277, 321, 466 caniceps, Vig, Carduelis... 132 caniceps, Bly. Lanius ... 364, 472 caniceps, Frankl. Mega- lema ae sea 25 cannabina, Zin. Linaria ,., 133, 273 canorus, Zin. Cuculus 26, 102, 182, 299 canutus, Zin. Tringa 443 cantiana, Lath. Adgialitis 65, 237, 275 cantillans, Jerd. Mirafra 451, 463 cantonensis, Swink. Peri- crocotus ... 5 200 capensis, Lin. Rhynchoa 69, 165, 172, 239, 320, 465, 531 capietrata, Gould. Saxi- cola eee ane 112 caprata, Zin. Pratincola... 43,111, 212, 307, 389, 462 Caprimulgus albonotatus, Tick. ese «as 19; 18s Caprimulgus aralensis, Severt. we nes 101 Caprimulgus asiaticus, Lath. 20, 185, 294, 349, 456 Caprimulgus —_atripennis, Jerd. vee .. 049, 436 Caprimulgus —europzeus, Lin 101 Coprimulgus indicus, Lath. 294, 436, 456 Caprimulgus jotaka, J. g°-S. — 185n, Caprimulgus kelaarti, Bly. 348, ae 470 Caprimulgus macrurus, Horsf. 185 Caprimulgus ‘mahrattensis, Sykes 300 295 nioriticoliis, Caprimulgus 185, 295, 349, 436 Frankl. ... INDEX, Caprimulgus unwini, Hume. 101, 261 cara, Hume. Athopyga ... 197 carbo, Zin. Phalacrocorax 87, 146, 248 Carcineutes pulchellus, HOrsfeas ess onc 187 Carduelis caniceps, Vig. ... 132 Carduelis orientalis, Heersm. 132 Carine brama, Tem, 16, 291, 344, 436, 455 Carine pulchra, Hume. .., 183 Carpodacus erythrinus, Pall. 57, 132, 234, 314, 403, 439 Carpodacus mongolicus, Swink, ss. toe 131 Carpophaga wnea, Lin. ... 235 Carpophaga cuprea, Jerd. 407, 464 Carpophinga insignia, Hodgs. 464 carnipes, Hodgs. My- cerobas,. ae 131 caryophyllacea, Lath, Khodonessa . 81, 531 Cusarca rutila, Pail. . 80, 164, 245, 325, 417,531 cashmirensis, Gould. Cheli- don . 260, 109 cashmirensis, “Gould. Hy- drobata ,.. not 262 casiotis, Bp. Columba ... 136 caspia, Pall. Sterna .. 246, 326 castaneiyentris, Frankl, Sitta 29, 300, 363 cathpharius, Hodgs. Picus 150 cayatus, Shaw. Dichoceros 188, 471, 352 Centrococcyx bengalensis, Gm. mn 196, 361, 458 Centrococcyx intermedius, Hume fy; 28, 196 Centrococeyx _rufipennis, Lil 299, 361, 458, 471 Cephalopyrus flammiceps, Burton. ... ar 270 Cerchneis amurensis, Radda... ee 178 Cerchneis naumanni, Fleisch. ... nie 435 Cerchneis pekinensis, Swinh. ov 5 Cerchueis tinnunculus, Lin: 5, 92, 178, 286, 334, 454, 469 Cerchneis vespertina, Lin. 260 Cercomela fusca, Bly. ... 44 Cercotrichas macrura, Gm. 212, 388, 439 Certhia discolor, Bly. ... 151, 152 Certhia familiaris, Zin. ... 103 Certhia himalayana, Vig. 103 Certhia hodgsoni, Brooks. 103, 261 Certhia munipurensis, Hume 161 530 Certhia stoliczke, Brooks. 152 cerviniceps, Gould, a cornis- .. 186 cervinus, Pall, Anthus .. 227, 270 Cervinus blythi a 524 Ceryle rudis, Lin. . 22, 188, 296, 352, 457 ceylonensis, Sws. Culici- capa 35, 204, 308, 369, 459, 473 ceylonensis, Gm. Ketupa 15, 182, 291, 343, 436, 469 ceylonensis, Bp. Oriolus.., 476 ceylonensis, Reich. Upupa 30, 301, 364, 458, 472 Ceyxtridactylus, Pall... 187 chalcocephalus, Jem. Bra- chypodius ... oC 2122 Chalcophaps indica, Lin. 235, 408, 440, 464, 479 Chaptea eenea, Vieill. ‘ 202, 367 Charadrius fulvus, G@m.... 64, 139, 165, 237, 318 Charadrius pluvialis, Zin, 452 Cheetura indica, Hume. .., 347 Chetura sylvatica, Tick..., 346 Chatarrhca caudata, Dum. 39, 176; 305, 383 Chatarrhea earlii, Bly. ,.. 208 Chatarrheea gularis, Bly.,., 209 Chaulelasmus streperus, Lin. 82, 144, 164, 325, 418, 531 cheela, Lath. Spilornis 8, 179, 288, 336 Chelidon cashmirensis, Gould. re 260 Chelidon urbioa; Lin. 100, 260, 293, 346 Chettusia cinerea, Bly. ... 66, 238 Chettusia gregaria, Pall. 65, 140, 319 Chettusia villotsei, Audouin 65, 319 Chibia hottentotta, Zin. 34, 203, 367 chinensis, Bodd. Cissa ... 228 chinensis, Osd. Francoli- nus eee 236 chinensis, Lin. Excalfac- toria .. 63, 165, 236, 412 chinensis, Scop. Garrulax 208 chiquera, Daud. Falco .,. 4, 286, 334, 454 chirurgus, Scop. Hydro- phasianus 72, 142, 241, 321 chlorigaster, Jerd. Chryso- phlegma 298,355, 457 oe Bly. Croco- us .. 58, 314, 406, 479 dhitovis Bodd, Halcyon... 187 chlorocephalus, Wald. Phyllornis ase 211 538 INDEX. chlorolophus, Vieill, Chry- sophlegma 191 chloropus, Tick. Arbori- cola 236 chloropus, Lin, Gallinula 73, 142 242, 322, 415, 4A1 chukar, Gr. Gacaihin ag 139 chrysaétus, Zin. Aquila... 92 chrysea, Hume. Ploceéila 231 Chrysococcyx basalis, Horsf. 194 Chrysococcyx _ hodgsoni, Moore 50 i 299 Chrysococeyx lucidus, Gm 1952 Chrysococcyx maculatus, Gm. act 193 Chrysococeyx malayanus, Raff. 194 Ckrysococeyx “xanthorhyn- chus, Horsf. ‘ie 193 Chrysocolaptes _— festivus, 7 ee 297, 355, 413 Chrysocolaptes _astrictus, Horsf. sn 354, 437, 471 Chrysocolaptes sultaneus, Hodgs. Le 190 Chrysophlegma chlorigas- a Tien ene 355, 457 Chrysophlegma chlorolo- phus, Viel. co 191 Chrysophlegma _—_ flayinu- chus, Gould. 05 191 chrysopterum, Gould. Trochalopterum ae 154 chrysorrheum, Tem. Dice- um ee 198 Ciconia alba, "Bechst. — ... 74, - 5 Ciconia nigra, Din. ... 143, 323 cinclorhyncha, Vig. Petro- phila ie 37, 109, 373 Gaalockeynebuas Vigors. Orcecetes fee 262 Cinclus asiaticus, Sws. . 109, 120 Cinclus cashmiriensis, Gould. .. th 109 cineraceus, Mont. Cirens 11,94, 172,176, 289 cinerea, Lin, Ardea . 74, 144, 149, 243, 323, 416 cinerea, Bly. Chettusia ,., 66, 238 cinerea, Gould. Terekia .. 239 cinereiventris, Bly. Bra- chypodius ., . 210 F 2 cinereocapilla, Savi. Budytes .,. 226, 310, 396, 451 cinereus, Mey. Anser .., 78, 163, 531 cinereus, Gm. Gallicrex ... 167, 242 cinereus, Lafr. Pericroco- tus ase 0 200 cinnamomea, Gin. Ardettn 76, 243, 324, 417, 442 Cinnyris asintica, Lath.... 29, 197, 300, 362, 458, 472 Cinnyris. flammaxillaris, Bly. eh ou 197 Cinnyris hasselti, Tem. ... 197 Cinnyris lotenin, Zin. .., 362 Cinnyris minima, Sykes 362 Cinnyris zeylonica, Zin. ,..800, 362, 437 Circaétus gallicus, @m. ... 8, 288, 455 circia, Lin, Querquedula... 83, 145 245, 326, 418, 467, 531 Circus eeruginosus, Zin. ... 11, 94, 180, 289, 340, 435, Circus cineraceus, Mont. 11, 94, 172, 176, 289 Circus cyaneus, Lin. 506 94, Circus macrurus, S. G. Gm. 10, 94, 180, 289, 338, 455 Circus melanoleucus, Forsé. 11, 180 Circus melanoleucus, Penn. 339 cirrhatus, @m, Limnaétus 288, 336 Cissa chinensis, Bodd. ... 228 Cisticola cursitans, Frankl, 46, 219, 308, 391 Cisticola erythrocephala, Jerd, ww. 221 & n, 892/476 Cisticola melanocephala, Anders... Ha 221” Cisticola ruficollis, Wald. 221" Cisticola ruficeps, Gould. 2214 n Cisticola tytleri, Bly... 219n 2212 Cisticola volitans, Swink, 219 citreolus, Pall. Budytes 122, 269, 310, 396 citrina, Lath. Geocichla 87, 205 clanga, Pall. Aquila Ae Cy us) Clangula glaucium, Ziz. ,., 85 clypeata, Zin. Spatula .., 80, 144, 164, 325, 417, 442, 531 Coccystes coromandus, Lin. aa . 196, 360 Coceystes jucobinus, Bodd. 27, 167, 196, 299, 360, 437 coccothraustes, Zin. Cocco- thraustes ... 514 Coccothraustes humii, Sharpe. 514 Coccothraustes japonicus ,, 514 Coccothraustes speculigera, Brandt... ws 131 Coccothraustes _—_—vulgaris, Pall. vee mes 514 colestis, Frenzl. Galli- nago 320, 413, 465, 480, 531 ceruleus, Desf. EHlanus 13, 181, 290, 340, 435, 436 INDEX, collaris, Drum. Co'cus 127 Collocalia unicolor, Jerd ,.. 348, 470 collurio, Zin, Lanius . 105, 106 colluroides, Zess. Lanius 199 Columba casiotis, Bp. \.. 136 Columba intermedia, Strickl. 59, 137, 315, 440, 464, 479 Columba leucozonura, Swink. tee sae 137 Columba leuconota, Vig. ... 137 Columba livia, Bp. dee 136 Columba rupestris, Pall..,, 137 Columba palumbus, Zin... 136 columboides, Vig. Pale- ornis ah 358, 457, 4/71 Colceus collaris, Drum. .., 127 Coleus monedula, Lin. ... 127 communis, Bechst. Grus 68, 320 communis, Bonn. Cotur- ' nix 63, 189, 236,317, 411, 465 531 concolor, Jerd. Diceum, 363, 472 concolor, Sykes. Ptyono- progne . 293, 346 conspicillatus, Tem. Pole: canus eas 487 contra, Lin. Sturnopas- ter tes 52 Copsychus saularis, Lin 42, 212 306, 388, 460, 476 Coracias affinis, WeClell ... 186 Coracias garula, Lin, 101, 174,296 Coracias indica, Lin. es 295; 351, 456, 471 corax, Zin. Corvus Sa 126 cordatus, Jerd. Hemicer- cus ae io 354 coromanda, JZath. Hal- cyon ose 187 coromandelica, Gm. Cotur- nix 63, 236, 317, 411, 531 coromandelicus, Gm, Curso: rius 586 64, 412, 441 coromandelianus, Gm. Net- topus 79, 1632, 245,325, 417, 442, 531 coromandus, Bodd. Bubul- cus 75, 243, 328, 416 See ninhduis Lath. Bubo 15,291; 445 coromandus, Zin. Coccystes 196, 360 coronata, Bodd. Hydrocissa 352, coronata, 8S. G. Gm. Tadorna 80, 164, 168, 169 coronata, Tick. Dendroche- lidon ve 185, 294, 348, 470 coronata, Pitta a 519 coronatus, Bly, Ampeli- ceps eae 0 231 539 coronatus, J & §. Phyllos- copus et 03 223 corone, Lin. Corvus te 125 cerulescens, Jin. Bu- changa Ne . 438, 478 Corvus corax, Lin, ne 126 Corvus corone, Lin. ree 125 Corvus insolens, Hume .., 228 Corvus frugilegus, Zin. ,,, 126, 270, 518 Corvus leyaillanti, Zess. ... 126 Corvus maérorhynehus, Wagl. 50, 125, 228, 311, 399, 461 Corvus splendens, Véeil/.... 50, 311, 399, 461, 518 Corvus umbrinus, Hedenb. 126 Corydalla richardi, Vieild. 227 Corydalla rufula, Vieill,... 49, 227, 310, 397, 477, 478 Cotile riparia, Zin. oe 184 Cotile rupestris, Scop, ... 100 Cotyle sinensis, J. H. Gr, 18,184, 293 Coturnix communis, Bonn. 63, 139, 236n, 317, 411, 463, 531 Coturnix . coromandelicn, Gm. 63, 236, 317, 411, 531 erassirostris, Zem. 4 Schl. Tringa ive 240 crecca, “Lin Querquedula 83, 145, 164, 245, 326, 418, 467, a3L crepitans, Zen. Gidienemus 238 Crex pratensis, Bechst. .., 143 Criniger griseiceps, Hume. 209 Criniger ictericus, Strick, 383 crinigera, Hodgs. Suya_ .,.. 221 crispus, Bruch. Pelecanus 87, 488, 494, 503, 504, 508, 509 cristata, Zin. Faligula vow 85, 145, 326 cristata, Zin. Galerita .,, 58, 136 cristatus, Z7z. Lanius 31, 104, 199, 365 cristatus, Zess. Pelecanus 491 cristatus, Zess. Pavo 61, 316, 409, 464, 530, 531 cristatus, Zin, Podiceps tr 85 cristatus, Koch. Regulus .. ~ 120, 268 Crocopus chlorigaster, Bly. 58, 314, 406, 463, 479 Crocopus phenicopterus, Lath. 452 Crocopus viridifrons, Bly. 235 cruentatum, Lath. Diceeum 198 Orypsirhina cuculata, Jerd. 228 Crypsirhina varians, Zath. 229 Cryptolopha tephrocepha- j lus, Anders. 223 cuculata, Jerd, Crypsir- hina ine Nee 228 68 540 cuculata, Hartl. Pitta ... 205 cuculoides, Vig. Glauci- dium a one 183 Cuculuscanorus, Zin. 26,102, 192, 299 Cuculus himalayanus, Vig. 103 Cuculus micropterus, Gould. 198, 359, 437 Cuculus poliocephalus, Lath. 299 Cuculus sonnerati, Lath. 198, 359, 437 Cuculus striatus, Drap. 193, 359, 451 Culicicapa ceylonensis, Sws. 35, 204, 303, 369, 459, 473 cuprea, Jerd. Carpophaga 407, 464 curonica, Gmel, Agialitis 275 cursitans, Frankl. Cisticola 46, 219, 308, 391 Cursorius coromandelicus, Gm. ee .. 64, 412, 441 eyane, Pall. Larvivora ... 213 cyanea, Bly. Pitta vee 205 Cyanecula leucocyanea, Brehm. ... 117, 268 Cyanecula suecica, Lin. ... 44, 117, 213, 307, 390, 439 Cyanecula wolfi, Brehm. 118 cyaneus, Lin. Circus... 94 cyanocephalus, Lin. Pale- ornis 208 woe 189 Cyanocinclus cyanus, Lin. 109, 205 & n, 304, 373 Cyanocinclus __ solitarius, P. L. 8. Nill, = 205 cyanops, Sund. Sula... 166 cyanotis, J. g& S. Geo- cichla Rs a2 374 cyanotis, Bly. Megalema 192 eyanura, Pall, Nemura... 116 cyanus, Lin. Cyanocinclus 109, 205 & nm, 304, 373 Cymborhynchus affinis, bly. 188 Cypsellus affinis, J. H. Gr. 19, 184, 294, 347, 456, 470 Cypsellus apus, Lin. 200 100 Cypsellus batassiensis, cy JIL CC ta SEO 204, 348 Cypsellus infumatus, Se/at. 185 Cypsellus melba, Lin. 293, 347, 469 Cypsellus pacificus, Lath. 185 Cy psellus pekinensis, Swink. 100 Cyornis pallipes, Jerd. .., 371 Cyornis rubeculoides, Vig. 386, 204, 370, 448 Cyornis ruficauda, Swaix- son ii CARR Syl Cyornis tickelli, Bly. ... 36, 304, 370, 473 INDEX. DaFILA AcUTA, Lin. 82, 145, 164, 245, 326, 418, 466, 531 dalhousisa, Jam. Psariso- mus ae ae 188 dauma, Lath. Oreocincla 87, 205 davisoni, Hume. Graptoce- phalus 500 tee 244 davisoni, Hume.Ixus ... 209 delesserti, Jerd. Garrulax 377 Dendrochelidon coronata, Tick. 185, 294, 348, 470 Dendrocitta himalayensis, Bly. eae ae 399 Dendrocitta leucogastra, Gould. ... 400, 462 Dendrocitta rufa, Seop.... 51, 228, 311, 399, 461 Dendrocygna fulva, Gm ... 80, 164, 245, 528, 531 Dendrocygna javanica, Horsf. 80, 163, 164, 245, 417, 466, 528, 531 Dendrophila frontalis, Horsf. 199, 364, 438, 472 deserti, Riipp. Saxicola 438, 307 desertorum, Daud. Buteo 159, 338 deva, Sykes. Spizalauda ...314, 404, 463 Dicseeumchrysorrheum, Tem. 198 Dicszeum concolor, Jevd ... 363, 472 Diczeum cruentatum, Lath, 198 Diceum erythrorhynchus, Lath. one 300, 363 Diceeum trigonostigma, Scop. a8 mes 198 Dichoceros cavatus, Shaw. 188, 352, 471 Dicrurus annectans, Hodgs. 201 dilutus, Bly. Brachypternis 356 discolor, Bly. Certhia .,. 151, 152 Dissermurus grandis, Gould. 203 Dissemurus paradiseus, Lin. 203, 303, 367 Dissura episcopa, Bodd. 74, 243, 323, 416, 441 domesticus, Zin. Passer ... 56, 233, 313, 403, 463 Drymeca blanfordi, Wald. 221 Drymeca extensicauda, Swink, a. Ree 221 Drymeca fusca, Hodgs.... 477 Drymeca inornata, Sykes 46, 308, 393, 461 Drymeeca rufescens, Hume, 308 Drymocataphus fulvus, é Wald. nae oes 207 dubia, Scop. Aigialites 65, 189, 237, 412 dukhunensis, Sykes, Mo- tacilla ou ... 48, 121, 225, 226, 310, 395, 461 INDEX. duleivox, Hodgs. Alauda 135 Dumetia albogularis, Blyth. 305, 375 Dumeticola affinis, Hodgs. 170 Dumeticola major, Brooks. 118 dumetorum, Bly. Acroce- phallus...

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