"290 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HLST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXVI. 



This bird differs from a normal female only as regards the wings and 



tail. 



In the tail one of the central pair of feathers (the other is missing), 

 which is greatly abraded and worn, is brownish grey on the inner web 

 instead of blackish brown. 



The wings differ in that the greater coverts are uniform greyish brown 

 with paler edges, while the primaries, secondaries and tertiaries are 

 dirty greyish white, slightly darker on the outer webs ; all these feathers 

 have the basal halves of their shafts dark brown. 



(2). The Common House Crow — Corvus splendens. 



During June and July 3917 at Ludhiana, Punjab, I noted a Crow about, 

 always frequenting the same locality, with a large white patch in the 

 centre of each wing ; both wings were alike, and the white patch waa 

 apparently formed by the basal halves of the later primaries and earlier 

 secondaries. 



All other parts of the bird were apparently normal. 



(3). The Common House Crow — Corvus splendens. 



Female, shot at Jhang-Maghiana, Punjab, on 5th May 1918. 



The description of this bird is as follows : 



Nasal tufts, forehead and anterior half of the crown, cheeks, chin, and 

 throat, {i.e., the usual mask) dull chocolate brown. 



Hind neck, mantle and breast rich creamy white, tinged with brown on 

 the earcoverts and sides of the head, and shading into the creamy brown of 

 the abdomen ; thighs and lower tail coverts slightly darker than the abdo- 

 men. Scapulars, lower back and rump dull chocolate brown with occasional 

 darker feathers, which are new feathers. 



The wings with their coverts are clear creamy brown, edged with white 

 irregularly in a greater or less degree on all feathers, giving the extended 

 wing a somewhat patchy appearance. There is most white on the second- 

 aries and greater wing coverts and least on the innermost lesser coverts. 

 The wing when closed has in general a rich creamy whitish brown appear- 

 ance. Both wings agree in their markings. 



The tail is a clear creamy brown with broad white edges, the outer webs 

 of the central pair being entirely white. The outermost feather on the 

 right side is a darker brown than the others with no white edge. Although 

 not freshly moulted it appears to be more recent in growth than the others. 



Iris dark brown ; bill and legs dusky brown. Ovary minute. The traces 

 of moult on the upper parts as described above shew a tendency in the 

 plumage to moult out darker, unless the difference is due to excessive 

 fading of the old plumage. 



This bird was observed for some months during which period it kept 

 very closely to the same locality ; in the same locality there was a second 

 specimen of similar appearance, and both probably were hatched in the 

 same nest. The other crows with which they were consorting showed no 

 objection to their abnormal colour. 



HUGH WHISTLER, f.z.s., 



Indian Police. 

 Jhang, 20th May 1918. 



No. XVII.— THE COLOUR OF THE EYE OF THE FEMALE WHITE- 

 EYED POCHARD NYROCA AFRICA NA. 



I have lately had need to look up some of the old " Journals " and in 

 Vol. XVI, 2, frontispiece, I notice a plate of the White-eyed Pochard from 

 Mr. Stuart-Baker's series of " Indian Ducks and their Allies " and here the 

 female is represented as having the irides 7/Ai7f as in the male. Surely 



