38 NATURAL HISTORY. 



BIRDS' NESTING IN RAJPOOTANA, 

 (By Lieut. H. Edwin Barnes, D. A. C) 



These notes refer only to Neemuch, which, although id 

 Rajpootana, is under the Central Indian Administration, 



I was stationed there from December 1883 to the com- 

 mencement of September 1885, and during the whole time 

 I collected vigorous^, but still there are many birds that do 

 undoubtedly breed there that I have overlooked; of these I 

 append a list. 



The periods quoted, over which the different breeding 

 seasons extend, were ascertained from personal observation,, 

 and represent the time between the earlier and later nests, 



2. — Otogyps calvus : Scop. 



The King Vulture breeds from the middle of February to about the 

 middle of March; some few may breed earlier, but they are exceptions 

 to the general rule, and eggs taken later are generally much incubated. 



I took eggs on the 13th and 27th February, and again on the 

 1st March. 



The nests are solitary, and are huge structures, composed of stout 

 twigs, lined with smaller twigs and leaves, and are generally built in 

 forks of Peepul or other large trees. The egg, there is only one, is 

 oval in shape, measuring 3'52 inches in length by about 2*6 inches 

 in breadth ; the texture is fine, and the shell is very strong. The 

 egg lining is green, but the egg itself is glossless white. 

 5. — Pseudo-gyps lengalensis : Lath. 



The Indian White-backed Vulture breeds much earlier than the 

 King Vulture. I found my first nests on the 9th November, but as 

 three eggs out of five taken on that date contained fully-formed 

 chicks, eggs must have been obtainable much earlier. 



They build in colonies, sometimes as many as twenty nests being 

 found on the same tree, and these are at various heights, some being 

 not more than 10 feet from the ground, while others are placed at 

 almost the top of the tree. 



Mr. Hume believed that January was the month in which most 

 eggs were laid, but in Neemuch all those I found in December 

 were much incubated, and many eggs had hatched out, so that 

 November in this part of the country would appear to be the best 

 month for nesting. I have never found more than a single egg in any 



