52 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 



. . — . — ' — ■ ■ ■ rrf 



work of identification. I should also add that those who are 

 acquainted with the botany of the whole Presidency may very possibly 

 think that the species chosen for description are not in all cases 

 the commonest or most conspicuous. On this point opinions will 

 mo doubt vary, but it must be remembered that this is a mere sketch, 

 and that I claim nothing but a very fallible degree of accuracy. 



NOTES ON BIRDS OF QUETTA. 



By A. T. H. Newnham, Bo. S.C., F.Z.S. 



It is with some reluctance, seeing how little I have to say, that 

 I have commenced to put to paper the few observations I was 

 enabled to make during a short residence of three or four winter 

 months in Quetta ; but as it is by an accumulation of such scraps 

 that we arrive at definite results, I shall endeavour to comply with the 

 request of our Honorary Secretary to write something for our 

 Journal. 



This last winter in Afghanistan was comparatively a mild one, 

 and in consequence the duck weTe somewhat late in putting in an 

 appearance, so that it was not until the end of January that one 

 heard of anything like decent bags being made. A wonderful shot 

 was made by a sporting Colonel in the garrison, which, I think, 

 deserves recording. He came suddenly upon a bunch of six duck 

 round the bend of a stream, and firing as they rose brought down 

 the whole lot. Presumably they must have all risen in one straight 

 line with their beards in a row, but it was a singularly lucky shot. 



Teal and gadwall are not unfrequently met with in the river beds, 

 but the other species of duck seemed to keep more to tanks and 

 larger sheets of water. I had sent to me no less than three 

 specimens, all drakes, of that uncommon and beautiful little duck, 

 the Smew (Mergelhis albellus), and a very tedious job 1 found it 

 skinning them, as they were mere balls of fat. 



Sand Grouse were not so plentiful as they should have been, and 

 were exceedingly shy: the commonest sort was the Imperial 

 (P. arenaries). Of the Pin-tailed Sand Grouse (P. alchata) I only 

 saw one flock, and that was quite close to the Fort. They were the 

 first that I had ever seen, and I could not make them out at all at 

 first, but took thein for plover of some sort. They flew at a 



