STING IN WE&TERN INDIA. 11 



more or Less a permanent resident, but appears to be more eominon 

 during the rains, at which season it breeds. 



Mr. Davidson found many nests ia the Khandeish district. The 

 birds are very common during the rains at Deesa, but the only place 

 where I have taken eggs, in that district, was on the Commissariat 

 Bhir or Coorun (Worlee Farm) scarcely a mile from cantonments, 

 but I have often caught young birds both there and at Neemuch ; 

 they are easily reared, and become quite tame and fearless. Those 

 I had were quite at home in a large aviary, and did not molest the 

 other birds. 



The nest is small, cup-shaped, composed of grass stems and roots, 

 lined with a few hairs, and is placed in a depression on the ground, 

 generally in a hoof print. The eggs, four in number, are much 

 like those of the preceding, but are smaller, and I have not noticed 

 any showing that tendency to form a confluent cap of inky-purple, 

 as is occasionally the case with the others. The eggs I have, most 

 of them received from Mr. Davidson, measure 0*8 inches in length by 



0-65 in breadth. 



Neemuch, 20 th July {nestlings). H. E. Barnes. 



Deesa, June and July. Do. 



836.— THE INDIAN BUSTARD. 

 Eupodotis edwardsi, J. E. Gr. 



The Indian Bustard is rare in Upper Sind, but is not uncommon 

 in the lower portion of the Province, more especially in the Thur 

 and Parkur districts. It is not uncommon in the Runn of Cutch, 

 and is said to be abundant in Kattiawar. Mr. Davidson procured it 

 in Khandeish. It is not uncommon in many parts of the Deccan, and 

 is plentiful in Rajpootana and some parts of Gruzerat. 



It is a bird of the bare open or undulating plains and grass jungle, 

 eschewing marshy and forest tracts, and never ascending the hills 

 to any height ; as might have been expected, it does not occur in 

 llatnagiri or Kanara. 



These birds appear to be very regular in their habits, frequenting 

 the same spots at about the same hour, for days together, if unmo- 

 lested, for feeding purposes. They are very fond of large grasshop- 



