MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 709 



the other two guns constantly breaking the line in pursuit of flushed birds that 

 had got up out of range and settled again at no great distance. April 4th was 

 the best day of the three, and, had not the sole of ray boot come off, the bag 

 would have been larger. The heat of the sun was terrific, and it was almost 

 an impossibility to keep the hands on the barrels after firing a right and left. 



I did not again venture out after them as on the 13th April I was after 

 gaur. 



These snipe were evidently on their migratory trip northwards. Whether 

 the flooded piece of land received new recruits every night between the above 

 dates I am unable to state. Even in the heat of the day the birds were ex- 

 tremely wild, but there was no lack of numbers. I am positive they were not 

 there for breeding purposes, as the area was far too much disturbed. 

 Kalemyo, Upper Chindwin, W. H. LANE, Capt., I. A., 



February 9i/i, 1904. Burma Military Police. 



No. VI.— LATE STAY OF SNIPE. 



In a recent number of the Journal (page 344) of this volume, Captain 

 Lester has a note on the occurrence of snipe at Anmod, near Castle Rock, on the 

 7th 12th, and 20th of April. I recollect falling in with some on a later date 

 and at a point further South, namely, Honore (officially Honavar), in the North 

 Canara District. On the 11th of April, 1889, I found a number of snipe in a 

 small patch of rice in a sheltered valley, and shot four of them. Next day 

 I got two in the same place. There were more, and I recollect that they 

 seemed very tame ; but I was shooting atrociously, and the area was so limited 

 that they soon left it. Two years after, being in camp at Honore again, I went 

 to the same spot on the 21st of April, but found only two birds. My impres- 

 sion at the time was that this was a place where seclusion and good fare 

 tempted a few birds to defer their migration. 



E. H. AITKEN. 

 Karachi, 2nd March 1904. 



No. VII.— NOTES ON BIRDS' NESTING FROM POONA. 



Having obtained a few good eggs since my last contribution to the Magazine, 

 I venture to add a few more notes. Before so doing, I trust I may be par- 

 doned if I make a remark or two solely on behalf of the Society. 



Many members of the Society have remarked to me lately that the Journal 

 was getting too scientific and that even the Miscellaneous Notes were getting 

 beyond them, in consequence of which they were thinking of throwing up their 

 membership. This is mainly due to the use of scientific names. It must be 

 remembered that there are a large number of members who take interest 

 in Natural History, but do not go into it deeply or keep books of reference. 

 To such, scientific names convey no meaning. For example, there are many 

 sportsmen who shoot small game. To these Platalea leucorodia would convey 

 nothing ; but when the English name Spoonbill is introduced, interest is awa- 

 kened, as the bird is common and known to any person shooting duck or snipe. 

 When only the scientific name is used, many members pass over the article as 



