MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 351 



No. X— NOTES ON BIRDS NEAR QUETTA. 



( Continued from Page G01, Vol. XIV.) 

 Dendrocopus sindianus — Sind Pied Woodpecker. — Common at Shelabagh at the 

 mouth of the Khojak Tunnel on the Khwaja Amram range. Not observed eke- 

 where. 



lynx torquilla — Common Wryneck. — A constant visitor on migration in 

 April. Have observed a few every year. 



Coracias garrula — European Roller. — This bird is very common round 

 Quetta in May. I have not observed it after about the middle of June, and 

 I do not think it breeds anywhere near. 



Merops apiaster — European Bee-eater. — Arrives in large numbers towards the 

 end of April. Some remain all the hot weather, and probably breed, — in fact, 

 Major Nurse, 13th Bombay Infantry, has, I believe, actually observed them 

 doing so. 



Aleedo ispida — Common Kingfisher. — Fairly common in the spring. I haVo 

 also seen one in December. Does not breed here as far as I know. 



Opupa epops — European Hoopoe. — Arrives in March or April. Breeds. One 

 nest in a hole in rocks with young, May 18th. 



Cypselus melba — Alpine Swift. — Arrives about the end of April or May. 

 Fairly common in the hills. Very probably breeds, as I have seen them high 

 up in the hills at the end of June. 



Cypselus apus — European Swift. — This is the commonest swift near Quetta. 

 Arrives about the beginning of May in large numbers. Some undoubtedly breed 

 in the hills, as I found nests on May 31st in the roof of a cave. The nests were 

 inaccessible, but I observed the old birds feeding the young from close to for 

 some time. 



Cypselus affttiis — Common Indian Swift. — Common in the hot weather, but 

 not so plentiful as the last. Arrives at the end of April. Breeds. Three nests 

 with fresh eggs in the roof of a cave, May 17th, 



Caprimulgus europazus — European Nightjar. — Fairly common in the hot wea- 

 ther. Probably breeds, as I have observed it throughout the hot weather. 

 Cueulus canorus — Cuckoo. — Very common. On migration in March and April. 

 Bubo ignavus — Great-horned Owl or Eagle Owl. — Shot one in the hills in 

 November and saw others. 



Athene bactriana — Hutton's Owlet. — This is fairly common round Quetta in 

 the cold weather. I have seen it in March, but do not think it remains to breed. 

 Vuttur monachus — Cinereus Vulture. — This is common round Quetta. It 

 breeds in the hills near, making a large nest at the top of a juniper tree, very 

 often on one growing out from a cliff. I have found a fair number of nests this 

 year, and have got an egg as described in " Fauna of British India Birds," Vol. 

 III. The nests had mostly young birds lately hatched on May 5th. 



Gyps fulvus — Griffon Vulture.- — Very common. Breeds in the hills, nesting on 

 cliffs. The natives say that it also nests in the juniper trees. I found one nest 

 of this bird this year high up on a cliff. The young bird was hatched about 

 April 25th. 

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