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MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 685 



Owing to the rich cultivation and to the absence of " rakhs " and jungles, 

 beloved of the Emberkince, buntings are not common in the district. Last year 

 although I saw a few I failed to obtain specimens. This year, however, more 

 seemed to be about, probably owing to the extension of the area devoted to 

 grass-farming. Among others of the family, I came across a large flock of " Pine 

 Buntings " and obtained the above examples. In both cases the crops contained 

 terminating grains of wheat and the flock must have been doing considerable 

 damage in the fields. 



The Meadow Pipit or Titlark (Anthus pratensis) — ft, adult, 12th January ; 

 ft, adult, 19th January ; ft, adult, 6th February. 



This bird is a late cold weather visitor to the district. It is generally to be 

 found among flocks of A. spinoletta (though I have seen flocks composed 

 entirely of pratensis). Through glasses it can be distinguished from "spinoletta 

 by the well defined black streaks on the breast and the olivaceous brown colora- 

 tion of the upper plumage, also by the lighter colour of the legs. In my search 

 for this species in the autumn I shot several A. trivialis which were seen feeding 

 in marshy places. The two birds are very similar in plumage but the hind toe 

 clearly separates them and to some extent the bill. The first example was 

 obtained for me by Mr. G. T. Dennys, 31st Punjabis, on the grass farm. 

 (986) — The Golden-backed Woodpecker (Brachypternus aurantius). 

 This well known bird is a " rara avis " in this corner of the Empire and I 

 have only met with a solitary example. 



For the reasons given in the case of the buntings, woodpeckers are poorly 

 represented in Bannu. 



(1027) — The Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops phUUpinus) — £, adult, 6th 

 September. 



Both this species and the Egyptian Bee-eater ( e J£. persicus) occur as summer 

 visitors and breeding species in the district. 



(812)— The Pale Crag Martin (Ptyonoprogne obsoleta)—ft, adult, 1st 

 December. 



A small flock of these birds were seen on two or three occasions hawking over 

 a marshy spot near our battalion training camp, in the Gumatti hills, out of 

 which I, with difficulty, secured the above example. I have since seen solitary 

 individuals of this species far out in the plains. 

 (1587) — The Sheldrake {Tadorna cornuta). 



The mud flats in the Kurram river where it debouches into the sandy plains 

 of Bannu are favourite resting places for wild duck. Here the birds are, owing 

 to the quicksands, quite unapproachable. But through glasses they offer an 

 interesting study especially during the spring migration, when a thousand or 

 more may be seen together, asleep or preening themselves. On such occa- 

 sions I have twice observed the common Sheldrake in beautiful breeding 

 plumage. 



H. A. F. MAGBATH, Major. 

 Bannu, N. W. F. P., 8th February 1908. 



* Skin identified at the British Museum. 

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