mSCF.LLANKOUS NOTES. 265 



No. XXII.— CRUELTY TO WILD-FOWL IN THE PUN.IAL. 



In the cold season in the Punjab numbers of wild-fowl are captured by 

 means of flight nets worked by native shikaris on the backwaters and tribu- 

 taries of the big rivers and on the Jhils. In some parts, notal)ly the Sikh 

 Districts bordering the rivers Ravi, Bcas and Sutlej. the unfortunate ducks 

 when caught have their legs deliberately broken and the wing-quills twisted 

 and tied in a knot over the back. In this miserable plight they are hawked 

 about in baskets for sale in the villages and bazaars. I had ample evidence of 

 this abominable practice when in the Punjab some 4 years ago and as far as 

 I can ascertain it is still in vogue, in spite of the attention I endeavoured to 

 draw to it some time ago in the public press. 



H. A. F. MAGRATH, Maj(.i:. 



Bannu, nth December 1908. 



No. XXIII —LOCAL BIRD MIGRATION. 



With reference to Mr. Dewar's article on " Local Bird Migration" in India 

 which appeared on pages 343-356 of Volume XVIII (No. 2) of this Journal it 

 misht be interesting to know that I found a nest of the Red Turtle Dove 

 {OenopopeUa tranquebarica) with three fresh eggs, on the l.Sth September, built 

 in a low bush, 4 feet from the ground, also one being built on the 17th August 

 in an acacia tree about 12 feet from the ground, and another on the 27th 

 September about 8 feet from the ground. These are all very much lower than 

 those I found in May and June which were generally in big trees 40 or 50 feet 

 from the ground. It thus appears that this Dove has 2 broods a year here and 

 is only partially migratory. 



I also found on the 6th September an egg of the Pied Crested Cuckoo 

 (^CocGijstts jacubinus) in the nest of a Common Babbler {Arrpja caudata). 



The Babbler's nest contained 3 shghtly incubated eggs, the contents 

 of all of which showed a faint trace of blood when blown, the Cuckoo's egg 

 on the contrary was quite fresh. In shape it was oval, in size about twice as 

 big as the Babbler's eggs and in colour a shade darker than the latter, its shell 

 too was abnormally thick and to my mind there can be no doubt that it is the 

 egg of a parasite. 



A few days later in the same vicinity (viz. the banks of the Canal), I saw a 

 full fledged Pied Crested Cuckoo being fed by a Large grey Babbler (i4r^//rt 

 iiialcolmi) and on the 4th of this month (October) at Chenga Manea I also saw 

 a young Cuckoo of this species following a party of Large grey Babblers. 

 There can be no doubt therefore that both the Pied Crested Cuckoo and the 

 Red Turtle Dove bred here this year as late as September, though the copious 

 and protracted monsoon that we had here this year may have had something 

 to do with it. 



A, J, CURRIE. 



Lauukk, 6/// October 1908. 



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