524 JO URNAL, BO MBA Y NA TURAL HISTOR Y SOCIETY, Vol. XIX. 



The first I found in the morning whilst inspecting a timber cutting in the 

 Kyangin forest reserve. It was on the ground, right out in the open, under a 

 teak tree and was of the ordinary kind, just a few twigs collected on some 

 fallen leaves. There was no attempt at concealing the nest. There were two 

 eggs in this nest, freshly laid. 



The second neat I found the same evening. It was placed at the foot of a 

 catechu (^Acacia catechu) tree not far from my camp. The bird flew off as I 

 approached the tree. There were two eggs in this nest also freshly laid. 



In all my wanderings in Burma and India I have never before come across 

 doves nesting on the ground and cannot account for these, as there were lots 

 of trees and bushes about them to build on. I should like to know whether 

 the nesting of doves on the ground has ever been recorded before or not. It 

 seems strange that they should pick the ground to build their nests, as the eggs 

 or young are almost certain to be destroyed by snakes or cats. 



C. W. ALLAN. 

 Henzada, Burma, ith March 1909. 



No. X,— NIDIFICATION OF THE SARUS CRANE {GRUf^ 



ANTIGONE). 



To-day, while snipe shooting at Talod, I came across a Sarus chick just 

 hatched out. The egg shell was lying along side it. I thought Sarus laid 

 during the monsoon ? I should like to know if this is the usual time for nest- 

 ing. The behaviour of the parent birds was curious. My shikari had to pass 

 within five yards of the nest to pick up a snipe, but the parent birds, who were 

 feeding twenty yards off, took no notice of him at all, though one of them ut- 

 tered a low growling note once or twice. I went on and called my wife who 

 was waiting for me a short way off, to see the chick. My wife and I with 

 my shikari and three beaters walked up to within ten yards of the nest- 

 The parent birds were feeding about rO yards off and did not appear to 

 notice us. My shikari and I then went up to the nest and handled the chick. 

 Even this had not the effect of causing the parents any anxiety. The chick 

 was an ugly little thing, like a big gosling, and was very unsteady on its legs 

 and would only waddle about slowly. When I first left the neighbourhood of 

 the nest, to call my wife, I noticed the parent birds move up close to it for no 

 apparent reason, but shortly after a kite swooped down near the nest and 

 there was a charge of two infuriated sarus at the kite immediately. The nest 

 was quite exposed and the parent birds evidently knew their enemy, but it was 

 certainly extraordinary that they did not mind our handling the chick and con- ' 

 tinued feeding unconcernedly while wo stood by their nest, 



E. O'BRIEN, Capt,, 

 Camp Talod, Sadra, Asst. Pol. Agent. 



Mahikantha, \2th February 1909. 



