MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 741 



Hillmen, north of Mussoorio, told the writer that the panther is some- 

 times killed by the male musk deer who, when seized by the throat, jabs his 

 tusks into the panther's head I It can bo imagined that no instance of such 

 an occurrence could be quoted by the relators of this fanciful story. 



Wkii;uts and Measurements of Animals. 



The following may be of interest : — 



13 Panthers, male, Central India, Av. Length 7' 



3 „ female .. „ „ „ 6' 6" 



9 Bears, male „ ,, ,, „ 6' 



2 „ female „ „ „ „ 5' 9f 



f 6' 10" 

 2 Cheetahs, male „ ,, ,, „ J ^^ ^„ 



1 Panther, male, Dharmsala, length 7' 5" weight 110 lbs. 

 Sloth-bear, male, 4' 9", 1^32 lbs. 

 Porcupine, female, 33 lbs. 

 Black Buck, Allahabad, 95, 91, 91, 84, 86 lbs. 



Budaun (C.P.) 80, 74, 70, 69, 61 lbs. 

 Chinkara, male, 39^, 38, 36, 33 lbs. 



female, 30, 28^, 24 lbs. 

 Wolf, female, 52 lbs. 



Thibetan Antelope, 62, 60, 50 lbs. these gralloched and with heads 



removed. 

 Thibetan Gazelle, 47, 40 lbs. 

 To these the writer can add : — 



Chinkara, Hyderabad, Deccan, male 42 lbs. 



„ Delhi District, male 50 lbs. 



Musk Deer, Chakrata Hills, male 30 lbs. 



R. W. BURTON, Lt.-Col., 

 Bombay, Zrd October 1917. Indian Army. 



No. II.— CROWS IN BUSRAH. 



A few days ago I observed, at quite close quarters, and on the ground, a 

 " Hooded " crow which, from the extreme duskiness of the light parts of 

 its plumage, could, I consider, only have been an example of Corvus coi-nix 

 comix. A short distance away was a pair of C. c. capellanus with which to 

 compare it, and the difference in shade of the light parts was most marked. 

 Possibly the single bird may have been a case of melanism of the latter 

 species. But, in view of the fact that many European birds are winter 

 migrants to Mesopotamia, the first supposition seems the more probable, 

 and if correct, would mean that three races of C. corni.i are to be found ia 

 this covmtry, C c. sharpci being the third. 



The 'Fauna', I believe, accords specific rank to capellanus. Why, 1 

 fail to see. In size, habits, and its " caw " it is a true " Hoodie ". Only 

 in the shade of the light parts of the plumage, which is almost white, does 

 it differ from the others. It is the only representative of the genus to be 

 found in Busrahin summer. 



The only other representative to be found throughout the year is the 

 Rook, which arrives in October, and, in midwinter, can be counted, by 

 hundreds, scavenging around the camps and lines. 



H. A. F. MAGRATH, Lx.-Coi,. 

 lii'SRAH, February 1918. 



