MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 74'J 



indicate which hole may contain a nest, consequently they are difficult to find 

 unless while actually building, as they seem uncommonly wary and possessed of 

 much patience, that is no matter how long you may wait, they will not enter 

 their homes. However on the 7th May I found two nests. One contained young 

 which I did not open, as it was useless. The other contained 5 hard set light 

 blue eggs, which have made bad specimens. In the one I did not open, I got 

 5 hard set eggs on the 2nd June, from this I infer they have two or more 

 broods a year, utilizing the same nests. On digging up one or two nests, I 

 found that off the main channel, there were 3 or 4 passages, at the end of one 

 would be the nest placed in an enlarged chamber ; whether the male uses the 

 others I do not know. They do not appear to object to lodgers, as out of one 

 of the side passages I turned out two toads and a dung beetle ! The nest is a 

 pad of hair, wool, cotton, feathers and any soft material, in the middle of 

 which is a depression for the eggs. The nest contains very much the same 

 material as that of the tit. I hope next year to meet with considerable success 

 as the bird is so numerous. 



Hirundo rustica (The Swallow). Very common in spring and summer. 

 Builds freely in houses, mostly those of natives, who do not like them being 

 molested. I got two nests on 6th and 23rd May 1905, with 4 fresh eggs 

 each. 



M&rops apiastcv (The European Bee Eater). I noticed these birds first 

 in April haunting the railway line and sitting along the telegraph wires. 



Provided they remained, I was sure they would breed. At this time I noticed 

 several holes which looked much like those they nest in. The first nest 

 I opened on the 1 0th May : as it only contained two fresh eggs, I waited till 

 the 14th idem, when I obtained 5, each containing 6 eggs, some fresh, others 

 in different stages of incubation. On the 15th I took two more, one with 6 

 incubated and the ether 2 fresh eggs. After this I did not trouble about them. 

 The nest holes were excavated in steep perpendicular banks, the passage being 

 opened up into a chamber at the end, in which were strewn countless remains 

 of beetles and winged insects on which the eggs were laid or rather embedded. 

 I took out hands full of this debris. One fact I noted was that, in every 

 instance but one, the nest faced to the east, although equally suitable banks 

 facing west were available. I think this may be to ensure coolness. The sun 

 becomes peculiarly hot here during the day, and towards the afternoon when it 

 is declining to the west, it is well nigh unbearable. I can think of no other 

 reason. The best method to dig out the nests is to place a thin cane in the 

 passage : this indicates the line to be followed, which it is very necessary to know 

 as they are from 5 to fi feet in depth. In nearly every instance the female 

 was on the nest, but I always let them out. In one instance I caught one which 

 was buried in the passage : she had evidently been trying to escape. After 

 examination I let her go. 



Hypolais rama (Sykes' Tree-Warbler). Mr. Doig found this bird breed- 

 ing in Sind, so it is not surprising to find it here. It seems common in the 



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