BIRDS COLLECTED AND OBSERVED AT TUULL. 345 



1311. (Enopotelia teanquebanca (Herm.) — The Eed Turtle Dove. 

 Decidedly a rare bird here, I only saw four birds during the five months, 

 but more may have escaped my notice mixed up with other doves. 



1316 Pterocles arenarius (Pallas.)— The Large or Black-bellied 

 Sand-grouse. 

 A bird of passage only. They arrived at the end of March and passed on 

 immediately. We only shot a few birds. They all went up the Kurram 

 Valley into Afghanistan. 



1355. CoTURNix COMMUNIS (Bonn.)— The Grey Quail. 

 These birds do not arrive in the usual large numbers in spring and 

 autumn. The greatest number shot by one gun in April was twenty birds. A 

 few are to be found at all times of the year and breed. I procured a nest 

 with four eggs slightly incubated on 21st April. The nest was in a wheat 

 field under a tuft of grass. 



1370. Caccaris chukor (Gray.)— The Chuker. 

 Very common all round, are permanent residents and breed. This year, 

 owing to early heat, they began breeding very early and many eggs were 

 spoiled, three addled eggs were brought to me on 6th March. The natives 

 here have a curious method of catching them. A call bird (a cock) is placed 

 in the centre of a patch of grass in a cage, all round ai"e placed numerous horse- 

 hair nooses. On shaking the cage the decoy commences calling ; the chal- 

 lenge is taken up and other birds run iu towards him, and are caught in nooses. 

 1371, Ammoperdix bonhami (Gould.) — The Seesee. 

 Common, but not very, in all the low hills and ravines round. It is a 

 permanent resident. I procured one nest with seven slightly incubated, and a 

 second with four, fresh eggs in May. I consider them the best partridge we 

 have for eating, the flesh is not so dry and tasteless as the others. 



1372. Francolinus vulgaris (Steph.)- The Black Partridge. 

 Very common all round and breed freely in the dwarf palm patches. They 

 afford excellent sport as the jungle is not too high. 



1375. Francolinus pondicerianus (Steph.)- The Grey Partridge, 

 Very common and breed freely with Ji". vulgaris. Out of about twenty nests 

 I examined, only two contained nine eggs, all the remainder without a single 

 exception contained eight. Most of the nests were found in May ; at the end 

 of June all old birds had fairly grown chicks larger than the quail running 

 with them, 



1393, Porzana pusilla (Pallus.) — The Eastern Baillon's Crake. 

 These birds arrived in great numbers during the end of May and the first 

 week in June, but all seemed to pass on, as before I left I frequently searched 

 the reed beds and did not flush a single bird. 



1407. Grus communis (Bechst.) — The Common Crane, 

 During April this bird with No. 1411 passed over Thull in countless 

 numbers going up the Kurram "Valley. They flew high and did not as a 



