BIRDS COLLECTED AND OBSERVED AT THOLL. 347 



1487. Gallinago gallindla (Bljth.)— The Jack Snipe. 

 Commou at the same time and the same places as the last. These birds, if 

 anything, arrive slightly earlier, 



14S8. RosTRATOLA CAPENSis (Veill.)— The Painted Snipe. 

 Very rare. I was in the marshes daily during February and ?tTarch and 

 only saw one bird, which we shot — a female. This was about the middle of 

 March. One bird was also shot higher up the Kurram Valley. 



1498. HvDKOPROGNE CASPIA (Kaup.)— The Caspian Tern. 

 Very rare. I only saw one party of seven birds on the 22nd May, 1898, 

 and shot one. They had evidently been blown down by a severe rain and 

 wind storm, 



1499, Sterna anglica (Mont.)— The Gull-billed Tern. 

 A bird of passage during March, They were common during that month 

 all along the river, but ail had left before the end of the month. 



1527. Phalacrocorax fdscicollis (Steph.) — The Indian Sbag. 

 Very rare. I shot one bird, the only one I saw, in February. It was diving 

 and feeding in a small back-water after severe rain up the Kurram 

 Valley. 



1545. Platalea leucorodia (Linn.)— The Spoonbill, 

 Rare. I only saw them on one occasion, a flock of, perhaps, fifty birds flew 

 over me while I was fishing at the end of May. I followed them up and 

 shot one bird, 



1555. Ardea cinerea (Linn.)~The Common Heron. 

 Not numerous, but a bird or two was to be seen at all seasons near the 

 river ; they were there at the end of June, so I presume they breed some- 

 where near. 



1559, Herodias alba (Blyth,) — The Large Egret. 

 Rare and only a passenger, A few birds appeared about the middle of May 

 for a day or two ; one was shot and brought in to me, it was in splendid 

 breeding plumage. 



1568, Nycticorax grisens (Blyth,)— The Night Heron, 

 A rare but, I presume, permanent resident. A party of five or six birds 

 used to fly over the Fort every evening about sunset the whole time 

 I was there. 



1574, BoTAURDS STELLARis (Blyth.)— The Bittern. 

 A very rare winter visitor. One was shot while we were snipe-shooting at 

 the end of March, it was in a dense bed of reeds six feet high. 



1588. Casarca rutila (Bonap.)— The Ruddy Sheldrake. 

 A rare visitor ; I only saw six birds the whole time. Four of them stayed 

 over a week on the river during April. 



1592. Anas boscas (Linn.)— The Mallard. 

 Common during March, on the river ; they were then oa their way to their 

 breeding-grounds. 



