764 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XII. 



nth JiiJy, 189G. — Came across a nest containing two young^ birds, their 

 feathers just appearing from sheaths, wing feathers more developed 

 than any of the othfers, a little down still adhering to tips, especially on 

 the head. The grey sheaths give birds a greyish-isabelline appearance. 

 The isabelline on the forehead shows plainly, under-parts soiled white. 

 Primaries, secondaries dark grey-brown, white wing patch conspicuous 

 in male. Secondaries in female not tipped white. Bill and legs light 

 bluish (?) flesh. 

 15th July, 1896. — One nest found with one very young bird. 

 27th March, 1807. — Bmhire. A pair of HyjyocoUus arnjjd'mus seen to-day 



on Konar {Zizyphus jujtiha) bush in the Telegraph garden. 

 14th April, 1897. — Bushire. Mr, E. Isaacson shot a male bird in his garden. 

 28th June, 1897, — Fao. First nest seen to-day, had two half-fledged nestlings. 

 2nd July, 1897. — Fao. Two young, about a fortnight old, taken from another 



nest for rearing. 

 5th July, 1897, — An Arab lad brought me two young birds to-day. 

 16th July, 1897, — The young ones of 3rd died suddenly. 

 18th July, 1897, — Female of the two taken on 2nd died this morning, 

 25th July, 1897.— Male of 2nd doing well. The following is a description 

 of it :— 

 Head, neck, mantle, back, light grey-isabelline, forehead and ear-coverts 

 purer isabelline. Primaries and coverts black, terminal third of primaries 

 white, each tipped sooty, the first three more broadly than the others ,• this 

 gradually wears away as birds grow older. Secondaries ashy on outer web, 

 black on inner, under-parts soiled white ; a narrow nude circle round each 

 eye bluish ; rictal bristles black. Eyes dark brown. Beak, both mandibles 

 fleshy with horn-brown tip ; gape white, legs, feet, claws, fleshy. Tail, only 

 about If inches have burst from their sheaths and this is black. 

 27th July, 1897. — One young female well fledged brought to me to-day by an 



Arab lad^ who took it from a nest three days ago, 

 4th August, 1897,— Male of 25th and female of 27th doing well. The fore- 

 head and ear-coverts of female are of light isabelline colour, wings grey- 

 drab, but there is a lighter patch shewing across primaries corresponding 

 to the white in wing of male. 

 27th September, 1897. — Both above birds shewing signs of moult. Top of 

 head of male is a light isabelline throughout. I have shot immature 

 males in this phase of plumage, and the Tring Museum has a skin or two. It 

 may be a sign of a weakly bird as mine appears to droop frequently, an-d 

 does not pick up till allowed to fly about the garden each day for a few 

 hours. The black circle round head is shewing in patches, the change 

 from isabelline to grey in the male is caused by the wearing away of the 

 feathers, especially on mantle and back, and not by shedding 

 themo 



