MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 779 



for their nest at the junctions of Elphinstone and Lothian Roads on a milk 

 burh overhanging the public way, constantly occupied by carriages and 

 people, passing to and fro. I watched the nest but it came to an untimely 

 end; after the bird had been sitting some little while, the road was pulled 

 up for repairs, when I niesume some coolie did for it. 



The Common Pigd Bu:^H Ghat {Pratincola caprata). — I first noticed this 

 bird, early in May, at Karad, in the South of the Satara District, whero I 

 found it breeding. I discovered a pair bi ilding foi the second time, although 

 the first brood was stiL with them. The nest was situated on the banks of 

 the Yenna-Krishna, on the ground among some prickly pear. I obtained 

 two fresh eggs from it a few days afterwards. Since then I have noticed 

 this bird in Poona, so it probably bretds here. I shall keep a watch on it 

 next year. 



The Magpie Robin (Copsychus s^/wZfim).— Is very plentiful. I found 

 several nests mostly in May and June, It is not very particular in its choice 

 of site, any hole either in tree, wall, house, bank, etc,, suiting it, I found 

 one nest in the hole of a loose box, where the poles, for keeping a horse in 

 are inserted, it contained 5 eggs. Another nest was built in the iron chimney 

 of an ordinary stove for warming a room or conservatory. This was in 

 May, so probably no fire was lighted while the operation of raising a family 

 was in process, otherwise it could hardly have proved a pleasant home. 



The White-browed Fantail Flycatcher, CRhipidura allifrontata), is 

 very common here. I have come across a few pairs, and have observed them 

 nesting in June and July. I obtained no eggs as the nests were invariably 

 destroyed on or before completion by some unknown marauder. 



The White-spotted Fan-iail Flycatcher (7?/«/j2(ZMra pectoralis) is the com- 

 mon Fantail Flycatcher, and may be seen where thickets and jungle exist. 

 1 have found numerous nests,— in fact, I could not enumerate the number, but 

 have only obtained a few clutches of eggs. The number of nests that are 

 destroyed or deserted prior to completion is simply marvellous. This, I 

 think, is attributable to their fussy habits, one cannot help finding a nest 

 during building operations, they court attention by their fussy proceedings ; 

 however, they St^em gifted with the utmost cheerfulness and energy, for no 

 sooner is one nest destroyed than a second is promptly started. 



The Pdbplk-rumpkd S in-bird {Arachneohthra zeyvlonica ). — 'The common 

 Sun-bird in these parts. They begin to breed in June, when numberless 

 nests can be found. A pair selected a curious site, no other than one of the 

 wires used in opening and shutting a window in one of the Bund Garden 

 Ferneries. There was absolutely no attempt at concealment, the nest being 

 visible to every one who entered. Needless to say it was destroyed. 



The Indian Grey Tit (Parus utriceps). — Although this bird is very common 

 here, I have been most unsuccessful in obtaining its eggs. On the 20th June 

 I saw a pair building in a hole in a babul tree. I gave them 10 days law and 



