MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 781 



lined with fine twigs and roots, the whole being firmly wedged into the site- 

 Had I not seen the nest building, I certainly should never have discovered 

 it. During the breeding season the cock keeps up a continual concert, his 

 notes are very pretty and low. I hope to get another nest or two next 

 year. 



The Cliff Swallow {Hir-undo ftavicola). — T am very much interested in a 

 coloay of these birds, which are building under a low bridge over the liver, 

 the arches of which are only some 4 or 5 feet above water level ; in case of 

 flood they must be submerged ; as these birds are building now, I conclude we 

 shall have no more heavy rains, instinct would teach them to postpone their 

 operations otherwise. The ne'^ts are attached to the down stream side of 3 

 or 4 arches and must number several hundred. It is wonderful to watch 

 their methodical ways. They all come out the up stream side of the arches, 

 fly low over the water to a spot some 200 yards or more distant, collect 

 pellets of mud for their houses, and return but fly at least 10:or 12 feet 

 above the water and all enter on the down stream side of the arches. Those 

 birds, whose nests are sufficiently far advanced, go to another spot to collect 

 straw and feathers, but they observe the same rule of the road regarding 

 entrance ; nd exit to the arches and their flittiugs to and from them. Talk 

 of regulating traffic in Town after this ! 



The Indian Red Munia {Sporcpginthus amandava).— This favourite little cage 

 bird, more commonly known as the Amandavat^ is said to be rare in the 

 Dekhan. I was therefore very pleased at coming acrosa a colony of them at 

 the beginning of the month along the banks of the river. Previous to this 

 I had never seen them in a wild state. They have taken up their abode 

 among some coarse rank grass, from 3 to 4 feet high, growing in thick tus- 

 socks. As the males were resplendent in bridal costume, I knew they must 

 be breeding, so watched them. Before long two couple betrayed their nests 

 by building. About a week after I visited tbem and found one contained 

 one egg and the other three, out of the latter I took two, in the hopes that 

 more may be laid and also to guard against the whole not being destroyed. 

 The eggs are the most diminutive little things, measuring roughly 'Six 42. 

 The nests are of the usual Munia type, that is carefully built and domed 

 with a small entrance on one side. They are composed of coarse grass lined 

 with finer grass, feathers and flowering grasses, situated in the above mention- 

 ed grass tussocks from 2 to 3 feet from the ground and very well concealed. 

 So far as I have observed, the male does the nest building. Although there 

 are some 20 odd pairs in the small patch of grass, I have only noticed two 

 pairs building. I intend going out and searching the whole place thorough- 

 ly with a view to obtaining several nests, if these are not already made, the 

 birds must soon commence, as they are all in breeding plumage. The males 

 keep up a continual low song, pleasant to the ear. The eggs are of the usual 

 white colour of the Munia tribe, 



