Letters, Announcements, ^c. 221 



"A Tern, very common, appears referable to Omjchoprion 

 melanauchen. It was, I think, breeding at the time of my visit 

 on an island off the south outpost. I was not well enough, 

 however, to explore the spot, although I noticed old birds 

 cariying small fish there. 



" Of the large Sea-Eagle {Haliaetus leucogaster) there are 

 generally a pair about Ross Island, and I have noticed them 

 seated on rocks on the mainland, and frequently heard their 

 clanging scream amongst the high trees near the sea. 



" Four specimens of Chalcophaps indicus were brought to me 

 alive from Aberdeen, where they were snared by settlers as 

 * green Pigeons ;' one pair were adult, and one pair fully-fledged 

 young; so that it is evident they breed on the Andamans. 

 Ueported to be plentil'ul. Collocalia fuciphaga takes to breeding 

 inside houses, preferring inner rooms both on Ross and Chatham 

 Islands. A large Acanthylis (?) has been observed on Ross 

 Island. 



" Todh'hamphus collaris, Halcyon fuscus, and H. leucocephalus 

 are very common. The former descends to the ground to feed — 

 perhaps on hermit crabs, which are very common ; the latter 

 has the head much whiter than in Bengal. 



" Other birds collected' here are Gracula intermedia, Palceornis 

 erythropygius, Artamus leucogaster, Picus andamanensis*, Edolius 

 malayensis, Irena puella, Butorides javanicus, Ixus jocosus. 



"A Honey-sucker which looked like the female of Arach- 

 nectkra asiatica seen on Ross Island." 



Dr. Jerdon, writing in October last to Mr. Blyth from 

 Umritsir, says : — 



" I have been in Cashmere for a short time this season, but 

 did very little. The only rare bird I got was JEgithaliscus 

 niveogularis, which I obtained at a height of 10,000 feet. I 

 obtained one Nucifraga multimaculata also at a great elevation. 



" I have been getting some live Falcons here — and among them 

 Falco cherrug, as many as I pleased to buy. F. babylonicus, 

 two young females, and one adult of the same sex ! the latter 

 I have skinned, the former I keep alive. It is the ' Shahin ' of 

 these parts, and is caught in the neighbourhood. I have sent 

 * This also inhabits Sumatra. — E. B. 



