Capt. Beavan on various Indian Birds. 403 



somewhat dainty feeder, never shoots anything except for the 

 pot. Yet, although the Spaniard would scorn to stalk a Chaf- 

 finch or a Redbreast from bush to bush, the number of Larks, 

 Sparrows, and such like exposed in the markets of Spain is 

 fully tenfold more than is to be found in those of Italy ; and yet 

 you see bands of small birds even in the most arid parts of Spain 

 for individuals in Italy. The fertility of the soil must be pretty 

 nearly equal in both countries ; and my own idea is that, whereas 

 the greater part of the small birds in Spain are taken by snares 

 {costillas) or in nets, the Italian, who is never so happy as 

 when he can let his gun off at anything, however insignificant, 

 scares the birds out of the country by his incessant popping. 

 But, whatever be the reason, even the mere tourist passing through 

 by railway from Irun to Cadiz could hardly help observing that 

 the general complaint of the absence of birds on the Continent 

 by no means applies to Spain, which is, both in species of birds 

 and individuals, one of the richest in Europe. 



XXXVII, — Additional Notes on various Indian Birds. 

 By R. C. Beavan, Bengal Staff Corps, C.M.Z.S. 



Having had the opportunity of making further observations 

 on some of the species belonging to the groups included in my 

 former " Notes '' ■^, and especially in the earliest paper of the 

 series, I think that a knowledge of them may be of use to those 

 interested in Indian ornithology. As befox*e, I follow the ar- 

 rangement of Dr. Jerdon in his ' Birds of India,' and the num- 

 bers prefixed are the same as in that work. 



84. HiRUNDo FiLiFERA. Wirc-tailcd Swallow. 



I have frequently heard from my late friend Dr. Scott that 

 this Swallow occurs in some abundance about Umballah in 

 certain seasons, and breeds there under culverts and road-bridges 

 in that station ; but I myself never observed it there, but did so 

 in the cold weather of 1866, near Morar, Gwalior, when out on 

 a fishing-excursion with my brother. It is a very beautiful 



♦ Ibis, 1865, pp. 400-423 ; 1867, pp. 430^55 ; 1868, pp. 73-85, 165- 

 181, 370-406 5 and (Accipitres) P. Z. S. 1868, pp. 390-402. 



