Proceedings. 88 



with the same. They had a tinge of gi*een on then- foreheads. 

 When they flew, their wings looked grey. They stood with 

 their necks bui'ied in their shoulders. A bird, shaped like a 

 Cormorant (probably the Little Cormorant), and black nearly 

 all over, had a very long, Snake-like neck, and a yellow beak. 

 It had a little grey on the wing. On the edge of the water 

 was a pale brown wader (about the size of a Kcdshank), with 

 long, yellow legs and black bill. Its head was shaped like a 

 Plover's. When it flew, it showed black tips to its wings, a 

 white band on the wing, and white on the under side of the 

 wings. This was most likely a young Stilt. Several Eed- 

 wattled Lapwings, a species the size of our Peewit, and 

 abundant in India, were wading in the pools. About a 

 dozen green Parrots (the Rose-ringed Parrakeet), with long 

 tails, dashed screaming from two Palms by the water-side. 

 Overhead, Wire-tailed Swallows were flying. They are glossy 

 steel-blue above, and pure white below, and have very sharp 

 wings. Old male birds have the oiitermost tail-feathers 

 prolonged in the form of a thin string or wire. A Kingfisher 

 (Alcedo Bengulense) was perched on a rush-stem, and darted 

 down into the water. It was like our English bird, except 

 that it was a trifle smaller, and that the colours were brighter. 

 Black-faced Wagtails and glorious green Bee-eaters were met 

 with at intervals roimd the tank. Nearly every little pool 

 had its Green Sandpiper. On the margin of one pool was 

 an Indian Ringed Plover with rather more white about its 

 head than our bird has. A ring of white and a ring of black 

 each went right round its neck ; its legs were yellow. A 

 small Duck, probably a Teal, rose and flew off over the tank. 

 The Mynas, common everywhere, were chattering in the 

 trees where the Weaver-birds had built. Finally, as we were 

 leaving the tank, a small Owl, probably the Spotted Owlet, 

 settled on the hedge of thorns ; and a Nightjar rose from 

 the ground near us, showing a little white on its wings as 

 it flew. 



Very few plants grow on the rough ground, but here and 

 there are patches of a plant with pale blue flowers marked on 



G 2 



