ANSEB INDIOUS 103 



one. In Sind, however, the grey lag is the more common, and it 

 has not been obtained in Gujarat. 



Nidification. — Its headquarters for breeding seems to be the 

 numerous lakes in Ladakh, and it also breeds throughout Tibet 

 in suitable localities, and probably also north of the Himalayas in 

 many other parts. 



Drew, writing of one of the many islands in the Tsomourari 

 lake in Ladakhi, says : — 



The island is about half a mile from the shore, nearly midway 

 in the length of the western side — it may be 100 yards corner to 

 corner in one direction and 60 yards in another; it is of gneiss rock, 

 rising only 9 or 10 feet above the water ; the soundings before given 

 show that there is about 100 feet of water between the island and 

 the near shore. This little place, being ordinarily undisturbed b\' 

 man, is a great resort of tlie gull, which in Ladakhi is called Chag- 

 haratse ; the surface was nearly all covered with its droppings, and 

 there were hundreds of the young about ; most of these must have 

 been hatched near the beginning of July. Having heard that it was 

 a matter of interest with some ornithologists to learn about the 

 nidification of the wild (barred-headed) goose, I was on the look-out 

 for information concerning it, and I found that this island is one of 

 the places where it lays its eggs. I was told by the Cbampas that 

 they find the eggs there just before the ice breaks up — say, the 

 beginning of May ; after that they have no means of reaching the 

 island. I myself found there a broken egg, but at the time I was on 

 the island (the last week in July) the young had all been hatched. 

 A few days later I followed the same enquiry in the Valley of the 

 Salt Lake, and on an earthy island in the fresh-water lake called 

 Panbuk I found a nest where the mother was sitting with some 

 goslings and two eggs, one just breaking with the chick ; the other 

 egg I measured, and found it to be 3} X 2* inches, and very nearly 

 elliptical in form. The nest was a slight hollow, lined with first a 

 few bits of soft herb, then with feathers. I was told that these 

 goose-eggs are found also at the edge of the Salt Lake itself." 



Two beautiful photos of these geese in their breeding-haunts and 

 a most interesting account of their nesting is given by Major F. M. 

 Bailey in the Bombay Natural History Society's Journal. These 

 plates, with two others kindly sent me by Major Bailey, are here 

 reproduced, and show very well both the nature of the ground on 

 which the birds breed and the nests themselves. 



His description is as follows : — 



