56 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



from the ground. I climbed up and found it contained eggs, and as far as I 

 could feel with my hand, there was uo attempt at a nest, the eggs being laid on the 

 bare sand. I may mention that I saw the bird to be the ordinary grey partridge, 

 P. pondicerianus. April 25 I first observed T pagodamm (the Brahminy Mvnah) 

 which I had been looking out for for some time. 1 have never seen them in the 

 cold weather, so 1 conclude they only come here to breed. Last year I took four 

 of their nests. 



A. NEWNHAM, 10th N. L. I. 



THE TWO SHAM AS. 



Mr. Hume, speaking of the Shama (476 Cercotrickas macriira), says: — " Well 

 might Jerdon doubt that Philipps' Shama described as perching on walls and 

 breeding in bouses, could be this species." 



"Shama" is the native name for the Brown Rockchat (494, Cercomela fusca) 

 throughout the Central Provinces, and it is this bird that Philipps was writing 

 about, and not our delightful Indian songster. 



" Perching on walls and breeding in houses " is a concise summary of its habits. 



H. EDWIN BARNES. 



ME ROUS MERGANSER. 



It will interest the ornithological members of the Society to know that I shot a 



goosander (Mergus merganser) at Shewa just across the Bombay harbour, on the 



2nd instant (December). It was a female or immature male, and was playing along 



in a shallow sheet of salt water which formed the reservoir of one of the salt works. 



I believe this is the most southern point in India from which the bird has 



been recorded yet. 



EH. AITKEN. 



LIST OF BIRDS FROM SIND. 



Presented by Colonel Swinhoe. 



