Birds of Lttcknow,, 07 



turbed a friend and myself, who were indoors, and, on learning 

 the cause, we got a gun and put an end to its sufferings. 

 We then placed two chairs about fifty yards from the 

 jackal and timed the Vultures. At the end of an hour it 

 was too dark to see any longer, so we went to find out what 

 was left. The total remains were the shank of one fore leg 

 and a bit of skin about as big as the palm of one's hand. 

 Beyond this not a vestige was to be seen, flesh, skin, bones, 

 everything had disappeared down the gullets of two voracious 

 Black and three White-backed Vultures, aided by the usual 

 rag-tag and bob -tail of Kites and Crows. 



Pseudogyps bengalensis breeds chiefly in November and 

 December, most of the young being hatched by January. 

 Occasionally nests with eggs may be obtained both earlier 

 and later. I took one egg on March 11, 1901. Where 

 there is one nest, there will usually be two or three 

 others at least — large bulky structures of sticks lined with 

 green leaves. I have found them on mango, tamarind, 

 pepul, neern, and sheshum trees, often at great heights 

 from the ground. Solitary nests are, I think, more often 

 on mango-trees, though there is no well-defined rule in the 

 matter. Both 0. calvus and P. bengalensis often nest on 

 trees in the centre of villages, and, in my early days in 

 India, I once got seriously assaulted by villagers for trying to 

 examine one of these. In justice to myself, I may say it was 

 not altogether my fault, as I understood that there was 

 no objection, but, while my climbers were up the tree, the 

 onlookers suddenly rushed upon me. Seeing that they tried 

 to pull away my gun (which was loaded) by the muzzle, it was 

 providential that there was no accident. 



Only one egg, of course, is laid, pure white as a rule when 

 fresh, but sometimes fairly spotted and freckled with red. 

 My second largest egg has quite a respectable crimson cap 

 at the broad end. 



Average of 14 Lucktiow eggs 3*2G" x2"46" 



Measurement of Largesl t"s>j; 3*52" x 2 - 65" 



„ .smallest egg- (abnormal). 2 , 54"x2*00" 



