294 Letters, Announcements, ^'c. 



being less by fully '5 in. ; but, in truth, mere dimensions, ex- 

 cept where of fully adult individuals, are uot trustworthy data 

 on which to build species. 



Yours, &c., 



Walden. 



Chislehurst, Feb. 17, 1870. 



Sir, — The nidification of that noble bird Myderia aiistralis 

 was always a puzzle to me ; for although very common in the 

 North-Western Provinces of India, I could find no notice of its 

 nest or eggs in any work within my reach, and Dr. Jerdon says 

 nothing definite about the latter. I had often seen the birds 

 flying for two or three miles in a direct line towards large trees 

 standing by themselves in the midst of extensive plains of grass 

 near Etawah, and I had as often seen huge nests, apparently 6 feet 

 every way, composed of sticks, on the summits of the said trees, 

 on which the birds alighted, and stood out in bold relief against 

 the sky. During the rains, as it was the season for the breed- 

 ing of the allied species, I had continually sent men up the 

 trees to reach these nests, but had ever found them empty. The 

 getting at them is no easy matter ; for the sticks of which they 

 are composed are stout, and often prickly, and form a regular 

 chevaux-de-frise all around ; while an' attack from such a large 

 bird, when poised and scrambling at such a dizzy height, would 

 be no joke. I therefore found difficulty in persuading the 

 stoutest herd-boys to climb to them. However, my perseverance 

 was at last rewarded; for upon the 27th December, 1867, my 

 man brought me down four eggs, one of them addled, and three 

 with young birds in them, showing how late in the season they 

 incubate. The season had been very hot and dry. This species 

 would appear to lay at most four eggs ; but the general number 

 is three, being 2*7 by 2 inches. In one nest, on the 27th of 

 the same month, I found two young birds, which flew off when 

 disturbed — also, in another, one nearly full-grown on the 24th. 

 I gave my friend Mr. E. Brooks the localities of four or five nests, 

 but no eggs were laid in these, in 1868. He, however, know- 

 ing when and where to look, found three more nests, and took 

 fi'oni them one, two, and four eggs respectively. He writes to 



