i)i and around Luchiow. 559 



trees ; T, risorius chiefly inhabits the mango-topes. In the 

 north-eastern quarter of Lueknow T. canibaiensis is very com- 

 mon, and seems, in a great measure, to replace T. suratensis. 

 In the early mornings all four species will be found feeding 

 together in the fields. I took my first nest of T. canibaiensis 

 on March 28th. It was placed in a tangle of grass amongst 

 the lower branches of a babool-tree about 2 feet from the 

 ground. I shot the hen, which, falling close to another tree 

 a little further on, startled a T. risorius from her nest and 

 two eggs, and shortly after I got a nest of T. suratensis. 

 I have never taken the eggs of T. hwnilis before the month 

 of June. 



In Lueknow itself most people call all Doves " Pindak " 

 or " Pii'ki " without distinction, but in the district the large 

 Doves, e, g. T. risorius and T. meena, are called '' Fachtaw," 

 the small Doves " Pirki " ; Blue Rock-Pigeons are named 

 " Khabuta,^^ and the Green Pigeon " Hurrial.^^ 



Pterocles exustus (Teram.). Common Sand-Grouse. 



This bird occurs locally around Lueknow, but not, I 

 believe,* in any great numbers. On June 14th, when out 

 black-buck shooting with Messrs. P. S. Lucas and H. Fisher, 

 the horse of the former put up a bird. Eiding behind, I 

 marked the spot, and on going up to it found a nest with 

 three eggs. As we did not know the parentage of the eggs, 

 it was necessary to shoot the bird, a matter of some difficulty 

 as we had no shot-guns. However, the old bird kept flying 

 round, finally settling some distance off, and at his second 

 shot with the Winchester rifle Lucas bowled it over. It 

 proved to be a hen, but we were unable to preserve it as it 

 was so badly damaged and, moreover, became putrid before 

 we reached home. Shortly after we came across some more 

 Sand-Grouse and Lucas shot another, which this time 

 turned out to be a cock. The nest was a circular hollow in 

 the sand under a tuft of grass. It was lined with a few bits 

 of grass and three feathers. The three eggs were oval in 

 shape ; in colour they were stone, richly marked and mottled 

 with brown and purple. 



SER. VII. VOL. III. 2 R 



