414 Mr. H, Whistler on the [Ibis, 



of this repulsive bird^ owing to the natural hesitation o£ most 

 observers to collect specimens. I accordingly took the trouble 

 to shoot five adults in March and April from amongst the 

 numerous nests examined ; four of these were carefully 

 sexed and measured (in millimetres), as follows : — 



cJ. 6. $. $. 



Bill from front edge of cere to tip. 31-5 30 29 31 



Gape to tip of bill 60 64 58 62 



Depth of bill at front edge of cere. — 14"5 14 — 



Length of cere 31 29 29 36 



Wing 462 483 463 476 



Tail 238 238 242 247 



Tarsus 88 87-5 86 86 



Mid-toe without claw 62 65 70 68 



Hartert oives the measurements of this Vulture as follows, 

 without distinction of sex :— Wing 475-520, tail 255-280, 

 tarsus 75-85, culmen from end of cere 31-35 mm. He notes 

 that N. ]). ginginianus diflFers from this race in the yellow bill 

 and smaller size, especially of the foot and bill. Gates, on the 

 other hand, emphasises the relative colour of the cere and 

 cheeks in the two races. 



Measurements are not always a satisfactory guide in such 

 large birds, but I carefully recorded also the colour of the 

 soft parts in the five birds shot. All had the bill clear horn- 

 colour except one male in which it was dead horny-white, 

 with a wedge-shaped blackish mark near the tip of the cutting- 

 edge of the upper mandible. The cere and a patch of the 

 facial skin extended to behind the eye and, including the front 

 portion of cheeks, was a richer and deeper orange-} ellow than 

 the lemon-yellow tint of the remainder of the bare skin of 

 the head and neck. The legs and feet were a dull pinky- 

 whitish colour, the claws black. 



Twelve nests were examined, six with two eggs or chicks, 

 six with one; these were found on various dates between 31 

 March and 16 May. The nests were placed either in Jhand- 

 trees or Banyan-trees. 



Fourteen eggs yield the following measurements: — Length 

 59-5-69, breadth 47-5-52-5; average 63-9 x 50 ram. 



