1922.] the Birds of Sind. 627 



more desert parts, including desert scrub jungle, it is almost 

 wanting. It is a tame, familiar bird wberevor found and 

 is often seen in the bungalow compounds of even largo 

 towns. It is an early nester, and 1 think more than one 

 brood is reared ; the male very easily betrays the locality 

 of the nest })y uttering its ])retty little song in the vicinity 

 or by pursuing ^ny other species which approaches too near. 

 Mr. Bell notes nests with fresh eoos on 27 March and 

 22 April; I have found eggs just hatching on 2 July and 

 Doig recorded fresh eggs on 4 July. 



I cannot separate Sind birds from those from Bengal, 

 which fact however is not surprising as this species in Sind 

 does not come under desert conditions. (J : wing 80-81, 

 tail 93-97 ; ? : wing 73-78, tail 87-93 mm. 



The juvenile moults in autumn the body feathers, all the 

 wing-coverts except the primary series, some of the flight 

 feathers but not the tail ; birds in their first winter may be 

 recognized by the brown primary coverts. 



Saxicola caprata rossorum (Hart.). *' Pidi.'^ 

 The I'ied Biish-(!hat is very common throughout Sind 

 except in the hills, desert and desert scrub-jungle, where it 

 is unknown. Thus in cultivation, open thickish jungle of 

 tamarisk, acacia, etc., such as borders many j heels, and lines 

 the Indus banks, it is one of the characteristic birds and is 

 a constant resident. Hound Karachi it is naturally rare, 

 though even here a fcw^ pairs may be seen in suitable places. 

 Doig gives the nesting season as from April to August ; I 

 found a nest at Karachi on 22 March containing three fresh 

 eggs ; the nest was composed entirely of grass and was 

 situated on a bank concealed by a tuft, much the sort of 

 position an English Robin would choose. Mr. Bell found 

 two nests with four eggs each on 2G and 31 March, well 

 concealed in the bottom of grass clumps in tamarisk jungle. 

 This bird has a very pleasing little song, and the love 

 flioht of the male during the pairing season is a very pretty 

 si<'"lit as he flies up singing from the top spray of a bush with 

 slowly beating wings, displaying his w-hite patches to full 

 advantage, to settle on the top of another bush. 



