228 IEID1DJE. 



by Jerdon in juxtaposition with the Herons, while Anastomus 

 oscitans would seem, to judge from its eggs, to need a place amongst 

 the Storks. 



In length the eggs vary from 2-1 to 2-82, and in breadth from 

 1-5 to 1*82; but out of one hundred and twelve eggs only four are 

 less than 2-3 ; and again only four exceed 272 in length, and only 

 one is less than 1*6 in breadth, so that for practical purposes we 

 might say that the eggs vary from 2-3 to 2- 72 in length and from 

 1-6 to 1-82 in breadth. I may add that the average of the one 

 hundred and twelve eggs is 2'54 by 1*7. 



Inocotis papillosus (Temm.). The Black Ibis. 



Geronticus papillosus (Temm.\ Jerd. B. 2nd. ii, p. 769; Hume, 

 Rough Draft N. 8f JE. no. 942. 



The Black Ibis breeds everywhere throughout the plains of India. 

 In Upper India it seems to have two breeding-seasons, viz., 

 March, April, and August ; but I have also known eggs to be ob- 

 tained in June, July, and September. I cannot say whether the 

 same pairs breed twice in the same year, or whether different birds 

 breed at different times. Perhaps the old birds lay in March and 

 April, and the yearlings not till August. These are points in regard 

 to which further observation is necessary. 



In parts of Southern India, as in Sholapoor, this species lays in 

 November and December. 



I have never found these birds breeding in society with other 

 species. Twice or thrice I have found two or three nests together, 

 but as a rule they are solitary. They build high up upon large 

 trees, often at the very top of these, and make a large nest of finer 

 and coarser twigs often unlined, but more often thinly lined with 

 straw, grass, or (Mr. W. Blewitt says) old rags. 



They occasionally to my knowledge and possibly often take 

 possession of nests previously occupied by the Indian King-Vulture, 

 the Indian Fishing-Eagle, and the Dusky Horned Owl. Who first 

 made the nests, and whether the Ibises were the intruders, or only 

 reoccupied their own old nests that the Raptors had taken the 

 liberty of using in the interim, I cannot sav ; but certain it is that 

 from nests from which in March, December, and January I had 

 taken the eggs of the latter, I again in August took those of the 

 Black Ibis. 



According to my experience three is the usual, and four the 

 maximum number of eggs. 



Mr. W. Blewitt, writing from Hausie, remarked : " I took three 

 nests of the Black Ibis this year on the 12th and 18th June. Two 

 nests contained 2, and the third 3 eggs : all were quite fresh. 

 The nests were two of them on sheesh urn-trees on the canal-bank, 

 at heights of fifteen to seventeen feet from the ground ; the third, 

 which was on a peepul-tree, was somewhat higher. All were very 



