268 CICONIIDJE. 



somewhat coarse, they are fairly smooth to the touch. When fresh 

 they are nearly pure white, with only the faintest possible bluish- 

 grey tinge ; but after being a few days in the nest they become 

 soiled and stained, and assume that dingy yellowish-white or pale 

 yellowish-brown tint so characteristic of Stork eggs. 



In length the eggs vary from 2-65 to 3'13, and in breadth from 

 1-98 to 2-3 ; but the average of forty-five eggs is 2-91 by 2-12. 



Dissura episcopus (Bodd.). The White-necked Stork. 



Ciccmia leucocephala (GmeL), Jerd. B. Ind. ii, p. 737. 

 Melanopelargus episcopus (Bodd.}, Hume, Rough Draft N. fy E. 

 no. 920. 



In Upper India the White-necked Stork breeds from the latter 

 end of June to the end of August, but in parts of Central and 

 Southern India they sometimes lay as early as March, and in 

 other parts they breed during the winter monsoon. The nests are 

 placed in large trees peepul, burgot, tamarind, and sheeshum 

 being, I think, their favourites. The nests are rarely above from 

 20 to 30 feet from the ground, and vary from 14 to 20 inches in 

 diameter, and from 4 to 8 inches in depth. They are densely 

 built of twigs and small branches, and have a considerable central 

 depression, sometimes thinly lined with down and feathers, and 

 .sometimes almost filled with straw 7 , leaves, and feathers, in amongst 

 which the eggs are sunk as if packed for travelling. The full 

 number of eggs is four ; rarely three more or less incubated eggs 

 are met with. 



Colonel G. F. L. Marshall writes : " This species is common in 

 the Saharunpoor District. It breeds upon trees in June and July, 

 making a large rude nest of sticks about 30 feet from the ground, 

 deeply cup-shaped and scantily lined with down and feathers, and 

 lays four eggs of a lengthened oval shape, nearly the same at both 

 ends. The colour varies from pure white to brown, unspotted, 

 and they are in shape very like common Ducks' eggs. I took three 

 fresh eggs in the latter half of June in the Saharunpoor District, 

 one fresh egg in the beginning of July in Meerut, half -fledged 

 young ones on the 28th of August, and four fresh eggs in the 

 Etah District on the 2nd of September. Some of the nests were 

 on sheeshum and some on banyan trees, but all at the top of the 

 tree." 



Mr. W. Blewitt says : " I found several nests of this species in 

 the neighbourhood of Hansie during the latter half of June and 

 the early part of July. 



" They were all placed on peepul or burgot trees, mostly in the 

 neighbourhood of the canal, and at heights of from 20 to 25 feet 

 from the ground. They were densely built of keekur and ber and 

 sheeshum twigs, and thickly lined with straw, leaves, and feathers. 

 They varied from 14 to 17 inches in diameter and from 4^to 7 

 inches in depth. 



