DECEMBER. 



BY this time in Upper India the season for eggs of the large birds of 

 prey has fairly commenced. In the extreme south and east coast, the 

 water-birds that are monsoon breeders, such as egrets, pond herons, cur- 

 lews, &c., are all breeding ; and everywhere throughout the plains, the 

 eggs of the ring-tailed fishing eagle and of the ring dove may be taken. 

 In the HIMALAYAS, eggs of the bearded vulture have been taken ; 

 while the roc vultures, black eagles, Nepal hawk eagles, and Himalayan 

 fishing eagles are all building. 



In the PUNJAB, the pale long-billed vulture, the white-backed vulture, 

 the ring-tailed fishing eagle, the striated bush babbler, the raven, and 

 the common sandgrouse all have eggs. 



In the NORTH-^VEST PROVINCES, the white-backed vulture, Bonelli's 

 eagle, the ring-tailed fishing eagle and rock-horned owl, the dusky-horned 

 owl, the brown fish owl, the hoopoe, the pin-tailed munia, and the black- 

 necked stork have all got eggs. The pale long-billed vulture, the dusky 

 sand martin, and the turtle doves are building. 



In BENGAL, the ring-tailed fishing eagle and white-bellied sea eagle, 

 the common kite, the brown fish owl, the Indian sand martin, and the 

 ring doves have all got eggs. 



In CENTRAL INDIA, eggs of the pale long-billed vulture, the Indian 

 tawny eagle, the ring-tailed fishing eagle, the black-winged kite, the 

 screech owl, the mottled wood owl, the Indian amadavat, the green ama- 

 davat, and Sykes's turtle dove have all been taken ; and among the birds 

 that commence pairing and building in this month may be mentioned 

 the shaheen falcon, the bar-tailed fishing eagle (possibly, but this requires 

 confirmation), the dusky crag martin, the white-backed munia, and the 

 ruddy turtle dove. 



In SOUTHERN INDIA, eggs of the white-bellied sea eagle, the common 

 kite, the southern golden-backed woodpecker, the amethyst-rumped 

 honeysucker, the jungle babbler, the Indian pied wagtail, the Indian 

 amadavat, the black-bellied finch lark, the ring dove, the grey jungle fowl, 

 the white-necked stork, the egrets, pond herons, king curlews, and all of 

 the resident water-birds may be taken ; and watch should be kept on the 

 white scavenger vultures, shaheen falcons, bar-tailed fishing eagles, purple 

 honey suckers, Nilgiri flowerpeckers, red-billed bush quail, and Indian snake 

 birds, which are known to commence building in the course of the month. 



