﻿Lif;Mf,. 
  If. 
  Vj. 
  I'iririics 
  on 
  Ihc. 
  liirdH 
  of 
  Aden. 
  77 
  

  

  i\\(; 
  \)H:c'\ucXh 
  of 
  Uk; 
  I'ort,, 
  u.u(\ 
  ;i,lrnoHt 
  al\v;i.yH 
  iji 
  rni'; 
  particnhir 
  

   Hpot, 
  a 
  fiollow 
  Sornn-A 
  hy 
  the 
  orriplaccmont 
  ol' 
  ono 
  of 
  tJio 
  

   machine 
  f^uriH, 
  Tlie 
  Fort 
  LaHcarw 
  aHKcrtod 
  that 
  the 
  bird 
  liad 
  

   been 
  Hcen 
  in 
  the 
  Harnc 
  Mpot 
  for 
  weekH 
  pant. 
  It 
  was 
  imposKihIe 
  

   to 
  Hlioot 
  it 
  vvhfjre 
  it 
  was, 
  aw 
  to 
  flineharge 
  a 
  i^nn 
  insifle 
  a 
  fort 
  

   near 
  a 
  powder 
  magazine 
  in 
  not 
  t}ie 
  sort 
  of 
  thing 
  that 
  nieetn 
  

   witli 
  apprrjval 
  from 
  tlie 
  military 
  authorities. 
  

  

  I 
  do 
  not 
  think 
  I 
  am 
  miKtal<en 
  as 
  to 
  the 
  species, 
  as 
  it 
  is 
  a 
  

   bird 
  I 
  frefjuf;ntly 
  met 
  with 
  in 
  the 
  Holan 
  i^ass, 
  hut 
  it 
  would 
  

   have 
  been 
  much 
  more 
  satisfactory 
  if 
  I 
  could 
  liave 
  ohtainerJ 
  

   a 
  specimen. 
  

  

  47. 
  MyjtMiccocjcHLA 
  mfj-ancka 
  nemm.j. 
  

  

  'i'he 
  lilaek-tailed 
  Jiock-fJhat 
  is 
  a 
  \(try 
  common 
  jK;rmari(;nt 
  

   resident, 
  and 
  takes 
  the 
  place 
  which 
  the 
  iiohin 
  occupies 
  

   elsewhere. 
  It 
  is 
  of 
  bold 
  and 
  fearless 
  habits, 
  and, 
  where 
  

   encouraged, 
  soon 
  becomes 
  familiar. 
  It 
  affects 
  stables, 
  veran- 
  

   dahs, 
  old 
  buildings, 
  rocks, 
  &;c., 
  preferring 
  those 
  in 
  the 
  vicinity 
  

   of 
  occupied 
  houses, 
  which 
  latter 
  it 
  often 
  enters 
  in 
  search 
  of 
  

   crumbs. 
  

  

  It 
  is 
  very 
  fond 
  of 
  perching 
  on 
  rocks, 
  wells, 
  and 
  roofs 
  of 
  

   houses, 
  and 
  in 
  the 
  breeding-season 
  has 
  a 
  w.ry 
  pleasant 
  

   twittering 
  song. 
  It 
  breeds 
  from 
  about 
  the 
  middle 
  of 
  March 
  

   to 
  tlie 
  i-A\i\ 
  of 
  June, 
  Ijut 
  some 
  may 
  perhaps 
  nest 
  earlier 
  or 
  

   later, 
  as, 
  after 
  I 
  had 
  prociired 
  one 
  clutch 
  of 
  eggs 
  on 
  the 
  

   morning 
  after 
  I 
  landed, 
  I 
  did 
  not 
  trouble 
  to 
  search 
  for 
  any 
  

   more, 
  and 
  only 
  took 
  notes 
  of 
  such 
  nests 
  as 
  1 
  accidentally 
  

   came 
  across, 
  as 
  i 
  do 
  not 
  care 
  to 
  collect 
  eggs 
  of 
  other 
  than 
  

   Indian 
  birds, 
  and 
  i 
  did 
  not 
  at 
  that 
  time 
  recognize 
  the 
  bird 
  as 
  

   the 
  mythical 
  " 
  Cercomela 
  fuHco, 
  " 
  of 
  Jerdon 
  and 
  Sir 
  A. 
  Ijurns. 
  

  

  TIk! 
  nests 
  are 
  placed 
  in 
  crevices 
  of 
  rocks, 
  stone 
  walls, 
  

   under 
  the 
  eaves 
  of 
  houses, 
  and 
  such 
  like 
  places. 
  

  

  The 
  first 
  nest 
  I 
  foutid 
  was 
  in 
  a 
  crevice, 
  over 
  the 
  window 
  

   of 
  a 
  dwelling-house, 
  the 
  opening 
  and 
  shutting 
  of 
  which 
  flid 
  

   not 
  alarm 
  the 
  birds 
  in 
  the 
  least. 
  

  

  The 
  nest 
  is 
  a 
  mere 
  pad, 
  composed 
  of 
  grass, 
  hair, 
  rags, 
  or 
  

   anything 
  suitable 
  that 
  the 
  bird 
  can 
  find. 
  

  

  The 
  eggs, 
  three 
  in 
  number, 
  are 
  broadish 
  oval 
  in 
  shape, 
  

  

  