170 Col. R. Meinertzhagen on the [Ibis, 



Merops apiaster L. 



A common summer visitor to the Quetta Plains, the earliest 

 arrival being noted on 4.iv., while it was common and had 

 commenced excavating holes by 15. iv. First eggs found on 

 9. v., and young commenced to appear on the wing on 19. vi. 

 All had left by l.ix. When the young can fly the breed- 

 ing colony often disappears for a week or so at a time, 

 returning at intervals to the nesting-site^ food-supply being 

 })robably the cause of such local movements. Not only bees, 

 but wasps and hornets, with which Quetta abounds, are 

 greedily devoured. 



I noted a passage of non-breeding birds at Ziarat at 8000 

 feet on 24:. vii., and this was the only occasion on which I 

 saw tliem in the hills. 



Merops persicus. 



M. p. persiens Pall. 



A local summer visitor. In 1914 it nested at vSheikh 

 Wasil in June, and at Khushdil three pairs had eggs on 2. vi. 

 Two were obtained at Khushdil on 17. v. 



Merops orientalis. 



il/, 0. heludschicus Neum. (= M. vlr'ulis auct.) 

 There are two examples in the Quetta Museum, both 

 killed in January. 



Upupa epops. 

 U. e. ejiops L. . 



Widely distributed in northern Baluchistan from March 

 to October, breeding at 5000 feet in the plains and up to 

 9000 feet in the hills. Nests with three, one, and five eoos 

 were found on 14. v., 29. v., and 11. vi. Young were found 

 in the nest on 17. vi. At Ziarat at 9000 feet I saw several 

 full-grown young throughout July. 



In wnnter an occasional bird can be seen, and in February 

 1914 T noticed one hopping about in snow. I saw another 

 at the top of the Ivhojak Pass on 12. xi. 



