16 The Zoologist— January, 1866. 



neer cakai," or, " Snake-headed water-crow." Nest same as last ; 

 three, sometimes four eggs of same size and colour; young fledged 

 and on the wing, some in January, others not till April. 



I succeeded in capturing young of all the birds described here, and 

 sent them to the People's Park at Madras. I was in great hopes of 

 sending a few of each to the Zoological Society's Gardens, Regent's 

 Park, Loudon, by Mr. Thompson, the head keeper, of whose intended 

 visit to India in the " Hydaspes" the Secretary, Dr. Sclater, obligingly 

 apprised me, but unfortunately I lost the opportunity, which 1 greatly 

 regret. 



Returning to the subject of Vaden Thaugul, the villagers tell me 

 that the pelican sometimes comes and breeds here, as also the black 

 curlew. Occasionally different kinds of teal, widgeons, &c., are said 

 to nest in the rushes that bound the inner surface of the tank bund. 

 But although I visited this place frequently, I saw no other birds than 

 those described here. 



The Egrets (or Herodias Garzetln, Biihulcus and intermedia), were 

 congregated in very large numbers, and roosted on the trees at night; 

 but they do not nest, which seems singular. The natives had observed 

 this, and I found it to be the case. Yet I believe, of all the birds that 

 assemble here, these occur in the greatest number. Ardea alba, or 

 Herodius alba, and H. intermedia are also found here; and the 

 natives say that they breed, but I did not find any of their nests in the 

 place during my visits to Vaden Thaugul, 



Ornithological Notes from Shetland. By H. L. Saxby, M.D. 

 (Continued fruin j'age 9591). 



August, 1865. 



Storm Petrel. — Fresh eggs of the storm petrel were found as late as 

 the middle of the month, although at that time most of the young 

 birds had long left their nests. On the 8lh I saw what appeared to be 

 an adult sitting upon the water at Blueraull Sound: the boatmen 

 seemed to consider this an unusual sight, for these birds are seldom 

 observed so near the land, although they are often abundant about 

 forty miles from the coast. 



Skua. — On the l*2th skuas were still in the neighbourhood of 

 Burrafirth, 



