692 CAPT. R. C. BEAVAN ON INDIAN BIRDS. __[Nov. 28, 
still in pairs—the Indian Titlark (Corydalla rufula, Vieill.). The 
little Green Heron (Butorides javanicus, Horsf.) is occasionally met 
with in a retired corner of the bank of some pond. The only King- 
fishers seen are the pied Ceryle rudis and the common Alcedo ben- 
galensis, the latter not plentiful yet. Plenty of Magpies about 
(Dendrocitta rufa), chiefly young birds attended by their parents. 
August 14th.—A walk along a muddy road towards Neilgunje 
does not yield much. The country is still swamped, but the fields 
of waving rice hide the water from view. Except in the immediate 
vicinity of villages, it is impossible to progress across the country with- 
out wading. A pair of the Ashy Swallow Shrike (drtamus fuscus, 
Vieill.) are busy in the air near some high trees. In flight this bird 
resembles a Swallow so closely that it requires some attention to dis- 
criminate it. An occasional Magpie Robin (Copsychus saularis), a 
few white Egrets passing overhead, a solitary Cormorant (Graculus 
javanicus, Horsf.), and a large Kingfisher (Halcyon leucocephalus), 
together with a small flock of the Shell Ibis (Anastomus oscitans) 
busily feeding in a swamped rice-field, comprise nearly all the new 
arrivals. A small flock of the pretty Powé Myna (Temenuchus ma- 
labaricus) is found in a tree near a village, busily feeding; and a 
green object, flashing for an instant in the sun in pursuit of an 
insect, turns out to be the Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops philip- 
pensis, Linn.). 
August 17th.—I shot a beautiful specimen of an Australian bird, 
busily feeding in a rice-field. It is the Banded Grass-Parrakeet of 
Gould (Melopsittacus undulatus), and, though apparently a wild 
specimen in the adult plumage of the male, must have escaped from 
captivity. Mr. Blyth tells me he saw numbers of these birds some 
years since in the menagerie at Burdwan. 
September 2nd.—Since Jerdon, in his ‘ Birds of India,’ vol. ii. 
p- 674, regrets that he has no information with regard to the times 
of the appearance and departure of the Pintailed Snipe (Gadlinago 
stenura, Temm.), as distinguished from the common Snipe (G. scolo- 
pacina, Bonap.), I am anxious to find out which species arrives first 
with us in Lower Bengal. Although Snipes are said to have arrived, I 
have not yet seen a single specimen of either species. Their forerun- 
ners, the Snippets (Totani), have come ; a pair were observed to-day ; 
and other migratory cold-weather visitants are dropping in daily. 
September 5th.—Came across a flock of Powé Mynas in moulting- 
plumage; these birds are not nearly so common as they used to 
be here. Kingerows (the Dicrurus macrocercus of Vieillot), as 
well as most other birds, including the Blue-tailed Bee-eater, are 
moulting now; the latter still about, but appears now in pairs. I 
fancied that a few weeks ago several were seen together. Paddy- 
birds are getting more numerous, but losing their breeding-plumage. 
Cormorants arriving. The small Kingfisher (Alcedo bengalensis) is 
tolerably common. Still a general scarcity of birds. Heard that a 
flock of Golden Plovers had been seen on the parade-ground, and that 
Snipe had been brought into the station by natives in former years 
as early as July. These had, of course, bred in the neighbourhood. 
