THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF CHAMAN, S. AFGHANISTAN. 217 



278.— Buchanga atra, Eerm. 



The King Crow is very uncommon. I only saw one specimen — 

 a male. Its testes were abnormally large, showing that it was 

 breeding. I searched for its mate, but without success. 

 Possibly further in the hills they are more common. 



489.— Saxicola picatus, Blyth. 



The Pied Stone-Chat arrives early in March. The first nest 

 was found on the 20th of that month ; it was built in a hole in 

 a tree, and was composed of dry grass, lined with feathers, and 

 contained four eggs of a very delicate greenish blue tint, 

 obsoletely speckled with rusty brown or pale brownish red at 

 the larger end, where the markings form an irregular zone.* 

 A few specks of the same colour are scattered over the rest of 

 the surface of the egg. The average of 12 eggs is '81 by -56. 



491.— Saxicola isabellinus, Ritpp. 



The Desert Stone-Chat, if not a permanent resident, at least 

 arrives much earlier than its congeners. 



I have not been able to find a nest, although I have spent 

 many an hour searching for them. That they do breed here is 

 quite certain, as an Afghan brought in a young one for sale 

 about the end of March, but I could not extract any informa- 

 tion from him ; he could not talk Hindustani, and my Pushtoo 

 is very weak. 



645.— Parus nipalensis, Eodgs. 



This Tit i3 very common, and remains with us all the year 

 round. I found a nest on the 10th April, built in a hole in a tree ; 

 the nest was composed entirely of sheep's wool ; it contained 

 three incubated eggs, white, with light red blotches, formino- a 

 zone at the larger end. They measured *69 by *48. 



550 Us.— Scotocerca inquieta, Hupp. 



These birds are quite common about here on the plains, 

 but I have not observed them on^the hills. They commence 

 breeding towards the end of March ; the nest is globular in 

 shape, not unlike that of Franklinia buchanani, but somewhat 

 larger, built invariably in stunted bushes about two feet from 

 the ground. It is well lined with feathers and fine grass, 

 the outer portion being composed of fibres and coarse grass. 

 The normal number of eggs is six. I have found less, but 

 never more, and whenever a lesser number has been taken 

 they always proved to be fresh laid. 



* I. have taken eggs of Cercomela fusca at Aboo, very similar to these.— H. E. B. 



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