340 ADDITIONAL NOTE ON THE BIRDS OF THE 



visit the lake after every six or seven years, they have never 

 seen them so numerous as at present. The natives have a 

 theory to the effect that these birds only come to the lake when 

 the rainfall is scant, but this theory, while it may apply to 

 Rajputana during the present season, does not apply to the 

 immediate neighbourhood of the lake. They also informed me 

 that large flocks of this species reached the lake from a westerly 

 direction daring the month of September. 



On the Sambhur side of the lake these birds rarely come 

 near to the edge, they seem to prefer working for food along 

 the exposed portions of the low mud walls which separate our 

 salt pans from the lake water. Only at one place near the 

 town of Goodha have I seen flocks working for food. This 

 place was covered with a slushy slime-like soil— very difficult 

 to walk in — on the surface, in the hollows of which existed 

 a quantity of dark greenish microscopic vegetable matter. On 

 this they seemed to feed eagerly, and a few birds which I shot 

 discharged large quantities of this from their crops. 



On the 17th December I saw a flock of — I should say — 

 over five hundred birds closely packed together feeding at 

 this favorite spot. As I approached they commenced to run 

 towards the lake making a peculiar noise like the hissing 

 of geese. As they rose I fired, and six fell to two barrels, but 

 many others were wounded and escaped into the lake. In the 

 evening of the same day I visited the feeding place, but although 

 the birds were if anything more numerous, I only knocked 

 over five. Again on the 23rd I visited this feeding place in 

 the morning and in the evening, and with six shots nineteen 

 birds were obtained. 



On the 30th December after all the birds had been stuffed, 

 I sent a native with my gun for a few more. What stratagem 

 he resorted to, or how close he crept to the birds, I cannot tell, 

 but with two barrels he secured fifteen splendid specimens. 

 The above results show how very numerous P. minor at pre- 

 sent is on the lake. 



Of the 80 specimens now before me, 28 are males and 52 

 females. As will be seen from the following measurements, the 

 dimensions of these birds are somewhat greater than those of 

 the adult birds given at page 33, Vol. I. of Stray Feathers :— - 



Bill, from 



Length. Expanse. Wing. Tarsus. gape, Tail. 



straight. 



Male Largest 35-0 551 13-9 8'9 3-7 4 7 



„ Smallest 290 493 12-2 73 3-1 32 



Female Largest 333 53-4 13 3 8-6 33 4-6 



„ Smallest 28-2 456 12-2 67 2'9 31 



