44 NOTES ON THE NIDIFICATION 



chalky, and when the outer coat of chalk is scratched or remov- 

 ed, the inner shell is smooth and white. The inner lining of the 

 egg is white, and consequently the eggs of the Pelican can 

 never be mistaken for those of either of the Adjutants, in which 

 the lining 1 is dark green. In shape, the eggs are rather long 

 and narrow, equally pointed at both ends. The largest egg I 

 have measures 33 in length and 2*08 in breadth, and the small- 

 est, 295 by 2 05. Looking at a large number they appear 

 more uniform in size than most eggs of large birds. 



The following notes refer to those birds, the nests and eggs of 



O 7 x BO 



which have been taken by me recently. Among them are six 

 species, about the nidification of which I can find nothing on 

 record : — 



Syrnium seloputo, Horsf. 

 Palseornis bengalensis, Gm* 

 Ixos davisoni, Hume. 

 Sturuia nemoricola, Jerd. 

 Glareola orientalis, Leach. 

 Leptoptilos javanicus, Horsf. 



97.— Milvus govinda, Sykes. (56). 



There are three distinct species of Kites in Lower Pegu. 

 M. melanotic, a huge bird with the basal half of the primaries 

 white, and the general tone of the plumage bright reddish brown, 

 is tolerably common during the cold weather in the neighbour- 

 hood of fisheries. M. affinis, the second species, is the most 

 common, being found everywhere. The whole of the primaries 

 in this bird is brown or black, with only some very insignificant 

 white mottlings at the bases under the coverts, quite invisible 

 when the bird is flying. Then there is the third species, the 

 same size as affinis, but with the bases of the primaries con- 

 spicuously white, but much less so than in melanotis. This I 

 identify with govinda. I am aware that Mr. Hume states (S. 

 F., I., p. 161,) that a finis and govinda differ only in the former 

 being of duller tints and of smaller size, leaving the reader to 

 infer that the amount of white in both birds is equally developed 

 on the primaries. Mr. Sharpe, however, in his diagnosis of 

 species of this genus (Cat. 1, p. 319) points out how the two 

 birds are to be separated, and my specimens bear out his 

 statement. I have some young birds, however, the identifi- 

 cation of which is difficult. 



I found a nest of govinda on the 3 1st January with three 

 eggs. (N. and E., p. 52). 



* Should stand as P. cyanoeephalus, Lin, — Ed. 



