72 A CONTRIBUTION TO THE 



Altogether, the country between Poona and Raichore is not 

 prepossessing. Our sketch is meant to represent its appearances 

 during the hot season when the whole surface is exposed and 

 bare ; but, under the most favorable aspects, when every avail- 

 able spot is under cultivation, it is not much more pleasing for 

 what landscape can please one if it be devoid of foliage or 

 water ? 



The unirrigated crops are either " khurreef " or " rubbee " 

 accordingly as the season is an early or late one. They con- 

 sist of Bajra, Jowar, Gram, Toor, Wheat, Koorasnee Oorud, 

 Moong, &c, and in the vicinity of Sholapoor, Akulkote, Nulwar 

 and Itai chore, a fair amount of rice is cultivated. 



The tract is not calculated to possess a very large Avifauna. 



Mahableshwar, 4,700 feet above the sea, possesses a cool 

 climate and the rainfall is excessively heavy. 



The ground over which Davidson alone collected, in the 

 Satara districts, extended from the valley of the Kistna to the 

 crest of the ghats. In the station of Satara the mean tempera- 

 ture for 6 years between 1871 and 1876, ranged between 86°6 

 and 68 0, 9. We have no record of the rainfall. 



We are indebted to Mr. H. E. M. James for much of the 

 information which is embodied in this very feeble description 

 of our tract of observation, and to the editor for entirely re- 

 vising our nomenclature, which, having no works but Jerdon's 

 at hand to consult, was to a great extent, we fear, obsolete. 



2.— Otogyps calvus, Scop. 



Nest with one egg found by D. in Sholapoor Districts, 26th 

 December 1874, and another with a single egg on 28th February 

 1875. We saw numbers in the interval. Some nests near villages 

 were in high trees, and others, far away from habitations, were 

 in much smaller trees. 



4.— Gyps indicus, Scop. ? G. pallescens, Hume. 



At all seasons moderately common in the Sholapoor Districts. 

 It breeds on some of the Satara cliffs in Tadli, and also iu the 

 valley of the Sina at Naywi. 



5.— Gyps bengalensis, Gmel. 



The commonest Vulture at all seasons. D. got its nest with 

 a young bird, just able to fly, in the Satara District, early in 

 January. 



6.— Neophron ginginianus, Lath. 



Very common. They lay from beginning of February to the 

 and of March, the majority laying only one egg ; but, we have 

 found them with two. 



