462 NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA OF MOUNT ABOO 



234.— Arachnecthra asiatica, Lath. 



The Purple Honey Sucker is common on the hills and in the 

 plains. I have never seen a specimen of Leptocoma zeylonica 

 in this part of the country. I am somewhat puzzled with the 

 irregular changes of plumage of this species, as no particular 

 season seems to be fixed for moulting. Even in the month 

 of December, when nine out of ten appear with yellow breasts 

 and dark stripes, I have seen odd specimens in full breeding 

 plumage. Perhaps they breed the whole year round ? 



[Common and a permanent resident throughout the whole 

 region. — A. 0. H.] 



246.— Salpornis spilonota, Frankl. 



The Spotted Grey Creeper is very rare. Dr. King shot a spe- 

 cimen at Mount Aboo, and I have heard of its occurrence in other 

 parts of Rajpootana further north. I have not seen a specimen 

 in the flesh myself. 



[Unknown in the plains portion of our region. Distribu- 

 tion precisely the same as that of 167. — C.festivus, q. v., except 

 that this present species also extends to the Sub-Himalayan 

 jungles which festivus does not. — A. 0. H.] 



254.— Upupa epops, Lin. 



The European Hoopoe is very common in'the plains during 

 the cold weather. It also occurs at Mount Aboo, though not in 

 any great quantities. It arrives in the neighbourhood of Deesa 

 about the 14th August. 



[Common throughout the whole region. — A. 0. H.] 



255. — Upupa nigripennis, Gould. 



The Indian Hoopoe is not common. 



[Also throughout the region, except Sindh, from which I 

 have never yet seen it. I have seen no specimen as yet from 

 Mount Aboo.— A. 0. H.] 



256.— Lanius lahtora, SyJces. 



The Indian Grey Shrike is common in the plains, but does 

 not occur, that I am aware of, on the hills. It breeds in June 

 and July, during which months I have found many nests. I 

 saw one of these Shrikes once catch a small field mouse and 

 impale him on the thorn of a euphorbia underparts upper- 

 most. Shortly afterwards I visited the place and found the 

 eyes and half of the body eaten, the remainder being left, 

 I suppose, for another meal. 



[Throughout the entire region. — A. 0. H.] 



