MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 229 



paddy fields. I send the skin to confirm my identification, but it has been un- 

 fortunately eaten by ants lound the bill, the soft parts round the base of which 

 were bright red as described by Blanford. 



P. F. WICKHAM (p. w. d.) 

 Pakokku District, Upper Burma, 

 ISth August 1905. 



[The above most interesting note has been sent to me by Mr. Wickham to- 

 gether with the skin of the male bird, which is undoubtedly that of a specimen 

 of R.fasciata, and the nest is probably the first authentic one of this species. 

 Herr von Nehrkorn has eggs which he states are of this bird (Cat. der 

 Eiasrsammlung, p. 201), and which he describes as being like tlose of Eailus 

 aqualicus. These were taken in Java, I also have two eggs from Borneo, said 

 to be of this species, and which are just like very large eggs of Porzana fusca. 

 I have no doubt that both Nehrkorn and my own eggs are not those of 

 R.fasciata. Mr. Wickham's discovery shews that two species of Rallina, at least 

 this and superciliaris, lay white eggs. 



E. L. STUART BAKER, F. Z. S tJ etc. 

 Dibrugaeh, 22nd August 1905.] 



No. III.— FOOD OF THE HIMALAYAN NUTCRACKER 

 (NUCIFRAGA HEMISP1LA). 



I am sending one of fourteen nuts, all similar, taken out of the crop of a 

 Himalayan Nutcracker, which I shot about a month ago in Kashmir. I do not 

 think this bird's crop would have held a single nut more ! All the nuts were 

 whole like this one. The question is — was the bird going to digest them, 

 shells and all, or was it going to disgorge them, break the shells at leisure, eat 

 the kernels and discard the former ? 



I cau hardly think the first, but then if it were able to break the shells of 

 the nuts, why stuff up its crop in such an uncomfortable manner when nuts are 

 so abundant, and it could have eaten them on the spot ? 



The native name of the tree to which the nut belongs is " poh," a kind of 

 bastard hazel, and I am sorry I do not know the scientific name. The nut 

 grows in clusters on the tree which is very common on the lower slopes of the 

 hills. It may be worth recording that I afterwards shot some nutcrackers with 

 their crops full of walnuts. In the latter case not only was there no shell, but 

 the nut had been carefully cleaned of all " skin," which, as every one knows, is 

 very bitter. The nuts were off wild trees growing in the jungle, the shells of 

 which are very hard, and how the birds cracked them I cannot say. I watched 

 them very carefully, but never saw a bird on the ground where it might have 

 picked up bits of nut discarded by rats, flying-squirrels, mice, &c. 



L. L. FENTON, Lt.-Col. 

 Wadhwan Camp, Kathiawar, 

 2Brd Nov. 1905. 



