248 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XVII. 



No. XXIX —SIZE OF BILL OF COMMON TEAL (NETTIUM 



CRECCA). 



On going through a series of skins of the Common Teal (Nettium crecca) 

 from India, I was surprised at the remarkable difference in size of the bill of 

 the Indian bird to that of its English representative. The bills of the 

 English birds are longer and narrower than those from India, the latter having 

 the bill shorter'and stouter in form. I must say, however, I have examined 

 more skins from India than those from England, but the difference appears to 

 be very constant in those I have examined. The Indian bird, moreover, appears 

 altogether slightly smaller than the English one. The bills of the birds on an 

 average measure (in millimeters) : — 



Adult $ (Bengal)— length 37", breadth at tip 14". 



Adult $ (England)— length 42", breadth at tip 13". 



Adult $ (Bengal)— length 32-5", breadth at tip 13-5". 



Adult $ (England)— length 41", breadth at tip 12". 

 Though I myself am not an advocate for the making of sub-species, yet T 

 believe that if these differences are constant, then the Indian bird would,, 

 according to many ornithologists, be entitled to at least sub-specific rank. I 

 have examined far too few skins to be able to form a decided opinion, but 

 points like this, I think, are worth recording, and the information I have given 

 must stand for what rt is worth. 



GORDON DALGLIESH. 

 Eashing, Sukeey, 1st February 1906. 



No. XXX— NESTING OF THE WHITE-BELLIED DBONGO 



(D/CRURUS C^ERULESCENS). 



Oates in describing the habits of this bird says very little as to its nesting - 

 and states that the eggs have not yet been described. I have found nests at 

 Ramondrug in Bellary District, and Horsleyhada in Cuddapah District. The bird 

 builds in much the same situations as Dicrurus (iter (the Black Drongo) choos- 

 ing as a rule the fork of a branch some 20 or 30 feet from the ground. The 

 nest is much more substantial than that of the other Drongos, and is well lined 

 with fine grass. The eggs which are three or four in number average 1" by 7".. 

 They are pale salmon coloured, heavily marked at the wider end with pale red 

 and pale purple spots and blotches, which in some cases tend to coalesce in a 



circle round the top. 



W. HOWARD CAMPBELL. 



Gooty, February 1906. 



No. XXXI— THE STORK-BILLED KINGFISHER (PELARGOPSIS 

 GURIAL) AT CAWNPORE. 



It may be of interest to record that I. shot a Pelargopsis gurial (the Brown- 

 headed Stork-billed Kingfisher) over an open borrow-pit by the side of a railway- 

 here on the 8th December last and that I saw another over the same borrow- 



