524 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol XVII. 



eggs we had brought (as I had known of the nest for some time before the 

 above date) and she sat on these quite contentedly and actually hatched them 

 out. When we saw them, the chicks were apparently a day old and the owl 

 had provided two dead rats as suitable provision for them. Two days after- 

 wards I went to see how they were getting on, but the rats, the chicks and the 

 owls had all disappeared. I fancy the above sequence would fairly represent 

 the progress of this jungle tragedy. 



I afterwards found another nest in March. This was placed in the hollow 

 of a fork of by no means a large tree standing on the edge of a shady nullah 

 but not itself well shaded, it was about ten feet up. The egg was much 

 smaller than the former ones, measuring only 1*94 x 1'69. I was attracted 

 to this nest by the male owl calling during the day-time, a low double hoot, 

 " tu-whoo " describes it very fairly. It seems from what I have now seen that 

 the male constantly remains close by the nest, occasionally calling to his mate, 

 a habit which I hope may lead to the detection of more nests next year. 



S. L. WHYMPER, 



Naini Tai,, April 1906. 



No. XV.— HABITS OF THE TAPIR. 



I was very interested in Colonel Ferris' note on the habits of the Tapir in 

 captivity, more especially with what he wrote as to its curious habit of con- 

 cealing its excrement, which recalled at once to my mind the account given 

 in Wallace's travels on the Amazon of the South American species. 



He there states that the excrement of the tapir is never seen, which is ex- 

 plained by the Indians as due to the fact that the animal always takes to water 

 when obliged to meet a call of nature, further that when no water is avail- 

 able it will break off: a branch of a tree using it as a rude tray and after strew- 

 ing leaves over the top will carry it for a considerable distance until it finds a 

 river or pool in which it can deposit it. 



Perhaps some of our members in the Straits can give us some information 

 as to the habits on this point of the Malayan species in the wild state ? 



Notes on the sense of modesty, which undoubtedly exists in many birds and 

 animals, are often so curious and extraordinary that they are well worth re- 

 cording. 



L. 0. H. YOUNG. 



Bombay, Uth May 1906. 



No. XVI— OCCURRENCE OF REM1ZA ^GITHALUS) 

 CORONATUS IN KOHAT. 



I am not aware if the occurrence of the Penduline tit — JEgithalus coronatus — • 

 within Indian limits has been previously recorded or not, but if not then I 

 would wish to announce the fact of its discovery as a fairly common spring 

 migrant in the Kohat district. 



