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



This afternoon there was another flighting of termites, this time by daylight 

 and the kites were busy taking them on the wing. There seemed to me to be 

 more of them to-day and there were a few Brahminy kites {Haliastur Indus) in 

 addition. It was a pretty sight to see these birds twisting and turning to 

 seize the termites in their claws. The latter were flying high as several of the 

 kites were busy a good 150 feet up. The two kinds of kites were the only 

 birds feeding on the termites to-day. As far as my observation goes it is 

 unusual to find kites grubbing in the soil with their beaks and no doubt they 

 prefer feeding on the wing as they did to-day. 



I may mention here that kites find an easy livelihood around the silk 

 cultivation centres in the Kollegal taluq of Coimbatore ; they gather in 

 large numbers to feed on the dead " silk worms " thrown out by the 

 villagers. 



0. E. C. FISCHER. 



GEDDESAL, COIMBATORE DISTRICT, 13th May 1906. 



No. XVIII.— NOTES ON THE " SHOT-BORER" IN BAMBOOS. 



Having read the above in the last Journal, No. 1 of Vol. XVII, I pre- 

 sume to send these few lines in connection with these notes, as it would be 

 of interest, perhaps to others, besides myself, to have a scientific opinion on 

 what I am about to state, 



The people of these parts — Kumaun — are fully aware of the attacks of 

 the " Shot-Borer " on Bamboos, Ringals (snow-bamboo as called by some) 

 and timber of the " Chir " or Pinus longifolia tree, by the same or a similar 

 Borer ; but according to them such attacks are only made on Bamboos, 

 Ringals, or " Chir" trees that have been cut, or felled during moon-light 

 periods, and not during dark night periods ; by which is meant not night 

 cutting, but during the periods of moon-light or darkness. What the cause 

 of this effect is, if it is cause and effect, I cannot say, perhaps science can ; 

 but it is a fact, and I have a long and practical experience in all these three 

 materials. If there is anything in it, it may be of value to larger u«ers of 

 them, to know, and have it explained ? 



NORMAN F.T.TROUP. 



Kausanie, Almora, U. P., 22nd May 1906. 



No. XIX.— BLACK PANTHERS. 



In continuation of my note in the last Journal (page 234) on the black 

 panthers in the Kolhapur collection and with reference to the controversy on 

 the subject of the colour of the tongue and palate of black panthers, I send 

 you a note on a black panther shot by Colonel Grantham of the 33rd Cavalry, 

 on the 12th May 1906 in the Dajipur jungles of the Kolhapur. State. The 

 panther was a male aged about 10 years. 



