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



extended probably according to height above sea. Last clutch taken 18th 

 July. Obtained several clutches. 



Pica rustica. The Magpie. 

 Common ;on the hills in the district, but does not frequent Quetta or its 

 immediate neighbourhood. At Ziarat it is much in evidence. I found nests 

 there early in May, but birds had not laid. Captain Winter kindly sent me 

 some from there later in the month. 



Sitta tephronota. The Eastern Rock Nuthatch. 

 Quite plentiful round Quetta ; its nest is not difficult to locate once one 

 knows its haunts and habits. I did not obtain many eggs this year, several of 

 the nests found containing young. The first nest I took on the 2nd April. I 

 will endeavour to describe it. The site was under an overhanging rock which 

 looked as though it had been eaten out by the action of water. In the shelter 

 of this it was built. An enormous plaster of mud formed the foundation, which 

 was quite 30 inches by 18. The middle was worked out into a retort shape, 

 very like the nest of the cliff swallow {Eirundo fluticold), in the centre of which 

 was the entrance to the nest proper. The mud was of the consistency of hard- 

 bake ; I was unable to break the nest, but gained admittance by scraping with 

 a clasp kuife. T he chamber of the nest was most capacious, and was filled up with 

 some very soft material, resembling puttu or hair's down. Most of the nests 

 were within hand reach and faced east, I presume because, at this time of year, 

 the prevailing wind is from the west and very cold. I got 7 slightly incubated 

 eggs, and on visiting the nest again on the 22nd took 8 fresh ones. The nest was 

 repaired a third time, but I left it unmolested ; there were undoubtedly eggs as 

 the bird was on the nest. On every occasion of taking a nest a bird was on it. 

 The male I presume gives the nest away. He usually hangs round the 

 neighbourhood, uttering his unmistakable cheery call, and returning, at intervals, 

 to the nest. I do not know whether the same nest is occupied in successive 

 years, but they undoubtedly repair and re-occupy a nest that has been broken 

 into. Some of them go in for decorating their homes by plastering feathers on 

 them. Most of the birds lay in April, the nests found in May contained young. 

 Seven would appear to be the usual complement of eggs. I never found a nest 

 against a tree for the simple reason that there were no trees in the haunts I 

 fouud them 



Gyps fulvus. The Griffon Vulture. 

 I got one hard set egg on the 5th April from a nest on a cliff. 



Tinanculus alaudarius, The Kestrel. 

 A resident at Quetta and not uncommon. I obtained three clutches this 

 season. The nests, if such they can be called, the eggs being 'aid on the bare 

 ground, were all situated in holes and on ledges in the perpendicular banks of a 

 river. As these were only some 30 feet high, they were easy of access I 

 obtained my first clutch of 5 on the 12th April. I had noticed a pair haunting 

 a particular locality, where there was a suspicious looking hole. On flinging a 



