$18 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XVII. 



Besichs the antelope's, my little collection now includes some Arabian chukor, 

 the co:ks of which pay attention to the fowls; it also includes several wild 

 hares which are kept in a large pen with some tame rabbits. 



S. E. PR ALL, Major, i. m. s. 

 Aden, 10th November 1U06. 



No. XXXVIII. -BREEDING OF THE COMMON OR GREY QUAIL 



(COTURNIX COMMUNIS) AND THE DESERT LARK 



(ALCEMON DESER I ORUM). 



Last Christmas 1 met Mr. Lowsley, of the P. W. D., who is employed in 

 looking after the Sind Irrigation Canals, at a shoot in Upper Sind, and asked 

 him if he would kindly get me a clutch or two of Black Partridge (Francolinus 

 vulgaris) eggs, which he promised to do. Towards the end of April of the 

 present year, he sent me a clutch of nine eggs, which he said were those of the 

 partridge. On opening the box I saw at a glance that they could be nothing 

 else than Quails' eggs, and on inspecting them came to the conclusion that ihey 

 were those of the Common or Grey Quail (Coturnix communis). To make sure 

 I sent some of them to Mr. Stuart Baker, who confirmed my judgment. Mr. 

 LoWiley did not see the nest in situ, the eggs being brought to him by a boy, 

 who reported having found them while cutting grass. The exact place where 

 they were taken is unknown to me, but I believe it was in the Jacobabad 

 District. As little or nothing is recorded regarding the nidification of this 

 bird, I report my experience for what it is worth. 



When in Karachi last cold weather, I located the Desert Lark (Alamon 

 desertorum) in the sand wastes in the near neighbourhood of that place. I 

 asked Mr. Barnes, of the Commercial Bank, to try and obtain some eggs for 

 me in the season, which he very kindly did. He and Mr. Bell, I.F.S., went out 

 together and, I believe, found several nests. Mr. Barnes informs me that the 

 bird makes a nest in a bush and r ot on the ground like other larks. He took 

 some nests for me along with the bushes in which they were situated but 

 unfortunately they got destroyed before I saw them. The eggs of the bird 

 are not of the lark type at all, those I have look more like eggs of the Wire- 

 tailed Swallow ( Hirundo smilhic) in marking, though of course they are larger 

 and not so oval in shape. The ground colour is china white, and three appears 

 to be the complement of eggs. 



R. M. BETHAM, Major, 

 Karachi, 15^ November 1906. (lOlstf Grenadiers). 



No. XXXIX.— THE LARGE RED FLYING -SQUIRREL (PTEEOMYS 

 INORNATUS) AND WALNU'IS. 



It may be of interest to those who took part in the controversy last year 

 as to whether the holes bored in wild walnuts are attributable to the action 

 of nutcrackers, wood-peakers or rodents, to learn that I have lately had ample 



