1013 



MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 



No. I.— NOTE IN REGARD TO THE HABITS OF THE PRATING 



MANTIS. 



The Praying Mantis is such a common feature of the Indian dinner-table 

 that a fact in connection with its life history, if even of no great scientific 

 importance, cannot, I think, be without interest to many readers of the Journal 

 unless it happens to be well-known, which I think can hardly be the case. 



A Praying Mantis has been on one spot on my tent wall for the last four 

 days. This evening at dinner time it completely shed its skin like a snake 

 and then proceeded to eat it, commencing at the tail. In the process of 

 shedding the Mantis grew from about l£ inches in length to 2 inches. I 

 should be obliged if you would let me know if this process has been 

 previously remarked with regard to the Mantis ? 



A. A. DUNBAR BRANDER. 



Hoshangabad, 28th November 1906. 



No. II.— NESTING OF THE COOT (FUL1CA ATRA) IN INDIA. 



On referring to a back number of the Journal (Vol. XIV, p. 392) I find a 

 note by Mr. C. M. Inglis on the nesting of the coot {Fulica atra) in the Dar- 

 bhanga district, Tirhoot. This is however not the only instance. On August 

 16th, 1900, whilst staying with Mr. Inglis at Baghownie, a native brought in 

 some nestlings which we both at the time thought were the young of the 

 Purple Moorhen {Porphyris poliocephalus) but I now know that they were 

 young coots. Since that time several nestlings of the coot have passed 

 through my hands and they were all identical with the Baghownie specimens. 

 I append a description of one of the nestlings. Top of head bare with the 

 exception of some black hairs ; a number of minute red papillae at base of 

 forehead and in front of the eyes to the bill ; throat and round the neck 

 orange, rest of plumage blackish blue, mixed on the back with orange hairs 

 and underparts with grey. Iris dull black ; bill red at base, pink in the 

 middle and tipped purplish black. Some time in June 1900 (I have no exact 

 date) I saw two coots on a small and very reedy pond near Somastipur 

 and have no doubt they intended nesting. 



GORDON DALGLIESH. 



GODALMING, SURKEY, 



15th November 1906. 



No. III.— MELANITIS BETH AMI IN PAOHMARHI. 



It was soon after I had arrived there that I heard of the existence of a 

 butterfly which was only to be found in Pachmarhi and its vicinity and 

 as far as is known nowhere else throughout the length and breadth of India. 

 I gathered that its haunts were dark and secluded and that it was to be 



