218 THE AVIFAUNA OF MOUNT 



98.— Cypselus melba, Linn. 



Although the greater number of these birds seem to leave the 

 plains about the middle of September, still a few may be seen 

 (usually flying very high) all through the cold weather. 



107— Caprimulgus indicus, Lath. 



As these birds appear to breed in the hot weather, and as they 

 are at Aboo throughout that season, it is to be surmised they 

 breed on the hill. The paragraph, therefore, at the head of p. 

 455, S. F. Vol. III., commencing " of course if migratory, &c," 

 should be erased. 



144.— Meniceros bicornis, Scop. 



As Mr. Hume has entered in his remarks opposite to this 

 species : " occurs nowhere, so far as I know, within the whole 

 plain region with which we are dealing." I may as well men- 

 tion that the bird is tolerably common in the tank country North 

 of Ahmedabad, occurring wherever there are large trees (Ficus 

 indica, &c.) upon the fruit of which it feeds. If Mr. Hume looks 

 over the skins I recently sent him, he will find a fine specimen 

 which I shot last October in the compound of the Travellers' 

 bungalow at Kullole, 15 miles North of Ahmedabad and on the 

 Deesa road. 



[This is outside the comparatively desert region with which 

 we were more especially dealing. As you approach Ahmedabad, 

 you meet numerous species unknown to the desert sub-province. 

 —A. 0. H.] 



219.— Taccocua Leschenaultii, Less. 



Adverting to my remarks, Vol. III., p. 461, I believe that 

 the bird I refer to is T. sirkee, Grey. Mr. Hume, 

 however, can easily decide the question now, as there are two or 

 three good specimens in the last batch of skins I forwarded to 

 him. I find too that I was mistaken in supposing that C. rufi- 

 pennis, and this species migrated during the hot weather as I 

 observed both birds constantly all through the hot weather 

 months last year. 



Captain Beavan says (S. F. Vol. II., p. 395) " Jerdon's des- 

 cription of T. sirkee is short and unsatisfactory", and I quite 

 agree with him and think it would be a good thing if some 

 one who knows the genus well would kindly publish in Stray 

 Feathers accurate descriptions of all of the Sirkeers pointing 

 out the distinctive characteristics of each species. 



[I am sorry to say that, though possessing a tolerable series 

 (though by no means what I require), viz., 53 specimens from the 



