374 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST^ SOCIETY, Vol. XXI. 



latter extends over the whole of the bill in front of the nostrils and thence 

 back on the culmen to within half of an inch of the cere and along the 

 commissure up to the extreme gape. The bill in comparison with its 

 length is decidedly slender, being only in depth at the base. The measure- 

 ment of the wing now dried is 20'7" and that of the tarsus from joint to 

 joint 3-95". 



The two swans' heads sent by Major Magrath belong to very immature 

 specimens of Cygnus onusicus, both are undoubtedly birds hatched in 1910, 

 and are practically still cygnets ; for it must be remembered that swans take 

 about three years to attain their full size. With the two heads Major Mag- 

 rath sends the following notes. — "I send herewith the heads, bills and skins 

 of the heads of two swans shot out of a small herd of seven by Mr. M. 

 Donlea, Inspector, N. W. F. Police, on the 10th December, near Dheri Mo- 

 mim, on the Kabul River. The birds, one of which was shown me in the flesh 

 were immature. The one I inspected had a greyish brown head and neck, 

 the rest of the body being white and the legs black. The culmen for inore 

 than half the way doivn the mandible was of a bright pinkish hue and the base 

 of the bill and hare loreal space to within about half an inch of the nostrils was 

 pale fleshy in colour.-^ (The italics are mine.) 



The measurements of the bills of these two cygnets are — from tip 

 to edge of feathering o'15" and 3*17" and from tip to eye 4'2" and 4'4". 

 width at broadest part 1-24" and 1"22". In both these birds the pale colour 

 of the bill extends doAvn the top of the culmen well past the nostrils. 



E. C. STUART BAKER, 



r.L.S., F.Z.S., M.B.O.U. 



No. XXXVII.— UNCOMMON BIRDS IN THE UNITED PROVINCES. 



Common Sheldrake, Tadorna cornuta. — On January 22nd two common 

 Sheldrakes were seen on a jheel close to the Cxanges near Fatehgarh, and 

 one was obtained some weeks later. On 20th February six were seen 

 feeding on the edge of an open tank in the same district. According 

 to Indian Ducks and their Allies this duck is only a rare visitant to 

 Oudh. 



Goosander, Merganser castor. — Two females of this duck were shot on 

 28th January close to Cawnpore on a jheel which was dry except for three 

 or four small pools'of water. I have seen these birds feeding at the mouths 

 of rivers in North China but never in shallow stagnant water. No one in 

 my Regiment had ever seen one anywhere before in India. 



Great Indian Bustard, Eupodotis edwardsi. — Three birds of this species 

 were seen near Orai in the Jalaun district, but none of them were obtained. 

 They were feeding close to a herd of Blackbuck and in the distance we 

 took them for buck, as they showed up black and white. 



