MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 681 



flirting its tail. It was a fine big male over 11 inches in length with a 

 wing measurement of 5-9 inches, and was probably a bird of the year as 

 some of the feathers of the upper tail coverts were bordered with brownish 

 buff. The irides were very dark brown, the bill was horny brown, only 

 the base of the lower mandible and the gape showing yellow. 



It is not improbable that this black bird regularly visits Peshawar in 

 winter, as a friend here, who is a good observer of birds, assures me that 

 last cold weather he saw what he described as an " English black bird " 

 in the middle of cantonments. 



Within Indian limits this is, as far as I know, the first record of the 

 occurrence of M. maxima in the plains. Hitherto it has only been observed 

 at considerable altitudes in the Himalayas. 



H. A. F. MAGKATH, 



51st Sikhs, F. F. 

 Peshawar, 26th December 1911. 



No. XXX.— HABITS, FOOD AND NESTING OF THE 



GREAT HIMALAYAN BARBET {MEGALJEMA 



MARSHALL OR UM) . 



This gaudily coloured Barbet, the largest of its tribe, is a tolerably 

 common denizen of the forests in and around Simla, and is a permanent 

 resident. It is usually to be seen singly, but sometimes in small parties 

 and during the winter months in large flocks of thirty to forty at a time. 



It generally affects high trees, but is frequently to be seen feedino- on 

 low ones, and also on small bushes. I have never yet observed it on the 

 ground. 



It has a strong and rapid woodpecker-like flight in immense undula- 

 tions. Having taken up its position on a prominent tree at the top of 

 a hill, it drops, if alarmed or startled, with the velocity of an arrow into 

 the ravine below. It is not particularly shy, and will allow one occasion- 

 ally to approach quite close to it. I have frequently shot two birds, one 

 after another, from the same tree. The great difliculty, however, is to 

 catch a glimpse of it. For in spite of its gaudy feathers, its plumage 

 blends wonderfully with the foliage of the trees, and it invariably selects 

 the topmost branches on which it sits motionless. When feedino-^ it is 

 constantly on the move, and all that can be seen are the shaking leaves. 

 I have often waited for several minutes, with strained eyes, trying to 

 catch sight of the bird, and for fear of losing it, have blazed off into the 

 rustling foliage, sometimes with very satisfactory results. 



The peculiarity about this Barbet is, without doubt, its extraordinary 

 call. This has been aptly likened to the sjllables, " pi-o," " pi-o," " pi-o " 

 and while giving a good idea of it, conveys only a faint impression of the 



