THE BIRDS OF LAHORE AND THE VICINITY. o71 



1161. The Mottled Wood-Owl — Syrnium oeellatum. 



A resident species at Lahore where I have found its nest with eggs in 

 March. 



A friend also took eggs at Atari in the same month. It is howeveiT 

 not nearly as common as B. coromandus. For several years past a 

 pair have taken up their abode in Government House grounds . 

 1169. The Dusky Horned Owl — Buho coromandus. 



This Owl is fairly common at Lahore, where I have records of six 

 nests found, in December and January. Only those found in December 

 contained eggs. Its call is often heard in the cold weather. 

 1178. The Collared Scops Owl — aS'cojjs bakkamoRna . 



Breeds at Lahore where 1 have twice found its nest in March and 

 where it is I think resident. 



I have never heard this bird's call that 1 know of and it must I 

 think be remarkably silent. 

 1180. The Spotted Owlet — Athene hrama. 



A common resident at Lahore, breeding in March, which is the 

 only month I have found eggs. 

 1191. The Black Vulture — Otogyps calvus. 



By no means uncommon at Lahore, where I have found three nests 

 in March, April and May, only that found in March contained an egg. 

 1193. The Griffon Yultnie— Gyps fulvus. 



1 have frequently seen this bird during the cold weather at Lahore, 

 though I have never succeeded in finding a nest. A friend of mine, 

 however, told me that he found the nest (with an egg) on a tree in 

 March. 



1196. The Indian white-backed Yultuve—Pseudogyps bengalensis. 



Very common at Lahore where it commences to breed in October, 

 most nests having young in January. 



1197. The smaller white Scavenger Vulture — Neophron ginyinianus. 

 Very common at Lahore, where it commences to breed in March. 



Nests found in May usually contain young. 



1202. The Steppe Eagle — Aquila bifasciata. 



I have seen this bird on various occasions during the cold weather 

 at Lahore, the only recorded date being in January. 



1203. The Indian Tawny Eagle — Aquila vindhiana. 



A common resident at Lahore, commencing to breed at the end of 

 October and in November. December is, I think, the best month in 

 which to procure eggs and the majority of nests will be found to 

 contain young in January. I once saw a pair of these eagles attack a 

 white stork on the wing. One of the eagles pounced on the back of 

 the stork while it was high up in the air, and brought it to the 

 ground. On the ground the stork was quite a match for one eagle 

 and kept its bill presented to the enemy. 



The eagle's mate, however, now joined in and took up a position on 

 the ground immediately behind the stork and as soon as the first 

 eagle drew the stork's attention by a frontal attack, the second 

 sailed in and caught the stork by the neck from behind, bearing the 

 stork's head to the ground by sheer weight. 



The stork still kept its feet however and flapped its wings violently, 

 but by the time I arrived on the scene, breathless, both its eyes had 

 been gouged out, though it seemed otherwise to be unhurt and could 

 still stand. Needless to say I put the poor bird out of its misery. 

 1207. Bonelli's Eagle — Hiera'etus faciatus. 



This bird breeds at Lahore where I have found its nest with eggs, 

 in January situated in a large mango tree in a tope. 

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