800 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXII. 



They have a good deal of the reddish and purplish brown, with 

 pale inky purple, and in most of the specimens, the markings are 

 chiefly towards the large ends, where they show a tendency to 

 form irregular caps or zones. 



P. T. L. DODSWORTH, p.z.s., m.b.o.u. 

 Simla, W., IQth September 1913. 



No. XVI.— NESTING OF HODGSON'S HAWK EAGLE 

 {SPIZAETUS NEPALENSIS, Hodgs). 



As it is stated that this species invariably breeds on trees, it may be 

 of some interest to record that on the 6th January 1913, I found a nest 

 in the process of construction, which was placed on the face of a huge clijf 

 overhanging the Ashni fliver, near Solon, 5,000 feet, N. W. Himalayas. 

 Both the old birds were noticed carrying sticks. 



For almost a month after this, the weather became most unsettled, and 

 it was not till the 18th of the following February that I was able to visit 

 the spot again. On arrival, I found that the nest was tenanted — both the 

 old birds sat in it by turns — and immediately made the necessary "bun- 

 dobust " to lay siege to the eyrie. Owing to its difficult position, it had to 

 be approached with great caution ; and after several ineffectual attempts, 

 during which my climber twice got jammed in a narrow fissure, just 

 above the nest, he reached the structure and lowered me down its con- 

 tents — two very hard set eggs. The birds hovered about while the man 

 was in the nest, but made no " demonstrations " whatever. 



The specimens were broad ovals : ground colour, a dull white, and spar- 

 ingly blotched and spotted (one chiefly at the large end, and the other 

 chiefly at the small end ) with shades of dingy and reddish-brown. They 

 measure 2-81" X 2-17" and 2'77"x2-17". 



The nest was a mighty structure of twigs and sticks. In the centre 

 there was a depression, lined with green leaves on which the eggs reposed. 

 Judging from the successive layers of sticks composing the base of the 

 nest, I should think that it had been used by these birds for many years. 



The young chicks, or rather bits of them, which were got out above, 

 were covered with greyish-white down. 



I may add that this species is to be seen throughout the year in the 

 outer ranges here between elevations of 3,500 and 5,000 feet. To the 

 hillmen it is known as the " Muriaree." 



P. T. L. DODSWORTH, f.z.s., m.b.o.c. 

 Simla, 2nd October 1913. 



No. XVII.— PLUMAGE OF THE NESTLINGS OF (i) THE KOKLA 

 GREEN PIGEON {SPHENOCERCUS SPHENURUS, Vigors), 

 AND (m) the bearded VULIURE OR LAMMERGEYER 

 {GYPyETUS BARBATUS, Linneus). 



(i) Kokla Green Pigeon {S. sphenurus). 



The whole of the upper plumage is dull-green, slightly brighter on the 

 head, upper tail-coverts, scapulars and lesser and median wing-coverts. 

 Greater coverts dull-green and edged on the extremities of the outer 

 webs with pale-yellow, forming a bar. Winglet blackish, primary-coverts 

 blackish, primaries blackish and the majority of them very faintly edged 



