MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 



803 



of Indian birds does not extend beyond the varieties classified as game. 

 However, the bag of a sportsman during two consecutive seasons may be of 

 interest to your readers, and I append it — 



1913-14 up to 

 1912-13. 9th Jamiary 1914. 



3 Grey partridges, Francolinus pondicerianus . 



3 Quail, Cotumix communis 



7 Hill Pigeons, Columba rupestris 



4 Peewits, Vanellus vanellus 

 372 Snipe, Gallinayo ccelestis 



2 Mallard, Anas boscas . . 



11 Gadwall, Chaulelasmus streperus 



17 Teal, Nettian crecca , . 



13 Gargauey teal, Querquedula circia . . 



11 Red crested pochard, Netta rufina . . 



71 White-eyed pochard, Nyroca africana 



1 Red-headed pochard, iVyroc«/enra«. . 



1 Tufted pochard, Fuligula fuligula 



1 Grebe, Podicipes p. . . 





 1 

 







410 



5 



52 



57 



7 



11 



32 



6 



6 



1 



519 



Birds shot this year only are — 



Spotted-billed duck. Anas poscilorhyncha 

 Pintail, Dafila acuta . . 

 Widgeon, Mareca penelope 

 Grey goose, Anser rubirostris 

 Golden plover, Charadrius fulvus 



■ 2 

 7 

 6 

 2 



2 



607 



It is certain that 1913-14 has been a better year for sportsmen in the 

 Gorakhpur Division than 1912-13. The drought in Northern India has 

 driven down birds in large numbers that usually winter in colder climates. 



It is instructive that there should be fewer white-eyed pochard this year 

 than last. These birds want plenty of water, and do not mind the heat, so 

 are presumably in Lower Bengal, However the ducks that feed on the 

 surface, such as gadwall, pintail, widgeon, mallard, find water enough in 

 Basti for all their necessities, and are here in exceptional numbers. I 

 fancy that Mr. Osmaston should include the grey goose and common, 

 crane as constant cold weather residents of Gorakhpur. One does not get 

 them, but they are there all right, the grey geese in the middle of the big 

 jheels and the cranes somewhere near the barred headed geese on the 

 sandbanks. I would like to be sure that the pintailed snipe is common. 

 To the best of my belief I have never seen a pintailed snipe in my life, 

 though I have shot snipe in the United Provinces in thousands. I would 

 also like to know when the favourable year for quail is coming, and what 

 determines it. My own experience of three years in Basti and the adjoin- 

 ing two submontane districts of Gonda is that one may pack up ones shot 

 gun, when one is away from the jheels. Yet quail were abundant (in 1895) 

 in the very next submontane district, namely, Bahraich. It seems to me 

 that jungle grass is essential to the welfare of dry game, such as hares, 

 partridges and quail, and that they can't thrive in closely cultivated 

 districts. The absence of cover in the hot weather does not explain 

 everything. Quail are not affected by it, and hares ought to adopt them- 

 selves by taking to holes in the ground. A possible explanation seems to 



