MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 177 



being of rushes collected together and welded into a rough sort of mat, 

 on this the nest proper was built, principally of rushes which had evidently 

 been green but were dry and brown : it was neatly finished off and lined : 

 the whole structure was floating and appeared to be attached or entangled 

 in the reeds, so that it should not float away. On the 4th August, I found 

 another nest containing 2 chicks and 6 eggs on the point of hatching. On 

 the 11th idem a nest with 9 practically fresh eggs and on the 17th another 

 with 5 fresh eggs. The nests in all cases being similarly situated and con- 

 structed. Capt, Payn, of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry, has also 

 found them breeding. On the large pieces of water there are a few pairs 

 and on all small ones just a pair, but they seem to be nesting on any place where 

 found. As I have never found the bird before and have always been on the 

 look out, I am very interested in the find and should like to know whether any 

 other ornithologists have found the bird breeding in India excluding Cashmere. 



R, M. BETHAM, Major, 

 PoONA, 2Qth August, 1901, Stli Bombay Infantry. 



No, XXVI.— THE FLOWERING OF BAMBOOS. 



In the issue of The Garden:iov June 16 of last year (page 435) " S. W, F." 

 mentions the flowering of Bambusa Simoni striata at Abbotsbury, Dorset- 

 shire, and comments on the flowering of Bamboos as follows : — "It has been 

 asserted that with regard to the flowering of Baraboos, the whole species 

 blossoms simultaneously, and not isolated examples, and that subsequent to 

 flowering the clumps die," In the following week's issue, at page 456 corro- 

 boration of this is given by quoting an extract from the Westminster Gazette 

 based on some remarks in the annual report of H. B, M. Consul Pakhoi I 

 take the following remarks, in connection Avith the subject, from Munro's 

 " Monograph of the Bambusace^,"' In regard to Bambusa arundinacea the 

 author says : — " Bambusa ai'undinacea takes a long time in comincr to the 

 flowering stage, Dr, Hooker is of opinion that this Bamboo does not flower 

 at any particular age, but at any period when full grown, and the circum- 

 stances of the season are favourable to its flowering. " Of other species the 

 following interesting information is given : — "The late Sir W, Sleeman 

 stated, as a fact observed by himself , that in 1836 all the large Bamboos in 

 the Deyrah Bhoon which had been the principal feature of beauty in the 

 valley for the last twenty-five years, ran to seed and died, " " Dr, Wallich 

 mentions that a celebrated grove of Bamboos which surrounded the city of 

 Rampoxe, in Rohilcund, blossomed universally in 1824, and every stem died 

 and he was informed that the same event happened forty years previously.'" 

 " Mr. Spilsbury states that all the Bamboos between Jubbulpore and Mundlah 

 seeded in 1839, and died shortly afterwards. Melocanna bambusoides flower- 

 ed generally in Tipperah, Rungpore, Arracan, and Chittagong in 1863-66, 

 and died immediately afterwards." " Dr. Anderson, Superintendent of the 

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