MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 601 



Nakodar thought was a rock. The craft vras shaken up from stem to stern 

 and after a few seconds those on board heard a loud report and she was free 

 again. 



She was making some water in the bows and the cargo lying there was 

 shifted when this object was found sticking through the planks and firmly 

 fixed, the leak was closed up and the buggalow reached Muscat safely. There 

 I examined her and the owner presented me with the sword. It evidently 

 belongs to some huge fish which after striking the buggalow and piercing a 

 teak plank some five inches thick managed to free itself at the expense of its 

 weapon. 



Its structure seems to be of bone and it is covered with minute denticles 

 many of which have been scraped off. 



F. A. SMITH, Capt,, M.D., I.M.S. 

 Ulwae, Bajputana, June, 1902. 

 [The sword appears to have belonged to a large specimen of the Hidiophorus 

 family and measures : — 



Total length 24^ inches 



Length from end of sword 221 „ 



Circumference at base 9 „ 



Circumference, 12 inches from the tip (i „ 



The total length given above includes 2^ inches of the bone of the upper 

 jaw. 



W. S. Millard, Honorary Secretary, 



Bombay Natural History Society^ 



No, XIT.-NOTES ON BIRDS NEAR QUETTA. 



Corvus corax — The Raven. — Very common about cantonments all the year. 

 Breeds in the hills near. One nest, 6 eggs fresh, March 24th. Many other 

 nests inaccessible. This is the small race. 



Corvus frugilegus — The Rook. — I have only seen one small flock near 

 Quetta, feeding in the plough fields in January. 



Pica rustica — The Magpie. — Very common at Ziarat about 8,000 feet, 60 

 miles N.-E. breeds : one nest, 3 fresh eggs. May 15th. In winter a fair 

 number come to the hills near Quetta about 6,000 feet, but I have not seen 

 them in cantonments. 



Graculus eremita — Red-billed Chough. — Very common in the cold weather 

 all round Quetta, Saw a few near Ziarat in May. 



Parus atriceps—lndaBXi. G-rey Tit — Small flocks about cantonments in cold 

 weather : in Ziarat in May. 



^githaliscus evf/throcephalus — Red-headed Tit. — Saw a pair at Ziarat in 

 May probably breeding. 



Lophophanes ru/inuchali s—Simh Black Tit. — A. few at Ziarat in May. This 

 bird was identified from Jerdon, but I think it is correct. 

 25 



