MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 627 



alericulata). The bird, an extremely fine female, was one of a party of six 

 and was shofc in a sxnall back-water close to the estate. Unfortunately 

 Mr. Stevens, not knowing the value of what he had shot, made no attempt to 

 get further specimens. 



Mr. F.J. Greening and I saw a party of six of these ducks in July 1901, 

 flying across the Subansiri river close to its junction with the Kanganadi. 

 We had no guns out at the time so failed to get any specimens^ but I have no 

 doubt about their identity. 



E. C. STUART BAKER, F. Z. S., &c. 

 August 1902, 



No. XSXTn..—MEROPS APIASTER BREEDING IN BALUCHISTAN. 



I have found the European Bee-eater {Merops apiaster) very common both 

 at Peshin and Quetta during the early part of the present summer. I first 

 noticed them about the beginning of April, and shortly after that they became 

 abundant. They have certainly been breeding here, and I have several times 

 seen them go into their breeding holes, but I have not actually dug any out to 

 obtain eggs. 



I do not think that this bird has been recorded as breeding within British 

 Indian limits before, though it is well known to breed in Kashmir. Colonel 

 Unwin, in the chapter on birds which he wrote for Lawrence's " "Valley of 

 Kashmir " says that it " appears in great numbers in the valley in April. After 

 keeping together in flocks and holding counsel for a day or two, they separate 

 to breed, which they do in holes in banks. In August the birds again congre- 

 gate. The migration commences almost immediately, and by September hardly 

 a bee-eater is left in the valley." 



This year by about the middle of July all the birds seemed to have left the 

 neighbourhood of Quetta, and I thought that they had gone for good. How- 

 ever, they appeared again about the middle of August, so I conclude that they 

 must have made a temporary migration to some place in the district where rain 

 has fallen, and insects have become consequently more plentiful than they have 

 been at Quetta. They are now leaving, but I have not noticed that they have 

 assembled in the large numbers in which they appeared in the spring, 



I may mention that the present species is the only bird I have seen capture 

 and eat the fierce yellow wasp, PoUstes hebrceus, which is so common in many 

 places down country, and the sting of which I know to my cost is very painful. 



O. G. NURSE, Major, 



13th Bombay Infantry. 

 Quetta, 2ith August 1902. 



No. XXXIV.— OCCUERENCE OF THE SOOTY TERN {STERNA 



FULIGINOSA) IN THE DARBHANGA DISTRICT, TIRHUT. 

 I have pleasure in announcing the occurrence of this species in this District, 

 On the 20th of last month a dark tern was brought to me by a boy, who says 



