MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 187 
corresponds with the measurement given by Blanford, Blanford gives 85 
mm. as length of head and body, which is also the size he gives for MW, lyra, 
yet he describes WM. spasma as rather smaller than WM. lyra, The two larger 
of the Ratnagiri specimens are 60 and 62, while the two smaller are 55 and 56, 
the largest being a & and the others 9. Blanford however notes that the 
specimens from Ceylon are specially small. MM. spasma is a Malay form, and 
except a doubtful specimen recorded from Travancore, Ceylon is the nearest 
locality to Ratnagiri at which J, spasma has been found. I have recorded in 
“Some Konkan Bats” that the vampire North of Bombay Harbour is 
M. lyra, and it would be interesting to know exactly where the two 
Species meet, 
Poona, 27th January, 1900, R. C, WROUGHTON. 
No. XIII—OCCURRENCE OF THE SHELDRAKE (TADORNA 
CORNUTA) ON THE BHEEMA RIVER. 
Although it is unsatisfactory to record having seen one of our rare cold 
weather visitants, without bringing it to bag, still I feel convinced that I saw 
the Sheldrake (Tadorna cornuta) some ten days ago on the Bheema, about ten 
miles below Pandharpur. 
Mr, Stuart Baker, in his excellent work on “ Indian Ducks and their Allies,” 
pages 572—73, Vol. XI (No. 4) of our Journal, states that this duck is “ con- 
fined to the northern portion’’ of India, but that probably it would be found 
along our sea coast, if its lonely parts were more frequently visited. 
I was moving down the banks of the Baeema, where I saw many Ruddy 
Sheldrake or Brahminy Duck (Casarca rutila), mostly in pairs, resting on 
sandy banks and stretches. At one spot, several ducks were basking, viz., 
Brahminies, Gadwall, Pintai!, Pochards, &¢. On my approach they rose. 
My attention was immediately attracted to a Sheldrake, its white colour and 
smaller size marking it, for it was in the company of two Brahminies. Short 
of shooting the bird I am as certain as I can be that I was not deceived, for 
I am a very close observer of bird-life, 
I marked the bird, but unfortunately it went up stream, Had it come 
anywhere within range, I sbould bave fired at it, no matter how longa shot, 
in preference to any nearer shot at other duck, in the hope of bringing it 
down, I only noticed one bird, 
R. M. BETHAM, Capr.,, 
Poona, 27th January, 1900, 8th Bombay Infantry. 
No, XIV.—CURIOUS INSTANCE OF HERMAPHRODITISM. 
This morning, when visiting a Dharmsala for cattle, I was shewn a very 
curious specimen of hermaphroditism. The animal which had the general 
appearance of a rather stumpy cow was peculiar in that it had no sexual 
organs whatever, at least outwardly. It had, however, slightly developed 
