MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 161 



The usual snipe season in Lower Burma is from say 20th August till end 

 of October or early November in favourable rainy seasons ; in others when 

 the rains cease rather abruptly they start for Upper Burma towards the end 

 of October. Still a number of snipe do remain behind, e.ff., twenty-five couple 

 were shot by two guns two days ago, 21st February, thoiighas stated above, 

 the season in Rangoon was over nearly four months ago. I have shot as 

 many as 15 couple at the end of March in Lower Burma. In Upper Burma 

 the season is from November till end of February but in one or two places 

 in Kyaukse District I have seen enough snipe on flooded fields at the end 

 of April to afford a good days shooting. I have shot two woodcock in 

 March, one in Upper Burma, the other in the Northern Shan States. 



G. H. EVANS, Colonel. 

 Rangoon, 25th February 1914. 



No. XXV.— WHITE SNIPE. 



During twenty-five years' residence in Burma I have seen five so-called 

 white snipe. Some years ago I shot one in the Sagain District, and sent 

 the skin to the Society's Museum. Since then I have shot two others, one in 

 the Shwebo and the other in the Kyaukse District. A fourth bird I saw 

 was, if I remember rightly, shot by Colonel Eyre of the Commission near 

 Sagaing. Until quite recently I never heard of one being seen in Lower 

 Burma. Mr. W. Perry brought me a specimen one evening which he had 

 shot within a few miles of Rangoon. He gave me the bird which I took 

 home, giving my servant instructions to put it in the ice box as I wanted to 

 skin it in the morning. Being a good servant he thought he would save 

 Master trouble so undertook the job himself. When I called for the snipe 

 he produced it wrapped in paper and with his face wreathed in smiles, an- 

 nouncing that he had 'done finish skin.' My attempts at taxidermy are 

 nothing to be proud of, but his proved to be decidedly worse. Mr. G. C. 

 Shortridge, however, thought it was good enough to keep so took it away. 



A white snipe getting up suddenly rather startles one, as the difference 

 in colour is instantly appreciable. The first one I saw I straight away mis- 

 sed ; however, I marked him down, followed up and did better next shot. 

 Mr. Perry was so much surprised when his bird rose, he did not fire, but 

 his curiosity being aroused he marked the bird and later secured him. 

 There is nothing noticeable as regards flight. All the specimens I have seen 

 to the best of my recollection have been fantails. I do not consider the 

 change in colouration adds to their beauty. The general appearance con- 

 veys the impression that serious attempts had been made to wash out 

 ordinary markings. 



Are such birds occasionally shot in India ? 



G. H. EVANS, Colonel. 

 Rangoon, 25th February 1914. 



[The Society has received from time to time a number of these semi-albino and 

 albino fantail and pintail snipe from different parts of India including- one jack 

 snipe. — Eds.] 



No. XXVI.— EGRET FARMING IN SIND. 



( With a plate.) 



In connection with the ''Plumage Question" at present so much to the 



fore it will perhaps cause no little surprise to many to hear that the little 



Egret {Herodias garzetta) is now being bred and reared with marked success 



in captivity and on an extensive scale in many parts of Sind and that the 



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