MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 367 



breeding in Quetta in rose bushes in July this year when I came up, one 

 nest I found as late as 20th July. It appears to leave Multan at the begin- 

 ning of May and for a week or so before leaving invades Cantonments in 

 considerable numbers. 



The nests in Quetta I noticed were not nearly so elongated as the type 

 built in grass in Multan. Clutch 3 or 4, commonly 3. 



Indian Bush-Chat. (Pmtincola maura.) 



Eggs taken on 24th April 1913 in Multan on the banks of the Chenab. 

 Bird ( in immature plumage ) shot and identified by Mr. E. C. Stuart 

 Baker. During April and May 1914, I saw several pairs evidently breed- 

 ing but could not find nests. I also saw several fledglings accompanied by 

 parent birds. A number of these birds appear to breed in immature plu- 

 mage as I have seen them on more than one occasion evidently with nests 

 or young found by their behaviour. 



The Desebx-Lark. (Alcemon desertoi-um.) 



Nest and eggs together with male bird brought to me on the 19th April 

 1914. The nest was situated in a Lana bush about 6" from the ground. 

 Personally I have not met with this bird in this district and so far I know 

 of only one other case of its having been met with. It appears to build 

 both on the ground and in low bushes. 



The Gull-billed Tern. [Sterna angelica.) 



This tern together with ^S". seena, S. inielanog aster and 8. oninuta are found 

 in about equal numbers breeding on the Chenab at Multan. 



I took one clutch of eggs on 20th April 1913, the earliest date I have on 

 record. As a rule complete clutches are not found till about 8th May. 

 Hume was evidently too earlj^ on 28th April, vide " Fauna of British India" 

 Vol. IV, p. 312. The other terns breed rather earlier than this species, 

 <S'. melanogaster earliest of all. The nest of S. angelica is the usual depres- 

 sion in the sand. The eggs differ a good deal in coloixr and markings, 

 those of the same clutch even being often totally different. The size and 

 markings are however quite distinctive and they are always easily recog- 

 nisable. 



J. LINDSAY SMITH, Major, m.b.o.u., i.a. 

 Quetta, ^rd August 1914. 



No. XXIII.— SMALL GAME SHOOTING IN SYLHET. 



The shooting season of 1913-14 in Sylhet was a long one. Pintail snipe 

 were in in the second week of August. The first to be shot that I have 

 heard of was obtained on the 11th of that month. I saw many and shot 

 seven on the 24th. In April there was a large immigration of these birds. 

 Two parties obtained 166 birds to five guns on the 18th April. I shot my 

 last bird on the 1st of May and my assistant saw two on the 2nd. I went 

 over the favourite grounds with a spaniel on the 3rd and there was not a 

 bird to be seen. Some of these late pintail snipe were extraordinary in 

 size. I shot five on the 25th April in the Chargola valley which weighed 

 one pound twelve ounces and two of them were very much larger than the 

 others. They were mistaken for pigeons when they were first brought to 

 table. These birds had each 26 tail feathers. 

 24 



