184 
6. Nores on THE Nests anp Eces or THE Birps or WESTERN 
Inpra.—Part XI. By Lieut. BurGEss. 
Family CotyMBID2. 
Genus Popicrps. 
PopiCcEPS PHILIPPENSIS. 
I believe the egg sent with this paper, to be that of the Grebe. It 
was taken from the nest with several others in the month of August. 
The nests were composed of rotten reeds and grass, fastened between 
tall reeds* ; each nest contained about eight eggs, 1 inch and nearly 
ths in length, by 1 inch in width. Some of the eggs were nearly 
white, others much discoloured. 
Family PELECANID2. 
Subfamily Larip#&. 
Genus STERNA. 
Subgenus STERNA. 
STERNA MELANOGASTER (Temm.). Biack-BELLIED TERN. 
I found this Tern common on the river Bheena, and was fortunate 
enough to obtain an egg. On a second occasion, when walking on a 
sandbank in the midst of the river where I obtained the first egg, I 
was beset by a pair of these Terns, and on looking about on the 
ground, found two eggs deposited in a slight hollow scraped in the 
moist sand, not far from the brink of the water. These birds, when 
flying overhead, utter a cry very like the chirp of a Sparrow. One 
could easily distinguish the different kinds of Terns by their varied 
notes. 
The Black-bellied Tern breeds during the months of March and 
April, laying two eggs. The egg measures | inch and rather more 
than ;2,ths in length, by 1 inch in width. It is of a rich stone-colour, 
spotted chiefly round the centre, and more sparingly over the large 
end with grey and light brown spots. 
Subgenus Ruyncuops. 
RHYNCHOPS NIGRA. 
This large species of Tern I found most abundant on the river 
Bheena, and had ample opportunities of studying its habits. On a 
large sandbank in that river I found that a large co,ony oad esta- 
blished themselves, and found young birds able to fly, nestlings and 
* The eggs were carefully covered over, and the heat arising from the nest was 
most perceptible : the eggs appear to be hatched by the heat arising from the de- 
caying vegetable matter. 
