88 



The Putrinoe is also a very watchful bird. On the approach of a 

 hawk, he immediately mounts into the air and utters a shrill mut- 

 tering noise, which is well understood and taken up by all the other 

 birds, who immediately fly to cover. 



12. Hi rundo ftlifera, Stephens. 



I have seen this beautiful Swallow in my own compound after 

 rain, and also sporting over a stagnant part of the Jumna at Brin- 

 dabun. Its nest was under a projecting part of the building over- 

 hanging the water. 



13. Cypselus affinis, J. E. Gray. Native name, Ababil. 



Very common in the neighbourhood of Muttra. I have caught 

 many specimens by simply standing at the bottom of a staircase in 

 which were numbers of their nests, and waving the hat as they flew 

 out, when they were instantly entangled. They appear half-blind 

 or stupid after daylight. They quite fill up with feathers, &c, any 

 hole in the wall for their nest, but when they build in the corner of 

 a building they make a very thin cup-shaped nest. These nests they 

 fasten one to another. The materials in the latter case appear glued 

 together. Their claws are excessively sharp, and hold on to the 

 flesh with desperate tenacity. 



14. Caprimtjlgus . Native name, Chapka. 



These secrete themselves during the day at the roots of bushes, 

 and fly out at dusk. They take such short and quick turns in the 

 air, that a hawk can only with great effort catch them. The Sparrow- 

 hawk alone is successful in this case. The natives believe that if it 

 settles on a cow she becomes ill, and her milk dries up. 



15. Halcyon Smyrnensis, Linn. Native name, Kilkila. 



This is found near ponds and small streams. Sometimes it may 

 be seen sitting solitary on the top of a tree or the corner of a cottage, 

 and at short intervals utters a shrill tremulous sound of seven or eight 

 syllables, kililililili, like a wire which, having been struck, continues 

 to vibrate. It often utters this cry before break of day, and some- 

 times during the night. 



In the dry weather it sits near the water-courses in gardens, and 

 watches for insects of any sort in the damp ground beneath dense 

 fruit trees. I have seen it twice alight and devour an insect in such 

 places. 



I have found this species breeding in the Kazi's garden, and ob- 

 served the female feeding her full-grown young one near the hole 

 where the nest was. It waited for its food on the bough of a tree. 



June 1st. — Observed the male treading the female, which is done 

 in a similar manner as in the ducks. The habits of this bird bear 

 comparison with aquatic birds oidy in a few instances. Its organi- 

 zation is, according (o ornithologists, that of land birds, (hough the 

 modems have classed it with water birds, because perhaps they frc- 



