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Mr. Aubyn Treyor-Battye



road. From the water itself rose a pair of white Egrets, while a

lot of whistling ducks swam off in a line turning their heads side¬

ways to look at the intruder. The scene behind this still remains

to be filled in, for the sound of branches breaking or brushing made

me turn my head, and across the road above the car swung Langur

after Langur like gymnasts from a flying trapese; and as I strolled

back flock after flock of Paroquets, some high up, some lower, came

round and round, apparently intent on roosting.


I saw Hornbills on several occasions in the noithern forests,

but they were always very high up or disappearing through the

trees and I cannot say anything about them.


The Indian Swift (C ypselus affinis ) were often noticed.

Nightjars constantly played round the Dak bungalows in the dark,

but I should not care to hazard or guess as to species.


Palceornis torquatus, the Rose-ringed Paroquet, is the com¬

monest of the Paroquets, and is constantly seen about the houses.

It flies very rapidly, and one often hears its harsh voice high over¬

head. This poor bird is commonly kept in most cruel metal cages

(not wire but broad flat pieces of iron) and existence must be a

torment to it in the hot sun. The Blossom-headed Paroquet (P.

cyanocephalus) though not so often noticed, excepting on the wing

(it is a bird of extremely rapid flight, and reminded me somehow of

Sandgrouse when flying) was I believe one of the paroquets that

came to the bird-trays in Ajmer.


The Owls of India are so many and so interesting that I am

sorry to have to confess that the only Indian Owl I was able to

identify was the Spotted Owl ( Athene bramci), wdiich is common in

the outskirts of villages. The habits are a mixture of those of the

Little Owl and the Burrowing Owl.


Vultures of course are constantly seen in India. Unfortu¬

nately a photograph taken of a large collection of these birds—the

majority were the Indian Griffon ( Gyps indicus ), but two or three

were the Black Vulture ( Otogyps calvics) — did not come out very

well. They were sitting drying their wings after washing. This

was near Udaipur. In Benares, as would be expected of that very

native city, Vultures are very numerous. The Indian White-back

Vulture ( Pseudogyps bengalensis) and the Griffon are the commonest



