210 : BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 
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ledges in the faces of cliffs, cornices of buildings, &c. In the first 
case, they usually appropriate the deserted nest of a Tawny Eagle 
or other bird. Most of them lay in the latter half of January and in 
February, but eggs are occasionally found in March. ‘he nest is 
composed of small sticks and twigs; the eggs, four in number, are 
nearly perfect ovals in shape, somewhat chalky in texture,and are of 
a dingy yellowish-brown colour, clouded, mottled, and blotched with 
reddish-brown. When first taken they are often highly coloured, 
but if exposed to light soon fade. They average rather more than 
two inches in length by about 1°57 in breadth. 
Sholapur, 4th January to 9th March. J. Davidson, CS. 
Khandesh, 22nd January. a 
Neemuch, 30th January to 27th February. H. E. Barnes. 
Hydrabad, Sind, 12th February to 15th March. a 
Poona, 6th May (fledged nestlings). i 
H. Narra, Sind, 10th to 15th February. S. Doig, Esq. 
16.—THE RED-HHADED MERLIN. 
Falco chiquera, Daud. 
The Turumti or Red-headed Merlin is common throughout the 
district, frequenting open country in the neighbourhood of cultiva- 
tion, preying chiefly on small birds and mice. It breeds during 
February and March, making its nest in a fork near the top of a 
densely foliaged tree ; it is cup-shaped, neatly and compactly made, 
and is composed of sticks and twigs lined with grass roots. The 
egos, four in number, are not unlike those of the Lagegar Falcon, but 
are of course muchsmaller. Some of them are dingy yellowish-brown 
in colour, spotted and freckled with darker brown, but often they 
are of a deep red colour; these last are very beautiful. They 
average 1°66 inches in length by rather more than 1:26 in breadth. 
The nest would often remain undiscovered were it not that the birds 
are so noisy and puguacious during the breeding season, sallying out 
and attacking any bird approaching the nest, no matter how large, 
not hesitating even to attack a Tawny Hagle, should one intrude. 
Sholapur, 27th Lebruary to 1st March. J. Davidson, C.8. 
Khandesh, 14th February. 
Nassick, 15th February to 29th March, 
Deesa, 2nd March to 3rd April (ine. eggs). H. EH. Barnes. 
Hydrabad, Sind, 15th March. if 
Hastern Narra, Sind, 16th April. - Ss Doig, Esq. 
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