218 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 
in September, and eggs have been taken as late as the middlo of 
April, but November and February are the months in which most 
eggs will befound. It is very probable that they breed twice in the 
year. They are by no means fastidious in selecting a site for a nest, 
but commonly a fork, high up ina treo, or a flat branch atits junction 
with the trunk is chosen, no matter whether itis situated in the 
open jungle, ina compound, or in the very midst of avillage or town. 
A tree in thevicinity ofa meat market is often selected, and the cor- 
nice of a building is sometimes made use of, but this latter not 
often, except perhaps in a place like Karachi, whero suitable trees 
are rare. ‘The nest is an untidy mass of sticks and twigs, lined with 
leaves, rags, or any other available rubbish. 'The eggs, two in 
number, often three, are oval in shape, and average 2°2 inches in 
length by about 1:77 in breadth. They are greyish-white in 
colour, spotted, speckled, streaked, blotched, clouded, or mottled, 
with various shades of brown and red. Some few of the eggs are: 
almost unmarked but occasionally they are handsomely and richly 
coloured, having blood-red blotches clearly defined on a white 
ground; between these two extremes every possible variety occurs. 
They are very fierce in the defence of their nests, especially when 
they contain young or much incubated eggs, swooping down 
and striking the climber with wings and claws. They are good 
and useful scavengers, but aro nevertheless a great nuisance, 
especially near a poultry yard, having a predilection for young 
chickens, and they often succeed in carrying off a sickly half-grown 
fowl. 
They infest camps, and seem to know the time for dinner or other 
meals, being much more numerous and active at these times than at 
others ; a piece of meat left exposed fora moment is certain to be 
carried off, the successful marauder being closely followed by his 
fellow kites, each eager to take it from him, and the coveted morsel 
changes owners many times before it is finally disposed of. 
The nests are too common to need detailed dates. 
57,.—THE HONEY BUZZARD. 
: Pernis ptilorhynchus, Tem. 
Tho Honey Buzzard is comparatively rare, only occurring 
as a straggler throughout the greater portion of the district, but 
in the Deccan and more eastern parts of the Presidency it is less” 
uncommon. 
