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ZOOLOGICAL NOTES. 135 
conscious of my presence. Various birds utter their (to me) strange and loud notes ; 
the monkeys leap from tree to tree, and numerous green parrots and crows, 
(C. culminatus) fly past. My machan overlooks a small pool in a nullah, overhung 
with some reeds and bushes. Round the edges are a great number of bulbuls, and 
of a small bird, which I could not identify, but whose characteristic was black, 
with a conspicuous white wing patch, and about the size of a Munia. These were 
busily engaged in their evening drink, and had taken possession of the adjaceut 
bushes, where also could be seen the Paradise Flycatcher in its full plumage, both 
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fowl come and peck about by my tree. and perhaps a peacock or two, quite un- | 
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of white and brown, with streamer tail and erectile crest ; also one or two of the 
short-tailed brown birds. 1n the trees are a number of brown yultures. I could 
not identify them, as I always mix them up, and noted general colour brown, with i 
white chest, patch of ruff and white under the wings, bare or white patch on the 
thighs ; but to my surprise, when I came to look at Barnes’ book, I found that this 
was not enough for identification. These I had disturbed from their attack on the 
half-eaten carcase. One or two Halcyon smyrneusts took occasional dives into the 
pool. I thought at first that these | saw were smaller than the usual run of -H. 
smyrnensis. Now and then a vulture wings his heavy fight from one tree to another 
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with a great flapping of wings. I also see on the reeds and bushes one or two blue 
fiyeatchers (Hypothymis azurea), a green bee-eater (Viridis) taking occasional | 
short flights after some choice morsel. A solitary Scavenger Kite—more familar 
perhaps with human beings—which has all this time been sitting gorged and 
drageled on a branch, sets the example of beginning again, and flops down near | 
the carcase ; of course one or two black crows have all this time been pecking away 
or standing on the sand close to, but on the kite’s approach they only take a | 
surreptitious snatch now and then. -I next notice asolitary Yellow Wagtail (? sp.) | 
and a babbling announces the approach of the band of seven (M. ferricolor), but 
they have picked up a waif on the road. ‘They all crowd into a little hollow where | 
a little water lies, and where there is scarcely room for one. Several magpies fly 
amongst the trees, one or two Drongos(B. atra) jein the assemblage on the bush, 
and about 5 p.m., the cicada chorus commences. A white-bellied Drongo(O. 
ee@rulescens) next arrives, and as the sun gets very low, three or four green pigeons 
rattle past. A small hawk dashes past, causing a general stampede. Later on, 
when all the small birds have gone to roost, this or another small hawk comes to 
drink. A large red squirrel, as it goes from tree to tree, adds variety to the 
scene, and jast before sunset a number of doves perch in the trees. One or two 
vultures pick about the carcase with an occasional squabble. A solitary white 
but takes no notice of the carcase: a solitary Roller . | 
neophron flies up the nullah, 
flies over about 6-15. 
“ Two vultures which have been exploring the chest cavity of the dead buffaloappear 
to have found some choice morsel, which they cannot keep secret, for all the other 
anda half with a great 
vultures, which had been looking on for about an hour 
flapping of wings, suddenly join in, and begin tearing the carcase in all places, inso- 
much that I fear that there will be nothing left for the ger if he comes. With the 
last gleams of sunshine the vultures fly off, but a crow keeps on till the last. 
y Monkeys noisily approach, grunting and jumping from tree to tree, or running 
