PAL/EOllNIS. 83 



sion ] took a nest containing three young on the 3rd April, so I 

 think I might safely say that they breed in Eebruary and March." 



Mr. J. Davidson, referring to Western Khandesh, remarks : — 

 "This species breeds earlier than either of the Paroquets, the 

 young being able to fly frequently by Christmas time, though I 

 found one nest containing small young ones as late as the middle 

 of March." 



Mr. H. James Eainey writes : — " Of the nidification and breed- 

 ing habits of this exceedingly pretty species of Paroquet, the 

 local name of which is Chandana, I made some notes several 

 years ago, when residing in the Eastern Sundurbun, and those 

 notes form the basis of this paper. 



" Prom the last half of the month of March up to the first half 

 of the month of May, these birds are to be seen flocking to the 

 interior of the forests of the Eastern Sundurbun, especially that 

 portion of it situated between the Haringhata and Bhola rivers on 

 tlie extreme eastern side of the Jessore district. They at once 

 select suitable trees with convenient hollows in them, some 25 to 

 30 cubits above the surface of the ground, rather far apart from 

 one another, and away from the banks of rivers and Jchdls. The 

 tree most preferred is, evidently, the Keurd (Sonneratia apetcda, 

 Buchanan), a large tree, the wood of which is light, and the next 

 in demand is, apparently, the Sundri (Heritiera minor, Eoxburgli). 



"They build their nests in the hollows, first scooping them down 

 perpendicularly some two to two and a half fee^, so that it requires 

 a long arm to be able to remove the nestlings in them ; and many 

 go out on this quest annually at the proper season, as a pair of 

 these birds readily fetch about a rupee or two shillings in the 

 neighbouring hats or fairs, being in great demand by the natives on 

 account of their beauty, and the facihty with which they can be 

 taught to imitate the human voice. 



"The eggs are, usually, two or three, and sometimes four in 

 number, slightly smaller in size than pigeon's eggs, and in colour 

 like those of the domesticated fowl, only slightly more whitish. 

 They are deposited in the end of the hollows, the scrapings of the 

 wood being gathered below to form a soft bed for them and the 

 young, when hatched. Both the parent birds perform, alternately, 

 the duty of incubation. The eggs take, I have been told, about 

 four weeks to hatch, but on this point I have no exact knowledge 

 personally. 



" During the month of June men go out bird-nesting into the 

 interior of the forests of the Sundurbun, generally three or four 

 of them together, and then the young birds are not quite fledged, 

 and therefore unable to quit their nests. Great numbers of them 

 are hauled out of their nests by the several parties who go out for 

 them, and they find, as before stated, a ready sale for the 

 nestlings. 



" The young are able to leave their nests and fly away in the 

 following month, July, and they then go to the cultivated tracts, 

 roosting on the reed-iungle, knowfi in the vernacular as IXal 



6* 



