184/.] Notes on the Ornithology of Cauda har. 793 



tinge on the breast ; no dark spot behind the ear-coverts (as in the 

 Xema group in winter colouring) : the primaries are represented as 

 black, with white terminal margins : bill and feet deep rose-red ; and 

 irides crimson, — the bill evidently represented much too slender. Young 

 generally similar, but less pure in its colours ; and the middle of the 

 wing longitudinally, brownish, with pale edgings to the feathers ; tail, 

 also, of the young bird, dark at the end.] 



12/. Podiceps [philippensis and Colymbus minor, Gmelin]. This 

 bird is common in the marshes and water pools south of Candahar, 

 during the winter. 



128. Pelicanus onocrotalus, Lin." The Pelican. Length of a spe- 

 cimen in my possession, 5ft. O^in. ; breadth 8ft. llin. Bill 1ft. 2in. 

 long, and 2^in. in breadth : tibia 4^in., feathered to within 1-Jin. of the 

 tibial joint ; length of middle toe 5|in.* Iris brown-red or dark 

 blood-colour. Skin of the face pale flesh-colour. Longitudinal centre 

 or ridge of upper mandible, dull blue ; the tip or nail, hooked, and of a 

 blood-colour ; margins red and yellowish : sides of under mandible 

 dull blue. Pouch dull yellow ; legs and feet flesh-coloured or pinkish. 

 Plumage white, with a strong pink or roseate tinge on the head and 

 neck ; fore-part of breast dirty white : quills cinereous-black ; head 

 subcrested. 



These birds arrive in the beginning of March, in large flocks on 

 their way to the eastward. The specimen from which the above de- 

 scription was taken, was shot in a pool of water at Candahar ; it was 

 alone, and from its emaciated state appeared to have alighted from 

 fatigue. The Afghans, who are great lovers of the marvellous, declare 

 that when a flock of these birds alight on a piece of water they entrust 

 their safety during the night to a few sentries, who hover near them on 

 the wing, wheeling around the water and keeping watch until near the 

 dawn, when being overcome by fatigue they descend and join their 

 sleeping companions, and from the irksomeness of their long watch are 

 soon wrapped in a profound sleep. This is the time when the wary 

 fowlers approach with their nets, and bearing long sticks ; they then 

 attack the panic-stricken sleepers and succeed in knocking numbers on 

 the head before they are well aware of the danger which besets them. 



* Both the Indian Pelicans, P. onocratalus and P. philippensis, which are equally 

 common in Lower Bengal, are subject to much variation of size. — E. B. 



