300 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



NOTES ON THE NESTING OF THE INDIAN 

 DABCHICK (PODICIPES CAPENSIS, B. M. Cat.). 



By F. Finn, B.A., F.Z.S. 



The Indian Dabchick is not common on the " tanks " about 

 Calcutta — at an}' rate, I have never seen one niyself except on 

 that in the Indian Museum grounds, where I have from time to 

 time turned out many specimens procured in the Bazaar, most of 

 which soon disappeared. At last, however, a pair stayed, and in 

 the autumn of ]900 built a nest in some bulrushes, a few feet 

 only from a masonry platform. Four young were hatched, but 

 disappeared during the floods which took place during that 

 autumn, having probably either fallen a prey to fish, or perished 

 through exposure. The parents, however, took heart, and built 

 again a few feet to one side of their previous site ; and I took the 

 following notes on their proceedings : — 



October 3rd, 1900. — Saw one egg in Dabchicks' nest, freely 

 exposed all day, and looking very large; one bird hanging 

 about. 



Ath. — On going to see the bird, it pulled some weeds 

 over the nest, in which no eggs were visible, being no doubt 

 covered already. The bill was used in the covering process, 

 not the feet. 



5th. — The bird slipped off at my approach alone, leaving two 

 eggs uncovered, but stayed near as on the previous day. Later, 

 I went with Major Alcock, who was also interested in the birds, 

 and the bird covered the eggs and stayed near, as on the previous 

 day, when we had been together. 



8th. — The bird covered the eggs, and got off when I ap- 

 proached. 



9th. — The bird did not get off the nest when I went to see it. 



