23G 
Birds of the JJielum District. 
is much easier to observe the ornithology of a locality which one already 
knows by heart. 
Maj' 1. — A Scops-eared Owl seen sleeping on a bough in my garden ; it 
was quite fearless and very sleepy, refusing to move for 
a long time in spite of various pieces of earth which I 
threw up, being desirous of seeing it fly. When it did 
move, it was only to a bough a few yards off. Near thn 
Bungalow is a group of large trees in which are several 
nests of the White-backed Vulture {Psendogyps bengulmsis) . 
Some of the nests were empty, as this species is a very 
early breeders, but on others, birds were seen to be sitting : 
however, when I sent a man up to examine the tenanted 
nests it was found that the occupants were fully grown 
and feathered young birds, who refused to move for anj^- 
onc : even a stick in the hands of the climber had no 
terrors, yet, as seen from below, these youngsters looked 
sufficiently developed to fly with ease. Another of the 
trees contained an Egj-ptian Vulture's nursery containing a 
single hard-set egg ; the nest was so large and bulky chat 
1 suspect it really belonged to a Psnidogyps . The re- 
mains of an old towel and an ox muzzle of rope formed 
part of the somewhat miscellaneous materials . 
Finally in yet another of the trees was the small 
stick nest belonging to a pair of Shrikes (Astnr badins). 
This contained four slightly incubated eggs. 
A Bed-breasted Flycatcher (SIphia parvii), a pair of 
Small Minivets, (Pcricrocotus ptrcgrinus), and a Green 
Sandpiper noted. 
May 2. — A common bird here is the Black Crested Mynah {Toiicnnchns 
pagodarum) — a sprightly and handsome bird with more 
agreeable notes than the other Mynahs ; in Jhelum District 
it occurred but rarely and then chiefly in the gardens of 
the Salt Eange. Two Yellowish Wagtails (Sp.?) were the 
only Motacilla seen during the month, except an odd pail 
or two of the resident M. madvraspdtensis. A J'.lack- 
winged Kite (Elam(s cacrulcus), a pair of King Vultu.'-cs, 
and a small species of Harrier noted. 
May 3. — There is a nest of the Grey Indian Partridge (Francolinus 
pondiccrianus), with three eggs in my compound. The 
nest, which is only a deep hollow scraped in the ground, is 
placed under a thorn bush, which has been grazed down 
so often that it grows as a great green pad pressed against 
the earth ; under this the nest is so securelj' liid'len that 
it is all but invisible until the side of the bush is lifted, 
yet after a fourth egg had been laid a jackal or something 
found the spot and sucked three of the eggs . 
These Partridges are very numerous here and all have 
paired off by now ; their ringing cry is to be heard on every 
