753 
ROUGH LIST AM) NOTES ON THE BIRDS FOUND BREED- 
ING IN THE GONDA DISTRICT, OUDH. 
By 
F. Field. 
A short description of the physical features of the District will not be out 
of place. The District of Gonda lies in the north of Oudh, between the outer 
ranges of the Himalayas and the Ghagra river, which are its Northern and 
Southern boundaries, to the West is the Bahraich and East the Basti 
Districts. The District is one of the largest in Oudh, it comprises 2,809 square 
miles between Lat. 26° 46' and 27° 50' N. & Long. 81° 33' & 82° 46' E. 
The District may be roughly divided into three classes of country. From the 
Nepal frontier, its Northern boundary is a belt of Government and Zemindari 
Forest, this belt is roughly from 5 to 10 or more miles in width ; below this is an 
open and low lying tract, chiefly under rice cultivation, termed ‘tora*,’ subject 
to frequent floods, as innumerable torrents from the hills debouch into this 
part; tWs portion is drained by the Rapti river, which practically cuts the Dis- 
trict in two. 
South of the Rapti, the country is upland, planted over with numerous 
groves of Mango trees and others, and well cultivated. This upland forms 
a rather narrow belt, running diagonally across the District ; along this belt 
flows the Kuhany river, a deep, but sluggish stream, both banks being covered 
with forests and jungle. Below this high land comes a lower lying tract, rich soil 
and heavily cultivated with numerous groves of trees. This fertile land is 
watered by two deep, but sluggish winding rivers, Tehre and Sarjoo. These 
streams have in the course of ages shifted their beds repeatedly, leaving numer- 
ous large lakes and jheels, these lakes are sometimes clear, but usually covered 
with aquatic plants, wild rice and taU rushes, reeds, etc. 
This great variety in the features of the District, giving tracts of dense 
forest, open plain, country covered by numerous groves of trees with rivers, 
lakes, marsh, etc., makes it an ideal country for variety of bird life from water 
birds to the submontane species. 
jVotes on nidification of Birds of the Gonda District. 
No. 
Scientiflc name. 
English name. 
Remarks. 
4 
Corvus macrorhyn- 
Jungle Crow 
Very common, more so than 
chus. 
C. splendens. Breeds from 
February to April. Generally 
away from human habitations. 
This is a very destructive 
bird to all small birds, 
robbing Doves, Bulbuls and 
all small birds’ nests. 
7 
Corvus splendens . . 
Common Crow 
Common about towns and 
villages only. Breeds in late 
May, June. 
