ML^CELLANEOUS NOTES. 
1139 
soft feathers, etc., placed on top of coarse material such as dark chips and other 
stuff to fill up the cavity. 
The 2nd nest was in a nearly similar situation behind the partly detached bark 
of a dead cherry tree, about three feet from the ground and of hke materials. 
This nest was also discovered by seeing the parent birds feeding their yoxmg. 
After the young had flown (I did not hke to examine the nest for fear the chicks 
might be too young to fly) I examined the nest and formd one addled egg. This 
was on 14th May. 
The 3rd nest was destroyed by woodcutters breaking off the detached piece of 
bark behind which the nest was built. The remnants of the nest with a broken 
egg lay at the foot of the tree which led to its discovery. The site was only a 
foot from the ground, on a large pine tree at the edge of a foot path. 
Had I known these birds built so low down I might have discovered them 
earlier. My experience may assist others in further observations. 
I also saw a pair feeding their young very high up on a huge pine tree, so they 
do not always build low down, but I should think a number must, as subitale 
pieces of detached bark are more hkely to be found low than high up on trees. 
Rantkhet, U. P. F. field. 
lOth Angitst 1922. 
No. XXV.— SOME NOTES ON THE METHOD EMPLOYED IN CATCH- 
ING CROCODILES IN SOUTH INTHA. 
I enclose a photo taken of two Valans with a crocodile captured by them 
with their queer instruments which if you care to publish may be of interest 
to some of your readers. 
These ^Valans and Katal Arayan are Ashing castes of the Cochin and Travan 
core States. The name Valan is derived from Vala, meaning fish in a tank. 
The method employed by the two particular men who I witnessed catch this 
crocodile is novel and exciting to say the least of it. These Valans are, for their 
