Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 6 (1902).djvu/452

386 was this species, was seen by me on a small pond near Bunhar Factory, Samastipur, in February, 1899. I fired at it, but it was only wounded, and escaped by diving; and, though I had men searching for a long time, they failed to find it.

Amaurornis phœnicurus, Penn. (White-breasted Water-hen).—Very common. Found by nearly every piece of water. It is an exceedingly noisy bird, and its loud harsh cry is heard both day and night. In the year 1900 I was stopping at a house, the garden of which was inhabited by a pair of these birds, which kept me awake most of the night by their cries. They breed during July and August, making a nest of rushes, placed, as a rule, near water. They are very pugnacious birds, and I have often seen them fighting furiously with each other; a pair were so engaged on one occasion, that I approached to within a few yards of them before they were aware of my presence.

Gallinula chloropus, Linn. (Moorhen).—Common. Breeds in August.

Porphyrio poliocephalus, Lath. (Purple Moorhen).—Fairly common. It breeds during July and August in marshes and rice-fields. The nest is a huge mass of rushes or rice placed on water.

Fulica atra, Linn. (Coot).—Very common during winter, and a few remain to breed.

Grus antigone, Linn. (Sarus Crane).—Occasionally seen during the cold weather.

G. communis, Linn. (Common Crane).—Once seen near Hattowrie Factory, Darbhanga, in December, 1897.

Anthropoides virgo, Linn. (Demoiselle Crane).—A not very common cold weather migrant. Often heard at night as they fly to their feeding-grounds.

Sypheotis bengalensis, Gmel. (Bengal Florican).—I only saw one specimen, which was flushed from some heavy grass jungle.

Œdicnemus scolopax, Gmel. (Stone-Curlew).—Very common. Breeds, according to Mr. Inglis, in April.

Esacus recurvirostris, Cuv. (Great Stone-Curlew).—One seen by Mr. Inglis on the banks of the Kamla, and one shot by me at Hattowrie Factory, Darbhanga.