OCR Text |
Show 568 CAPT. BULGER ON INDIAN BIRDS. [Dec. 13, 7. List of Birds observed at Wellington, Neilgherry Hills, about 6000 feet above the level of the sea, during the months of April and May, 1866. By Captain G. E. B U L G E R , 10th Regiment, F.L.S., C.M.Z.S. 1. N E O P H R O N PERCNOPTERUS, Linn. White Scavenger Vulture*. Tolerably abundant. 2. T I N N U N C U L U S ALAUDARIUS, Briss. Kestril. I only saw four or five, near the top of one of the hills. 3. MICRONISUS BADIUS, Gmel. Shikra. Saw two only. 4. HALIASTUR INDUS, Bodd. Maroon-backed Kite. Apparently not numerous. 5. M I L V U S GOVINDA, Sykes. Common Pariah Kite. Plentiful. 6. H I R U N D O DOMICOLA, Jerdon. Neilgherry House-Swallow. Tolerablv abundant. 7. H I R U N D O DAURICA, Linn. Red-rumped Swallow. Appears to be common. 8. C O T Y L E CONCOLOR, Sykes. Dusky Crag Martin. I saw only a few of these ; but met with one nest, on the 15th of April, which contained young ones: it was under a projecting crag, near one of the mountain streams. 9. CYPSELUS MELBA, Linn. Alpine Swift. These noble Swifts were abundant at Wellington and at Conoor; the contrast between their size and that of the common Indian species (C. aflinis) is very striking. 10. CYPSELUS AFFINIS, Gray. Common Indian Swift. Plentiful. Frequenting the same localities as C. melba. 11. P A L ^ O R N I S SCHISTICEPS, Hodgson. Slaty-headed Parrakeet. I only saw one individual. 12. C E N T R O P U S RUFIPENNIS, Illiger. Common Coucal. Abundant everywhere in the jungles, where its curious hooting cry (which sounds like hooh-a-hooh-a-hooh, uttered slowly, with a long stress upon the first, third, and fifth syllables) is constantly to be heard. It is a showy bird, owing to the bright chestnut hue of its back and wings. * The nomenclature is that of Jerdon's ' Birds of India.' |