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I h a v e o b se rv ed , to s a il u p a n d d ow n . T h e ir old iie s ts a r c v e r y n um e ro u s o n t h e ro c k s
t h a t lin e th e r a ilw a y - c u ttin g th r o u g h th e Bh o v e G hM , a n d also o n th e cliffs a t P o o rn n d h c r ,
th e s a n ita r ium 1 8 m ile s s o u th o f P o o n a . T h e s e n e s ts a r e p la c e d a t from 5 to 12 fe e t
from t h e g ro u n d . I s a tis fie d m y s e lf t h a t t h e M a r tin s w e re b re e d in g o n tb e to p o f th e
If iio re GlnU a t th e e n d o f M a y 1 8 7 1 , a n d o n th e 9 th o f J u n e I o b se rv e d a p a i r a t th e i r
n e s t a t t h e b o ttom o f th e G h a t.
“ ‘ A t P o o n a , o n th e 1 s t o f M a r c h , 1 8 7 1 ,1 saw a n e s t u n d e r a le d g e o f s to n e in a we ll.
T h e o ld b i r d w a s s ittin g , a n d , th o u g h r e p e a te d ly fr ig h t e n e d off, o n ly m a d e tw o o r th r e e
c irc le s ro u n d th e in s id e o f th e w e ll a u d r e tu r n e d to th e n e s t.
“ ‘ T h e n e s t w a s th e n g iv e n u p a s in a c c e s s ib le , fi’om d is ta n c e a n d o th e r c a u se s ; b u t
o n th e 2 0 th o f th e fo llow in g A u g u s t m y b r o th e r w e n t down to th e sam e n e s t b y m e a n s
o f a ro p e , a n d fo u u d two eg g s , o u w h ic h th e b ird was s ittin g , l i e d e s c rib e d th e n e s t as
e x trem e ly f r a g i l e ; i t c rum b le d to p ie c e s o n th e firs t to u c h .
“ ‘ I n J u n e o f th e sam e y e a r m y b ro th e r , M r. E . A itk c n , saw a n e s t, in w h ic h th o
jiav en t b ird w a s s i tt in g , u n d e r th e i)o rc h o f th e C lu b a t P o o n a . O f th i s h e h a s p e rh a p s
in lb rm e d y o u h im s e lf.’
“ Alessrs. D a v id so n a n d AYendon rem a rk :— ‘ I n th e S h o la p o o r d is tr i c t s i t b re e d s iu
a b u n d a n c e in th e r a in s a n d in E e h r u a ry . A t E g u tp o o r a i t w a s b re e d in g in tb e v e r a n d a h
o f th e E n g in e e r s ’ b u n g a low in t h e m id d le o f A la rc h a n d firs t w e ek in A u g u s t. A t
L a n o li o u 2 0 th A la r c h .’
“ Air. G. V id a l, re la tin g h is e x p e rie n c e s in th e S o u th K o n k a n , say s :— ‘ C om m o n on
th e c o a s t a n d fo r a fcAv m ile s in la n d . I h a v e fo u n d n e s ts o n th e cliffs in F e b r u a r y ,
M a rc li, a n d A p r il, a n d u n d e r th e eav es o f a b u n g a low i n A u g u s t .’
•‘ E -e fe rrin g to B a jp u t a n a in g e n e ra l, L ie u t. IT. E . B a rn e s te lls u s t h a t ‘ th e D u s k y
C ra g -A Ia rtin b re e d s d u r in g A la rc h a n d A p r il, a n d a g a in in J u l y a n d A u g u s t. T h o n e s t,
c om p o sed o f p e lle ts o f m u d , w e ll lin e d w ith fe a th e r s , is deep s a u c e r-sh a p e d , a n d is
g e n e ra lly affix ed to th e s id e o f a h o u s e u n d e r s h e lte r o f th e c a v e s .’ ”
Co lo n e l Sw in h o e a n d L ie u t. B a rn e s , in th e i r p a p e r o n th e Alhow d is tr ic t, s ta te
It/
F o r th e g e o g r a p h ic a l d i s tr ib u tio n o f th i s sp ec ie s, v id e in fra , P la te 33 [A la p ]. t h a t th i s A la r tin is a p e rm a n e n t re s id e n t a n d b re e d s d u r in g F e b r u a r y a n d A la rc h , a n d
a g a in in O c to b e r a n d N o v em b e r.