158 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 



The first nine chapters are taken up respectively with dissertations on the 

 Classification of Birds, the Evolution of Birds, the Differentiation of Species, 

 the Glacial Epoch, Migration, the Paradise of the Charadridse, Zoological 

 Regions, on Subspecific Forms, and the Charadridse. 

 Chapter X. commences the body of the work. 



The contemplation of Nature is supposed to exercise a soothing influence, they 

 say, on the mind of man, but when the contemplators write books, it is nearly 

 always the case that they are no more sparing of their criticisms of those who 

 happen to differ from them, than are politicians, and Mr. Seebohm is no excep- 

 tion to the rule. 



Commencing with the Stone Curlews, the Stone Cnrlew we meet in India as a 

 resident is separated from the European bird by the trinomial (Edicnemus crepitans 

 indicus, but there does not appear to be very much difference between the two. 

 He says the Indian Stone Curlew and the European one are connected by a series 

 of intermediate forms. The latter vary in length of wing from 10''' to 9", the 

 former from 9" to 8". In European examples the white patches on the primaries 

 are rarely seen on the bird, whilst in Indian examples they are rarely if ever 

 absent from it. The white on the outer web of the seventh primary is also much 

 greater in Indian than in European examples. (Edicnemus crepitans doubtless- 

 winters in India. 



Charadrius pluvialis (the European Golden Plover) is not mentioned as an 

 Indian visitor, but the Siberian birds appear to pass through Turkestan on 

 migration, a few remaining to winter in Baluchistan, but the greater number 

 probably migrate as far as Africa. The Asiatic bird, C. fulvus, may easily be 

 distinguished by its barred tail and great axillaries. 



We have the C. minor (the Little Ringed Plover) and C. minor Jerdon (Jerdon's 

 Ringed Plover) ; it is said to differ from the former in beiug smaller (wings 

 3'9 to 425 instead of 4*3 to 4" 7 in.), in having the edges of the eyelids swollen 

 and protuberant, and in having the basal half of the lower mandible yellow. 



L<ibivanellus indicus — The Bronze- winged Wattled Lapwing and L. indicus 

 atronuchnlis, Blyth's Wattled Lapwing, is hard to separate ; intermediate forms- 

 are frequently met with; the latter may be distinguished from the former by having 

 the neck ornamented with a white coilnr. 



The Common Curlew and the Indian form are separated under the names of 

 Nwnenius arquatue and N. aranatus lineatus. 



N. arquatus. N. lineatms. 



Lesser back white, streaked with brown. Lesser back unspotted white. 



Axillaries white, more o-r less spotted with Axillaries unspotted white, 



brown , 



Margins- of scapular? and leathers on the Margins of scapulars and feathers 



upper baek grey. on the upper back nearly 



white. 



Length of bill 4\5 to 7 inrh. Length of bill 5*5 to 8 inch. 



None of these characters appear to be constant, and intermediate forms are very 



common. 



In a note there is: — "This is no excuse for confounding the two forms together. 

 *s Dresser and other ornithologists have done," 



