NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA. 21 



the markings consist of specks and streaks of different shades of 

 olive and reddish-brown. 



They average rather more than an inch in length by about 0-82 

 in breadth. 



Kotri, Indus, Sind, March and April. H. E. Barnes. 



Schora, Mahi, Guzerat, April. H, Littlcdale. 



848.— THE KENTISH RINGED PLOVER. 



JEgialitis cantianas, Lath. 



The Kentish Ringed Plover occurs all along the coast and on the 

 banks of the rivers near the sea. It is occasionally found some 

 distance inland. Practically it is a cold- weather visitant only, but it 

 has been proved, beyond a doubt, that some few do remain behind 

 and breed, but for reasons fully detailed in the Society's Journal,* 

 I believe that, as a rule, these are young birds. 



To Mr. J. W. N. Cumming belongs the credit of being the first, 

 and up to date, the only collector, who has obtained their eggs in 

 continental India. He found a clutch of three eggs, near Karachi, 

 on the 25th April, 1887, and on the 9th May he found three nestlings. 

 He shot one of the parent birds, which he sent to the Honorary 

 Secretary of the Bombay Natural History Society, for identification, 

 and it was inspected by myself and others. It was however a young 

 bird (not being in adult plumage), which would perhaps account 

 for the eggs being rather smaller then the average of European ones. 

 These eggs were found in a slight depression in the sand, at the 

 base of a small hillock not far from the sea ; the nestlings also were 

 found in a similar situation, near the same place. Mr. Cumming 

 kindly sent one of these eggs for my nspection, and I carefully 

 compared it with European eggs in my own collection, and found that 

 with the exception of being slightly smaller it was exactly similar 

 both with regard to ground-colour, and character of markings : on 

 the other hand, it differed considerably from eggs of the Lesser Ringed 

 Plover : in the first place, the markings are larger and more distinct, 

 and have not that scratchy and speckly appearance that characterizes 

 the latter, and, secondly, the egg is somewhat larger than any egg 

 I have ever seen of the Lesser Ringed Plover. 



* Joum. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., Vol. II., p. 107. 



