NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA. 131 



* 



They breed at different periods, in different localities, and I am 

 inclined to think that they have two broods, but the majority of the 

 birds lay during the middle of the rains. 



The nest is a more or less compact pad of sedge and grass, usually 

 sheltered by a patch of reeds or rushes, but it is occasionally quite 

 exposed, but always, I believe, in a wet place. 



The eggs, usually four in number — I have thrice taken five — are 

 moderately broad ovals in shape, pointed at one end. They are hard 

 in texture and moderately glossy. The ground-colour is pale buff or 

 warm cafe-au-lait, thickly and boldly streaked with rich brown, almost 

 black. 



They measure 1*4 inches in length by about an inch in breadth. 



Deesa. September and October. H. E. Barnes. 



Hyderabad, Sind. May to July. Do. 



Ncemuch. May and September. Do. 



Baroda. September and October. H. Littlcdale, B.A. 





m93.— THE COMMON SAND PIPER. 



Tringoides hypoleucos, Lin. 



The Common Sand Piper occurs as a cold weather visitant through- 

 out Western India, frequenting the sea coast, banks of rivers, borders 

 of ponds, tanks, and j heels, in short, wherever there is water. They 

 breed abundantly in Cashmere, laying four eggs. 



They do occasionally breed in India, as Mr. Doig records the fol- 

 lowing note in " Stray Feathers. * 



" On the 3rd July my man found a nest of this species containing 

 two eggs, he shot the parent bird, which he saw sitting on the eggs, 

 as it left the nest. This he carbolized and sent to me ; the eggs 

 being hard set, he was unable to preserve them. I sent the fragments 

 of the carbolized bird to Mr. Hume, who identified them as belong- 

 ing to this species. The nest was a few shells and sand scraped 

 together near the water's edge of a salt deposit, and on these the eggs 

 were laid. These eggs my man described as being similar to those 

 of JEgialitis miitntHs, but larger and more strougly marked." 



* Stray Featkers, Vol. IX., p. 282. 



