THE BIRDS OF INDIA. 229 



papillse, which become much more vivid. In old birds the 

 scapulars and tertiaries hang over the tail, which they 

 exceed in length ; the bill is pale sea-green, with a brown 

 tip ; the eyes are orange red ; and the legs and feet pale 

 rv)se. 



The total length of the sarus crane is 52 inches, 9} of 

 which belong to the tail, and 13 to the tarsus. The weight 

 of the adult bird is about 18 pounds. 



White Crane. — In this species the whole plumage is 

 white, but the quills are black ; the tertiaries are long ; the 

 bill and the bare face, as well as the legs, are red. 



The total length of the adult bird is about 4 feet ; it is 

 a winter visitor to Northern India, and has its summer 

 residence in the northern parts of Asia and in Japan. 



THE PLOVERS. 



Fam i \y — Cliayadviidce. 



Genus — SarciopJiorus. S. bilobiis. 



Yellow- Wattled Peewit. — This species is found in the 

 greater part of India, and also in Ceylon. It is rare in 

 forest-clad and rainy districts, but is abundant where the 

 ground is drier ; it lives on beetles, white ants, worms, etc. 

 It nests on the ground, and lays four eggs of a reddish 

 stone-colour, spotted with brownish purple. 



The head and nape are black, and the rest of the 

 plumage, including the wing coverts, tertiaries, chin, throat, 

 and upper part of the breast, are a pale ashen brown ; a 

 white streak proceeds from behind each eye, and meeting, 

 make a black band all round the head ; the primaries are 

 black ; the secondaries are white at the base, then 

 brownish black for the greater part of their remaining 



