CREAM-COLOURED COURSER 55 



the lower part of the legs is protected both in front and behind by 

 transverse shields, and the middle toe has a comb-like structure. 

 Although the eggs much resemble these of the plovers in colouring, 

 being buff or stone -colour with spots and blotches of brown or 

 blackish, in their oval shape they are like those of the stone-curlews 

 and bustards. 



The cream-coloured courser is sufficiently distinguished by having 

 only three toes to each foot, its comparatively long legs, and short 

 squared tail. As indicated by its name, the general colour of the 

 upper-parts is sandy buff, with a tinge of pinkish ; the flight-feathers 

 being black, with sandy-coloured edges and white fringes to the tips of 



MOUNTED IN THE ROWLAND WARD STUDIOS 



CREAM-COLOURED COURSER. 



the secondaries, while the tail-feathers are tipped with white, below 

 which is a band of black. Pale bluish grey is the prevailing tint of 

 the back of the head and the nape of the neck ; but above each eye 

 runs a conspicuous white band, joining its fellow on the nape, and 

 behind the eye bounded below on each side by black stripes which 

 meet to form a triangular patch on the back of the neck below the 

 white. Both sexes are alike in plumage ; and immature birds differ 

 from the adults merely by the presence on the feathers of the upper- 

 parts ot curved dark grey bars, an indication, by the way, that the 

 sandy-coloured plumage of the adult is a comparatively recent feature 

 acquired to adapt the species to its desert habitat. The primitive 

 type of colouring is still more fully displayed by the chick, which is 

 covered with pale buff down mottled with a darker shade of the same 

 colour. The length of the bird is 10 inches. 



