38 Lieut. W. V. Legge on the Distribution of 



whole under surface black, except here and there white patches. 

 My experience goes towards testifying that the change of 

 colour takes place in the existing feather, and not by renewal 

 of it ; and it would appear, furthermore, to be acquired with 

 wonderful rapidity. It is noticeable first of all on the breast, 

 on the feathers of which black marginal spots appear near the 

 tip ; these gradually coalesce until the terminal half is entirely 

 black ; at this time small black spots appear at the tips of the 

 fore-neck feathers, and the under tail-coverts become baiTed 

 with the same hue. The white markings of the forehead and 

 neck appear to be the last acquired, as at the above stage 

 there is no trace of them. jEgialites mongolicus is found 

 during the winter months on open grass-land, particularly in 

 wet Aveather j its little congener jE. dubius, abundant in the 

 north of the island and associating generally with it, is absent 

 from this district. Rhynchcea bengalensis* is tolerably abun- 

 dant in large extents of paddy-land, particularly in the Wack- 

 welle district near Galle, as many as six couple having 

 fallen on one occasion in a day's shooting last year to the 

 same gun. They breed to a considerable extent in Ceylon, 

 about May and June, according to reliable information as 

 to actual nesting ; but, curiously enough, I have had an egg 

 taken from a bird in December and another in March, both 

 ready for laying. Another instance occurred of a bird lay- 

 ing an egg in a cage, recorded by ]\Ir. Holdsworth (P. Z. S. 

 1872, p. 473) ; and, if I mistake not, that in the possession of 

 Mr. C. P. Layard, Government Agent for the western province, 

 was taken from a dead bird in October. They " nest " on a 

 bank or ridge in the fields out of the way of the water, and 

 appear to lay two eggs. These are of a stone-yellow ground- 

 colour, and vary much in the intensity of markings. Mine 

 are blotched and Avashed irregularly all over with rich dark 

 sepia-brown with a few pencillings of the same hue, a few 

 bluish grey and light brown blotches appearing towards the 



* In the noi-th of Ceylon I have invariably found this bird in the salt 

 sedgy lands near the foreshore of tidal lagoons, where they feed much on 

 small nniiulcc shells, four or five of which I have taken whole from the 

 stomach of one individual. 



