observed in Oudh and Kumaon. 239 



numerous during the cold season, but is occasionally seen during 

 every month throughout the year. 



135. ToTANUS STAGNATiLis. (Ycllow-legged Sandpiper.) 

 Very common in the cold season. In habits resembles Actitis 



glareola, being more of a Marsh Sandpiper than A. ochropus or 

 A. hypoleucos, both of which are found on the banks of rivers ; 

 the Common Sandpiper being seldom seen on muddy marshes. 



136. ToTANUs Fuscus. (Dusky Redshank.) 



Frequently seen in small flocks during the cold season : not 

 noticed in the summer plumage. 



137. ToTANUS CALiDRis. (Rcdshank.) 



Exceedingly numerous during the cold season. This bird has 

 a curious way of feeding, which I often noticed : a flock of 

 perhaps thirty or forty will form a sort of oblique line, each one 

 a little in rear of the other, and advance across a shallow jheel, 

 all with their heads down half under the water, moving them 

 from right to left with great rapidity. The noise they make in 

 the water is plainly audible. Probably they feed in this way in 

 other countries, but in India they are so tame as to allow a very 

 near approach without alarm. 



The j heels in Oudh, except in the Terai, are always very 

 shallow, seldom more than two feet deep, and not often of that 

 depth. In the Terai, however, they are very deep, and are there 

 greatly inhabited by crocodiles {Crocodilus palmtris). When 

 there in November and December, scarcely any waders were to 

 be seen, except on the rivers, and very few Ducks. Whether the 

 crocodiles have anything to do with this, I do not know ; but if 

 ever one shot a duck or any bird that fell into the water, the 

 natives disliked going in to retrieve them, and needed rather 

 forcible persuasion to make them do so, though I do not think 

 that the crocodiles would hurt them; certainly the " sharp-nosed " 

 Gavial would not. The shallow jheels are filled by the rains, and 

 become perfectly dry by February or IMarch, partly from evapo- 

 ration, but more from irrigation. When a jheel is very nearly 

 dry, there are more waders than when it is full : as a rule, the 

 shallower the water is the better, as long as there is some. 

 The fishes in these places must bury themselves in the mud, as 



