1921.] Birds of North-East Chihli, 23 



the neighbourhood of this reach, I saw au Ibis-Bill feeding 

 in the shallows a couple of huudred yards from me, which 

 my man identified as the kind of bird to which the eggs he 

 had brought me belonged. This one flew oft' at long range, 

 and my collector told me the birds were extremely wild 

 during the nesting-season. In winter they are more easily 

 approached, and at that season they are to be found among 

 the mountains. Owing to its protective colouring this bird 

 is, hardly visible against a background of water and shingle. 

 The flight is low, not rapid, and reminds one of that of 

 certain Sandpipers. My collector subsequently brought me 

 two more eggs taken on the 22nd of May following ; in 191G 

 a clutch of four were taken on the 9th of April, and subse- 

 quently a clutch of four were taken by him in the same 

 locality on the 14th of April, 1918; these last were sent 

 to the British Museum without being measured. He also 

 shot on the 20tli of September, 1915, a bird of the year in 

 immature dress. The bill of this bird was dark red, the 

 legs pale pinkisli-mauve. 



The eggs taken on the 23rd of April and 22nd May, 

 1915, and 9th April, 1916, bear a general resemblance to 

 those figured by Mr. Dresser (Ibis, 1907, pi, vi.), but are 

 perhaps rather greener. The ground-colour is, when fresh, 

 of a greyish-green, which turns somewhat red after a time. 

 The spots are reddish-brown and reddish-purple. The 

 addled egg found on the 2iid of May is greyer and the 

 markings, which are large, are faint — possibly washed out. 

 It is of a somewhat broad-ovate, while the other eggs are of 

 a truer ovate. These nine eggs measure as follows : — 



23 April, 1915, two eggs 1*99 x TSO, 2-06 x 1*48 inch. 



2 May, „ one egg l*88x 1"50 inch. 



22 „ „ two eggs 1-88 X 1-42 „ 



9 April, 1916, four „ 1-97 X 1*47 „ 



1-97 X 1-49 „ 



207x1-42 „ 



2-05 X 1-45 „ 



