CHETTUSIA. Ill 



back of the neck, and from the termination of the black breast to the belly, 

 white ; the sides of the head in some immature specimens speckled with 

 brown or dusky ; upper tail coverts pale redilish chestnut ; under tail coverts 

 slightly paler; back and scapulars olive green, glossed with coppery and 

 purple ; golden green on the lower back and rump ; primaries black, the first 

 three broadly terminated with greyish white; 1st quill shortest, third longer 

 than the second or nearly equal ; greater and lesser wing coverts like the 

 back ; tail white basally, and broadly black terminally, with narrow white tips 

 to all the feathers ; the outermost feather entirely white, except a dusky spot 

 subterminally on the inner web. 



Length. — 12 inches; wing 9; tail 4; tarsus 2; bill black; irides hazel 

 brown; legs orange brown. In winter plumage the chin and throat are white, 

 and there is much brown specklings on the sides of the face and nape. The 

 female is like the male in winter plumage, and throughout of a duller tint. 



Hah. — Sind, Punjab, N.-W. Provinces, Beloochistan, Persia, Afghanistan, 

 and E. Turkistan, also Nepaul and Cashmere. It is said to breed in 

 Yarkand. In Sind it is a winter visitant, and is found in open places, marshy 

 ground, and the banks of canals. In England, the Vanellin^ are considered 

 by some good for food, and their eggs a delicacy. In India, however, it is not 

 the case, though some persons think them not amiss^^ at^ any time. After 

 October they are very fat and tender, and for the table are said to be un- 

 distinguishable from the Plovers. 



Gen. Cliettusia. — Bp. 



Head not crested ; plumage ashy ; otherwise as in Vanellus. 



138. ChettUSia gregaria, Palhu, Zoogr. W. t. 56 ; Gould, B, Eur. 

 pi. 292; Jerd., Birds hid. iii. p. 644, No. 852; Str. F. i. 231 ; iv. 13; 

 Murray, Hdbk., ZooL, S^r., Sind, p. 210; id., Verl. Zool. Sind, p. 229; id., 

 Avif. Brit. Ind. ii. p. 590, No. 1265. — The Black-sided Lapwing. 



Forehead, supercilium extending to the occiput, lower belly, vent and under 

 tail coverts white ; top of head, a narrow band from the base of the bill through 

 the eye, and the middle of the abdomen black ; back of neck, back, and 

 scapulars olivaceous brown, tinged greyish; sides of head and neck pale 

 rufous, passing to greyish or brownish on the breast; primaries black; second- 

 aries white ; tail and upper tail coverts white, with a broad subterminal black 

 band, tipped with white ; outermost feathers white. 



Length. — xi- 1 to 13 inches; wing 8-5; tail 3-5; tarsus 2-3; bill at front 

 1-2. In the young the black abdominal patch is wanting. The females are 

 much duller than the males in colour. 



fl'a*^.— Sind, Beloochistan, Persia, Afghanistan, Punjab, N.-W. Provinces, 

 Oudh, the Concan, Deccan, Kutch, Kattiawar, Rajputana and Central India. 

 Frequents grassy plains in parties of from five to twenty. Its flesh is said to 

 be very dehcate. 



