BIEDS OF EGYPT. 231 



forming a distinct diagonal bar on the wing, the greater 

 coverts also forming a white bar ; quills dark brown, with 

 a white patch on the three outer primaries, the inner 

 ones having their base and tips white ; tail white, excepting 

 the two centre feathers, and barred and tipped with dark 

 brown ; feathers in front of and under the eye, and a streak 

 from the lower mandible under the ear-coverts, dark brown ; 

 cheeks and upper part of the throat white ; remainder of the 

 underparts cream-colour, shaded with brown on the throat 

 and with rufous on the under tail-coverts ; lower parts of the 

 neck and chest streaked with brown ; legs and basal half of 

 the beak yellow, remainder of the bill and edge of it black ; 

 irides yellow. 



Entire length 17 inches; culmen 1"5 ; wing, carpus to 

 tip, 9'5 ; tarsus 2'9. 



Fig. Gould, B. of Eur. pi. 288. 



227. Vanellus cristatus, Meyer. Lapxoing. 



-) ■ '' .., ..- 



Very plentiful throughout Egypt up to the end of March, , -V* /^ 

 at which season they pass northward, leaving but few to breed ' / 



south of Cau'o. In Nubia they are much less abundant. 



Top of the head and crest, cheeks, ear-coverts, and a broad 

 collar on the cropblack ; a broad eyebrow, extending back 

 to the nape and throat, white ; back of the neck ashy brown ; 

 back, scapulars, and wing-coverts metallic green and purple ; 

 remainder of the wing black, with a white patch near the end 

 of the outer primaries ; upper tail-coverts chestnut ; tail white, 

 with a broad black ending to all but the two outer feathers ; 

 under surface of the body white ; vent and under tail-coverts 

 rufous ; beak black ; legs reddish brown ; irides dark brown. 



