394 Capt. Beavan on various Indian Birds. 



rackpore, where it occurs frequently sometimes, sometimes 

 rarely. I have seen it in most abundance in a jheel at Ber- 

 hampore, near Moorshedabad ; but the species seems most erratic 

 in its wanderings, and takes to certain spots where one is sure 

 to come across them year after year, while it entirely avoids just 

 as likely-looking ground within a short distance. 



873. B-HYNCH^A BENGALENSis. Painted Snipe.' 

 A common bird in some parts of India. I noticed it in the 

 neighbourhood of Barrackpore in the cold weather of 1864 

 {cf. P. Z. S. 1865, p. 694), and in Maunbhoom in March of the 

 same year, and find that I have noted that the last examples 

 were probably breeding, although flushed in dry, bush-covered 

 jungle, away from water. It seems to me that this bird in its 

 habits is much more nearly allied to the Bails than to the 

 Snipes. It is a very easy bird to shoot, from its slow and steady 

 flight, but is frequently missed by the impatient " griff".", who 

 will not take time enough over his shot, and when bagged is 

 brought home in great triumph, as it is regarded by such as a 

 most wonderful Snipe ! 



877. NuMENius ARQUATA*. Curlcw. 



Either this or the Whimbrel {N. pht^opus) was observed by 

 me in great abundance about Moulmein, in Burmah, in 1865, 

 at the beginning of the cold weather. They were so wild, I 

 could not secure a single specimen. 



879. Ibidorhynchus struthersi. Bed-billed Curlew. 



To the best of my recollection, I have seen this species in the 

 same spot in Sikkira as mentioned by Dr. Jerdon — the banks 

 of the Great Bungeet Biver, distant twelve miles from Dar- 

 jeelingf. 



* [iV. lineatus, Cuv./r/e Blytli, Ilns, 1867, pp. 1G7, 168.— Ed.] 

 t [We take this opportunity of mentioning that in ' The Field ' news- 

 paper for Sept. 28, 1867, in an article entitled " Two Days on the Kirghis 

 Steppes, by Count Alexis Tolstoy," there appeared the following state- 

 ment in reference to the southern part of the province of Orenbourg, on 

 the banks of the river Oural : — " Steppe curlews strutted on the road, 

 with red beaks and red legs, called magpies from the colour of their 

 plumage." 



Mr. Gurney was ki)id enough to call our attention to the passage, and 



