(EDICNEMUS. 333 



euphorbia hedge, in a small hole which had apparently been 

 scratched by the parent bird. The hen was on the nest, but I saw 

 no cock bird near the spot. On re-visiting the place next day, the 

 hen bird was still there, but no cock. When I put the hen bird 

 off the nest she flew for about 20 yards and then settled and com- 

 menced running, and continued doing so for about 200 yards, 

 although 1 was following close behind her. 



" Belgaum, 3rd April, 1880. Two eggs about to hatch." 

 Mr. Bhodes W. Morgan, writing from South India, says : " I 

 shot a female of this bird in Kurnool in May, and on dissecting it 

 discovered a fully-developed egg, which I find is different from 

 the eggs of (E. crepitcnis, as found in Europe. I examined a fine 

 series in Mr. Dresser's collection, and find that the egg in my col- 

 lection is entirely different in coloration, being of a dirty-white, 

 with a very few small yellowish-brown blotches. This egg ap- 

 peared to be perfectlv ready for exclusion. It measured 1*8 inch 

 in length by 1-33 in breadth." 



According to Mr. H. Parker, the breeding-season of this bird in 

 Xorth-west Ceylon extends from May to October. 



Those who doubt the specific identity of the Indian and English 

 Stone-Plovers would, I think, find their doubts strengthened by a 

 comparison of the eggs of the two species or races. The largest 

 egg of (E. indicus that I have yet obtained is smaller than the 

 smallest of the English specimens that I have seen. In shape the 

 eggs of both races closely resemble each other normally broad 

 ovals, obtuse at both ends, with the occasional occurrence of a 

 more or less elongated and pointed variety. There is not, how- 

 ever, in the Indian species that rich variety in the ground-colour 

 noticeable in the eggs of the English species. In our bird the 

 ground-colour is invariably yellowish white, buffy yellow, or pale 

 buffy brown. I have never seen specimens such as I have taken 

 in England, with a rich olive-green ground. The markings are, as 

 usual, spots and specks, streaks and blotches, of a deep, usually 

 more or less olive-brown, sometimes almost black, sometimes 

 comparatively pale, thickly or thinly massed or scattered over the 

 surface, and combined in an endless variety of designs. Most of 

 the eggs, besides these primary markings, have a few pale inky- 

 purple clouds and spots underlying them. The eggs, as a rule, 

 are glossless, but I have seen one or two specimens exhibiting a 

 slight gloss. I possess a single abnormal egg taken by Mr. Brooks 

 the ground-colour of which is greenish white, with only a very few 

 brown specks on it. 



Of a pair of somewhat similar eggs I have noted : 

 " April ISth. Took two eggs w^hich, had we not seen the bird 

 rise from them close at our feet, no one could possibly have be- 

 lieved to belong to this species. One was pure pale greenish grey, 

 with a few tiny spots, specks, and scratches of brown, so few and 

 inconspicuous as to be unnoticed at the distance of a foot ; the 

 other dirty brownish grey, with very numerous specks and hair- 

 like scratches of dirty brown, all so individually inconspicuous as 



