340 



I have the eggs of this species, both from various localities in 

 the plains and from Cashmere ; some of those from the latter 

 State are slightly larger, and some of them have the small end 

 more elongated and pinched out than any of those I have from 

 other places. 



The eggs vary in length from 1-1 to 1-23, and in breadth from 

 0-8 to 0*87 ; but the average of thirty eggs measured is 1*14 by 

 0-84. 



.ffigialitis jerdoni (Legge). The Little Indian Ringed Plover. 



minutus {Pall.}, Jerd. B. 2nd. ii, p. 641 j Hume, Cat. 



no. 850. 



The Little Indian Kinged Plover probably breeds over the whole 

 Empire in the same localities as the last, with which it has no doubt 

 been frequently confounded. The only note I can find regarding 

 the breeding of this species is a brief one written by Mr. J. David- 

 son from Western Khandesh. He says of this bird : " Permanent 

 resident. Common along all the rivers and along the sides of the 

 Mukhti tank. I took eggs on the Tapti in March and April, and 

 saw young newly hatched near Dhulia in May. The birds, how- 

 ever, breed much earlier, as I have seen them making nests in 

 December and January. This is the only Kinged Plover I found 

 in Khandesh." 



Colonel Legge is of opinion that some nests he found in Ceylon 

 belonged to this species, but he was unable to identify them with 

 certainty. 



Lobivanellus indicus (Bodd.). The Red-wattled Lapiving. 



Lobivanellus goensi-s (Gn).\ Jerd. B. Ind. ii, p. 648. 



Lobivanellus indicus (Bodd.), Hume, Rovgh Draft N. fy E. no. 855. 



The Ked-wattled Lapwing breeds throughout India, except in 

 absolutely desert country, alike in the plains and in the hills up to 

 elevations of 3000 or 4000 feet. 



The breeding-season lasts from March to August, and I rather 

 suspect that they have two broods ; but I am not sure, for the 

 great bulk of the birds lay in April, May, and June. Out of 122 

 dated eggs in my collection, I find that the numbers indicated 

 below were found in each of the months specified : 



March. April. May. June. July. August. 



12 46 24 28 4 8 



This does not look like two broods. 



They lay almost anywhere, provided there is water somewhere 

 in the neighbourhood. Banks of rivers, edges of swamps or ponds, 

 well-irrigated gardens, are their favourite nesting-sites until the 

 rain falls ; after the rains have well commenced they like drier 

 situations. It is very usual then to find their eggs amongst 

 the ballast of a railway (often in such a situation that the foot- 



