SOUATAROLA. 583 



dantlyonthe larger rivers in Burmah, except in the southern part of Tenasserim. 

 It breeds in Burmah on sandbanks, also on the banks of the Indus, Ganges^ 

 Chenab, Brahmaputra, Nerbudda and Mahanuddy. March to April appears 

 to be the breeding season. Eggs, 4 in number, from pale green to stone 

 colour, and marked with dark lines, blotches and spots. 



Sub-Family, CHARADRIN^E. PLOVERS. 



Bill slender, straight, flattened at the base, compressed and grooved'; wings 

 long and pointed ; tarsi moderate, ist quill usually longest ; hind toe small or 

 wanting. 



Gen. Squatarola. Cuv. 



Nasal groove short ; bill bulged at the tip j a very minute clawed hind toe 

 present. 



1258. Squatarola helvetica (Linn), Jerd., B. Ind. in. p. 635, 



No. 144; Dresser, B. Eur. vii. p. 455 ; Salvad., Ucc.fiorn.p. 313; Blyth, B. 

 Burm. p. 153 ; Scully, Str. F. iv. p. 184; Armstrong, Sir. F. iv. p. 338 ; 

 David et Oust. Ois Chine, p. 424 ; Hume and Dav., Str. F. vi. p. 455 ; Hume, 

 Str. F. viii. p. 112 ; Legge, B. Ceylon, p. 929 ; Oates, Str. F. x. p. 237 ; id., 

 Burm. ii. p. 365 ; Murray, Vert. Zool., Sind, p. 224. Tringa helvetica, 

 Linn., Syst. Nat. I, p. 250. The GREY PLOVER. 



Winter Plumage. Forehead, lores, supercilia, chin, abdomen and entire 

 lower surface, including the under tail coverts, white ; foreneck, sides of the 

 breast and flanks white, the feathers with sub-triangular or sub-quadrate 

 brownish markings ; feathers below the wing from the axilla long and black ; 

 head dusky brown, the feathers with narrow tips ; rest of the upper plumage 

 dusky brown, the feathers edged and tipped with white or greyish white ; tail 

 basally white, with a slightly rufescent tinge terminally, and with 6 /trans- 

 verse brown bands or bars. In summer the entire lower surface from the chin, 

 except the vent and under tail coverts, is black, also the lores and sides of the 

 neck ; forehead, supercilia and sides of the breast white ; back and rump, 

 scapulars and wing coverts black, broadly tipped with brown and white ; top 

 of head and nape grey brown, the feathers tipped with white ; tail white, 

 banded dark brown ; primaries dark brown, their inner webs white. 



Length. 1 1 to 12 inches ; wing 8; tail 3*25 ; bill at front 1*25, black; irides 

 dusky ; feet dark brown, or dusky brown ; weight 7*5 oz. 



Hal. Sind, Beloochistan Coast, Kutch, Kattiawar, and nearly all over the 

 Indian Coast ; also Burmah. Occurs in flocks along the Sind sea-coast during 

 winter, especially on the mud flats. In the Kurrachee harbour it is numerous 

 on the large island-like flats, especially about Baba Island, associated with the 

 IJtrger and smaller Kentish Plovers. 



