PRATINCOLE. GRALLATORES. GLAREOLA. 215 



the central parts of Asia, it is common, and indeed its geo- 

 graphical distribution seems to be very extensive, as might 

 naturally be expected from its great power of flight. It 

 feeds on flies, beetles, worms, and other aquatic insects, taken Food. 

 (as before noticed) either on wing or the ground, where it 

 runs with great swiftness. Its flight is singularly rapid, 

 surpassing perhaps even that of any of the Swallow tribe. 

 Its nest is formed amongst the rushes, and the thick herbage Nest, &c. 

 of its above mentioned localities, and it lays several eggs, of 

 which the colour has not been noticed by any author. This 

 bird, from the change of plumage it undergoes at different 

 seasons, and also attendant upon age, has been multiplied by 

 some writers into three or four species, but which are clearly 

 referable to the single one now under consideration. Two 

 species, distinct from the present one, are, however, given by 

 TEMMINCK, as found on the Asiatic Continent and in New 

 Holland, but never met with in Europe, viz. Glareola Gral- 

 laria and Glar. lactea, and which are figured in the " Planches 

 Coloriees" of the same author. 



PART I. PLATE 63. Represents this bird of the natural 

 size. 



Head, nape of the neck, back, scapulars, and wing-coverts, General 

 yellowish-brown, inclining to wood-brown, with a me- 

 tallic lustre. Throat, and fore part of the neck red- 

 dish-white, bounded by a narrow list of black, which 

 proceeds upwards and joins a black streak between the 

 bill and the eyes. Breast pale wood- brown ; abdomen 

 and vent white. Upper tail-coverts white. Tail much 

 forked, having the basal half of its feathers white, the 

 rest blackish-brown. Under wing-coverts brownish-red. 

 Quills blackish-brown. Edges of the bill, and base of 

 the lower mandible bright scarlet-orange. Legs brown- 

 ish-purple red. Irides light reddish-brown. 



