332 VANELLINJE. 



SUB-FAMILY, Vanellinae. 



Of moderate or largish size ; legs lengthened ; bill moderately 

 strong ; a short hind-toe frequently present. 



GENUS, Vanellus, Lin. 



Bill moderate, straight, compressed at the base ; nostrils 

 linear in a cleft occupying two-thirds of the upper mandible ; 

 wing pointed, fourth and fifth quills longest ; shoulder of wing 

 with a tubercle ; tail nearly even ; a very short hind-toe ; head 

 crested. 



Vanellus vulgaris, Bechst. 



851. V. cristatus, Mey. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. II, 

 p. 643 ; Murray's Vertebrate Zoology of Sind, p. 228. 



THE CRESTED LAPWING. 



Length, 12 ; wing, 9 ; tail, 4 ; tarsus, 2. 



Bill black ; irides hazel-brown ; legs orange-brown. 



Head with lengthened slender crest black ; behind the eye, 

 ear-coverts, nape, and sides of neck, white ; upper plumage 

 green, glossed with purple and coppery, becoming golden-green 

 on the lower back and rump, and with a golden fulvous tinge 

 on the scapulars ; primaries black, the first three greyish- white 

 at the tip ; tail white at the base with a broad black terminal 

 band, broadest on the medial feathers ; lores, chin, throat, and 

 breast glossy blue-black ; lower breast, abdomen, and vent 

 white ; lower tail-coverts chesnut. 



In winter, the chin and throat are white. 



The female only differs in having a shorter crest than the 

 male. 



The Peewit is a cold weather visitant to Northern Sind ; it 

 does not occur elsewhere within our limits. 



GENUS, Chettusia, Bonap. 



Bill stronger than in restricted Vanellus ; head not crested ; 

 plumage ashy ; tarsi moderately long, otherwise as in Vanel- 

 lus. 



Chettusia gregaria, Pall. 



852. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. II, p, 644 ; Butler, Guzerat ; 

 Stray Feathers, Vol. IV, p. 12 ; Deccan, Stray Feathers, Vol. 

 IX, p. 426 ; Murray's Vertebrate Zoology of Sind, p. 229. 



THE BLACK-SIDED LAPWING. 



Length, 13 ; wing, 8'5 ; tail, 3'5 ; tarsus, 2'3 ; bill at front, 

 1-2. 



Bill black ; irides dark- brown ; legs dull black. 



Forehead and superciliary band passing round to the occiput 

 white ; top of the head black ; back of neck and upper plumage 

 generally of an olivaceous-brown, tinged with grey ; primaries 



