360 Lieut. R. E. Yaugban and Stafif-Surg. K. H. Jones 



Glareola orien talis. 



Pratincoles occur on passage, and have been obtained in 

 March and April and during the second half of October. 

 They were seen at Shia Po and Samslmi, both places a 

 considerable distance inland. Their flight resembles some- 

 what that of a Tern, but is faster. 



HyDROPHASIS CHIRURGUS. 



The Water-Pheasant is a conamon summer visitor to certain 

 parts of Kwang Tung ; a few old birds arrive first from the 

 south, and the main body about a fortnight later. They 

 leave again late in October, and, rising from the Avater of 

 their favourite pond, they fly straight away to their winter 

 quarters. Solitary birds have been seen as late as the end of 

 November. 



These birds often rest on the water, and can swira and dive 

 well on occasion. The ciy is a mournful ^' Ah whoo ! " but 

 when the nest is interfered witli they can give vent to a sort 

 of squeaky croak. About Samshui, where there are several 

 ponds in which grow the prickly -leaved lotus, the Water- 

 Pheasant breeds in considerable numbers. The female lays 

 her first egg on the bare surface of the lotus-leaf, but 

 as others are added, she accumulates a certain amount of 

 water-weed and dead leaves, apparently with a view to 

 keejung the eggs from rolling ofl:' tlie unsteady platform. 

 As in India, the number of eggs in a clutch is invariabl}'' 

 four. 



These birds are very tame, but when their nesting-places 

 are approached the female sits in a straight line, so to speak, 

 with head and tail outstretched, and assimilates remarkably 

 to the colour of the water and the leaves about her. At mid- 

 day the eggs are left to the care of the sun, and the birds 

 feed, but in the early morning or evening they may be 

 flushed or detected with glasses on their nests. 



The eggs are laid at the end of June or early in July, and 

 the bird is not double-brooded. The eggs are of two types, 

 a brownish bronze-coloured and a greenish bronze-coloured; 

 they are pegtop-shaped, and very highly glazed. They 



