the Birds of Chinkiang. 21 
which the eggs are laid. The birds appear to leave very 
early, and when going over their breeding-grounds in 
September I did not see a single individual. 
I did not take any eggs myself during my two nesting- 
seasons at Chinkiang, but procured some through my col- 
lectors. On the 5th of July I bought a clutch of three, a little 
incubated, on the 8th a clutch of four, on the 10th two a 
little incubated, on the 20th four also incubated, and on the 
26th one nearly fresh. 
All these are of the usual flat-ended peg-top shape, 
and range in colour from yellowish olive to deep bronze. 
Fresh or nearly fresh eggs are intensely smooth and glossy, 
but the gloss seems to wear off as incubation proceeds. 
Thirteen eggs average 1°38 x 1:05’’, and range in length 
from 1:30 to 1:47”, in breadth from 1°03 to 1:09". 
176. VaNneLuus cristatus Wolf & Meyer. 
Styan, Ibis, 1891, p. 504. 
Common enough during winter. 
177. Cuetrusta CINEREA (Blyth). 
Lobivanellus cinereus Blyth ; Styan, Ibis, 1891, p. 503. 
Chettusia cinerea (Blyth); La Touche & Rickett, Ibis, 
1905, p. 61. 
Appears in February. A fair number breed in the country 
round about Chinkiang. A pair seen on May 19 flying 
about a wheat-field had eggs or young, probably the latter. 
The birds flew over the field, coming at times quite close to 
me and screaming harshly all the time. <A clutch of three 
eggs given to me on May 6, and another, also of three eggs, 
bought from a native on May 19, resemble the figure of the 
egg of this species in the ‘ Catalogue of Eggs in the British 
Museum.’ They are olive-buff, more or less heavily spotted 
and blotched, chiefly at the larger end, with blackish brown 
over dull purplish-grey underlying spots and blotches. The 
shape is somewhat pyriform-ovate with pointed or else slightly 
rounded apex. The eggs of the first clutch measure 1°80 x 
1:35”, 1°87 1:38”, and 1:°90x1:37"; those of the second 
1°80 x 1°33”, 1°82 x 1°32”, and 1°83 x 1:35". 
