454 MR. J. E. HARTING ON THE EGGS [June 16, 



General colour light blackish brown, darker on forehead, frontal 

 tuft, back of ear, and along back ; quite black on legs. 



Underparts rather lighter-coloured, pure white on under tail, be- 

 tween thighs, and on tips, inside, and base of ears, their inner surface 

 being crossed by a bar of blackish ; the upper lip with a whitish line 

 above it, and the lower with whitish just below it. 



Mr. Keuleman's drawing gives a very good idea of this animal, 

 which measures about 21 inches in height. 



10. On the Eggs of some little-known Limicola. 

 By J. E. Harting, F.L.S., F.Z.S. 



[Keceived June 16, 1874.] 



(Plate LX.) 



The great assistance which may be derived in determining the 

 natural affinities of birds by a study of comparative oology has 

 been ably exposed by M. des Murs. No apology, therefore, seems 

 to be needed for the following brief remarks on the eggs of some 

 little-known wading-birds in the collection of the writer. It may be 

 observed, however, that, for want of a recognized standard of colours 

 amongst ornithologists, it is extremely difficult to describe an egg 

 properly, or in such a manner even as to render its identification 

 easy. For this reason, it seems better to appeal to the eye, at once, 

 by means of a coloured representation, rather than to attempt a de- 

 scription which might defeat the object in view. I have accordingly 

 confined my remarks to a description of the breeding-haunts, 

 number of eggs laid, and other details of a like nature, leaving the 

 coloured figures of such as are represented to speak for themselves. 



Glareola melanoptera, Nordm. 



Pallas described this bird (which he took for G. pratincola) as 

 very common between spring and autumn in the deserts of Tartary 

 from the Volga to the Irtish. It has since been ascertained to have 

 a much more extensive range, being found not only in Southern 

 Russia, Turkey in Asia, Persia, and Arabia, but also throughout a 

 considerable portion of the African continent, even to the west 

 coast, specimens having been received from the Gaboon, Princes 

 Island, and Damaraland. It is found also at the Cape. 



I have received the egg from Southern Russia through Herr 

 Moschler, but without any indication, unfortunately, of the precise 

 locality where it was taken. It resembles the egg of Glareola pra- 

 tincola ; but the ground-colour is clearer and less suffused with spots 

 and blotches. 



Terekia cinerea (Guldenst.). 



Several eggs of this bird were taken by Messrs. Alston and Harvie 

 Brown on the Dwina, near Archangel, in June 1872 (c/. Ibis, 1873, 



