300 FIRST LIST OF THE BIRDS OF 



Rather common and a permanent resident, as I have seen 

 them all the year round, though failed to find the eggs ,* they 

 go about in small parties of five and six along the banks and 

 churs of rivers. 



850.— iEgialitis minuta, Pall, apud Jerd, 



Uth May 1878, Male.— Length, 6*75 ; expanse, 12-25 ; 

 wing, 4-08; tail from vent, 2 - 10 ; tarsus, 0'92 ; bill from gape, 

 0*56; at front, 0'46 ; closed wings fall short of end of tail, 0*12 ; 

 weight, 0-87 oz. Eyelids yellow ; legs bluish grey ; irides dark 

 brown ; bill, base below and gape yellow.* 



I came across a party of four on a sandy chur, and only 

 secured one ; the testes were enlarged, from which I conclude it 

 breeds here. I never again met with this species. 



854.— Chettusia cinerea, Blyth. 



4th February 1878, Female. — Length, 15 ; expanse, 

 30'75 ; wing, 9 - 58 ; tail from vent, 4*20 ; tarsus, 30 - 5 ; bill 

 from gape, 1*66 ; at front, 1*50; closed wings equal end of 

 tail. Legs and feet, greenish yellow ; claws black ; bill, basal 

 two-thirds greenish yellow, rest black; wattles greenish yellow; 

 irides pinkish red. 



Found in small flocks which are shy and silent ; they 

 frequent the beds of jheels whenever these are dry and covered 

 with " doob" grass, especially if water is near. By the end of 

 April all have left the couutry. 



855.— Lobivanellus indicus, Bodd. 



18th May 1878, Female.— Expanse, 28*12 ; wing, S75 ; 

 tail, 4-66 ; tarsus, 3*25 ; bill from gape, 1-50 ; at front, 1*42 ; 

 closed wings fall short of end of tail, 0'20 ; weight, 6*5 ozs. 

 Leo-s dull yellow ; irides reddish brown ; eyelids and wattles, 

 rich lake red ; bill, basal two-thirds lake red, rest black. 



Common and a permanent resident ; frequents open plains 

 and cultivated fields as well as the banks of rivers. 



857.— Hoplopterus ventralis, Cab. 



2lst May 1878, Male.— Expanse, 25-0; wing, 7*60; tail 

 from vent, 3*60 ; tarsus, 2*42 ; bill from gape, 1*30; at front, 

 1*08 ; closed wings exceed end of tail, 0*15 ; weight, 5'62 ozs. 



* Please note the difference in the size of this and the male in dubia ; note that it 

 was a breeding and not a young bird ; note finally the differences in the colours of the 

 soft parts. It is impossible with the fresh birds in hand not to recognize the two 

 species ; but the females of minuta are about the size of the males of dubia, and 

 hence the confusion in the case of skins in wLich the distinction in the coloration of 

 the soft parts is lost, or nearly so. — Ed., S. F. 



