418 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 



nest, but so profusely covered with the larger blotches on a 

 lio-hter grouud that we were uncertain whether the egg belonged 

 to the same species as those iu the nest. 



On returning to the nest after an absence of ten minutes we 

 found that a fifth egg, P05 inch long and 0-8 broad, had been 

 deposited dissimilar to those originally found, and more fre- 

 quently blotched even than the one just extracted. 



This fifth egg on being exposed to the sun rapidly changed 

 color, the blotches running into spots, and changing from 

 purple and gold into brown. We again walked the patch 

 where the Quail had previously settled, and Mulock shot a hen 

 bird with evident signs that an egg had just been laid. 



Some time afterwards we rejoined Dick Cunyngham, and on 

 explaining the facts to him another bird was taken from the 

 stick and an egg was extracted. This time, however, the egg 

 broke, and it was of a pure cafe au lait color without any 

 markings and unglazed, 



The eggs * are all sent in a box for your acceptance. 

 The cry of the Rain Quail, " whit whit" was, continued 

 throuo-hoiit the day, but at three different times we were 

 puzzled with a soft liquid call of " whit whit Avhit." We 

 searched very carefully but with no result. 



Was this the call of the hen, or, as Mulock supposes, of the 

 grey bird. 



No Grey Quail were seen, but specimens of the Larger 

 Button, and the Button Quail, of the Lesser Florikin and the 

 Common Sand Grouse were secured. Two large birds came to 

 look at us, and judging at a distance, from the black head, 

 orey plumage and white below, they may have been Shahiu 

 falcons. Flocks of Rose-colored Starlings were about feeding 

 on a red hairy caterpillar, and we came aci'oss the Courier 

 Plover, the Yellow Wattled Lapwing, (856.— LoBiPLUViAf 

 malabarica, Bodd.) and the Pied Cuckoo. On the road home we 

 passed the Common Brown and White Scavenger Vultures on 

 the grouud in a group, and on the same plain shot three Desert 

 Larks, one in full moult, after mistaking them for Plover. — 

 A. LeMessurier 



Kurrachee, 16th August 1875. 



Sir, 



It may interest your readers to know that in February 

 last at the Kharaghora Salt Works, on the south-east corner 

 of the Runn of Cutch, I saw several large flocks of Pterocles 

 senegallus and Pterocles arenavius. My friend, the Collector, 



* AU the eggs sent are uuniistakeably those of the Rain Quail, 830. — C. corO' 

 wiandelica. Gm. — Ed. 



+ This species has not previously been recorded from Sindh, though already I find 

 twice reported ; this makes our total 293 species, — Ed. 



