GLAREOLA ORIENTALIS. 



(Oriental Pratincole.) 



Crown and all the upper surface, brownish olive; primaries and secondaries, black; throat, white, surrounded by a broken ring of black 

 beneath; chest, greyish olive; upper part of the abdomen, buff, fading into the white of the remainder of the under surface; central feathers 

 of tail, black — the remainder white, each feather more or less largely terminated with black; upper tail coverts, white; under surface of wing, 

 rust red ; bill, black ; feet, blackish brown. 



Length, 8f inches ; wing, 7f ; tail, 8^ ; bill, l^- ; tarsus, li. 



This curious bird is not confined to Australia, its wonderful powers of flight enabling it to traverse immense distances, being 

 found in India and the intervening countries. It has occasionally been obtained in the neighborhood of Brisbane, but must be considered of 

 rare occurrence. It is exceedingly difficult to shoot, as its flight is very rapid. Its favorite resort is swampy ground, where it is to be seen 

 in small companies of about twelve. When disturbed it rises to a considerable height, performing immense circles in the air in an ascending 

 spiral direction until it becomes almost invisible, when on a sudden it descends like a flash of lightning, and as it nears the ground it flies for 

 some distance horizontally, and suddenly alights near the spot from whence it arose. 



GLAREOLA GRALLAEIA. 



(Australiun Fratincole.) 



Ciiowisr of the head and wings, greyish brown, tinged with rufous ; lores, deep brown ; cheeks, chest, and back, light rufous ; abdomen, rich 

 chestnut ; throat, upper and under tail coverts, white ; the four central tail feath-srs, vvrhite at the base, black in the centre, and tipped with 

 grey ; the most exterior tail feathers, pure white — the remainder more or less marked with black at the tips ; primaries, black on the outer, 

 and brown on the inner webs ; quill of first and longest primary, pure white ; under surface of v/ing, blackish ; bill, red at the base and black 

 at the tip ; feet, dusky brown ; irides, brovfn. 



Length to tip of tail, 8 inches ; ditto of wing, 10 ; expanse, 22 ; wing, 7^ ; tail, 2f ; bill, 1 ; tarsus. If. 



This species appears to be confined to the interior. Mr. "White, of Eeed Beds, near Adelaide, informs me he met with it in 

 moderate abundance at Lake Hope, where he saw it wading in the shallows in small companies, or flying over the surface of the water, as if 

 in search of prey. Sometimes it is to be seen walking about on the sand hills, at some distance from the water. Its flight is most rapid, and 

 it bears up against the wind like a swallow or tern. At times it is seen to rise high in the air and to fly ofi" apparently to some distant 

 quarter, continually uttering its loud whistling note. It is very difficult to shoot. The stomachs of those examined by Mr. White were 

 found to contain the remains of beetles and grasshoppers. 



