CEDICNEMUS. 



79 



a pale bar across the wing except on each side of the black band across the greater wing- 

 coverts ; the median wing-coverts are uniform grey with darJc shaft-lines, exactly as in 

 (E. vermiculatus, and quite different from our bird, which has dark bases as well as shaft- 

 lines to these feathers, causing a second dark band across the wing, the white band being 

 between them. The median wing-coverts are consequently quite different also from those 

 of (E. capensis, which are all broadly barred with dark brown. 



It ranges across the African continent from Senegambia and the Niger (Hartlaub, 

 Journ.^ Orn. 1854, p. 213) to Nubia, Abyssinia (Heuglin, Orn. N.O.-Afr. p. 990), and 

 the adjoming Shoa District (Salvadori, lac. cit.). It has been erroneously recorded from 

 Natal (Gurney, Ibis, 1873, p. 259) and the Zambesi (Kirk, Ibis, 1864, p. 331). 



It is very nearly related to the Indian form of (E. crepitans, but in both forms of that 

 species the dark bar across the shoulder is emphasized by a pale margin (white in adults 

 and buff in birds of the year). 



It appears to be still nearer related to Oil. vermiculatus, if we may accept the similarity 

 of the markings on the wing-coverts as evidence of consanguinity. It appears also to 

 resemble that species in frequenting the banks of rivers rather than dry plains. 



I have been unable to find any description of the habits of this species, but am 

 fortunately able to supply the deficiency from notes furnished me by Capt. Verner, who 

 met with it during the last expedition to the Soudan in 1885. 



" In April, near Ambukol, I found many of these birds nesting. I was unaware at 

 the time that there was such a distinct species as (E. senegalensis^ but I remarked that 

 some I shot had greyish wing-coverts, and did not present the barred appearance of these 

 parts, conspicuous in our species. The eggs of (E. senegalensis are very similar to those 

 of (E. crepitans, but are decidedly smaller in size, and, generally speaking, much bolder 

 in colouring; and of three clutches taken by me, the average size is from 1"9 to 1"95 inch 

 in length, and 1*4 to 1*5 inch in breadth. In colour they are of a warm stone tint, 

 blotched, spotted, and streaked with two shades of dark brown, with faint lilac spots 

 here and there showing under the surface. I found this species nesting all along the Nile 

 as far down as the 3rd Cataract. I saw others all the way down the river, but cannot 

 say for certain whether they were (E. crepitans or (E. senegalensis. The call of the latter 

 species is peculiarly melodious and mournful, beginning with two or three piping cries of 

 the same pitch, and continuing in a descending scale. I have the most vivid recollection 

 of hearing it for the first time on the night of January 19th, when we were bivouacked 

 on the bank of the river at Abu Kru, above Metemneh, having fought our way down 

 there just before sunset. It was bitterly cold, and sleep for more than a few minutes 

 was almost impossible, and all night long the Stone-Curlews kept flitting along the 

 shore with their mournful call. The only other sound was that of our poor fellows who 

 were wounded, alid the occasional clanging call of the Egyptian Wild Goose." 



Specific 

 characters. 



Geographi- 

 cal distribu- 

 tion. 



Nearest 

 allies. 



Habits. 



