644 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



green on the lower back and rump, and with a golden fulvous tinge 

 on the scapulars ; primaries black, the first three greyish white 

 at the tip ; tail white at the base with a broad black terminal 

 band, broadest on the medial feathers ; lores, chin, throat, and 

 breast glossy blue-black ; lower breast, abdomen and vent white ; 

 lower tail-coverts chesnut. 



Bill black ; irides hazel-brown ; legs orange-brown. Length 

 12 inches ; wing 9 ; tail 4 ; tarsus 2. 



In winter the chin and throat are white. The female only 

 differs in having, it is said, a shorter crest than the male. 



The English Pee-wit is found in India only in the Punjab. 

 It occurs throughout great part of Asia and Europe. It breeds 

 in the Punjab, and the eggs were found by Theobald. Its habits 

 are very similar to those of the Indian Lapwings, and many 

 anecdotes are related of its endeavouring to allure dogs or men 

 from its young by feigning lameness, &c. It is the only species 

 of the genus. 



Gen. Chettusia, Bonap. 



Char. — Bill stronger than in restricted Vanellus ; head not crest- 

 ed ; plumage ashy ; tarsi moderately long, otherwise as in 

 Vanellus. 



In this genus the technical characters are only slightly marked, 

 but it forms a natural group, the species of which have strong 

 migratory instincts. There are three species in India, none of 

 which breed here ; two of them are somewhat rare in most parts of 

 the country, whilst the third is chiefly confined to the Northern, 

 or perhaps the North-eastern part. 



The first species differs from the other two in its mode of colora- 

 tion, partly in structure, and also in its haunts ; and it is by some 

 retained in Chettusia as restricted. 



852. Chettusia gregaria, Pallas. 



Charadrius, apud Pallas — Blyth, Cat. 1925 — Tringa keptus- 

 chka, Lepch.— C. ventralis, Wagler, Jerdon, Cat. 366— C. 

 Wagleii, Gray — The Black-breasted Sandpiper, Hardwicke, 

 111. Ind. Zool. 2, pi. 50— Gould, Birds of Europe, pi. 292. 



