esacin^:. 653 



karwanak, H.— Talur, in Sindh — Gang titai, in Bengal, i. e., the 



Ganges Lapwing. 



The Large Stone-plover. 



Descr. — General colour above brownish sky-grey; forehead 

 white; eyebrow, ear-coverts, and moustaches blackish; shoulders, 

 winglet, some of the outermost wing-coverts, quills, and tip of 

 tail blackish ; wings and tail irregularly but broadly banded with 

 white ; beneath, with the lower surface of wings and tail, 

 white. 



Bill greenish-yellow at the base, black at the tip ; irides bright 

 pale yellow ; legs yellow. Length 19 to 20 inches ; extent 36 ; 

 wing 11 ; tail 4^ ; bill at front 2^ ; tarsus 3j. 



This large Plover is found throughout India, frequenting the 

 Sea-coast occasionally, but chiefly the stony beds or banks of 

 large rivers, alone or in small parties. It feeds on Crustacea and 

 shell fish, Avith occasionally insects. Hodgson states that it is migra- 

 tory to Thibet in summer, but I have seen it in Southern India at all 

 seasons, though I have never procured its eggs ; and Layard 

 found it breeding in Ceylon. It is a very shy and wary bird, 

 though at times it will suffer a moderately near approach. I have 

 never seen it more than a few yards away inland from the banks of 

 the rivers. It feeds much by day but probably also partially at 

 night, and has a loud harsh creaking note. Layard obtained the 

 eggs in Ceylon, of l a pale nankeen colour, with numerous brown 

 blotches.' 



Gen. (Edicnemus, Cuvier. 



Char. — Bill very stout, thick, straight, compressed, culmen 

 raised, the tip inflated both above and below ; lower mandible with 

 a strongly marked angular gonys ; nostrils long, median in a 

 groove about half the length of the bill ; wings moderately long, 

 2nd quill longest ; tail of twelve feathers, somewhat lengthened, 

 much rounded ; tarsus loi;g, reticulated ; three toes only, united 

 at the base by a short membrane ; nail of the middle toe dilated, 

 trenchant, hollowed out beneath. 



This genus comprises several closely allied species from the 

 warm and temperate regions of both Continents. The plumage is 



