024 HIMANTOPUS CAND1DTJS. 



from April to June; and the only localities where they are known to breed are the salt-works in the Goorgaon 

 district near Delhi, a locality called Toomulgoodiun near Secundcrabad, and the salt lake of Sambhur. 

 Mr. Hume says " they collect together small pieces of kunker, or the broken lime lining of the pans, into a 

 circular platform, from 7 to even 12 inches in diameter, and from 2 to 3 inches in height ; on this, again, 

 they place a little dry grass, on which they usually lay four eggs." These nests are situated on small strips 

 of ground from a foot to five or six in width, which divide the salt-pans of collecting-spaces from one another, 

 and they are placed close together, as many as twenty-seven being found in one strip 100 feet long. "So 

 accustomed/' writes the author in question, "were the birds to the workmen walking up and down the middle 

 of this strip that many of the birds never moved, though we passed within inches of them ; and those that 

 did move merely stalked leisurely a few paces away into the salt-pans on either side." The eggs varied as 

 much as they do in Ceylon, and the average of a large series was 1-6-1 by 1'21 inch. 



Eggs of this species, which I have examined in Mr. Dresser's collection, and which were taken in Europe, 

 are similar in marking to mine — ochreous stone and olivaceous stone in ground-colour, and handsomely 

 marked with blackish sepia, taking, in some specimens, the form of large handsome blotches, and in others 

 of smaller, rather streaky-edged spottings. Dimensions as follows: — 172 by 1*28 inchj 171 by T2G; 

 1-74 by 1-25. 



Genus RECURVIROSTRA. 

 Bill long, slender, hard, curved upwards to the tip, which is very thin and pointed ; both 

 mandibles channelled. Nostrils linear. Wings long and pointed. Tail rather short. Legs long 

 and slender ; tibia bare much above the knee ; anterior toes united by a moderately-developed 

 web, which is notched in the centre ; hind toe minute, but perfect and with a claw. 



