958 ^EGIALITIS JEEDONI. 



however, being a mellow whistle, which, when I approached the vicinity of where they appeared to be nesting, 

 was uttered more loudly and with a sharp finish. In flight they resembled their larger relative. 



Nidification. — All my endeavours to find the nest of this species, by putting the bird off it, or by tracing 

 it to the vicinity of its eggs, and then discovering them, were unsuccessful ; and I am of opinion that the birds 

 for whose nests I searched had young concealed in the grass or among the stones. However, while taking the 

 eggs of the Stilt and the Kentish Plover on the island mentioned in a former article, I discovered two nests 

 containing eggs different to those of the latter, and which, in all probability, belong to the present species. 

 There were no little Ringed Plovers on the island at the time I found the nests ; but they may have flown 

 off when I approached, and might easily have passed unnoticed among the hundreds of Stilts, Kentish Plovers, 

 and Little Terns which were thronging the air aud the neighbouring shores in the usual state of excitement 

 manifested when a large breeding-colony is invaded. The nests were situated in strips or deposits of flood - 

 " wreck," in which little hollows were scraped, and lined with little pieces of dried grass, stick, &c. The 

 eggs were three in number, of a brownish-olive or dusky clay-colour, marked round the larger end with a zone of 

 irregular blackish spots and short streak-like marks, with which the rest of the surface is sparingly covered ; 

 others were spotted openly throughout with regular-edged blotches of black, under which were spots of inky 

 grey. In shape they are broad ovals, pointed at the small end, but not compressed, resembling, in fact, the 

 eggs of the Kentish Plover in form. They vary in size from 1"17 to 1T5 inch in length by from 085 to 

 0-84 in breadth. 



GRILLE. 

 CHARADRIID.E. 

 Subfam. VANELLIN.E. 

 Bill formed as in the last subfamily, but slightly longer. Wings lengthened, as also the 

 legs. Hind toe absent or present rudimentarily. 



A spur at the point of the wing in nearly all. Face ornamented with lappets in many. 

 Sternum with two notches in each half, the outer wide and deep, the inner round and closed 

 like a foramen. 



Genus CHETTUSIA. 

 Bill moderate, straight, compressed ; the tip horny and elevated ; nostrils linear, in a long 

 groove continued to the horny tip. Wings long, pointed ; the 1st or 2nd quill the longest ; 

 tertials lengthened ; a rudimentary tubercle at tbe shoulder. Tail moderate, even, of 12 feathers. 

 Legs long and tolerably robust. Tarsus covered with reticulated scales, and twice the length of 

 the middle toe ; outer toe connected at the base to the middle by a web ; hind toe and claw minute. 



