CUESOKIUS COROMANLELICTJS. 979 



does not seem to extend into the far north-west, where it is replaced by the Cream-coloured Courser. Captain 

 Butler writes that it is common all over the plains of Guzerat in the cold weather, being apparently migratory, 

 as it is not found there during the hot weather. It does not occur in the northern parts of Sindh, according 

 to Mr. Hume, nor in the greater portion of Jodhpoor ; but has been recorded from the east of Sindh by Messrs. 

 James and Doig. It is rare in Cutch. About the Sambhur Lake it is, says Mr. Adam, very abundant in the cold 

 season, and associates with C. gallicus. Captain Beavan procured it near Umballah in the month of November, and 

 states that it is commoner a month later at Morar. Mr. Ball writes of it as " common on the plains of Sirguja," 

 and as also frequenting the Main Pat, a plateau of about 3600 feet elevation ; nor is it rare, he says, in 

 Birbhum, to the north of Suri. He records it also in the same direction from Hazaribagh, also from Lohar- 

 dugga, Bilaspur, Sambalpur, and Orissa, north of the Mahanadi ; likewise from Raipur, Nowargarh, Karial, 

 and the Godaveri valley. In the Deccan it is, according to Mr. Fairbank, common in the cold season, and 

 also occurs in July, while Messrs. Davidson and Wenden say that it breeds there. I have no data as to its 

 occurrence in the extreme south ; but I conclude that it inhabits the plains and open country in the Carnatic, 

 although Jerdon states that it is unknown on the Malabar coast. 



Habits. — In Ceylon the Indian Courser frequents bare pasturage, sandy plains dotted with herbage and 

 bushes, dried-up paddy-fields near the sea-shore, and so forth. In India it is to be found both in the interior 

 and near the sea, frequenting, as Jerdon remarks, " the barest plains and ploughed fields." In its actions and 

 deportment it resembles the Bustards, or still more the Collared Plain-Wanderer of Australia, Pedionomus 

 torquatus, Gould. Associating in little troops, the members of which keep some little distance apart from one 

 another, it runs hither and thither, taking a few not very rapid strides, suddenly stopping and advancing or 

 retiring in a new direction ; and when it checks itself in its progress it stretches up its head, which at all times 

 is carried very erect, as if to take a better view of its position. It does not appear to see well with the hori- 

 zontal rays of the sun in its eyes, as I found no difficulty in approaching it at sunrise under these conditions. 

 When shot at while standing and mortally wounded, I noticed that it flew a little distance as if unhurt, and 

 remained erect until it suddenly fell to the ground dead ; others w r ould squat on the soil when their com- 

 panions were fired at, as if to hide themselves. It flies with a rolling movement, something like the Roller, 

 taking rather slow flaps, and sometimes it mounts high in the air and descends to the ground with outstretched 

 wings. 



Mr. Holdsworth remarks of it : — " Its flight is heavy and flapping, like that of the Lapwings ; but it 

 runs lightly and fast; and when separated from its companions, I have more than once seen it running along 

 behind the bund of a dry paddy-field, with head lowered and wings trailing on the ground, presenting a most 

 curious appearance, as the colour of the back resembled that of the dry mud, and there was nothing to attract 

 attention but the drooping black primaries." 



Jerdon writes that it nods the head when it stops running ; and Burgess states that it has the " habit of 

 running for a distance at speed, suddenly stopping, erecting the body, and then starting off again." The fact 

 is that it rapidly covers the ground owing to the length of its stride, and not to the speed of its movements. 

 If its strides were, for instance, as rapid as those of many of our small Waders (Stints, &c.) it would move 

 exceedingly fast. Its food consists of grasshoppers, Coleoptera, and various insects ; the stomachs of some I 

 shot at Aripu were filled with a large, flat, tick-like insect. 



Nidification. — I was informed by natives on the north-west coast that this bird breeds there in the early 

 part of the year ; but I am not prepared to verify the statement, and am inclined to think it lays later on in 

 the year. 



In India it is stated to lay, as a rule, from March until July; of its nesting Mr. Hume writes: — "It 

 scrapes a slight hollow in the ground, at times on a bare plain, oftener, I believe, under some tuft of grass or 

 low bush, in stunted, straggling, dry upland jungle, and in it lays two or three eggs on the bare earth. I have 

 never seen any lining, nor have I known of more than three eggs being found." The eggs are described as 

 " very spherical and glossless ; the ground-colour is a yellowish stone-colour or fawn- white, and they are 

 closely mottled, spotted, and in some specimens lined all over with dull blackish brown and pale inky purple." 

 They average in size 1*19 by 0'97 inch. 



6K 



