330 DEOMADID^. 



granulated ; in colour they are pure white, without any spot or 

 markings of any kind. Held up against the light, the shell is of 

 a pale greenish yellow. Some of the eggs exhibit a very slight 

 gloss. 



In size the eggs vary from 2-42 to 2-66 in length, and from 1'73 

 to 1'85 in breadth ; but the average of twenty is 2-54 by 1"77. 



These dimensions are large for the size of the bird. If we 

 compare the following species : — 



„ „ . Average weight Average Dimensions of Eggs. 



Name of species. of the bird Length. Breadth. 



JEsaciiS reeurvirostris ... ] lb. 12 ozs. 2'15 1'6 



„ moffnirostris ... 2 lbs. 4 ozs. 2'55 1'75 



(Edicnemus scolopax, lb. 12 ozs. 19 1'39 

 small Indian race. 



Dramas ardeola lib. ozs. 254 1'6 



H<Bmatopus ostraUgus ... lib. 6 ozs. 2'2 1'6 



we see that, though almost the smallest bird of the lot, its eggs 

 are almost the biggest, quite as large as those of y^. magnirostris, 

 which weighs 2| times what it does, and very much larger than 

 those of ^. recurvirostris, which weighs nearly double what it 

 does. 



And, moreover, the eggs do not bear the slightest resemblance, 

 and have nothing absolutely akin, to those of any one of the above- 

 mentioned species, which have usually been considered its nearest 

 allies. 



If I was to name any genus, I should say that the eggs and 

 breeding-habits of the Crab-Plovers were closer to those of the 

 Shearwaters than to those of any other with which I am ac- 

 quainted. 



The following additional testimony is furnished by Mr. H. Par- 

 ker, who, writing of North-west Ceylon, says : — '"June. This bird 

 breeds, as Captain Legge supposed, at Adam's Bridge. I examined 

 part of the sandbanks myself, unsuccessfully, beyond meeting 

 with a few non-breeding birds and a partly-excavated 'nest-hole, 

 and then sent on an overseer, who has had a special training in 

 oology and collecting, and who is particularly observant and 

 accurate, to complete the examination up to Bamesvaram. He 

 reported the discovery of seventeen nests, all containing young, in 

 a colony on one bank ; but as the particulars noted by him on the 

 spot differ in some respects from other accounts, I reserve them 

 for further verification." 



