VANELLUS. 227 



part of the crowiij very slightly (absent in most) white tipped ; tail 

 earthy or grey bi-own, darker subterminally, and all, except the central 

 feathers, tipped pale fulvous or white; primaries dnsky brown, 4th, 5th 

 and 6th with a patch of white on their outer webs ; secondaries edged 

 and tipped terminally with white; edge of the wing and under wing- 

 coverts white. 



In nuptial plumage, the white of the forehead extends broadly over 

 the eye and beyond it, behind which on the forecrown is a patch of 

 black followed by a reddish or reddish brown patch, tinged with grey. 

 The streak from the base of the bill through the eye to the ear-coverts 

 is black, and there is a large patch of black on each side of the breast ; 

 back, scapulars and tertials greyish brown; the 1st primary is the 

 longest; primaries dusky brown; wing-coverts gi'ey brown, the greater 

 series tipped with white ; secondaries white at their base and tips ; 

 under wing-coverts, chin, throat and under parts white ; the tail is like 

 the back, the middle feathers longest and dusky brown near the tip, 

 the outer ones on each side white. 



Length. — 6"75 inches, wing 4-3, tail 2, bill at front "75; bill black,, 

 irides brown, feet dusky greenish. 



Hob. — Beloochistan, Persia, Afghanistan, Punjab, N. W. Provinces, 

 Bengal, Rajputana, Kutch, Guzerat and South India. 



.^gialitis phillipinus, Lath.; Bonn. Vol/, t. 46; Jcrdon, B. Lid. 

 iii. p. 640, No. 849; Murray, Hdhk., ^ooL,>c., SiucZ, p. 209.— The 

 Indian Ringed Plovee. 



A nai'row streak above the base of the bill continued behind, uoder, 

 and through the eye to the ear-coverts, black ; crown of head and ring 

 round the neck black; a patch of white on the forehead above the black 

 frontal streak ; chin, throat, and under parts from below the black 

 collar, including the under tail- coverts, white; nape and upper plumage 

 cinereous or greyish brown; primaries dusky brown; tail with the 

 middle feathers paler than the lateral ones, except the outermost on 

 each side, which are white, with a dusky spot on the inner web; under 

 wing-coverts white. 



Length. — 7 to 7'25 inches, wing 4"5, tail 2'5, bill at front 0'56; bill, 

 black, irides brown, legs yellowish. 



Hub. — Sind, Beloochistan, Persia, Afghanistan, B. Turkiatan, NepanI, 

 Cashmere and throughout India, Extremely common in rice fields 

 and along the banks of the Indus. 



Sub-Family, -VANELLIN^.— Lapwings. 



Bill rather compressed, straight, convex at the tip; nostril in a long- 

 lateral groove ; wings pointed and long ; tail broad ; hind toe short. 



Gen. Vanellus. — Linn. 



Bill straight ; 2nd and 3rd quills longest ; shoulder of wing with a 

 small (not prominent) tubercle. 



