552 



8 



smaller end. Mr. Benzon writes to me that he has " eggs light brown or brownish olive, some 

 few being greyish brown or light greyish, with a few shell-markings and profuse blackish brown 

 surface blotches ; some of the varieties are roundish in shape, some much elongated, some 

 spotted and blotched with dark grey on a greyish ground, others nearly white, and some but 

 very sparingly blotched. The measurements are from 40 by 33 - 5 to 51 by 46 millims. One 

 elongated egg measures 60 by 33 millims. ; and one very small dark-coloured egg measures only 

 28 by 16 - 5 millims. He further writes that formerly the eggs were much sought after for food, 

 but that of late, a strict law preserving the birds and prohibiting the taking of their eggs in 

 Denmark having been passed, they are seldom taken. 



I refer above to the practice of selling the eggs of this species in our markets, which are 

 chiefly supplied from Holland ; but Mr. Collett informs me that they have lately decreased 

 greatly in number at Jaederen, in Norway, owing to the reckless manner in which their eggs 

 have been collected. Mr. Bahr, who resides there, states that one season from three to four 

 thousand eggs of this species were shipped to England from Egersund alone. 



With regret I find myself compelled by the laws of priority to use the name of Vanellus 

 vulgaris for the present species, instead of V. cristatus, by which latter it is so generally known, 

 but have no alternative ; for although Bechstein in his last work (Gemeinn. Naturg. 2nd ed. iii. 

 p. 346) refers to it as " V. cristatus, mihi," yet many years previously (in his Orn. Taschenb.) he 

 named it V. vulgaris ; and Wolf and Meyer, who first (I. c.) used the name V. cristatus, were 

 fully aware that Bechstein had forestalled them, as they refer to his work. 



The specimens figured are the adult male in spring plumage and young bird above described, 

 both being in my collection ; particulars as to locality are given above. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens : — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a, 6 . Leadenhall Market, May 1868 (H. E. D.). b, 6 , c, $ . Pagham, Sussex, June 20th, 1870 [R. B. Sharpe). 

 d, d , e, ?. Aboyne, Scotland (/. Waters), f. Central Russia (Sabaniieff). c/,juv. Egypt [Rogers). 



E Mus. Capt. J. Biddulph. 

 a. Sanju, 6500 feet, October 31st [J. Biddulph). 



E Mus. J. E. Earting. 



a, j ad. Harting, Sussex, April 12th, 1869 (J. E. H.) . b,2- Pagham, Sussex, September 28th, 1869 (/. E. H.). 

 c, 6 . Yarmouth, February 1870 {Gunn). d,e,pulli. Kingsbury. f,pullus. Hungry Downs, Kingsbury, 

 Middlesex, April 29th, 1868 (/. E. H.). 



E Mus. Hoivard Saunders, 

 a, 6 . Tangier, January 1872 (G. Olcese) . b, <S . Valencia, March 9th. 



