56 



'brought to me at all times during the S. W. monsoon, and eggs 

 as late as October, on the 3rd of which month I obtained a nest 

 containing four, together with the cock bird, which the native, 

 from whom I purchased the eggs, assured me he had caught sit- 

 ting on them. The eggs were round in form, and of a greenish 

 white ground, thickly spotted all over with dark brown spots, 

 and blotched, over this, round the larger end, with bluish grey. 

 Axis 11 lines, diam lines. 



Chara$DBIUB LONGIPES (Temminck.) The Indian Golden 

 Plover. 



These birds vary somewhat in size ; they arrive in the vicinity 

 of Colombo about the first week in October, about which 

 time, after wet weather, they may be seen on the Galle Face in 

 little flocks of three or four. They are plentiful in suitable 

 localities throughout the Province, affecting commons and the 

 drier parts of large paddy fields, and marshes : they arrive 

 here in their winter dress, without a vestige of black on the 

 under surface, and they leave again before assuming any of the 

 nuptial plumage. 



JEgiautib Pybehothoeax (TemmincJc.) The Lesser Sand 

 Plover. 



This bird is not mentioned by Layard as found in Ceylon, 

 nor is it included in Emerson Tennant's list. I fancy the former 

 mistook it for the larger bird, 2E Geoffreyi, Waghler, which he 

 says is very common in some parts of the Island. No doubt, how- 

 ever, both species are found here. This little Plover arrives 

 in flocks in this district about the first week in September, and 

 frequents the r ^ Galle Face during the winter months. I have 

 shot a good many specimens on their first arriving, and have 

 always found them females, both adult and young, the former 

 still in a partial spring dress with the light parts of the face and 



