214 



Catalogue of the Birds 



[Oct. 



This Plover is found throughout India, usually frequenting the dry 

 stony plains, or open sandy downs in small flocks, and feeding on various 

 insects. Has a feeble cry, which Colonel Sykes renders as " Deewit 

 JDeeivit.'" I found the eggs of this bird on one occasion on a grass plain, 

 on the west coast, in the month of September. They were of a light 

 salmon colour with dusky spots, 4 in number, and laid on a slight depres- 

 sion of the ground. 



Irides silvery grey ; bill black, yellow at the base ; naked skin yellow ; 

 legs do. Length nearly 12 inches ; wing 8^; tail 3 ; tarsus 

 biU to front 1 inch. 



365. — T. Goensis.— Tringa Goensi% Lath. — Char. af7'ogularis, Wag- 

 ler. — Teteehree (vulgo Teetooree), H. — Red wattled Lapwing. 



This well known bird is common throughout most of India, single 

 occasionally, but usually in small parties. It frequents the land in the 

 neighbourhood of water, feeding on various insects, chiefly vrater ones, 

 shells, &c. It has a loud shrill cry, something like ' Did he do it,' or 

 as others say ' Pity to do it.'* This call is much heard at night, even in 

 places where none were seen during the day. It is often very annoying 

 to sportsmen, hovering over him, and uttering its shrill cries for some 

 distance. 



The Teteehree is said by the natives to sleep with its legs upwards, 

 and the Indian proverb ' Teteehree se asman thama jaega^ or can the 

 Teteehree support the Heavens ? is applied to a person who undertakes 

 something far above his strength. 



Irides red ; bill at the base and fleshy skin, lake red ; tip of bill black ; 

 legs yellow. Length nearly 13 inches. 



366. — F. ventralis. — Charad. veniralis, Gray and Hardw., 111. Ind. 

 Zool.— C. coroiiatus, Vieill. ? 



I obtained a single specimen of a bird which appears to be the young 

 or female of the one figured in Gray and Hardwicke, at the edge of a 

 large tank near Jaulnah. It answers the description too (with the ex- 

 ception of the black spot on the abdomen) of Wagler's C. ventralis, but 

 that bird is described among the 3-toed Charadrii, My bird has a 

 hinder toe, though a very small one. 



This bird is evidently a link joining the VanelU to the CEdicnemi^ its 

 bill being larger and more robust than that of most Vanelli. 



Irides dark brown ; bill and legs black. Length 13 inches ; wing 8^ ; 

 tail 3| ; tarsus 2-^^ ; bill to front Iy|ths. 



