944 
AiGIALITIS MONGOLICA. 
the last species, across the chest, extending over the sides of the neck and almost across the hind neck ; above and 
behind the eye there is a white patch joinmg the rufous ; the crown tinged with fulvous next the black band ; 
above darker brown than YE. geoffroyi, and not tinged with rufous ; the inner primaries with less white, but the 
secondaries and greater coverts tipped with white in the same way ; outer tail-feathers brown on the inner web. 
This example measures : — wing 5‘3 inches : tail 2*1 ; tarsus L * 1 5 ; bill to gape 0'8. 
Some examples have the rufous more intense than others. The example No. 1738 in the Swinhoe collection, referred 
to by Mr. Seebohm (Ibis, 1879, p. 25), is an instance of such, the front of the crown being almost as richly 
coloured as the chest. 
Occasionally the forehead is black down to the bill, the white frontal band being entirely wanting. Mr. ITarting in- 
stances a specimen from Calcutta, and others from India, as well as from New Guinea, in this plumage, and 
Schrenck describes one from the Amoor. In others the black is bordered by white feathers, and in the specimen 
which formed the type of the supposed species YE. pyrrhothorax, founded on this character, all but the tips of the 
frontal feathers are white. 
Specimens are to be met with, as mentioned below, in the hot season, which appear to be in a partial summer dress, 
with traces of a rufous band extending completely across the chest, but with the forehead brown, as in young birds ; 
these examples are, in all probability, in the second year, and, notwithstanding that they are barren birds, have 
made an advance towards the nuptial livery. 
Young , in first autumn. Upper surface slightly darker than the adult in winter plumage, with the feathers margined 
(most conspicuously as regards the scapulars, tertials, and wing-coverts) with buff and buff-grey ; forehead in 
some quite brown, in others buff at the base of the bill ; a blackish-brown spot round the anterior corner of the 
eye ; the sides of the chest fulvous, brighter in some than in others, and sometimes with this colour almost 
crossing the chest ; the upper breast sometimes shaded with buff ; iunermost secondaries with less white on the 
outer webs ; the spot on the outer tail-feathers smaller than in the old bird. 
Ohs. This species being migratory through India to Ceylon, Indian examples call for no comparison with ours. 
Measurements are given as follows : — (Furreedpore) length 8-42 inches, wing 4-73, tarsus 1 -25, bill at front 
075 ( Oripps ); (Irrawaddy delta, 5 males and 5 females) length 7‘0 to 8-2, wing 4-8 to 5-15, tarsus 1-3 to 1-4, 
bill from gape 0-85 to l - 0 ( Armstrong ) — the maximum length of bill in this case is exceptional ; (Sindh) length 
7'25 to 8-0, wing 4-8 to 5-0, tarsus 1'27 to 1-39, bill at front 0-66 to 0-71 {Hume). 
Distribution. — The Lesser or Mongolian Sand- Plover is very abundant in Ceylon, frequenting the north, 
north-west, and north-east coasts, the eastern side of the island, and the south-eastern sea-hoard, as well as 
occurring not unfrequeutly in the Galle district. I have also met with it on the islands in the Negombo lake; 
and on the Galle face (Colombo) during the north-east monsoon it is quite a common bird. I have observed 
it on the sands near Mt. Lavinia, and it may therefore he safely said to inhabit the entire sea-board of 
Ceylon. It is noteworthy that it is more often seen, and perhaps in greater numbers, on the public resort at 
Colombo, above-mentioned, than in any other locality in the Western Province. It is equally fond of the 
esplanades at Trincomalie and Jaffna, and, in fact, any bare land near the sea-shore or bordering the salt lakes 
is sure to be tenanted by it. It is, however, found on the edges of all the salt lagoons and at the mouths 
of rivers on the north and east coasts, as well as on grassy lands. In the month of October I have met it in 
large numbers on flooded meadows some distance inland on the south bank of the Yirgel. In the Hambantota 
district it was to be found in 1873 frequenting the dry shores of the leways plentifully during the hot season. 
Most individuals were in pure winter plumage, but a few showed traces of the rufescent breast. It arrives 
in the island in numbers in September and October; but not a few may be seen on the north coast some 
weeks previous to that time. It departs at the end of April and during May ; but I have no doubt that many 
immature birds remain in the island throughout the year. 
In regard to India, Jerdon met with it, he says, in the Carnatic, on the Malabar coast, and elsewhere, 
but seldom far inland ; he observes that it is bought in great numbers to the Calcutta market ; and 
Mr. Ilume remarks that a few are daily to be seen there during the season. He records it from the Lacca- 
dives, where he saw it at Cardamum. Mr. Ball met with it in Singhbhum and on the coast of Orissa, at the 
mouth of the Chandballi river. In Furreedpore Mr. Cripps only once saw it on a chur of the Muddoo- 
mutee river. How far it extends up the Ganges I am unable to say, but probably during the season of 
migration only will it be found inland. In June it has been procured at Allahabad. On the opposite side of 
