28 Lieut. W. V. Legge on the Distribution of 
whole under surface black, except here and there white patches. 
My experience goes towards testifying that the change of 
colour takes place in the existing feather, and not by renewal 
of it; and it would appear, furthermore, to be acquired with 
wonderful rapidity. It is noticeable first of all on the breast, 
on the feathers of which black marginal spots appear near the 
tip; these gradually coalesce until the terminal half is entirely 
black ; at this time small black spots appear at the tips of the 
fore-neck feathers, and the under tail-coverts become barred 
with the same hue. The white markings of the forehead and 
neck appear to be the last acquired, as at the above stage 
there is no trace of them. JEgialites mongolicus is found 
during the winter months on open grass-land, particularly in 
wet weather; its little congener JE. dubius, abundant in the 
north of the island and associating generally with it, is absent 
from this district. Rhynchcea bengalensis* is tolerably abun¬ 
dant in large extents of paddy-land, particularly in the Wack- 
welle district near Galle, as many as six couple having 
fallen on one occasion in a day's shooting last year to the 
same gun. They breed to a considerable extent in Ceylon, 
about May and June, according to reliable information as 
to actual nesting; but, curiously enough, I have had an egg 
taken from a bird in December and another in March, both 
ready for laying. Another instance occurred of a bird lay¬ 
ing an egg in a cage, recorded by Mr. Holdsworth (P. Z. S. 
1872, p. 473); and, if I mistake not, that in the possession of 
Mr. C. P. Layard, Government Agent for the western province, 
was taken from a dead bird in October. They “nest" on a 
bank or ridge in the fields out of the way of the water, and 
appear to lay two eggs. These are of a stone-yellow ground¬ 
colour, and vary much in the intensity of markings. Mine 
are blotched and washed irregularly all over with rich dark 
sepia-brown with a few pencillings of the same hue, a few 
bluish grey and light brown blotches appearing towards the 
* In the north of Ceylon I have invariably found this bird in the salt 
sedgy lands near the foreshore of tidal lagoons, where they feed much on 
small univalve shells, four or five of which I have taken whole from the 
stomach of one individual. 
