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Show 1875.] MR. H. E. DRESSER ON HYPOLAIS CALTGATA, ETC. 97 whitish on the sides of the abdomen ; a small white spot between the ears. Measurements of a dried skin:-head and body 14 in., tail 7. Hab. Gaboon (Brit. Mus.). As far as I am aware, the type specimen of this very handsome species is still the only one which has been brought to Europe; and as it has not hitherto been figured, I have chosen it as the subject of the accompanying plate. 5. Notes on the Nest and Egg of Hypolais caligata and on the Egg of Charadrius asiaticus, Pall., together with Remarks on the latter Species and Charadrius veredus, Gould. By H. E. DRESSER, F.Z.S. &c. [Eeceived February 1, 1875.] A few meetings ago I exhibited the nest and eggs of Hypolais rama, together with the eggs of all known European species of Hypolais excepting H. caligata, which I then said I expected would closely resemble those of H. rama*. Since then I have received, through Mr. Wilhelm Schliiter, of Halle, a nest and egg, together with the bird, of Hypolais caligata, collected by a correspondent of his in the Kirghis steppes. These I have now the pleasure ter exhibit; and it will be seen that both nest and egg differ not a little from those of Hypolais rama, collected by Mr. Blanford in Persia. The egg, compared with those of that species, bears about the same affinity as the egg of H. polyglotta does to that of H. pallida, Ehr. (H. elaica, auctt.), being smaller and more pink in general hue, being of a delicate very pale pinkish white colour, sparingly dotted and marked with black and to a slight extent with dark purplish underlying shell-markings. In size the single egg I possess measures 0*6 by 0*475 inch ; and, like those of H. polyglotta, it is rather stout in form and scarcely so elongated as the eggs of H. rama. The nest is a much stouter and more compact structure than that of H. rama, and not so deep in the cup. It is carefully built of stems of plants, grass-bents, and fine roots, and is carefully lined with finer bents and a few hairs. The skin sent with the nest and egg agrees closely with a specimen from the Ural, which I compared, and which agreed with the type specimen sent to m e from Berlin for examination, as also with examples sent to me from India labelled Jerdonia agricolensis and Phyllopneuste agricolensis by Mr. W . E. Brooks. Amongst other specimens received with the above, through Mr. Schliiter, from the Kirghis steppes, are two skins, male and female, in full breeding-plumage, of Charadrius asiaticus, Pall., together with an egg of that species, which latter is especially interesting, because the egg of that rare wader appears, so far as I can gather, to have been hitherto unknown. This egg, which I now exhibit, somewhat resembles those of Eu- * See P. Z. S. 1874, p. 655. PROC. ZOOL. Soc-1875, No. VII. 7 |