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Show 454 MR. J. E. HARTING ON THE EGGS [Julie 16, General colour light blackish brown, darker on forehead, frontal tuft, back of ear, and along back ; quite black on legs. Underparts rather lighter-coloured, pure white on under tail, between thighs, and on tips, inside, and base of ears, their inner surface being crossed by a bar of blackish ; the upper lip with a whitish line above it, and the lower with whitish just below it. Mr. Keuleman's drawing gives a very good idea of this animal, which measures about 21 inches in height. 10. O n the Eggs of some little-known Limicola?. B v J. E . H A R T I N G , F.L.S., F.Z.S. [Eeceived June 16, 1874.] (Plate LX.) The great assistance which may be derived in determining the natural affinities' of birds by a study of comparative oology has been ably exposed by M . des Murs. No apology, therefore, seems to be needed for the following brief remarks on the eggs of some little-known wading-birds in the collection of the writer. It may be observed, however, that, for want of a recognized standard of colours amongst ornithologists, it is extremely difficult to describe an egg properly, or in such a manner even as to render its identification easy. For this reason, it seems better to appeal to the eye, at once, by means of a coloured representation, rather than to attempt a description which might defeat the object in view. I have accordingly confined m y remarks to a description of the breeding-haunts, number of eggs laid, and other details of a like nature, leaving the coloured figures of such as are represented to speak for themselves. GLAREOLA MELANOPTERA, Nordm. Pallas described this bird (which he took for G. pratincola) as very common between spring and autumn in the deserts of Tartary from the Volga to the Irtish. It has since been ascertained to have a much more extensive range, being found not only in Southern Russia, Turkey in Asia, Persia, and Arabia, but also throughout a considerable portion of the African continent, even to the west coast, specimens having been received from the Gaboon, Princes Island, and Damaraland. It is found also at the Cape. I have received the egg from Southern Russia through Herr Moschler, but without any indication, unfortunately, of the precise locality where it was taken. It resembles the egg of Glareola pratincola ; but the ground-colour is clearer and less suffused with spots and blotches. TEREKIA CINEREA (Giildenst.). Several eggs of this bird were taken by Messrs. Alston and Harvie Brown on the Dwina, near Archangel, in June 1872 (cf. Ibis, 1873, |
