sponded closely with those of our Plovèrs, freqjïen tings sandy
plains, flying and running" with great rapidity ? •. forming „a
slight nest in any accidental degression in 'the* dryi seil^and
laying four eggs. Grie example of this bird’s- egg was given,
to the Society ; and this zealous young ornithologist'had seen
others, which were all alike. The ;egg •mëâsüre'si daer -Inch
two lines in length, by elèVen lines and a half in breadth ;
it dé of a pale buffy stonê^colour, marked with • .small round.
spots of bluish grey and dull black. This - egg immediately
reminds the'observer, who is acquainted with the ef|gs?'of!owr
birds, of those of the Ring Plovers,- by itsftcploUrs and'markings.
The Pratincole has been, arranged by some" authors
with the Swallows, by others neat the Rails : but I belie
with Mr. Selby, that it ought to be included In' the fàmily
of the Plovers ; and had I known its plepfcr-like habits-.and
eggs sooner, I should have arranged it between#- Gursorius
and Charadrius.
The egg of the Pratincole is so great a rarity ^ that I liajvë
endeavoured to give a representation of it, J5y which it“-may
be known.
The bird is rare in Holland, but is occasionally seen in
Germany, Prance, _Provence,^Switzerland, and'Ætaly; ‘lit is
-more plentiful in Dalmatia, and other eastern parts of -Europe.
M. Temminck mentions, that f t - breeds in Sardinia*
and has been seen at Malta. I t is said to inhabit Senegal-,?
and I have seen specimens from. Tangiers and Tripoli. This
species has also been observed at Cairo, Smyrna, Trebizond ;
and in the- country about tlm'Caueasus it was. seen by M.
Menetries in considerable flocks : the. birds squatted close to
the ground, with outstretched wings, arid allowed a near iÉ|*
proach. The Pratincole is also found in Tartary, but is said
not to go farther north in that direction than latitude 53°.
The beak is curved, arid almost, black, and Mr.Bullo'ck
says, that whilst living, the edges of both mandibles, and the
base of the lower one?,' -Were bright scarlet orange ; the irides
y$fgLt' brown ; the head, the neck behind, the back, scapulars,
iw-ing-eove^fs: anfd tertials, nearly uniform clove-brown ; pri-
inariessmearly black; upper tail-coverts white; tail very much
forked, |$fopfeathers white?1 at the base, the other part dark
brownish black ; ? m ^ h ttefalBeather on each side as long again
as thd|ey in the mi«P|i|; the chin white;, the throat pale buff,
with-- a;;'cfescentie*15nes of black ;a'scending to each eye; breast
browr&sh buff; belly* thighs, anv<|' under tail-coverts white;
axillary'plume arid under''wi^l^yerls bay-; tBe legs reddish
purple„ bro'wh
In i-the young' bird the/efove-brown feathers of the back,
and^the wing-coverts| secondaries,. and tertials, have pale reddish
brown ^margins ; theitail-feathers’ shorter, and much less
fork*e€®|l throat phl'd'fuov n,-ithe. crescentic collar'indicated by
dark brown spdw|i breast varied with two. shades of brown ;
belly,^nd under srikfacdof thei body^and tail-feathers,' greyish
white..*
ffyPeirial'es are said to resemWfe the maltest1, The whole length
of ari adult bird near|^n inches» ;AFrorii the carpal joint to
■the end of the first quill-feather, - seven^inches.