134 PR.ECOCIAL GRALLATORES — LIMICOL.E. 



While the coloration of this species bears considerable resemblance to that of tlie Golden 

 Plovers (Charadriiis), it may be readily distinguished, in all stages, apart from other marked 

 differences, by the dusky black axillars, these feathers being either smoky gray or pure white in 

 the species of Gliaradrius. 



The well-known Beetle-head, or Black-bellied Plover, is eminently cosmopolitan 

 in its distribution, ranging over the northern portions of Asia, Europe, and iSTorth 

 America during its periods of reproduction, at other times wandering in an irregular 

 manner, in scattered groups, over Southern Asia, Northern and even Southern Africa, 

 Australia, the West Indies, and Central and South America to Brazil. 



Mr. SAvinhoe (Ibis, 1863, p. 404) mentions finding this species frequenting the 

 shores and the mouths of the rivers of Formosa during winter. This writer after- 

 ward speaks of meeting with it in small flocks, in the same season, on the river 

 mud-flats at Amoy, where they were seen up to February, but not later. One was 

 kept in an aviary at Amoy, brit appeared to have undergone no change in plumage as 

 late as the end of May. Mr. Swinhoe also records the procuring of a single specimen 

 on the Island of Hainan ; it was shot in the Hungpe Lagoon on the 30th of March. 

 Captain Sperling found this bird common at Zanzibar, where in IS'ovember he procured 

 it in immature plumage. Dr. Andrew Smith noticed it at Algoa Bay, in South 

 Africa, all through the breeding-season, and iM'onght specimens to England ; but as 

 none had the black color on the breast, it is not probable that any were actually 

 breeding. JVir. Blyth has obtained this bird at Calcutta ; and Mr. Temminck has 

 received it from Japan in both the summer and winter plumage. Specimens from 

 the Sunda Islands and from New Guinea, though killed at different seasons, were all 

 in the immature or winter plumage. This species is also included by Dr. Horsfield 

 iu liis list of the birds of Java. Dr. Midclendorff mentions this Plover as one of the 

 birds of Siberia, and gives it in his hyperborean list, which includes the birds pene- 

 trating to the extreme north. Mr. Saunders (Ibis, 1871) states that this Plover is 

 not uncommon in Southern Spain during its migrations. The first specimens were 

 obtained at Malaga in ]\Iay. During the winter few were met with, the majority 

 having evidently gone farther south. Mr. Wheelwright obtained old birds of this 

 species on the southern coast of Scania in August, in nearly full summer dress, as 

 well as those of the year, and inferred that they must have bred somewhere on the 

 European continent. He is confident they do not breed at Quick lock, nor have any 

 of its eggs been taken there by j\[r. Wolley or by any one else. Still he thinks that 

 they must breed somewhere on the Scandinavian fells, and they were found breeding 

 in 1862 in Finland, by Mr. Tristram. Professor A. Newton described an egg (P. Z. S. 

 1861) which Avas taken by Middendorff on the Taimyr River, North Russia, lat. 74°, 

 July 1, 1843; and Mr. AVheelwright received what were said to be the eggs of this 

 species from Greenland, and Avhich resembled those of the European C. pluvialis. 

 Messrs. Alston and Brown (Ibis, January, 1873) mention meeting with this species 

 near Archangel, Russia, June 2. In Great Britain, Farrell gives it as a Avinter visitor, 

 and not a natiA^e resident. It occurs at the end of autumn, through the winter, and 

 in the spring, retiring to high northern latitudes during the breeding-season, and 

 re-appearing when that season is over. Specimens in the full black plumage may 

 occasionally be procured in the London market in May. Mr. Selby met Avith a fcAv 

 of these birds in the Fen Islands in June, but could never detect any young. In the 

 Avinter this Plover is more common on the shores than inland. It is more abundant 

 in Holland and in France than in Germany, and is also found at Genoa and in Italy 

 generally, passing through Sicily on its way to and from Africa. 



