146 PR.ECOCIAL GRALLATORES — LIMICOL^. 



the 9th of that month. On the Boganida, lat. 70° N., they arrived May 24, and were 

 not noticed later than August 31. They nested on the barrens of Uldskoj-Ostrog. 



According to Mv. Henry Whitely, as quoted by Mr. Dresser, it is by no means a 

 rare bird in Japan, wliere he obtained tliree specimens, Sept. 24 and Oct. 3, 1865. 

 In India, according to Dr. Jerdon, it occurs generally in open plains, grassy downs, 

 ploughed fields, and on the edges of rivers and lakes, associating in flocks of varying 

 magnitude, and feeding on beetles and other liard insects, worms, ami the like. He 

 speaks of it as having a shrill whistling call, and as flying very rapidly. He also 

 states that many breed in that country — even toward the south, as at Nellore — 

 Avhile others were observed to ])ass northward to breed, returning in September. 



Mr. Holdworth mentions this species as being very common in Ceylon in winter, 

 especially in the north of that island, extending as far south as Columbo. Professor 

 Schlegel refers to more than sixty specimens of this species, collected in nearly every 

 island of the Malay Archipelago, and now in the Leyden Museum. 



In Australia, according to Mr. (rould, although nowhere very abundant, this bird 

 is generally dispersed all over the colonies, from Tasmania northward. Several 

 specimens were procured on the banks of the Derwent in Tasmania, and others were 

 observed in small numbers on the flats below Clarence Plains. He also killed exam- 

 ples on an island in Bass's Straits. Its habits, manners, and general economy are 

 said closely to resemble those of the Golden Plover of Europe. It frequents open 

 plains in the neighborhood of marshy lands or the sea-beach, runs with amazing 

 facility, and flies with great rapidit}'. Indications of the breeding-plumage begin to 

 appear early in the S})ring. Mr. Gould thinks that none remain to breed in any of 

 the southern parts of Australia. 



Dr. E. Grjiffe mentions finding this Plover in Tongatabu, one of the Tonga Islands, 

 where it occurred in flocks of from thirty to fifty individuals. They ran in search 

 of food on sand-banks left dry at low water, and when approached within gunshot 

 uttered a shrill tuU-kdi-twi-twi, and then took to flight. At high-water they frequented 

 the ope]i grassy places on fields and fallows. This species was found all the year 

 round on that island, but Avas more numerous from (!)ctober to March, and during the 

 season of migration. 



Mr. Layard (" Ibis," 1878, p. 262) mentions its occurrence in Xew California, where 

 it was found breeding on the islets oft' Anservata, close to Noumea ; and Mr. Blakiston 

 ("Ibis," p. 218) speaks of it as common throughout Japan. Mr. E. Swinhoe ("Ibis," 

 1874) mentions meeting with this species at Plakodadi in Japan in May. He else- 

 where gives the range of this species as throughout China. He procured it between 

 Takoo and Pekin, and states that he found it a common bird near Canton, passing 

 the summer there. He also speaks of finding it in Formosa, where it was common 

 all the year round, breeding in great abundance in marsh}'' jjlains to the sovithwest. 

 He also met with it in his excursion to Hainan, and states that it was common in the 

 marsh near the city on the 5th of February. He found it in the dry rice-fields of 

 Paklai, in Western Hainan, on the 21st of March, and abundant among the sweet- 

 potato gardens of Hoitow on the 23d of that month. On the 2d of April, at Kinnge- 

 how, he saw these birds on the beach, where they were then beginning to acquire the 

 black underdress of summer. 



According to Mr. Swinhoe, its eggs — four in number — are laid in a loose nest 

 of dried grasses and fibres placed in a hollow. They have a yellowish-gray ground, 

 blotched and spotted with deep blackish sepia, and have occasional obsolete puriDlish 

 gray spots. The eggs do not vary much in their size, are narrowed near one end, and 

 measure 1.50 inches in length l)y 1.10 in l)readth. 



