274 



CHARADRIIFORMES 



the Einged Plover. Ae. seini^ahiiata, with a distinct web between 

 the outer and middle toes, replaces the latter in North America, 

 ranging in winter to Peru and Brazil ; whereas Ae. iilacida repre- 

 sents it in China, Japan, and India. The place of the Kentish 

 Plover is taken in western North America by Ac. nirosa — with 

 white lores instead of black — which migrates to Chili. Ae. voci- 

 fera, termed " Kill-deer " from its cry, inhabits North America, and 

 extends in winter to northern South America, while it has been 

 shot even in the Scilly Islands ; the lores are brown, and the 

 fore-neck exhibits two black bands. It nests in the interior on 

 grass or ploughed fields. In Ae. monaclivs of Southern Australia, 

 the breeding male has a perfectly black head ; in Ae. asiatica of 

 Central Asia, which has wandered to Britain, the head is brown, 

 and the breast shews a black-edged chestnut band, somewhat 

 similar to that in Ae. hicincta of the Australian Eegion, and other 

 species; Ae. hifrontata of Madagascar has grey lores, and two black 

 bands on the breast. Space fails to mention all the species of 

 this large three-toed genus; but Ae. {Thinoi-nis) novae zealandiae 

 of the New Zealand area, Ae. falklandica of America from Chili 

 and Argentina southwards, and Ae. sanctae helenae, the " Wire- 

 bird " peculiar to St. Helena, should be noticed. 



Anarhynclius frontalis, the Wry-bill of New Zealand, is grey, 



with a black gorget and 

 whitish lower parts ; the 

 habits are as in Aegia- 

 litis, but the laterally- 

 twisted bill enables the 

 l)ird to pick up insects 

 from around stones with 

 the greatest ease. 



Thirteen species may 

 perhaps be included in 

 Lohivayiellus (Wattled 

 Lapwing) ; but here, as 

 in the next genus, Van- 

 ellus, there are many diversities of opinion. The two groups are 

 fairly similar in habits, nests, and eggs. Some have a hallux, some 

 not. L. pectoralis of Australia and Tasmania, L. indicus, ranging 

 from Arabia and Mesopotamia to Cochin China, L. cinereus of 

 China and Japan, which migrates as far as Bengal, L. melano- 



FiG. 58. — Wry-bill. Anarhynchus frontalis. 



