OHARADRIADiE. 297 



one, and that again by a broad black one ; from this to the 

 end of the tail it is all pure- white ; wing-feathers black and 

 dark-brown ; the latter with the secondaries tipped with 

 white ; tail-feathers brown, glossed with green, and tipped 

 with white, the outer pair most, the middle pair least so ; bill 

 blaclc I base yellow ; cere round the eye and bill, red ; iris 

 hjvzel. Length, 6" 3'" ; wing, 4" 7'" ; tail, 3". 



This very pretty little Plover is common throughout the colony, 

 frequenting equally the sea-shore, the natural vley, artificial dam, or 

 river. I found it abundant in the water holes of the Karroo rivers, 

 and equally so on the sea-shore of the coast. It is a solitary species, 

 never appearing more than a pair, d and p , at once ; and though five 

 or six pairs may often be found within a few hundred yards from each 

 other, they keep to their respective puddles, and always return to 

 them if driven up by a passing foot. 



They run with considerable rapidity, often squat behind a stone, or 

 amid tufts of grass, to evade detection ; but when on the wing, fly 

 strong and well. They breed on the sea-shore or along the banks of 

 streams and vleys, never far from water. Their nest is a mere depres- 

 sion in the soil, unprotected by stone or bush ; and their eggs, enor- 

 mous for the size of the bird, are two in number, of a dirty-white 

 ground, profusely and minutely covered with hair streaks, having a 

 tendency to run in zones, there being always one at the obtuse end : 

 axis, 15'" ; diam., 11'". 



Their food consists of minute crustaceans, shells, and insects. 



566. Charadrius Kittlitzi, Reichenbach. 



General colour above, ashy-brown, variegated with light 

 ash ; forehead, semi- circular band round the back of the 

 head, chin, throat, and vent, white ; a black tand extends 

 across the head, just behind the white of the forehead, 

 through the eyes and behind the white collar, a black patch 

 extends from the bill to the eye ; wings black ; chest and 

 belly, isabella-yellow ; four lateral tail-feathers on each side, 

 isabella-yellow, tinged with grey, the rest dark ashy-brown ; 

 bill and legs black. Length, 6" 6'"; wing, 4" 5'" ; tail, 1" 9'". 



This little Plover is common about the chain of lagoons formed by the 

 " Salt River," and along the sea-shore near Cape Town. I have also 

 seen it in the month of September on the rocks at Green-Point and 

 on Eobben Island, and it is abundant near Zoetendals Vley. 



Hitherto our Cape bird has been confounded with Ch. JPecuarius, 

 Temminck ;* but the acquisition of the true Pecuarius by myself in 

 St. Helena has cleared up the error. They are, however, very closely 

 allied ; but the St. Helena bird inhabits stoney places, instead of the 

 banks of vleys and the sea-shore. 



* Which that author states was procured at the Cape. 



