Vv GLAREOLIDAE 295 
rufus, of South Africa, which has a black abdominal patch. 
C. temmincki (senegalensis), of most of the Ethiopian Region, and 
C. coromandelicus, of India and Ceylon, are similar, but have the 
nape black and white, the latter possessing white tail-coverts. 
In the remaining species (Rhinoptilus of some authors) the 
bill is almost straight. C. bicinctus of South Africa is mottled 
with brown above, having much chestnut on the wings, white 
tail-coverts, and buff under parts crossed by two black pectoral 
bars. C. bisignatus, ranging from East Africa to Benguela, and 
Chartingt of Somali-Land, are hardly more than races of the above. 
C. cinctus of East Equatorial Africa, and the barely separable C. 
seebohmi of South-West Africa, are easily recognised by the four 
bands on the white lower surface, the highest and lowest being 
brown, and the two intermediate black, with a streaky buff space 
between them. (. chalcopterus, of the Ethiopian Region generally, 
and C. albifasciatus with a more distinct white alar bar, are plain 
brown birds with metallic purple hues on the black primaries, white 
post-ocular streak and throat, and white belly surmounted by a 
black band. C. bitorquatus, of the districts near Madras, differs in 
shewing below three successive bands or gorgets, one of rufous and 
two of brown, separated by white. Though all Coursers agree in 
general habits, the last three seem to prefer bushy ground, and 
C. rufus will perch in trees. 
Pluvianus aegyptius, apparently allied to Cursorius, inhabits 
West and North-East Africa, wandering to Palestine and South 
Europe, and being even recorded from Sweden. The head, nape, 
and long mantle-feathers overhanging the grey back are glossy 
black ; the wings and tail are black and white varied with grey, 
the lower parts rufous-white with a black pectoral band, while a line 
of white encircles the crown. This bird, called “ Zic-zac ” from its 
noisy chattering ery (cf. p. 276),1s usually seen skimming swiftly 
over the water, or running and feeding along the shores. The 
yellowish stone-coloured eggs, with umber and grey markings, are 
commonly found buried in the sand, but so are those of the Ringed 
Plover in wind-swept spots. Probably this species, and not Hop- 
lopterus spinosus, is the tpoxyidos of Herodotus, the Crocodile-bird 
of later writers, which enters the Crocodile’s mouth to feed. 
Here may possibly be placed the mottled rufous, black, and 
white Ortyxelus meiffreni of West and North-East Africa.’ 
1 Cf. Sharpe, bis, 1892, p. 543 ; but it seems nearer to Turnix (p. 187). 
