SOCIABLE PLOVER. 



Charadriid^.] 



VANELLUS GREGARIUS (Pallas). 



Explanation of Plate. 



Figure 1. Astrakhan, April 10, 1888. 

 „ 2. Ditto. May 1891. 

 „ 3. Ditto. Ditto. 



„ 4. Ditto. April 30, 1893. 



In collection of H. Massey, Esq. 



„ 5. Lower Volga, S. Russia, April 20, 1888. \ In collection of H. E. Dresser, 

 „ 6. Ditto. Ditto. J Esq. 



„ 7. Astrakhan, May 1891. In collection of H. Massey, Esq. 



There is only a single British record of this species, an example having been 

 shot in Lancashire about 1860. 



Phof. M. Menzbier, of Moscow University, has favoured me vs^ith an account of 

 the geographical distribution and habits of this species, which I translate as 

 follows: — "The Sociable Plover is widely distributed on the steppes of Turkestan 

 and South-west Siberia, as far east as Lake Saisan, and of European Russia. In 

 the Perm Government it penetrates as far north as lat. 56^° N. in the Ekaterinburg 

 district, but only nests in the south-eastern portion of the Government between 

 the borders of the Schradrinsk district and Lake Tschebakul. Eversmann fixes 

 the northern limit of this species between the Ural Mountains and the Volga at 

 lat. 53° to 54° N., and says it is very common on the steppes between the Rivers 

 Volga and Ural, around Samara, Busuluk, Orenburg, and Orsk, throughout the 

 Kirghis Steppes, on the Ust-Urt Plateau, and on the Caspian and Aral Seas. It 

 nests freely in the whole of the Orenbui-g region, though only occurring on the 

 lower courses of the River Ural on spring and autumn migration. It is rare and 

 does Qot breed at the mouth of the Volga, but nests freely on the River Sarpa. 

 Further Avest, details respecting the nesting of this species are very meagre. 

 Bogdanow saw a pair on June 30, 1870 (O.S.), near Gusselki, between the Rivers 

 Uowlja and Medweditza. Zarudny says this species nests, though uncommonly, in 



2f 



