184 A MANUAL OF THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
very heavily) with irregular-shaped markings of dark brown and underlying ones of 
grey ; axis 32-33 mm., diameter 23.5 to 24.5. 
Breeding-season September to February. 
Distribution and forms.—Through the Molucca Islands and Australia. No 
subspecies have been separated. 
Genus PELTOHYAS. 
Peltohyas Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., Vol. XXIV., p. 307, (July 10th) 1896. Type (by 
monotypy): Eudromius australis Gould. 
Glareoline birds with rather long bills, short wings, short tail, and long legs 
with small feet. The bill is long, with the tip very little decurved ; the depression 
in which the nostrils lie extends more than half the length of the bill; the nostrils 
are linear and placed at the anterior end of this depression ; lower mandible is 
straight, with the gonydial angle little marked, but more so than in most genera 
of this family. The wings are short, with the first primary longest. The tail is 
short and rounded, less than half the length of the wing. The legs are long ; the 
tarsus is regularly scutellate in front and behind ; the toes are short, and the middle 
claw is not pectinate; while there is no hind-toe. 
The status of this genus requires confirmation from criticism of immature 
and nestling specimens and also osteologica] examination, as if the present location 
should prove to be inaccurate it is quite aberrant wherever it may be placed. 
128. Peltohyas australis—DOTTEREL. 
Gould, Vol. VI., pl. 15 (pt. x.), Dec. Ist, 1843. Mathews, Vol. III., pt. 4, pl. 172, Dec. 
31st, 1913. 
Eudromius australis Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. (Lond.), 1840, p. 174, July 1841: interior 
Australia (South Australia). 
Charadrius australis whitlocki Mathews, Nov. Zool., Vol. XVIII., p. 218, Jan. 31st, 1912: 
Daydawn, mid-West Australia. 
DiIsTRIBUTION.—South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, West Australia. 
Adult male—General colour of the upper-surface rufous and dark brown, the 
feathers being dark brown broadly margined with rufous, the dark pattern becoming 
paler on the lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts ; outer edge of wing rufous ; 
bastard-wing and primary-coverts dark brown tipped with rufous ; primary-quills 
black on the outer webs and at the tips, shaft of first or outer primary white, remainder 
reddish-brown, inner webs rufous, some of the inner primaries rufous on the outer 
webs ; secondaries brown with rufous margins ; tail dark brown, the feathers edged 
with sandy-rufous and white ; hinder crown and nape like the back ; a broad black 
band across the top of the head which is continued in a narrow line backward over 
the eye on to the sides of the neck, where it joins a narrow collar on the hind-neck 
which is extended on the fore-neck and ends in a point on the middle of the breast ; 
a black patch from below the eye to the sides of the throat ; ear-coverts buff streaked 
with black ; a spot behind the eye, chin, and throat fawn colour, somewhat darker 
on the lower throat ; sides of breast and sides of body rich fawn colour; the feathers 
adjoining the black mark on the fore-neck much paler as also a spot below the ear- 
coverts ; middle of abdomen and flanks deep chestnut ; vent, thighs, and under 
tail-coverts white tinged with buff ; under wing-coverts and axillaries fawn colour, 
rather paler than the sides of the body ; bill black, paler at base ; iris dark brown ; 
tarsi and feet drab colour. Total length 221 mm.; culmen 17, wing 142, tail 65, 
tarsus 34. 
Adult female—Similar to the adult male. 
