MGIALITIS TRICOLLARIS. 663 
of the coast. It is a solitary species, never appearing more than a 
pair, male and female, 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 strongly 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 depression in the soil, 
unprotected by stone or bush; and their eggs, enormous for the 
size of the bird, are two to five 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. Mr. Chapman, who found the bird at the Zambesi, 
states that this is the companion of the hippopotamus and warns 
him of danger. Mr. Bradshaw met with it in the Orange River, 
and we are informed by Mr. Rickard that it is common both at Port 
Elizabeth and East London. In Natal, writes Mr. Ayres, “ these 
pretty little Plovers are by no means common; they are mostly 
found on the muddy banks of creeks, amongst the mangroves, 
either singly or in pairs; at first sight they might easily be 
mistaken for Water-Wagtails, their movements and appearance 
being very similar; their flight is rapid ; they feed on small marine 
insects, and swallow a very fair share of pebbles to aid digestion.” 
‘Mr. Frank Oates procured a specimen at Durban, and according to 
the observations of Majors Butler and Feilden and Capt. Reid it 
was abundant in all the vleys in the part of Natal visited by them, 
being seen in parties of seldom more than three or four together, 
and not associating in flocks. Mr. T. EH. Buckley also found the 
species common throughout Natal and the Transvaal, frequenting 
the banks of streams. Mr. Ayres writes: “‘ I found a pair of these 
birds breeding on an island in the centre of the Vaal River in 
the month of November. The eggs, two in number and much 
incubated, were laid on the bare sand, exposed to the heat of the 
sun, which, one would think, was enough to cook them. The nest 
was formed by a few very small whitish and white stones in a slight 
excavation. The eggs were of a creamy white, much marked through- 
out with dark umber-brown lines, which were especially numerous 
(ee 
