202 Mr. J. E. Harting on rare 



different species of this group, is the assumption during the 

 breeding-season of a bright rufous band across the breast. I 

 say for the present purpose, because, as will be seen hereafter, 

 the species which, on account of this peculiarity, are here brought 

 together belong to two different genera — the one an inland 

 genus, Eudromias, the other a littoral one, yEffialitis. To the 

 former, which includes the true Dotterels, belong Eudromias 

 asiaticus (Pallas), E. veredus (Gould), E. modestus (Lichtenstein), 

 E. australis (Gould), and our well-known E. morinellus (L.)"^. 

 To the latter genus, which comprises the Shore-Plovers, belong 

 jEgialitis geoffroyi (Wagler), jE. mongolicus (Pallas), and ^. 

 hicinctus (Jard. & Selby). 



Now, as regards four of these — E. modestus, E. australis, E. 

 morinellus, and jE. hicinctus, no difficulty arises. They are 

 easily distinguishable among the other red-breasted Plovers 

 by additional bands or patches of black on the breast or belly, 

 and by other well-defined characters. These may, therefore, be 

 dismissed from the present inquiry. 



Of the four remaining species, all of which, in summer, have a 

 single band of rufous across the breast, two belong to the Eu- 

 dro7nias-tyT[)e, two to jEgialitis. It is with respect to these four 

 that so much confusion has arisen, partly on account of the 

 peculiarity referred to, partly because too general a description 

 of one has been applied in turn to each of the others. In en- 

 deavouring to clear away this confusion and rectify the syno- 

 nymy, the most convenient course will be to examine the four 

 species in pairs. I will therefore commence with E. asiaticus 

 and E. veredus, reserving for another paper the comparison of 

 ^. geoffroyi and jE. mongolicus ; and it may be observed by 

 way of preface that the four names just specified are those 

 which, I believe, are entitled to priority for the four distinct 

 species to which I now proceed to apply them. 



3. Eudromias asiaticus. (Plate V.) 



Charadrius asiaticus, Pall. Reise, ii. p. 715 (1773) ; Lath. Syn- 

 opsis, iii. p. 207 (1785) ; Id. Ind. Oru. ii. p. 746 (1790) ; 



* I omit E. montamis (Townsend) ; for this species never assumes, at 

 any season, a rufous pectoral band. 



