or little-known Limicolse. 207 



in full summer plumage, and the birds were not in flocks ; 

 whence it may be inferred that the species was here discovered 

 in its breeding-haunts. 



No subsequent traveller, however, in these regions has yet 

 established the fact, and the eggs still remain undescribed. 

 Like other species of Limicola, this Plover, impelled by cu- 

 rious instinct, migrates southward at the approach of winter; 

 and the observations of modern naturalists show that it has a 

 very extensive range. Its usual line of migration appears to be 

 by the Red-Sea shore and Abyssinia, to South and South-west 

 Africa. Nevertheless stragglers from the main body are occa- 

 sionally carried out of their course, and are found considerably 

 to the westward of this line. Hence it is that this species has 

 come to be included in the European avifauna. Specimens pro- 

 cured in Russia, on the shores of the Caspian Sea, are in the 

 museum at St. Petersburg and the British Museum. 



Prof. Nordmann states (Voy. Demid, Russ. Merid. iii. p. 233) 

 that in April 1836 a single example was obtained near Odessa. 

 The furthest point westward at which this species has been 

 found is Heligoland, where a solitary example was killed 16th 

 Nov. 1850, for which remarkable fact we have the authority of 

 Prof. Blasius (Naumannia, 1858, p. 425, translated Ibis, 1862, 

 p. 71), who, referring to this specimen in the collection of 

 Herr Gatke, observes that it is " a young bird which un- 

 doubtedly belongs to this species, and not to C. pyrrhothorax, 

 Temminck.'" It is therefore quite possible that on some future 

 occasion the bird may occur in England. 



To the eastward of what may be considered its home, E. asi- 

 aticus strays into Northern China, where, hgwever, it would 

 appear to be by no means common. It will probably be found 

 in Thibet and Mongolia. Strange to say, it is unknown to 

 ornithologists in India, where two other red-breasted Plovers 

 are common, yE. geoffroyi (Wagler) which, as before stated, is 

 the bird which Horsfield mistook for E. asiaticus (Pall.), and 

 the smaller jE. mongolicus (Pall.), which is perhaps better known 

 as jE. pyrrhothorax (Temm.) . 



The species obtained in Palestine by Mr. Tristram, and re- 

 ferred by him (P. Z. S. 1864, p. 450) to E. asiaticus (Pall.), 



Q 2 



