or little-known Limicolse. 391 



appears to be a winter visitant, and, according to Mr. Gould 

 (Handb. ut supra), it was found by Mr. Gilbert abundantly on 

 most of the sandy points and bays. " The stomachs of those 

 dissected/' it is added, " contained the remains of small crusta- 

 ceous animals and a large portion of sand." 



In the work just quoted it will be observed that Mr. Gould 

 has substituted the name of Ochthoclromus inornatus for the 

 Hiaticula inornata of his folio publication, associating it with the 

 Ochthudromus wilsoni of America, and taking it out of the Ring- 

 Plover group [JEgialitis, Boie, Hiaticula, Gray) . I cannot help 

 thinking that his former name might have been very properly 

 retained ; for not only in plumage (especially in the forehead- 

 band, and pectoral band), but also in general structure and 

 habits, the present species is a true Ringed Plover. 



Bonaparte has placed it in two distinct genera ! In the 

 adult plumage he has associated it with C. obscur-us, Gmelin, in 

 his genus Pluviorhynchus ; whilst the same species in immature 

 garb constitutes the type of his genus Cirrepidesmus, which was 

 doubtless founded upon the Charadrius cirrhepidesrnus of Wagler. 



Slender as is the claim of this species to be included amongst 

 the Birds of Europe, it has scarcely a better title to be con- 

 sidered African. Straying through Palestine, where Mr. Tris- 

 tram {ut supra) found it in winter on the banks of the Kishon, 

 it has been observed in Kordofan, on the Red-Sea shore, by 

 Dr. von Heuglin {locc. citt.). Riippell, however, does not in- 

 clude it in his list of North-East African species. With the 

 exception of the single example in the British Museum, I have 

 seen no skins from Egypt, and have looked for it in vain in many 

 collections from the Nile. Mr. Blanford did not meet with it 

 in Abyssinia ; and although Dr. von Heuglin records it from 

 Tajurrah, in the Danakil country {ut supra), I am disposed to 

 regard its visits to Africa as only occasional in winter. It is not 

 recorded from South Africa, nor from Madagascar, where its 

 congener, the proceeding species, is common in winter. 



The habits of the two birds, however, are similar, although 

 their geographical range is not coextensive. Gregarious through- 

 out the greater portion of the year, ^. mongolicus appears to 

 pair very late. It is rather remarkable that none of the Russian 



