Reply to Mr. G. M. Mathews. 313 



p. 280. Hydralector. 



Metopidius Wagl. Isis, 1832, p. 279, included Parra 

 africana Lath, and P. tpnea, Cuv. 



Hydralector Wa^en, Isis, 1832, p. 280, included Parra 

 cristata Vieill. and P. gallinacea, Temm. 



In 1840 Gray indicated P.cenea Cuv. as the type of Meto- 

 pidius. P. cenea (Cuv. 1817) = P. cristata (Vieili. 1817) 

 = P. indicus (Lath. 1790). His assignment of a synonym 

 of P. anea as the type of Hydralector was, of course, iv 

 mistake and must be disregarded. The species P. cristata 

 Vieill. thus disappears from the genus Hydralector, leaA'ing 

 P. gallinucea Temm. as the type. Mr. Mathews's name- 

 Irediparra is a mere synonym o^ Hydralector. 



Sliarpe subsequently proposed Phyllopezus [Cut. Birds 

 B. M. xxiv, p. 7Q (1890)] as a new generic name for 

 P. africana. 



The number of genera made for the Jacanas might 

 probably be reduced with advantage. 



p. 301. Carpophaga. 



Carpophaga Billberg, Synopsis, Faun. Scand. i. pt. 2, 

 Table A (1828), is a name proposed for the genus of 

 Cuckoos known as Phcenicophceus Vieill. I have i>ot con- 

 sidered it necessary to support this change, which has not 

 been accepted except by one or two persons. 



XV. — Studies on the Charadriiformes. — IV. An Additional 

 Note on the Sheath-bills : Some Points in the Osteology 

 of the Skull of an Embryo o/ Chionarchus " minor" frum 

 Kerguelen. — V. Some Notes on the Crab-Plover (Dromas 

 ardeola Paykall). By Percy E. Lowe, M.B., M.B.O.U. 



(Text-figures 7-11. ) 



IV. The Skull or an Embryo of Chionarchus "minor.'" 

 During the preparation of my paper on the Sheath-bills, 

 published in the January number of ' The Ibis ' for 1916 

 (pp. 122-155), I had unfortunately no time to make a 



