CHAKADRHD^E ^GIALITIS 373 



east and west coasts of tropical Africa, it is replaced by a smaller 

 and rather darker subspecies (^M. pallida). 



The following are recorded localities : Cape Colony Berg River 

 mouth and Hoetjes Bay, September breeding (Stark), Cape division, 

 January, April, July (Victorin and S. A. Mus.), Knysna, June 

 (Victorin), December, breeding (Harris), Port Elizabeth, resident 

 (Brown), East London, resident (Wood), Port St. Johns, September, 

 December (S. A. Mus.) ; Natal Durban Bay, August, December 

 (Reid) ; German South-west Africa Walvisch Bay, May, December 

 ( Andersson) . 



Habits. The White-fronted Sand Plover is found all along the 

 coasts of South Africa in suitable localities ; Layard states that it 

 is met with on inland waters as well, but I have never heard of its 

 occurrence except near the sea. It is common everywhere and 

 resident throughout the year. It does not usually associate in 

 flocks, though a good many may be found together in one locality ; 

 it runs swiftly and does not take to flight, as a rule, unless hard 

 pressed, it is also very clever at coacealing itself in any little 

 inequality of the ground. Its note is a low "pirritt," uttered rather 

 softly, and its food consists of sand flies and other small insects 

 found about the beach. 



It breeds early at Walvisch Bay in April or May according to 

 Andersson ; Stark found eggs near the mouth of the Berg River in 

 September, while at Knysna Harris obtained eggs in December. 

 Two eggs only are laid in a slight depression on the beach, often 

 lined with small pebbles and stones and very difficult to detect ; 

 Harris found nests also made among dried sea grass on an island at 

 Knysna ; in this case the lining was of chopped material. The eggs 

 are somewhat pyriform in shape, though not so markedly so as in 

 some other Sand Plovers ; they are pale stone buff- coloured, marked 

 with conspicuous spots and blotches, and sometimes scroll marks 

 of dark brown. They measure about 1-37 X I'O. 



731. .ffigialitis marginata pallida. Tropical White-fronted 

 Sand Plover. 



Charadrius pallidus, Strickland, Contr. Ornith. 1852, p. 158; Shelley, 

 B. Afr. i, p. 189 (1896) ; Alexander, His, 1900, p. 452. 



Charadrius tenellus, Hartlaul, Faun. Madag. p. 72 (1861). 



.ZEgialitis marginatus tenellus, SeeboJim, Gcogr. Distr. Charadr. p. 168, 

 pi. vii (1888). 



