208 DBOMADID7E. 



This family consists of a single genus and species inhabiting the 

 shores of the Indian Ocean. There has been much discussion, even 

 before the peculiar nest and egg were known, as to the affinities of 

 this bird ; Blyth, on account chiefly of the immature plumage, 

 regarding it as an aberrant Tern, whilst Van der Hoeven, from 

 an examination of the skeleton, placed it next to the Oyster- 

 catcher (Hcematopus) ; and A. Milne-Edwards showed that although 

 essentially related to the latter genus, Dromas exhibits certain 

 resemblances to the Storks. Gadow * includes it in one family 

 with Cursor'ms and Glareola, and this classification is adopted in 

 the British Museum Catalogue, though Sharpef in his own system, 

 like Milne-Edwards and Fiirbringer , makes Dromas the type of 

 a peculiar family, a view which is here accepted, on account of the 

 conflicting relationships exhibited. 



Genus DROMAS, Paykull, 1805. 



Bill strong, longer than head, compressed, smooth, not grooved ; 

 cuhnen regularly curved ; angle of lower mandible prominent, 

 situated near the base ; nostrils oval, near base of bill, situated 

 in a small depression, not in a groove ; wings long, pointed, 1st 

 quill longest ; tail nearly even ; half the tibia bare ; tarsi long, 

 shielded in front and behind ; toes long, much webbed, especially 

 between the 3rd and 4th, middle claw broad, dilated on the inner 

 side, and notched or subpectinated. Eeathers of inters capulary 

 tract much lengthened, covering the lower back. 



1421. Dromas ardeola. The Crab-Plover. 



Dromas ardeola, Paykull, K. Svensk. Vet.-Ak. Handl. xxvi, pp. 182, 

 188, pi. 8 (1805) ; Blyth, Cat. p. 276 ; id. J. A. S. B. xxi, p. 352 ; 

 Jerdon, B. I. iii. p. 058; Pelzeln, Novara Reise, Vb'r/. p. 124; 

 Blyth, Ibis, 1867, p. 166 ; Beavan, ibid. p. 332; v. d. Hoev. Nova 

 Acta Acad. C. L. xxxiii, no. 7 ; Ball, S. F. i, p. 85 ; Hume, S. F. 

 ii, pp. 59, 293 ; Leage, S. F. iii, p. 220, iv, p. 246 ; Le Mess, S. F. 

 iii, p. 378; Hume, S. F. iv, pp. 451, 464, 496; Butler, S. F. v, 

 pp. 212,232, 236; vii, p. 186; Hume, Cat. no. 861 ; id. S. F. viii, 

 p. 381 ; Parker, S. F. ix, p 482 ; Leaae, Birds Ceyl. p. 991 ; 

 Barnes, Birds Bom. p. 339 ; Oates in Humes N. fy E. 2nd ed. 

 iii, p. 327 ; Finny, Jour, Bom. N. H. Soc. viii, 1893, p. 320 ; 

 Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xxiv, p. 28. 



Coloration. White, except the upper back and elongate inter- 

 scapulars, the greater coverts, and the outer webs and ends of the 

 inner webs of the primary and secondary quills, which are black ; 

 shafts of quills white ; a small speck in front of the eye and another 

 behind also black. 



Young birds have the upper parts grey, the back darker and 

 brownish, the nape and hind neck streaked with black. After 



* Bronn, Klass. Ordn. Thier-reichs, vi, pt. 4, p. 203. 

 t Keview of Eecent Attempts to Classify Birds, p. 72. 

 J Madagascar, vol. xii, Oiseaux, p. 614. Untersuchungen, p. 1228. 



