184 A MANUAL OF THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



very heavily) with irregular-shaped markings of dark brown and underlying ones of 

 grey ; axis 32-33 mm., diameter 23.5 to 24.5. 



Breeding-season. September to February. 



Distribution and forms. Through the Molucca Islands and Australia. No 

 subspecies have been separated. 



Genus PELTOHYAS. 



PeUohyas Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. f Vol. XXIV., p. 307, (July 10th) 1896. Type (by 

 monotypy) : Eudromius australis Gould. 



Glareoline birds with rather long bills, short wings, short tail, and long legs 

 with small feet. The bill is long, with the tip very little decurved ; the depression 

 in which the nostrils lie extends more than half the length of the bill ; the nostrils 

 are linear and placed at the anterior end of this depression ; lower mandible is 

 straight, with the gonydial angle little marked, but more so than in most genera 

 of this family. The wings are short, with the first primary longest. The tail is 

 short and rounded, less than half the length of the wing. The legs are long ; the 

 tarsus is regularly scutellate in front and behind ; the toes are short, and the middle 

 claw is not pectinate ; while there is no hind-toe. 



The status of this genus requires confirmation from criticism of immature 

 and nestling specimens and also osteological examination, as if the present location 

 should prove to be inaccurate it is quite aberrant wherever it may be placed. 



128. Peltohyas australis. DOTTEREL. 



Gould, Vol. VI., pi. 15 (pt. xiii.), Dec. 1st. 1843. Mathews, Vol. III., pt. 4, pi. 172, Dec. 

 31st, 1913. 



Eudromius australis Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. (Lond.), 1840, p. 174, July 1841 : interior 

 Australia (South Australia). 



Charadrius awtralis whitlocki Mathews, Nov. Zool., Vol. XVIII., p. 219. Jan. 31st. 1912 : 

 Daydawn, mid-West Australia. 



DISTRIBUTION. South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, West Australia. 



Adult male. General colour of the upper-surface rufous and dark brown, the 

 feathers being dark brown broadly margined with rufous, the dark pattern becoming 

 paler on the lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts ; outer edge of wing rufous ; 

 bastard -wing and primary -co verts dark brown tipped with rufous ; primary -quills 

 black on the outer webs and at the tips, shaft of first or outer primary white, remainder 

 reddish-brown, inner webs rufous, some of the inner primaries rufous on the outer 

 webs ; secondaries brown with rufous margins ; tail dark brown, the feathers edged 

 with sandy-rufous and white ; hinder crown and nape like the back ; a broad black 

 band across the top of the head which is continued in a narrow line backward over 

 the eye on to the sides of the neck, where it joins a narrow collar on the hind-neck 

 which is extended on the fore-neck and ends in a point on the middle of the breast ; 

 a black patch from below the eye to the sides of the throat ; ear-coverts buff streaked 

 with black ; a spot behind the eye, chin, and throat fawn colour, somewhat darker 

 on the lower throat ; sides of breast and sides of body rich fawn colour ; the feathers 

 adjoining the black mark on the fore-neck much paler as also a spot below the ear- 

 coverts ; middle of abdomen and flanks deep chestnut ; vent, thighs, and under 

 tail-coverts white tinged with buff ; under wing-coverts and axillaries fawn colour, 

 rather paler than the sides of the body ; bill black, paler at base ; iris dark brown ; 

 tarsi and feet drab colour. Total length 221 mm. ; culmen 17, wing 142, tail 65, 

 tarsus 34. 



Adult female. Similar to the adult male. 



