68 BRITISH BIRDS. 



Genus GLABEOLA. 



The Pratincoles were most unaccountably placed by Linnaeus in the 

 genus Hirundo \ though Brisson in 1760 placed them in their true position 

 near the Plovers in his ' Ornithologia/ v. p. 141, establishing the genus 

 Glareola for their reception ; the Common Pratincole (G. pratincola), 

 being the Glareola glareola of Brisson, is the type. 



The Pratincoles have the tarsus scutellated both in front and at the 

 back ; the bill is somewhat similar in shape to that of the Plovers and 

 Lapwings, but with the basal straight portion much shorter; and the 

 hind toe is very small. They may readily be distinguished by the more or 

 less forked tail. 



Nine species of Pratincoles are known, which are distributed throughout 

 the temperate and tropical portions of the Old World. 



In many of their habits the Pratincoles show close affinity with the 

 Plovers. Like those birds, they principally frequent sandy steppes, 

 marshes, and the sides of lakes and rivers. They are gregarious and breed 

 in colonies. They run and walk with ease, and their flight is rapid and 

 well sustained. Their food consists largely of insects, which are often 

 captured in the air, worms, &c. Their notes are harsh. They make 

 little or no nest, depositing their two or three eggs in a slight depression 

 in the ground. 



