GLAREOLIDAE 295 



rufus, of South Africa, which has a black abdominal patch. 

 C. temmincki (senegalensis), of most of the Ethiopian Region, and 

 C. coromandelicus, of India and Ceylon, are similar, but have the 

 nape black and white, the latter possessing white tail-coverts. 



In the remaining species (Bhinoptilus of some authors) the 

 bill is almost straight. C. licinctus of South Africa is mottled 

 with brown above, having much chestnut on the wings, white 

 tail-coverts, and buff under parts crossed by two black pectoral 

 bars. C. lisignatus, ranging from East Africa to Benguela, and 

 C. hartingi of Somali-Land, are hardly more than races of the above. 

 C. cinctus of East Equatorial Africa, and the barely separable C. 

 seebohmi of South- West Africa, are easily recognised by the four 

 bands on the white lower surface, the highest and lowest being 

 brown, and the two intermediate black, with a streaky buff space 

 between them. C. chalcopterus, of the Ethiopian Eegion generally, 

 and C. albifasciatus with a more distinct white alar bar, are plain 

 brown birds with metallic purple hues on the black primaries, white 

 post-ocular streak and throat, and white belly surmounted by a 

 black band. C. bitorquatus, of the districts near Madras, differs in 

 shewing below three successive bands or gorgets, one of rufous and 

 two of brown, separated by white. Though all Coursers agree in 

 general habits, the last three seem to prefer bushy ground, and 

 C. rufus will perch in trees. 



Pluvianus aegyptius, apparently allied to Cursorius, inhabits 

 West and North-East Africa, wandering to Palestine and South 

 Europe, and being even recorded from Sweden. The head, nape, 

 and long mantle-feathers overhanging the grey back are glossy 

 black ; the wings and tail are black and white varied with grey, 

 the lower parts rufous-white with a black pectoral band, while a line 

 of white encircles the crown. This bird, called " Zic-zac " from its 

 noisy chattering cry (cf. p. 276), is usually seen skimming swiftly 

 over the water, or running and feeding along the shores. The 

 yellowish stone-coloured eggs, with umber and grey markings, are 

 commonly found buried in the sand, but so are those of the Einged 

 Plover in wind-swept spots. Probably this species, and not Hop- 

 lopterus spinosus, is the r/oo^/Xo? of Herodotus, the Crocodile-bird 

 of later writers, which enters the Crocodile's mouth to feed. 



Here may possibly be placed the mottled rufous, black, and 

 white Ortyxelus meijfreni of West and North-East Africa. 1 



1 Cf. Sharpe, Ibis, 1892, p. 543 ; but it seems nearer to Turnix (p. 187). 



