134 PR.ECOCIAL GRALLATORES — LIMICOL.E. 



While the coloration of this species bears considerable resemblance to that of the Golden 

 Plovers (Chamdrius), it may be readily distinguished, iu all stages, apart from other marked 

 differences, by the dusky black axillars, these feathers being either smoky gray or pure white in 

 the species of Cliaradrms. 



The well-known Beetle-head, or Black-bellied Plover, is eminently cosmopolitan 

 in its distribution, ranging over the northern portions of Asia, Europe, and North 

 America during its periods of rejiroduction, at other times wandering in an irregular 

 manner, in scattered groups, over Southern Asia, Northern and even Soutliern Africa, 

 Australia, the West Indies, and Central and South America to Brazil. 



Mr. Swiuhoe (Ibis, 1863, p. 404) mentions finding this species frequenting the 

 shores and the mouths of the rivers of Formosa during winter. This writer after- 

 ward speaks of meeting with it in small flocks, in the same season, on the river 

 mud-flats at Amoy, where they were seen up to February, but not later. One was 

 kept in an aviary at Amoy, biit appeared to have undergone no change in plumage as 

 late as the end of May. Mr. Swiuhoe also records the procuring of a single specimen 

 on the Island of Hainan ; it was shot in the Hungpe Lagoon on the 30th of March. 

 C'aptain Sperling found this bird common at Zanzibar, where in November he procured 

 it in immature plumage. Dr. Andrew Smith noticed it at Algoa Bay, in South 

 Africa, all through the breeding-season, and brciught specimens to England ; lint as 

 none had the black color on the breast, it is not probable that any were actually 

 breeding. Mr. Blyth has obtained this bird at Calcutta ; and Mr. Temmiuck has 

 received it from Japan in both the summer and winter plumage. Sijecimens from 

 the Sunda Islands and from New Guinea, though killed at different seasons, were all 

 in the immature or winter plumage. Tliis species is also included by Dr. Horsfield 

 in his list of the birds of Java. Dr. Middendorff mentions this Plover as one of the 

 birds of Siberia, and gives it in his hyjierborean list, which includes the birds pene- 

 trating to the extreme north. Mr. Saunders (Ibis, 1871) states that this Plover is 

 not uncommon in Southern Spain during its migrations. The first specimens were 

 obtained at Malaga in INIay. During the winter few were met with, the majority 

 having evidently gone farther south. Mr. Wheelwright obtained old birds of this 

 species on the southern coast of Scania in August, in nearly full summer dress, as 

 well as those of the year, and inferred that they must have bred somewhere on the 

 European continent. He is confident they do not breed at Quickiock, nor have any 

 of its eggs been taken there by ]VIr. Wolley o\- by any one else. Still he thinks that 

 they must breed somewhere on the Scandinavian fells, and they were found breeding 

 in 1862 in Finland, liy Mr. Tristram. Professor A. Newton described an egg (P. Z. S. 

 1861) which was taken by Middendorff on the Taimyr River, North Russia, lat. 74°, 

 July 1, 1843; and Mr. Wheelwright received what were said to be the eggs of this 

 species from Greenland, and which resembled those of the Eurof)ean C. pluvialis. 

 Messrs. Alston and Brown (Ibis, January, 1873) mention meeting with this species 

 near Archangel, Russia, June 2. In Great Britain, Farrell gives it as a winter visitor, 

 and not a native resident. It occurs at the end of autumn, throu.gh the winter, and 

 in the spring, retiring to high northern latitudes during the breeding-season, and 

 re-appearing when that season is over. Specimens in the full black plumage may 

 occasionally be procured in the London market in May. Mr. Selby met with a few 

 of these birds in the Fen Islands in June, but could never detect any young. In the 

 winter this Plover is more common on the shores than inland. It is more abundant 

 in Holland and in France than in Germany, and is also found at Genoa and in Italy 

 generally, passing through Sicily on its way to and from Africa. 



