146 PR-ECOCIAL GRALLATORES — LIMICOL^. 



the 9th of that month. On the Boganida, lat. 70° N., they arrived May 24, and were 

 not noticed later than August 31. They nested on the barrens of Uldskoj-Ostrog. 



According to Mr. Henry Whitely, as quoted by Mr. Dresser, it is by no means a 

 rare bird in Japan, where he obtained three specimens, Sept. 24 and Oct. 3, 1865. 

 In India, according to Dr. Jerdon, it occurs generally in open plains, grassy downs, 

 l)loughed fields, and on the edges of rivers and lakes, associating in flocks of varying 

 magnitude, and feeding on beetles and other hard insects, worms, and the like. He 

 speaks of it as having a shrill whistling call, and as flying very rapidly. He also 

 states that many breed in that country — even toward the soutli, as at Nellore — 

 while others were observed to pass northward to breed, returning in September. 



Mr. Holdworth mentions this species as being very common in Ceylon in winter, 

 especially in the north of that island, extending as far south as Columbo. Professor 

 Schlegel refers to more than sixty specimens of this species, collected in nearly every 

 island of the Malay Archipelago, and now in the Ley<len Museum. 



In Australia, according to Mr. (xould, although nowhere very abundant, tliis bird 

 is generally dispersed all over the colonies, from Tasmania nortliward. Several 

 specimens were i^rocured on the banks of the Derweut in Tasmania, and others were 

 observed in small numbers on the flats below Clarence Plains. He also killed exam- 

 ples on an island in Bass's Straits. Its habits, manners, and general economy are 

 said closely to resemble those of the Golden Plover of Europe. It frequents open 

 plains in the neighborhood of marshy lands or the sea-beach, runs with amazing 

 facility, and flies with great rapidity. Indications of the breeding-plumage begin to 

 appear early in the spring. Mr. Gould thinks that none rc^main t(j breed in any of 

 the sou-thern parts of Australia. 



Dr. E. Griift'e mentions finding this I'lover in Tongntabu. one of the Tonga Islands, 

 where it occurred in flocks of from thirty to fifty individuals. They ran in search 

 of food on sand-banks left dry at low water, and when approached witliin gunshot 

 uttered a shrill tuli-h(li-twl-twi, and then took to flight. At high-water they frecpiented 

 the open grassy places on fields and fallows. This species was found all the year 

 round on that island, but was more numerous from October to March, and during the 

 season of migration. 



Mr. Layard (" Ibis," 1878, p. 262) mentions its occurrence in New California, where 

 it was found breeding on the islets off Anservata, close to Noumea ; and Mr. Blakiston 

 (" Ibis," p. 218) speaks of it as common throughout Japan. Mr. li. Swinhoe (" Ibis," 

 1874) mentions meeting with this sjoecies at Hakodadi in Japan in May. He else- 

 where gives the range of this species as throughout China. He procured it between 

 Takoo and Pekin, and states that he found it a common bird near Canton, passing 

 the summer there. He also speaks of finding it in Formosa, where it was common 

 all the year round, breeding in great abundance in marshy plains to the southwest. 

 He also met with it in his excursion to Hain;in, and states that it was common in tlie 

 marsh near the city on the Sth of February. He found it in the dry rice-fields of 

 Paklai, in Western Hainan, on the 21st of March, and aliundant among the sweet- 

 potato gardens of Hoitow on the 23d of that mouth. < In the 2(1 ul' April, at Kinnge- 

 how, he saw these birds on the beach, where they were then beginning to acquire the 

 black underdress of summer. 



According to Mr. Swinhoe, its eggs — fnur in number — are laid in a loose nest 

 of dried grasses and fibres placed in a hollow. They have a yellowish-gray ground, 

 blotched and spotted with deep blackish sepia, and have occasional obsolete purplisli 

 gray spots. The eggs do not vary much in tlieir size, are narrowed near one end, ami 

 measure 1.50 inches in length by l.lo in breadth. 



