73 [Vol. xlii. 



pointed out to me by Mr. T. Iredale, Charadrius varius was 

 used by Temminck (Cat. Syst. Cab. d^Orn. p. 174, 1807) as an 

 alternative name to Ch. pluvialis, and this precludes the use 

 of Vieillot^s name. This little Plover must therefore retain 

 its old and well-known name Charadrius pecuarius Temm.^ 

 published in the 'Planches Coloriees ' in 1823. 



HiMANTOPUS HIMANTOPUS. 



Bangs (Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. Ixi. p. 493, 1918) separates 

 the ytilt o£ Madagascar from the typical form apparently on 

 the grounds of its smaller size — wing ranging from 220- 

 237 mm., average 226. Hartert gives 240-253 mm. for 

 males and 227-236 mm. for females for the typical form. 

 The only two specimens from Madagascar in the Museum, 

 both unsexed, measure 228 and 236 mm. respectively, and 

 they do not appear to differ in any other respect from the 

 typical race. There seems to be little grounds, therefore, 

 for the recognition of a Madagascan race. 



The name used by Bangs, Hysihates himantopus minor 

 Natterer, appears to date from 1860, when Hartlaub (Journ. 

 Ornith. 1860, p. 170) mentions the Madagascan Stilt as 

 Himantopus minor ex Natterer MS. The name U. minor 

 Hartlaub, 1860, is preoccupied by Himantopus minor 

 Brehm (' Isis/ 1843, p. 727 : Hungary) ; so, even if the 

 Madagascan bird is regarded as distinct, it will have to 

 be provided with a new name. 



Grenera Pterocles and Pteroclurus. 



It is with considerable regret that I find that there is some 

 confusion in regard to these two generic names, which are 

 commonly used for the Sandgrouse with and without elon- 

 gated central tail-feathers. The trouble has arisen through 

 the mistake made by Mr. Ogilvie-Grrant (Cat. Birds B.M. 

 xxii. p. 16, 1893) in making Pterocles arenarius the type 

 of the genus. There can be no doubt that under the rules 

 the type of Temminck's genus Pterocles is P. alchata by 

 subsequent designation of Gray (List Gen. Birds, 1st ed. 

 p. 62, 1840), and this 'is one of the long-tailed species. - 



