172 EGYPTIAN PLOVER. 



The Egyptian, or Black-headed Plover inhabits north, north-east, and 

 north-west Africa, and is occasionally found in Europe. Degland says 

 that it has been captured in the south of France; and M. Crespon, in 

 the "Faune Meridionale," mentions a female having been killed by 

 M. Lebrun, in Herault, on the 20th. of November, 1840. Hartlaub gives 

 Spain as a locality. In the "Zoologist" for 1853, p. 4096, Mr. Gurney 

 has recorded its accidental occurrence so far north as Sweden, where 

 a specimen was shot by an Englishman near Stockholm. 



There is no doubt, however, that it is extremely rare as a 

 European species, and I only introduce it as an accidental visitor, 

 and because it ought to be well known to ornithologists, should it 

 turn up more frequently in the south of Europe. 



Mr. E. Cavenish Taylor informs me it is very common in Egypt; 

 where, however, it confines itself to the shores and sand banks of 

 the Nile, from which it seems to derive its food. Captain Loche 

 says it occurs only accidentally in Algeria. A specimen was shot 

 by Mr. Herschel in the Jordan Valley, as recorded in the "Ibis," 

 1862, p. 279. 



Mr. Taylor says that he generally found it paired in the months 

 of December and January. It was very tame, and when it rose 

 uttered a loud shrill note, from which both it and Ch. spinosus 

 are called by the Arabs Zic Zac. The flesh dark coloured, and not 

 very good eating. 



In the "Ibis," vol. i, p. 52, Mr. Taylor, in his "Reminiscence 

 of Egypt," has the following note about this bird: — "I did not see 

 this very pretty species below Cairo, but above I found it very 

 numerous. Irides dark brown; legs and feet pale blue; toes three 

 in number. This bird enjoys the credit of being the trochilos of 

 Herodotus, which he mentions as living on such terms of intimacy 

 with the crocodile. The account which that veracious historian 

 gives of the entente cordiale between these apparently ill-assorted allies, 

 is as follows: — 'As the crocodile lives chiefly on the river, it has 

 the inside of its mouth constantly covered with leeches; hence it 

 happens that while all other birds and beasts avoid it, with the 

 trochilos it lives at peace, since it owes much to that bird; for the 

 crocodile, when he leaves the water, and comes out upon the land, 

 is in the habit of lying with his mouth wide open, facing the 

 western breeze; at such times the trochilos goes into his mouth and 

 devours the leeches. This benefits the crocodile, who is pleased, 

 and takes care not to hurt the trochilos.' — Herod, book ii, end of 

 chap. viii. As a matter of fact I seldom saw a crocodile on land 

 without seeing a Pluvianus mgyptius near him." 



