CHAEADRIU8. 



Plates. — Jardine & Selby, 111. Orn. ii. pi. 110. 

 Habits. — Darwin, Gould's Zool. Voy. ' Beagle/ p. 126. 

 Eggs. — Unknown. 



107 



Literature. 



The Chilian Dotterel is so closely allied to the Falkland-Island Dotterel that it 

 can scarcely be regarded as more than subspecifically distinct. Gould, who seldom 

 described a bad species, or allowed a good one to escape his notice, discovered the difference 

 between the two races, but unfortunately gave a new name to the wrong one. Gay (Hist- 

 Chile, Zool. p. 401) also pointed out the fact, and it is also recognized by Cassin (U.S. 

 Expl, Exp. Mamm. & Orn. p. 328) ; but recent writers on Neotropical Ornithology appear 

 to have ignored it. 



The Chilian Dotterel is a smaller bird than its ally, with a proportionately shorter 

 tarsus. The wing from the carpal joint measures 6'4 to 5"6 inch, instead of 5*8 to 5'9 inch; 

 and the tarsus Tl to 1"2 inch instead of 1*4 to 1"5 inch. The contrast in colour is also 

 very marked. The upper parts of the Chilian birds are UacJcish brown instead of greyish 

 brown. The chin, throat, and sides of the necJc are uniform slate-grey, whilst in the alUed 

 form the sides and front of the neck are pale slate-grey, shading into nearly white on the 

 upper throat and chin. Even in winter plumage the darker upper parts are conspicuous. 



The Chilian Dotterel breeds on Tierra del Fuego, and probably on the opposite shores 

 of the Straits of Magellan, migrating northwards to winter on the coasts of Chili, where it 

 is common as far north as Valparaiso (Bridges, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1843, p. 118), and on the 

 coast of Patagonia, where it has recently been obtained by Mr. Young in Tova Harbour 

 (lat. 45° south), in full breeding plumage, on the 26th of August. 



Subspeciflc 

 characters. 



Geographi- 

 cal distribu- 

 tion. 



CHARADRIUS SOCIABILIS. 



MAGELLANIC PLOVER. (Plate II.) 

 Charadrius haUuce parvo : tarso quam digitus medius cum ungue hreviore. 



Diagnosis. 



Only three examples of this species are known. 



Pluvianellus soeialis, Hombron ^ Jacquinot,fide Gray, Genera of Birds, iii. p. 549 (1846). 

 Pluvianellus sociabilis, Hombron ^ Jacguinot, Voy. au Pdle 8ud ^c. iii. p. 135 (1853). 

 Strepsilas sociabilis {Homb. ^ Jacq.), Giebel, Thes. Orn. iii. p. 541 (1877). 



p2 



Variations. 



Synon3'my. 



