CHAEADEIUS. 



1^9 



Charadrius novse-seelandiEe, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. i. p. 684 (1788). 



Charadrius dudoroa, Wagler, Syst. Av. p. 60 (1827). 



Hiaticula novae-seelandise (Gmel.), Gray, Dieff. Trav. ii. p. 195 (1843). 



Charadrius torquatukj Lichtenstein, Forster's Descr. Anim. It. Mar. Austr. p. 108 (1844). 



Thinornis novse-seelandise {Gmel.),-\ 



Thinornis rossii, j ^'"''2/, Zool. Voy. Ereb. ^ Terr., Birds, p. 12 (1846). 



Strepsilas novae-zeelandise {Gmel), Schlegel, Mus. Pays-Bas, Cursores, p. 45 (1865). 



Synonym}'. 



Plates. — Buller, Birds of New Zealand, pi. 23. 

 Habits. — Potts, Zoologist, 1875, p. 4485. 

 Eggs.— Potts, Zoologist, 1885, p. 422. 



Literature. 



The New-Zealand Plover when adult may be recognized by its combination of two 

 characters — a black throat and a band of white across the crown, but neither of these 

 characters are found in females or young birds. The diagnosis, bill as long as the tarsus, 

 applies to all ages. 



The New-Zealand Plover is a resident on the coasts of the island whose name it bears, 

 and has occurred on some of the neighbouring islands, Auckland Island, Pitt's Island, &c. 



There can be no reason for placing this bird in a genus of its own. It is very closely 

 related to C. monachus ; both species have black throats and foreheads, and a great deal of 

 white on the outer web of the innermost primaries, and still more on both webs of the 

 innermost true secondaries. Both species have the legs and feet and the basal portions 

 of the bill yellow. There can scarcely be any doubt that both species are slightly modified 

 forms of C. hiaticula, and so far from either of them being generically distinct they obviously 

 belong to the same subsection of the same subgenus. The true relationship of these birds is 

 best seen by a comparison of the young in first plumage of C. novce-zelandicB and of C. hiati- 

 cula. Both have white foreheads, white throats, and a white spot behind the eye, besides 

 agreeing in the colour of their bills, legs, feet, wings, and tail. 



Being a shore bird, it is probable that the male assumes the duller plumage of the 

 female in autumn. BuUer's ' Birds of New Zealand ' unfortunately throws no light on 

 the subject ; but as we are promised a new edition of this interesting and valuable work, it 

 is to be hoped that this information and many other important omissions will be supplied. 

 It is not necessary to enter into elaborate details of the changes of plumage or the habits of 

 birds which only migrate to New Zealand when the breeding-season is over, as is the case 

 with some of the Charadriidse ; but it is necessary to do so when the species is pecuhar to 

 the district. Where else can we expect to find such information ? 



Specific 

 characters. 



Geographi- 

 cal distrihu- 

 tion. 



The pseudo- 

 genus 

 Thinornis. 



