CHARADEIUS. 



151 



CHARADRIUS OBSCURUS. 



NEW-ZEALAND DOTTEREL. (Plate VI.) 



Charadrius, subgen. ^gialophili majores, pedibus majoribus (dig. med. cum ung. circa 30 millim.) : Diamoeis 

 nee rectrieibus nee seapularibus transversim striatis. 



No local races of this species are known. 



Charadrius obseurus, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. i. p. 686 (1788). 



Charadrius glareola, Lichtenstein, Forster's Descr. Anim. It. Mar. Austr. p. 109 (1844). 



Pluviorhynchus obseurus (Gmel.), Bonap. Compt. Rend, xliii. p. 417 (1856). 



Plates. — Gray^ Zool. Voy. Erebus & Terror, pi. ix. 

 Habits. — BuUerj Birds of New Zealand, p. 208. 

 Eggs. — PottSj Trans. New Zealand Institute, ii. p. 68. 



Variations. 



S3monymy. 



Literature. 



The New-Zealand Dotterel is apparently an overgrown Sand-Plover, and may be Specific 

 diagnosed from all its congeners (except those which have barred tails) by its great feet, ''^^racters. 

 the middle toe and claw measuring l-^ inch. The tail-feathers are uniform grey or brown, 

 with narrow pale margins. 



Like all other species of Charadriidse the New-Zealand Dotterel moults twice in the 

 year. I have an example collected by Dr. Haast at Saltwater Creek, Canterbury, in May 

 in winter plumage, with no chestnut margins to the feathers of the upper parts, and with 

 the underparts white, obscurely marked with grey on the upper breast and upper flanks. 

 Another example, collected by Mr. Travers in the Province of Nelson in June, is moulting 

 its primaries, and has changed half its white feathers on the breast to chestnut. Two 

 examples collected by Dr. Haast on the Waimakariri River, in September and October, are 

 in full breeding-plumage, with the whole of the underparts chestnut except the chin, 

 axillaries, and under wing and tail-coverts, which are white. Two other examples, collected 

 by Baron von Hiigel at Riverton, Southland, in December, are both moulting their 

 primaries ; one is in nearly full winter plumage, but the other still retains many of the 

 chestnut feathers of the summer plumage on the breast. 



It breeds in the mountains of New Zealand, descending to the coast in winter. Ml°dis\^bu- 



It appears to be nearest aUied to C. geoffroyi, and is the largest species of the tion. 

 subgenus, the wing from carpal joint varying in length from 6-8 to 5-9 inch. 



