164 



CHAEADEIUS. 



Synonymy. Charadrius pallidus, Strickland, Jardine's Contr. Orn. 1852, p. 158. 



Hiaticula heywoodi, Thomas, fide Bonap. Compt. Rend, xliii. p. 417 (1856). 

 Charadrius tenellus, Hartlaub, Orn. Beitr. Faun. Madag. p. 72 (1861). 

 Charadrius venustus, Fischer ^ Reichenow, Journ. Orn. 1884, p. 178. 

 ^gialitis venusta {Fisch. ^ Reich.), Cab. Journ. Orn. 1884, p. 437. 

 iEgialitis mechowi, Cabanis, Journ. Orn. 1884, p. 437. 



Literature. 



Geographi- 

 cal distribu- 

 tion. 



Plates. — Previously unligured. 



Habits. — Not known to difiFer from those of its conspecifie ally. 



Eggs. — Milne-Edwards & Grandidier, Hist. Nat. Ois. Madag., Atlas, iii. pi. 305. fig. 5. 



The differences between the tropical form of the White-breasted Plover and the 

 typical or South-African form have been already pointed out, and their respective ranges, 

 so far as they are known, described. 



The tropical form ranges from West Africa (probably across the continent) to Lake 

 Nyassa and Madagascar. Examples from Natal approach the typical form slightly, whilst 

 those from Damara-Land scarcely differ from it. This distribution, which shows that the 

 typical form extends nearly a thousand miles further north on the west than on the east 

 coast, looks rather remarkable, but it corresponds almost exactly with the isothermal lines 

 for January, which is probably the breeding-season of most birds in the southern hemisphere. 



* * 



Suhgeneric group JEgialopJiili minores. 



tt Australian, Oriental, and Paltsarctic Species. 



CHARADRIUS RUFICAPILLUS. 



BED-CAPPED PLOVEB. 



Diagnosis. Charadrius, subgen. uEgialopMli minores, pedibus nigris : nuchi nee coUari nigro nee coUari albo 

 ornate : loris aut (in adult.) nigris, aut (in juv.) brunneis. 



Variations. No local races of this species are known. 



