BELONOPTERT'S. 103 



The birds described were collected on the Abary Creek in 

 October 1888 and the Abarj River in July 1906. 



Breeding-season. Unrecorded in British Gniana. 



Isest. ") Kidification the same as that o£ the (Jommon Lapwing 



J^giis. J (Sc/wmburgk). 



JRange in British Guiana, Upper Takutu Mountains, Great 

 Savanna, Abary River (McConnell collection) ; Qiiongn, Aunai 

 {H. Wliitely) ; Abary River {Quelch); Savannas {Brown). 



Extralimital Range. Surinam [Penard), Venezuela, Colombia, 

 Central and Southern Brazil. 



Ilahits. Schomburgk states (Reis. Guian. iii. p. 750) that he 

 found this species in large flocks on the Savannas and on the 

 borders of the Savanna rivers. When met with on the former 

 it keeps to the dryer places. Its food consists of insects, snails, 

 and worms. Its general habits are like those of the Common 

 Lapwing, as is also its nidification. The " Macusis " and "Are- 

 kunas" call it Tarau-tarau. 



We quote the following note from Mr. Barrington Brown 

 (Canoe and Camp Life, p. 104): — "In recrossing the Savanna to 

 tlie boats we started a large flock of Savanna Plover {]\ineUus 

 cagen)iensis), a kind of Pewit, identical in form and size with the 

 English Green Plover. Their flight is the same, and they wheeled 

 over the pla'n in great numbers. Their colour, however, is a 

 slaty cast, and they have a red iris, with a red spur on the wing 

 at the end of the portion supporting the secondary feathers. The 

 Savanna P<^wit also is never eaten by Indians, as they say that 

 partiiking of its flesh produces deafness." 



Mr. J. J. Quelch (Timehri (2) ii. p. 372) met with species on 

 the Abary River, and remarks : — "Just below this point, where 

 there is a small extent of swampj' ground, the Crested Lapwing 

 {Vanellus cagennensis), locally termed the 'Biicktown Sj)urwing,' 

 was seen for the fir<t time, and one specimen was obtained. The 

 bird is of a rare and most handsome species, the upper part of the 

 body being of a glossy coppery hue, dashed with green and purple. 

 The forehead, chin, breast, wings, and half the tail are black, and 

 the rest of the body a pinkish white. The head is furnished with 

 a long narrow crest, and the wings are furnished with a powerful 

 spine. The legs are long and red or bluish-red and furnished with 

 four toes, of which the hindmost is rudimentary and not aftplied 

 to the <M-ound."' 



