499 
CURSORIUS. COURSER. 
Generic Character, 
Rostrum capite brevius, tere- 
tiusculum, gracile, forni- 
catum, versus apicem in- 
curvum, acutum. 
Nares ovatse, tubere minuto 
instructae. 
Pedes cursorii, tridactyli ; di- 
git! brevi, exteriores basi 
membranula connexi; un- 
gues brevissimas. 
Ala, mediocres, remige se- 
cunda longior quam pri- 
more. 
Beak shorter than the head, 
rounded, slender, arched; 
towards the tip bent down, 
and acute. 
Nostrils ovate, furnished with 
a small tubercle. 
Feet formed for runningj 
three-toed ; the toes short, 
the outer ones connected 
at the base by a slight 
membrane ; the claws very 
short. 
Wings medial, the second 
feather longer than the 
first. 
CuRSORius. Lath ., Meijer, Temm., Cuv. 
Charadrius. Gmel. 
Tachydromus. lllig., Vieil. 
TT HE species of this genus inhabit the hot countries 
of Asia and Africa, but their manners still remain 
in obscurity. One species sometimes, though 
very rarely, visits Europe, only three instances 
being on record j one in France, one in Austria, 
and the other in England. 
