SPUR-WINGED PLOVER 
Hoplopterus spinosus 
Arabic, Zic-zac 
Crown, nape, chin, centre of throat, breast, and tail black ; 
white cheeks, white under and above tail, back and sides of 
wings a grey-brown, a sharp hard spur on point of shoulder, bill, 
feet and legs black, eyes rich crimson. Entire length, 12 ins. 
WHETHER this or the Black-headed Plover is to 
have the honour of being the bird Herodotus has 
made famous will probably ever be a matter for the 
Schoolmen to argue over, but lately I came across 
Dr. Leith Adam’s note, explaining the reason why 
he insists that the Spur-winged Plover is the real 
friend of the crocodile and not the Black-headed,— 
i.e. “ Codling not Short.” “The crocodile, tired of 
keeping its jaws wide open, just shuts them, to the 
everlasting peril of the bird; were it not for those 
two sharp spurs on his wings he of course would be 
suffocated and later doubtless swallowed, but by 
these spurs, when the roof comes down on the top 
of him, he just reminds his patron of his existence, 
by jabbing the tenderest parts of the interior of his 
mouth.” This is said invariably to refreshen the 
sleepy crocodile’s faculties, so that he remembers 
118 15 
