CHARADRIIFORMES 131 



30, which "were liberated on the Upper Kohatahi. They all took 

 wing and landed on the opposite side of Doctor's Creek." Apparently 

 that was the last seen of them. 



Apparently also a number were liberated in the Auckland district, 

 for Mr Drummond, writing in the Lyttelton Times of 4th January, 

 191 3, states that 



a few lapwings were liberated in the Auckland district in 1870, and informa- 

 tion supplied to me in 1907 shows that the effort was successful in several 

 northern districts. The experiment has given great satisfaction to the 

 settlers. The birds are credited with killing large numbers of wireworms 

 and grubs in the spring. 



I think Mr Drummond was misinformed by his correspondents, 

 who were probably writing about some other bird, for on 2nd October, 

 191 5, he asks: "has anybody seen a lapwing in New Zealand during 

 the past ten years ? " 



The Auckland Society reported in 1909, that "the Green Plover 

 has disappeared." 



This species is a partial migrant in Britain; some nesting there, 

 others only wintering there, and spending their nesting season in 

 Northern Continental and Central Europe. 



Grey Plover ; Australian Plover {Squatarola helvetica) 



The Otago Society liberated two in 1867, which were not seen 

 again. In 1881 they obtained eight more, which were liberated on 

 the Lauder Station, Manuherikia. They were observed for some 

 time afterwards, and one was shot by mistake. Then they disappeared 

 altogether. 



The grey plover is only a spring and autumn migrant in the 

 British Islands ; it breeds within the Arctic Circle, and passes through 

 Central and Southern Europe on migration, wintering in South 

 Africa, India, South China, the islands of the Malay Archipelago, and 

 Australia. In the western hemisphere it is known to winter in Cuba 

 and some parts of South America. 



AustraUan Curlew (Numenitis cyanopus) 



The Canterbury Society received two of these birds from Australia 

 in 1868, but there is no record of what was done with them. 



Family Pteroclid^ 

 Sand Grouse {Pterocles bicinctus) 

 The WeUington Society received two from Mr Hamilton (of 

 TenerifFe) in 1892, but there is no other record. 



9—2 



