110 



CHAEADEIUS. 



Diagnosis. 

 Variations. 



CHARADRIUS AUSTRALIS. 



AUSTRALIAN DOTTEREL. 

 Charadrius axillaribus fulvis. 



The only variation known in this species is due to age. 



Synonymy. Eudromias australis, Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1840, p. 174. 



Morinellus australis, Gould, Bonap. Cornpt. Rend, xliii. p. 417 (1856). 



Literature. Plates. — Gould, Birds of Australia, vi. pi. 15. 



Habits. — Gould, Handb. Birds Austr. ii. p. 227. 



Eggs. — Campbell, Nests and Eggs of Australian Birds, p. 53. 



Specific 

 characters. 



Geographi- 

 cal distribu- 

 tion. 



Plumage of 

 young. 



The Australian Dotterel may always be recognized by its dark buff axillaries, or by 

 the chestnut-buff on the outer toebs of the innermost primaries. 



It appears to be confined to the southern half of Australia, where it inhabits the sandy 

 plains of the interior. It has not been recorded either from West Australia or Tasmania. 



It is difficult to say which it most resembles, Charadrius hiaticula, Charadrius mori- 

 nellus, or Cursorius bicinctus, but its resemblance to the latter is probably an example 

 of analogy rather than of affinity. 



Young in first plumage have the chestnut on the belly, but are without the black on 

 the head, neck, and breast. It is not known that the colour of the plumage of adult birds 

 varies either with sex or season. 



