Literature. 



Specific 

 characters. 



Geographi- 

 cal distribu- 

 tion. 



128 



CHAKADEITTS. 



Plates. — Gould, Birds of Australia, vi. pi. 18. 



Habits.— Gould, Haudb. Birds Austr. ii. p. 231. 



Eggs. — Campbell, Nests and Eggs of Australian Birds, p. 54. 



The Hooded Ringed Plover is the only species of typical Hiaticulce which combines the 

 two characters of a pale grey bach and nearly black central upper tail-coverts. It is a 

 resident on the coasts of the southern half of Australia, and is especially common on 

 Tasmania and the adjacent islands in Bass's Straits. Sexual selection appears to have 

 given this species a black head, but protective selection seems to have restricted it to the 

 male sex and the breeding-season, in consequence of the exposed character of its haunts. 



CHARADRIUS NOV^-ZELANDI^. 



NEW-ZEALAND PLOVER. 



Diagnosis. Charadrius rostri tarsique longitudine sequali. 



Variations. Examples from Auckland Island, presumably young birds, have been described as distinct 

 from the New-Zealand species, but this is generally admitted to be an error. 



