

Synonymy. 



Literature. 



Geographi- 

 cal distribu- 

 tion. 



164 



CHAKADEIUS. 



Charadrius pallidus, Strickland, Jardine's Contr. Orn. 1852, p. 158. 

 Hiaticula heywoodi, Thomas, fide Bonap. Compt. Rend, xliii. p. 417 (1856). 

 Charadrius tenellus, Hartlaub, Orn. Beitr. Faun. Madag. p. 72 (1861). 

 Charadrius venustus, Fischer fy Reichenow, Journ. Orn. 1884, p. 178. 

 iEgialitis venusta (Fisch. fy Reich.), Cab. Journ. Orn. 1884, p. 437. 

 iEgialitis mechowi, Cabanis, Journ. Orn. 1884, p. 437. 



Plates. — Previously unfigured. 



Habits. — Not known to differ from those of its conspecific ally. 



Eggs. — Milne-Edwards & Grandidier, Hist. Nat. Ois. Madag., Atlas, iii. pi. 305. fig. 5. 



The differences between the tropical form of the White-breasted Plover and the 

 typical or South-African form have been already pointed out, and their respective ranges, 

 so far as they are known, described. 



The tropical form ranges from West Africa (probably across the continent) to Lake 

 Nyassa and Madagascar. Examples from Natal approach the typical form slightly, whilst 

 those from Damara-Land scarcely differ from it. This distribution, which shows that the 

 typical form extends nearly a thousand miles further north on the west than on the east 

 coast, looks rather remarkable, but it corresponds almost exactly with the isothermal lines 

 for January, which is probably the breeding-season of most birds in the southern hemisphere. 



* * 



Suigeneric group JEgialopMli minores. 



ft Australian, Oriental, and Palcearctic Species. 



CHARADRIUS RUFICAPILLUS. 



BED-CAPPED PLOVER. 



Diagnosis. Charadrius, subgen. JEgialophili minores, pedibus nigris : nucha nee collari nigro nee collari albo 

 ornata, : loris aut (in adult.) nigris, aut (in juv.) brunneis. 



Variations. No local races of this species are known. 





