which is clearly a mistake. Von Nordmann (I. c.) says that both species are very common on 

 the steppes of Southern Russia. In August flocks of several hundred individuals of this species 

 were seen on the steppes, and also smaller flocks of Glareola pratincola, the latter keeping quite 

 apart from the present species. In Western Bessarabia, and on the Pruth and Danube, he found 

 the common Pratincole much more numerous ; and, indeed, the present species appears to be a 

 much more eastern bird. Pallas (I. c.) speaks of it as being found in Western Siberia and in the 

 country bordering the Irtisch river. Brandt refers to it as occurring in the Altai range ; and 

 Mene tries (Cat. Pais. p. 53) states that it is found in flocks of considerable size about the lakes 

 near Saliane and in the steppes near the Terek river. It occurs in Asia Minor, and, according 

 to Mr. Gould (B. of Asia, pt. ii.), is found in Persia, one of the specimens he figured having been 

 sent from there to Mr. T. C. Eyton ; but the specimens obtained in that country by Mr. Blanford 

 are all G. pratincola. Canon Tristram never saw it in Palestine ; but Messrs. Finsch and 

 Hartlaub (Vog. Ost-Afr. p. 634) speak of it as having been recorded from Arabia; and Von 

 Heuglin (Syst. Ueb. p. 55) says that it occurs in small flocks in the fields of Egypt and Nubia, 

 and that he found it most abundant in the Fayoom and Central Egypt in October 1851. I 

 possess a specimen from Djeddah, on the Red Sea; and Dr. Kirk (Ibis, 1864, p. 332) says that 

 he met with it at Lake Nyassa, on the sand, in October, and also on the Zambesi in the same 

 month, but it was not seen at any other season of the year. Mr. Layard (B. of S. Afr. p. 291) 

 says, " it appears in great numbers on the eastern frontier and Natal during the visitations 

 of the locusts, upon which it feeds. I am informed that it hawks about the clouds of the 

 destroying insect, now and then darting into the mass and never failing to secure a victim. It 

 is said to run and fly with great swiftness." According to Messrs. Finsch and Hartlaub (/. c), it 

 occurs in Great and Little Namaqua Land and on the Orange River ; and Mr. Harting possesses 

 a pair, obtained by the late Mr. Andersson at Objimbinque. DuChaillu met with it at Gaboon ; 

 and Dohrn found it on Prince's Island. 



In its habits and mode of nidification the present species closely agrees with Glareola 

 pratincola, and, like that bird, it frequents the steppes and open treeless localities. In South 

 Africa it is a welcome guest with the farmers, as it does infinite good in assisting to destroy the 

 locusts. Some excellent notes were published in 'The Field' of 26th February, 1870, on the 

 habits of this bird, by a gentleman who was engaged in a survey near the Fish River, under the 

 Colonial Engineering Department, which I cannot do better than transcribe as follows : — " The 

 principal enemy of these great, swarms [of locusts], and the valued friend of the Cape farmer, is 



the small locust-bird (Glareola melanoptera) These birds come, I may say, in millions, 



attendant on the flying swarms of locusts ; indeed the appearance of a few of them is looked 

 upon as a sure presage of the locust swarms being at hand. Their mode of operation, as I saw 

 it, was as follows : — They intercept a portion of the swarm and form themselves into a ring of 

 considerable height, regularly widening towards the top, so as to present the appearance of a 

 revolving balloon or huge spinning-top. They thus fly one over the other, and, hawking at the 

 locusts, gradually contract their circle and speedily demolish the locusts within its limits. As 

 their digestion, like that of all insectivorous birds, is very rapid, the form in which they thus 

 enclose their prey is admirably adapted to enable the lower to escape the droppings of the upper 

 birds. When they have consumed this portion of the swarm, they follow up the main body and 



