INTRODUCTION. 
Ixxxiii 
" This singular bird," says Captain Sturt, in the Appendix to his Account of his recent expedition into the 
interior of South Australia, " made its appearance in 1841 suddenly on the plains of Adelaide, seeming to have 
come from the north. It occupied the sand-hills at the edge of the Mangrove swamps and fed round the puddles 
of water on the plains. This bird afforded my friend, Mr. Torrens, an abundant harvest, as it was numerous 
round his house ; but although some few have visited South Australia every subsequent year, they have never 
appeared in such numbers as on the first occasion. It runs very fast along the ground. Mr. Brewne and I met 
or rather crossed several flights of these birds in August of 1845, going south. They were on the large open 
plains and were very wild." 
Genus Hiaticula, G. R. Gray. 
Five species of this genus inhabit Austraha, and others occur in New Zealand, the Indian Islands, India, 
Europe, Africa and America, consequently few genera have their members more widely dispersed. Almost all the 
species found in Australia are peculiar to the country, and are more numerous on the southern than they are on the 
northern parts of that continent ; shingly beaches and low fiat shores are their principal places of resort. 
472. Hiaticula bicincta Vol. VI. PL 16. 
473. Hiaticula ruficapilla Vol. VI. PI. 17. 
474. Hiaticula monacha Vol. VI. PI. 18. 
475. Hiaticula inornata, Gould . Vol. VI. PI. 19. 
476. Hiaticula nigrifrons . . . . . Vol. VI. PI. 20. 
Genus Erythrogonys, Gould. 
Generic characters. 
Bill longer than the head, straight, rather depressed ; nostrils basal, linear ; wings long and powerful, the first 
feather the longest ; tertiaries nearly as long as the primaries ; tail short and nearly square ; legs long ; toes four 
in number, slender, the hind-toe extremely diminutive and free, the outer toe united to the middle one nearly to 
the first joint ; thighs naked above the knee. 
The single species of this genus appears to be strictly Austrahan, for I have never seen examples from any 
other country. 
477. Erythrogonys cinctus, Gould • • Vol. VI. PI. 21. 
In structure, actions and economy this elegantly formed bird is very nearly allied to the Hiaticulcs on the one 
hand, and the Schcenicli on the other. 
Genus Glareola, Briss. 
I have for many years questioned the propriety of placing the Pratincoles in the same group with the Plovers, 
or even in the same order, beheving them as I do to be a terrestrial form of the Fissirostral birds. Limiceus 
placed them near the Swallows, and I think he was right in so doing ; and Mr. Blyth, one of the most philoso- 
phical of ornithologists, entertains, I believe, the same opinion ; but as nearly all other writers have placed them 
with the CharadriadoB, I have adopted their view of the subject, and have accordingly retained them in that group. 
Species of this genus inhabit India, the Indian Islands, Europe and Africa. 
478. Glareola grallaria, Temm. . . • • • • Vol. VI. PI. 22. 
479. Glareola Orientahs, Leach Vol. VI. PI. 23. 
