146 
PR2EC0CIAL GRALLATORES — LIMICOLJE. 
the 9th of that month. On the Boganida, lat. 70° 1ST., they arrived May 24, and were 
not noticed later than August 31. They nested on the barrens of Uldskoj-Ostrog. 
According to Mr. Henry Whitely, as quoted by Mr. Dresser, it is by no means a 
rare bird in Japan, where he obtained three specimens, Sept. 24 and Oct. 3, 1865. 
In India, according to Dr. Jerdon, it occurs generally in open plains, grassy downs, 
ploughed fields, and on the edges of rivers and lakes, associating in flocks of varying 
magnitude, and feeding on beetles and other hard insects, worms, and the like. He 
speaks of it as having a shrill whistling call, and as flying very rapidly. He also 
states that many breed in that country — even toward the south, as at Nellore — 
while others were observed to pass northward to breed, returning in September. 
Mr. Holdworth mentions this species as being very common in Ceylon in winter, 
especially in the north of that island, extending as far south as Columbo. Professor 
Schlegel refers to more than sixty specimens of this species, collected in nearly every 
island of the Malay Archipelago, and now in the Leyden Museum. 
In Australia, according to Mr. Gould, although nowhere very abundant, this bird 
is generally dispersed all over the colonies, from Tasmania northward. Several 
specimens were procured on the banks of the Derwent in Tasmania, and others were 
observed in small numbers on the flats below Clarence Plains. He also killed exam- 
ples on an island in Bass’s Straits. Its habits, manners, and general economy are 
said closely to resemble those of the Golden Plover of Europe. It frequents open 
plains in the neighborhood of marshy lands or the sea-beach, runs with amazing 
facility, and flies with great rapidity. Indications of the breeding-plumage begin to 
appear early in the spring. Mr. Gould thinks that none remain to breed in any of 
the southern parts of Australia. 
Dr. E. Grade mentions finding this Plover in Tongatabu, one of the Tonga Islands, 
where it occurred in flocks of from thirty to fifty individuals. They ran in search 
of food on sand-banks left dry at low water, and when approached within gunshot 
uttered a shrill tuli-lidi-twi-tun, and then took to flight. At high-water they frequented 
the open grassy places on fields and fallows. This species was found all the year 
round on that island, but was more numerous from October to March, and during .the 
season of migration. 
Mr. Layard (“Ibis,” 1878, p. 262) mentions its occurrence in Hew California, where 
it was found breeding on the islets off Anservata, close to Noumea ; and Mr. Blakiston 
(“ Ibis,” p. 218) speaks of it as common throughout Japan. Mr. R. Swinhoe (“ Ibis,” 
1874) mentions meeting with this species at Hakodadi in Japan in May. He else- 
where gives the range of this species as throughout China. He procured it between 
Takoo and Pekin, and states that he found it a common bird near Canton, passing 
the summer there. He also speaks of finding it in Formosa, where it was common 
all the year round, breeding in great abundance in marshy plains to the southwest. 
He also met with it in his excursion to Hainan, and states that it was common in the 
marsh near the city on the 5th of February. He found it in the dry rice-fields of 
Paklai, in Western Hainan, on the 21st of March, and abundant among the sweet- 
potato gardens of Hoitow on the 23d of that month. On the 2d of April, at Kinnge- 
how, he saw these birds on the beach, where they were then beginning to acquire the 
black underdress of summer. 
According to Mr. Swinhoe, its eggs — four in number — are laid in a loose nest 
of dried grasses and fibres placed in a hollow. They have a yellowish-gray ground, 
blotched and spotted with deep blackish sepia, and have occasional obsolete purplish 
gray spots. The eggs do not vary much in their size, are narrowed near one end, and 
measure 1.50 inches in length by 1.10 in breadth. 
