VII.  GRALLJI. 
Family  I.  Charadridje. 
Th 
® second  Subfamily, 
CURSORIN^,  OR  Coursers, 
hu 
^bove  ^ Moderate,  slender,  with  the  basal  portion  of  the  cuhnen  weak,  and  somewhat  cultrated 
subt  '■  beyond  which  it  is  slightly  arched  to  the  tip  ; the  nostrils  lateral,  placed  in  a short, 
and  Membranous  groove,  with  the  opening  longitudinal  and  exposed ; the  Wings  lengthened 
tbi’ep^ci  short  ; and  the  Legs  lengthened,  scutellated  in  front  and  behind,  and  with  only 
slend. 
toes  in  front. 
Pluvianus  VieilL* 
^ulinen  t fbe  head,  strong,  broad  at  the  base,  and  much  compressed  towards  the  tip,  the 
lateral  rather  compressed  to  the  front  of  the  nostrils,  and  arched  from  thence  to  the  tip,  the 
^^'diiial  % riearly  straight  and  bent  inwards ; the  nostrils  placed  in  a membranous  space,  longi- 
evei^_  p ®^Posed.  Wings  lengthened,  with  the  second  quill  the  longest.  Tail  moderate,  and  nearly 
front  ,1  * longer  than  the  middle  toe,  and  transversely  scaled  in  front  and  behind.  Toes  three 
^ ®r,  the  lateral  ones  nearly  equal ; and  the  claws  short,  compressed,  curved,  and  acute. 
The  t 
retirg^i  is  peculiar  to  Northern  Africa ; and  it  is  on  the  sandy  banks  of  the  rivers,  after  the  waters 
I’f  insects  which  they  are  found  in  pairs  or  in  small  societies  of  seven  or  eight,  seeking  for  various  kinds 
‘•''^kiiig  Jjj  inhabit  such  places.  It  is  said  to  enter  the  mouth  of  the  crocodile  (which  is  always  kept  open  while 
font. 
naturally  yellow,  becomes  of  a blackish  brown  colour  in  consequence  of  their  numbers. 
I.  p ^ 
''iiiadriug  — P.  chlorocephalus  VieilL  ; 
alus  Gmel. ; Charadrius  africanus  Lath.  Hist. 
de  I’Egypte,  Ois.  t.  6.  f.  4. ; Cursor  charadrioi'des  Wagl.  ; Ammop- 
tila  charadrioides  Swains. 
M 
CuRSORius  Lath.-f 
basg  broader  than  high  at  the  base,  laterally  compressed  to  the  tip,  the  cuhnen  straight  at 
'•bd  cw  ^ gradually  arched  to  the  tip  ; the  nostrils  placed  in  a membranous  groove,  longitudinal 
^^posed.  W-- 
mgs  lengthened,  wdth  the  first  two  quills  the  longest.  Tail  short,  and  nearly  even. 
'S'd  len 
gthened. 
T'drsi  the  apical  portion  of  the  thigh  naked,  and  scutellated  for  the  length  of  the  middle 
ipj  ^ than  t-wice  the  length  of  the  middle  toe,  and  covered  Avith  broad  transverse  scales 
^^‘?btly  behind.  Toes  three  in  front,  the  outer  longer  than  the  inner ; the  claws  short  and 
V curved. 
t *^y  Mr.  Sw°*  (Analyse,  p.  55.)  1816 ; in  1827  Gloger  used  in  its  place  Hyas ; and  in  1837  two  names  were  proposed, 
ty  Latham  Cheilodromas  by  Dr.  Ruppell : these  are  coequal  with  the  above. 
Ornith.  ii.  p.751.)  in  1790  ; Tachydromus  llliger  (1811)  and  Cursor  Wagler  (1827)  are  coequal. 
