Okdee LlillCOL^.] 
CHAEADRIUS EUFIC APILLUS. 
(RED-CAPPED DOTTREL.) 
[Fam. CHARADRIID^. 
Charadrius mficapillus, Temra. PL Col. vol. v. pi. 47. fig. 2 (1838). 
Htaticula ruficapilla, Gould, Birds of Austr. fol. vol. vi. pi. 17 (1848). 
^gialophilus ruficapillus, Gould, Handb. Birds of Austr. vol. ii. p. 235 (1865). 
■d-d. pallide cineiascenti-brunneus, alarum tectricibus vix pallidioribus, majoribus albo terminatis ; ala spuria, 
tectricibus primariorum et remigibus fuscescenti-brunneis, scapis albis, secundariis intimis dorso concolori- 
bus . supiacaudalibus saturatiiis bruuneis, lateralibus albis : rectricibus medianis saturate brunneis, proximis 
pallidioribus albo marginatis, reliquis albis : pileo et collo postico pallide ciunamomeis : fronte alb^, postice 
nip,io fasciata: striga lorali et fascia supraparotica nigris : subalaribus quoque albis, imis majoribus 
ciueraseentibus. 
Adult male. Eorebead crossed by a broad band of white, which diminishes to a point at the posterior angle of 
the eye , above this a narrow band of black ; crown, nape, and back of neck bright rust-red ; a line of black 
from the gape extending across the eyes and down the sides of the neck, forming an edging to the rust-red 
coloui j back, rump, and upper surface of wings pale greyish brown, eaeh feather margined with a lighter 
tint , tail-feathers white, except the two middle ones which are brown ; throat, fore neck, and entire under 
surface pure white. Irides and bill black ; legs and feet greyish blaek. Total length 5-75 inches; wing, 
from flexure, 4 ; tail ’9 ; bill, along the ridge '6, along the edge of lower mandible *7 ; bare tibia "4 ; 
tarsus 1 ; middle toe and elaw ’75. 
Female. Differs from the male only in the paler tints of the plumage. 
Obs. Some specimens have a faint wash of fulvous on the breast and sides of the body. 
F this Dottiel, which is widely distributed along the shores of Australia, a single straggler has been 
lecoided in New Zealand *. This was obtained on the ocean-beach near Waikanae, in the North 
sland, and the specimen (from which the above description of the adult male was taken) is norv in 
the Colonial Museum at Wellington. 
Like many other members of the extensive family to which it belongs, this species resorts to very 
ever devices for the purpose of diverting attention from its nest and young, feigning lameness or a 
iippled wing, and simulating, in a very remarkable manner, the actions of a partially disabled or 
wounded bird. 
inch describes the eggs as being one and a quarter inches in length by seven eighths of an 
black^^ bieadth, and of a pale stone-coloui', sprinkled all over with small irregular blotches of brownish 
* T. W. Kirk, Trans. N.-Z. Inst. vol. xii. p. 246. 
