MONGOLIAN SAND-DOTTEREL. 
Wagler, Isis 1829, p. 651 (ex Licht. in Mus. BeroL). Upon reference, a bird 
is found described from “ Bengala,” which is undoubtedly this bird, but upon 
the previous page Wagler had introduced Clmradrius atrifrons, also from 
“ Bengala.” This also refers to this bird, and Wagler’s name should replace 
Gould’s. It is strange that this name is not even quoted in the Catalogue, 
especially as Graj^, in the Handl. Gen. Spec. Birds, pt. m., p. 15, 1871, had 
correctly cited it in the synonymy of pyrrhothorax Temm. 
This form can only be considered as a subspecies of mongolus — ^indeed 
in winter-plumage they can only be separated with difficulty : mongolus 
(typical) has a slightly shorter, stouter bill, and a slightly shorter tarsus. In 
summer-plumage the same differences of course exist, but in G. m. atrijrons the 
forehead is generally all black with very small white markings when present, 
while C. m. mongolus has white predominant in the forehead-markings. In 
the latter the pectoral band is generally of a darker colour, and a black line is 
commonly present dividing the pectoral band from the white throat — a suspicion 
of this black hne has only once been noted in undoubted G. m. atrifrons. 
My nomenclature of the two forms would read' — 
Cirrepidesmus 7nongolus mongolus (Pallas). 
“ Breeds in Eastern Siberia and the Commander Islands, and even extends 
its range to Alaska. Passes through China on migration to the Phihppines 
and the Moluccas, wintering in these islands and Austraha.” 
Cirrepidesmus mongolus atrifrons (Wagler). 
“ Breeds in Kirghis Steppes and probably throughout Central Asia, wintering 
in Africa, India and the Malay Peninsula and Islands” {Cat. Birds Brit. Mus.). 
In the British Museum there are a pair and young one procured by 
Dr. Longstaff in Thibet. 
As synonyms may be quoted C. inconspicuus Wagler, C. pyrrhothorax 
Gould, and C. rufinellus Blyth. 
VOL. m. 
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