254 THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 
3. Red-capped Dotterel Charadrius ruficapillus Temminck 
Char-ad'-ri-us— Gk, charadrios, valley bird: ru-fi-cap-ill'-us— L., rufus, 
red; L., capillus, hair of the head. 
distribution. Australia generally, and Tasmania; also occurs in 
southern New Guinea; accidental to New Zealand. 
notes. Also called Red-necked Plover and Sand-lark. Usually in 
pairs or flocks, frequenting the shores of inlets or the margins of lakes 
and rivers. It is generally seen running with quick little strides along 
the edge of the water, and if disturbed flies a few paces away, alights, 
and repeats these movements. Food: chiefly insects and small crus¬ 
taceans. 
nest. A depression in the sand, usually lined with broken pieces of 
shell or tiny pebbles. Favourite sites are the crowns of slight ridges, 
not far from water; this species has been known to nest two miles 
from the nearest water. 
eggs. Usually two, pale greenish, covered all over with dots and 
lines of dark brown to purplish-black markings and a few underlying 
spots of lavender. Breeding-season: August to December or January. 
4. Black-fronted Dotterel Charadrius mela?iops Vicillot 
mel'-an-ops— Gk, mclas (mclanos ), black; Gk, ops t face. 
distribution. Australia generally, and Tasmania. 
notes. Also called Sandpiper. Usually in pairs or family parties, 
frequenting chiefly shingly and muddy banks of rivers, lakes, or 
waterholes, also the shores of inlets. It is generally observed near the 
water’s edge, along which it runs with great rapidity. When flushed, 
it rises quickly, and frequently utters a plaintive note like “Chick 
chick”. Food: aquatic insects, worms, and small crustaceans. 
nest. A depression in the ground, favourite sites being shingly flats 
of rivers, rarely far from the water. 
eggs. Usually three, stone, or greyish-yellow, covered with various 
shaped markings of brown and lavender. Breeding-season: September 
to December (southern); April to September (northern). 
5. Large Sand-dotterel Charadrius leschenaulti Lesson 
lesclienaulti— J. B. Leschenault de la Tour (1773-1826), French collec¬ 
tor and botanist. 
distribution. Tibet and eastern Siberia, migrating southwards 
to Africa and Australia; accidental to Europe. 
notes. Usually in Hocks, frequenting tidal salt creeks and the sea¬ 
shore. It is common in north-western Australia during the summer 
months, where it is generally observed on mud-banks and sandy or 
shingly beaches. Little has been lecorded of its habits and economy. 
An adult in breeding plumage is coloured cinnamon-rufous on the 
crown of the head, the hind-neck, and on a narrow collar round the 
fore-neck. 
nest. A depression in the sand and fine shingle on the borders of a 
lake (Mathews and Iredale) 
