THE BIRDS OF LIBERIA 665 
Xiphidopterus albiceps (Gould). White-headed Plover 
Vanellus albiceps Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1834, p.45: Quorra River (Niger), or Fernando 
Fo; 
Larger, length 13.5 inches; a pair of long triangular yellow lappets at base of bill; forehead, 
crown, and a ring about the neck white, as well as throat, middle of neck below, and the abdomen; 
back brown, rump white bordered with darker; tail white at base, black-tipped; three outer pri- 
maries black-tipped, others white. Feet yellow. From Liberia and the Sudan, south to the Zambesi. 
Liberia seems to be about the northward limit of this bird’s range in West 
Africa. It is interesting as a bird requiring particular conditions for its habitat, 
namely, rocky islets or sand-bars in rivers where the current is swift and hence 
it is an exceedingly local species. Chubb has recorded a specimen taken on the 
St. Paul’s River, February 25, 1905, and Biittikofer (1885, p. 236) has recorded 
it from the same river. He writes: ‘‘On the St. Paul’s there was only one spot 
where we ever saw them, and the same was the case with the bank mentioned in 
the Marfa River. The natives told me that they stay there for years and are 
never seen on other similarly situated spots in the same river.... The small 
colony in the St. Paul’s River inhabited a rocky island between two rapids and 
was inaccessible to us.’”’ We did not meet with the species on the upper St. 
Paul’s, where it might be that the varying height of the river in dry and rainy 
seasons would have more effect on their localized habitat. 
Arenaria interpres interpres (Linné). Turnstone 
Tringa interpres Linné, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, p. 148, 1758: Gothland. 
Length 8 inches; male in spring, above mottled gray and dark brown on head, mottled black 
and chestnut on back; lower back and longest tail coverts white separated by a black area; wings 
and tail blackish, a prominent white wing-bar; chin, sides of breast and belly white, elsewhere 
black; feet red, bill black. Female with similar pattern but mottled brownish and white on head, 
back and breast. Breeds in arctic regions; South in winter to West African coasts, from Senegal 
to the Cape. 
Like other shorebirds migrating to the African coasts in winter, this seems to 
be a searce species on the Liberian coast. The only record is that of Lowe, who 
secured an adult female in the winter plumage, at Nifu, on December 30, 1910 
(Bannerman, 1912, p. 257). 
Erolia testacea (Pallas). Curlew Sandpiper 
Tringa testacea Pallas, in Vroeg’s Cat., Adumbrat., p. 6, 1764: Holland. 
Length about 6 inches; bill slightly curved down; above, mottled black and ochraceous, 
rump and tail-coverts white, the latter with a few round dark spots; breast and throat chestnut, 
frosted with white, the larger feathers with dull subterminal bar; a small white wing-bar; belly 
white. 
This arctic species migrates in autumn to African shores and was twice re- 
corded by Biittikofer (1885, 1888): an immature bird was taken as early as 
September 30 at Cape Mount, where in common with other shore birds the 
species frequents river banks and the shores of brackish lagoons; a second was 
shot on a brackish lagoon on Barguay River. 
