INT RO DU CrEO ®: Ixxxill

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“This singular bird,” says Captain Sturt, in the Appendix to his Account of his recent expedition into the
interior of South Australia, “‘ made its appearance in 1841 suddenly on the plains of Adelaide, seeming to have
come from the north. It occupied the sand-hills at the edge of the Mangrove swamps and fed round the puddles
of water on the plains. This bird afforded my friend, Mr. Torrens, an abundant harvest, as it was numerous
round his house; but although some few have visited South Australia every subsequent year, they have never
appeared in such numbers as on the first occasion. It runs very fast along the ground. Mr. Browne and I met
or rather crossed several flights of these birds in August of 1845, going south. They were on the large open

plains and were very wild.”
Genus Hiaricuna, G. R. Gray.

Five species of this genus inhabit Australia, and others occur in New Zealand, the Indian Islands, India,
Europe, Africa and America, consequently few genera have their members more widely dispersed. Almost all the
species found in Australia are peculiar to the country, and are more numerous on the southern than they are on the

northern parts of that continent ; shingly beaches and low flat shores are their principal places of resort.

472. Hiaticula bicincta . ; : : : : ; ; : é : : ; Wolk, WHE, Ile 16.
473. Hiaticula ruficapilla. : : ; : ; Ole sleep
474. Hiaticula monacha . ; : ; : : ; ; : : : Vole Vale Ries:
475. Hiaticula inornata, Gould : ‘ ; i : ; i : : : (Gy AVL)
476. Hiaticula nigrifrons : 3 ; : ; ; : : , z ; : VolnVle Rk 20

Genus Eryrnuroconys, Gould.

Generic characters.

Bill longer than the head, straight, rather depressed; nostrils basal, linear ; wings long and powerful, the first
feather the longest ; tertiaries nearly as long as the primaries; fail short and nearly square; legs long ; toes four
in number, slender, the hind-toe extremely diminutive and free, the outer toe united to the middle one nearly to
the first jot; thighs naked above the knee.

The single species of this genus appears to be strictly Australian, for I have never seen examples from any

other country.

—

477. Erythrogonys cinctus, Gould : ‘ : : : : Wolk Vil Rik 2

In structure, actions and economy this elegantly formed bird is very nearly allied to the Hiaticule on the one

hand, and the Schenicli on the other.

Genus Guareoias, Briss.

I have for many years questioned the propriety of placing the Pratincoles in the same group with the Plovers,
or even in the same order, believing them as I do to be a terrestrial form of the Fissirostral birds. Linnzeus
placed them near the Swallows, and I think he was right in so doing; and Mr. Blyth, one of the most philoso-
phical of ornithologists, entertains, I believe, the same opinion; but as nearly all other writers have placed them
with the Charadriada, I have adopted their view of the subject, and have accordingly retained them in that group.

Species of this genus inhabit India, the Indian Islands, Europe and Africa.

Vole Vie Bie

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478. Glareola grallaria, Temm.
479. Glareola Orientalis, Leach 4 : ; ; . ; : A , Vole Wik ios;

 

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