The Australian fauna comprises two species of this form, of which one, the Charadrius veredus, might, perhaps, with propriety be separated into a distinct genus, or placed in that of Eudromias.
| 469. Charadrius xanthocheilus, Wagl. | Vol. VI. Pl. 13. |
| 470. Charadrius veredus, Gould | Vol. VI. Pl. 14. |
Genus Eudromias, Boie.
Of this genus of upland Plovers two species at least are known, viz. the E. morinellus of Europe and the E. Australis of Australia.
| 471. Eudromias Australis, Gould | Vol. VI. Pl. 15. |
This bird inhabits the low hills and plains of the interior, a kind of habitat precisely similar to that of its European prototype.
Since my account of this species was written some additional information has been acquired respecting it.
“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 Hiaticula, 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.