So far as our knowledge extends, the present bird is confined to the shores of the northern and north-western parts of Australia. It is beautifully represented in India by the _E. recurvirostris_, and these two species are all that are known to ornithologists.
I believe that there is no country in the world of any extent the shores of which are not inhabited by one or other of the numerous species of this genus; but it would seem that all those which exist in the southern hemisphere are totally different from those of the northern.
463. Hæmatopus longirostris, _Vieill._ Vol. VI. Pl. 7. 464. Hæmatopus fuliginosus, _Gould_ Vol. VI. Pl. 8.
Two species of this beautiful form inhabit Australia, one the northern and the other the southern parts of the country; I believe they are both confined to this portion of the globe. Other species are found in India and Africa.
465. Lobivanellus lobatus Vol. VI. Pl. 9. 466. Lobivanellus personatus, _Gould_ Vol. VI. Pl. 10.
A genus nearly allied to the last, and of which a single species inhabits Australia; like _Lobivanellus_, it is an Old World form.
467. Sarciophorus pectoralis Vol. VI. Pl. 11.
The single species of this genus inhabits Europe, Asia, North America and Australia.
468. Squatarola Helvetica Vol. VI. Pl. 12.
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.
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.”