Geographical Distribution..—Europe generally, where it seems to he migratory in many parte, in Britain and Germany for instance. Tonmirick notes it as abundant in the south of France (in which country Belon found young ones that could not fly at the end of October), Italy, Sardinia, the Greek Archipelago, and Turkey. It is also found In Asia and Africa. It occurred among the Trebizond collection of birds presented to the Zoological Society of London by of the nostrils. Legs three inches from the naked thigh to the tip of the middle toe, the claw of which is serrated internally. Tail round; the middle feathers not spotted ; the two next with a black dot near the tip, which, in the next pair, is further broken into two white dots ; the outer pair white." (' Zool. Illust.,' pl. 106, first series). It inhabits Africa (Abyssinia.) a babellinus, Meyer, Temminck ; C. Ewropfrus, 'Ind. Orn;' C.
Gmelin ; Le Courvite, Buff.; Cream-Coloured Plover, Latham ; Cream-Coloured Courser, Pennant; Cream-Coloured Swift Foot, Selby. It has been seen in France and England, but only as an occasioned 'defter. Thus we find (Mout. 'Om. Diet.) that one was killed in France, where it was seen to run with great swiftness; ano ther was shot near St. Alban's in East Kent, the seat of William Hammond, Esq., on the 10th of November, 1785, and he presented the prize to Dr. Latham. Mr. Hammond first met with it on some light land ; and so little fearful was it, that having no gun with him at that time lie sent for one, which did not readily go off, having been charged for some time, and, in conseqnence, ho missed his aim ; the report frightened the bird away, but after making a turn or two, it again settled within a hundred yards of him, when he was prepared with a second shot, which killed it. He observed it to ran with incredible swiftness, considering its size, and at intervals to pick something from the ground : it was so bold as to render it difficult to make it rise in order to take a more secure aim on the wing. The note was unlike that of any known bird. Colonel Montagu says that one was shot in North Wales in the year 1793, and preserved in the collection of the late Professor Sibthorp at Oxford. Mr. A tkinson, author of ' The Compendium of Ornithology,' was also in possession of a specimen shot at Netherby, in April, 1816.
Another of these birds was taken in Austria ; and the young bird in the Darmstadt Museum, alluded to by Temminck, was probably killed in Europe. Mr. Fox Journal,' vol. p. 492) records the death of one shot on the 15th October, 1827, under Timberwood Hill, in Charnwood Forest, Leicestershire, by a tenant of Mr. T. Gis
borne. He described it as coming flying over his bead, uttering a cry with which he was unacquainted, and it settled near him. Some idea of the enormous prices which were at one time given by collectors for rare birds killed in Britain may be formed from the sum which Dr. Latham's specimen produced : Mr. Fox says it was purchased for 83 guineas.
Glareola, Brisson. Bill short, bard, convex, curved for upwards of half its length, and compressed towards the point. Nostrils at the sides of the base, oblong, and obliquely cleft. Legs feathered nearly to the knee; toes, three before and one behind, the outer united to the middle one by a short membrane ; claws long, and drawn to a fine point. Wings very large, the first quill-feather the longest. Tail more ar less forked. (Gould.) Example, G. Pratincola (Ifirundo Pratincola, Linnaeus), the Collared Prauticole. Both male and female when old have the summit of the head, nape, back, scapulars, and coverts of the wings gray-brown ; throat and front of the neck white slightly tinged with red, which colour is encircled or framed, as it were, by a very narrow black band, which ascends towards the corners of the bill; space between the eye and the bill black ; breast whitish-brown ; under coverts of the wings chestnut-red ; lower parts white, clouded with reddish ; coverts of the tail and origin of tile caudal feathers pure white, the rest blackish towards their end ; bill black, red at its base, iris reddish-brown ; naked circle round the eyes bright-red ; feet reddish ash. Tail very much forked. Length rather more than 9 inches. (Temm.) In this state it is the Perdrix de Mer of Brisson, ece. ; the Perdrix de Mer Ordinaire et h Collier of Gerard ; Austrian Pratiucole of Latham; Dm Rothritssige Sandhuhn of Bechstein; Dee Ondrichische Ilalsband, and Siidliche Sandhuhn, of Brehm ; and Pernice di Mare of Sari.
Varieties.—The gray-brown brighter or deeper : the white of the. throat more or less clouded with reddish or bright russet ; the gular black band more or less intense in colour, and often accompanied by a very small white line. The band too is often only indicated by small black spots. (Temm.) \Then young the upper parts are brown-ash, clouded with deeper undulations and whitish borders; throat tarnished white, surrounded with brown spots disposed so as to replace the baud which surrounds this part in the old birds ; breast and belly deep gray with brown spots, hut sometimes without !Tote ; the tail less forked, and the lateral feather much shorter than in the old.