"The sandy-buff margins to the feathers become bleached to white, and in many respects abraded, so that the subterminal black markings of the young plumage remain as margins to the dorsal feathers. The adult plumage is apparently gained by a molt, and the new feathers have a slight indication of a sandy-buff fringe on the upper parts, while the chest is mottled with ashy, the feathers having sandy-colored margins; the throat is at first irregularly spotted or streaked with blackish, and has scarcely any signs of a black crescent. "There is considerable variation with regard to the rufous color of the throat and breast, this being sometimes very rich in tint. I imagine that this is a sign of nesting plumage to a great extent; but it may also indicate the age of the bird, the plumage becoming more richly colored as the bird gets older." (Sharpe.) "Numerous flocks seen by me on the plains of Isabela in April, 1906." (Worcester.) During the winter months this anomalous plover visits the Philippines in small numbers. Its deeply cleft bill and forked tail distinguish it from all other plovers; and even while on the wing it may be recognized by its circling, swallow-like flight. Suborder OEDICNEMI. Family OEDICNEMIDÆ. Bill large and strong, nostrils pervious, their opening a long slit; wings when folded falling short of the tip of tail; secondaries longer than primaries; tarsus covered with hexagonal scales; tarsus longer than culmen or than middle toe with claw. Genus ORTHORHAMPHUS Salvadori, 1874. Characters same as those given for the Family. 129. ORTHORHAMPHUS MAGNIROSTRIS (Vieillot). AUSTRALIAN STONE PLOVER. Oedicnemus magnirostris Vieillot, Nouv. Dict. d'Hist. Nat. (1818), 23, 231. Orthorhamphus magnirostris Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1896), 24, 22; Hand-List (1899), 1, 173; Oates, Cat. Birds' Eggs (1902), 2, 84; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 30. Ta-ba-la-lan, Calayan. Calayan (McGregor); Camiguin N. (McGregor); Fuga (McGregor); Luzon (Whitehead); Mindanao (Mearns); Mindoro (Platen?); Palawan (Whitehead, White). Australia to Bismarck Archipelago and north to Borneo and islands of Bay of Bengal.