“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. 472. Hiaticula bicincta Vol. VI. Pl. 16. 473. Hiaticula ruficapilla Vol. VI. Pl. 17. 474. Hiaticula monacha Vol. VI. Pl. 18. 475. Hiaticula inornata, _Gould_ Vol. VI. Pl. 19. 476. Hiaticula nigrifrons Vol. VI. Pl. 20. Genus ERYTHROGONYS, _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; _tail_ 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 joint; 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_ Vol. VI. Pl. 21. In structure, actions and economy this elegantly formed bird is very nearly allied to the _Hiaticulæ_ on the one hand, and the _Schœnicli_ on the other. Genus GLAREOLA, _Briss._