seebohm,distributionofthecharadriidae

Seebohm, Distribution of the Family Charadriidae

Henry Seebohm's The geographical distribution of the family Charadriidae, or the Plovers, Sandpipers, Snipes, and their allies was published in 1888 by Henry Sotheran & Co. (London and Manchester). Though the date of its publication did not appear on the title-page, it was noted within the text, and subsequent published comments that the book had been in circulation by the end of 1887 gave some later bibliographers reason to recognize the earlier year. Seebohm's arrangement of the Charadriidae was unusual as it was a broad one and drew considerable attention and scrutiny from his contemporaries for this reason. Including the namesake family, he had additionally incorporated seven others into Charadiidae--what Howard and Moore (A Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World, second ed.) later consider to be distinct families in their own right: Scolopacidae, Rostratulidae, Recurvirostridae, Burhinidae, Glareolidae, Haematopodidae, and Ibidorhynchidae. Despite this diverse assemblage, illustrated examples were not provided for the last four of these families listed.

There were twenty-one prints in quarto, all of which are available here. This exhibit of Charadriidae is featured on two webpages, with a link provided below to access the second page. A table within the text provided corresponding numbers for each, though the numbers did not actually appear on the prints themselves.

[XX] Scolopax rochusseni.

Moluccan Woodcock.

[VI] Charadrius (Pluvianus) obscurus.

New Zealand Dotterel.

[XIV] Himantopus (Cladorhynchus) pectoralis.

Banded Stilt.

[I] Charadrius (Charadrius) rubecola.

Chilian Dotterel.

[V] Charadrius monachus.

Hooded Ringed Plover.

[IX] Lobivanellus (Vanellus) superciliosus.

Dohrn's Wattled-Lapwing.

[III] Charadrius rufiventer.

Australian Four-toed Dotterel.

(Seebohm: Charadrius rufiventris)

[II] Charadrius (Pluvianellus) sociabilis.

Magellanic Plover.

[IV] Charadrius (Eudromias) totanirostris.

Slender-billed Dotterel.

This plate appeared as the frontispiece.

[XI] Cursorius somalensis.

Somali Courser.

This illustration also figured as plate VIII in Frank Linsly James' The Unknown Horn of Africa (see Traveling Accounts). In some printings of this book the plates were not colored.