Part 110

Bill short, straight, subcylindrical, obtusely pointed; upper mandible, with its dorsal line straight for half its length, afterwards convex; nasal groove bare, extended along two-thirds of the length of the bill. Head of moderate size, rather compressed, rounded in front. Eyes large. Neck rather short; body ovate, rather full. Plumage soft, blended, somewhat compact above; wings long, pointed, with the first quill longest. Tail of moderate length, somewhat rounded, or with the middle feathers projecting, of twelve feathers. Œsophagus of moderate width; stomach roundish, compressed, very muscular, with the epithelium dense and rugous; intestine rather long, and of moderate width; with rather long cœca. A single pair of inferior laryngeal muscles. Nest on the ground, shallow; eggs generally four, large, pyriform, spotted. Young densely covered with down, and able to walk immediately after birth.

GENUS I. CHARADRIUS, Linn. PLOVER.

Bill short, or as long as the head, straight, rather stout, somewhat compressed, pointed; upper mandible with the dorsal line straight, and slightly declinate for at least half its length, then bulging a little, and arched to the tip, which is rather acute, the sides flat and sloping at the base, convex towards the end, where the edges are sharp and inclinate; nasal groove extended to half the length, and bare; lower mandible with the angle rather long and narrow, the sides at the base erect and nearly flat, the dorsal line ascending and slightly convex, the edges sharp and involute towards the tip, which is narrow and rather pointed. Nostrils subbasal, linear, open, and pervious. Eyes rather large. Head of moderate size, roundish, the forehead much rounded; neck rather short; body ovate, rather full. Feet rather long, slender; tibia bare for a considerable space; tarsus rather compressed, covered all round with reticulated hexagonal scales; toes of moderate length, slender, scutellate, second shorter than fourth, first wanting or rudimentary; anterior toes broadly marginate, webbed at the base. Claws small, compressed, slightly arched, rather acute. Plumage soft, blended, the feathers broad and rounded. Wings long and pointed, the primaries tapering, the first longest; inner secondaries tapering and elongated. Tail rather short, or of moderate length, rounded, of twelve rounded feathers. Tongue tapering, grooved above; œsophagus of moderate width; proventriculus oblong; stomach roundish, very muscular, its lateral and inferior muscles prominent, epithelium dense, longitudinally rugous; intestine rather long and of moderate width; cœca rather long.

316. 1. Charadrius Helveticus, Linn. Black-bellied Plover.--Bull-head. Ox-eye.

Plate CCCXXXIV. Male and Young.

An extremely diminutive hind toe; bill and feet black. In summer, the upper parts variegated with black, yellowish-brown, and white, the feathers being tipped with the latter; forehead yellowish-white, the rest of the head and hind neck greyish-white, spotted with dusky; hind part of rump, upper tail-coverts and tail-feathers white, transversely barred with brownish-black, the tail tipped with white, and having four dark bars on the middle feathers, and seven or eight on the outer webs of the rest; primary quills and coverts brownish-black, the latter terminally margined with white; shafts of the primaries about the middle, and part of the inner webs toward the base, white; inner six with a white patch on the outer web toward the base, and margined with white externally; outer secondary feathers white at the base, and margined with the same; inner dusky, with marginal triangular white spots; a narrow ring round the eye, and a broad longitudinal band on each side of the neck, together with the abdomen and lower tail-coverts, white; loral space, cheeks, fore part of neck, breast, and axillar feathers, black. In winter, the upper parts spotted with pale yellow, the lower greyish-white, the throat, neck, and sides streaked with dusky, the axillars black. Young pale brownish-yellow, mottled with dusky, rump whitish. After the second moult, the upper parts brownish-black, spotted with white, some of the spots yellow; fore part and sides of neck and body, greyish-white, mottled with brownish-grey, the rest of the lower parts white.

Male, 11-3/4, 25.

From Texas along the coast to the northern extremity of the Continent. Breeds from Virginia northward. Not abundant.

Tringa helvetica and Squatarola, Linn. Syst. Nat p. 250, 252.

Black-bellied Plover, Charadrius helveticus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vii. p. 41. Summer.

Charadrius helveticus, Bonap. Syn. p. 298.

Grey Lapwing, Vanellus melanogaster, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 370.

Black-bellied or Swiss Plover, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 26.

Black-bellied Plover, Charadrius helveticus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 280.

317. 2. Charadrius marmoratus, Wagler. American Golden Plover.

Plate CCC. Adult in summer, winter, and spring.

Bill black, feet bluish-grey. In summer the upper part of head, fore part of back, and scapulars variegated with brownish-black and bright yellow, the latter in spots along the edges of the feathers; rump with smaller spots, two on each feather; quills and coverts dark greyish-brown, secondaries paler, the inner margined with yellowish-white spots, the smaller coverts spotted with the same; tail-feathers greyish-brown, faintly banded with paler, the two central with marginal yellowish spots; a broad band of white across the forehead and over the eyes, and extending along the side of the neck; the rest of the lower parts brownish-black, excepting the lower tail-coverts, which are chiefly white, the lateral banded or spotted with black, and the axillary and lower wing-coverts, which are light grey. In winter, the upper parts are blackish-brown, marked with small yellow spots, the lower parts pale grey, passing behind into greyish-white, the neck and breast streaked with greyish-brown. This species, which closely resembles Charadrius pluvialis, is distinguishable by having the tarsus slightly longer, the toes somewhat shorter, and the axillar feathers always light grey, they being white in that species, which very probably exists in North America, although I am not at present in possession of specimens, and cannot with certainty describe it as belonging to that country.

Adult, 10-1/2, 22-3/8.

Migrates southward in autumn and winter in vast flocks, from the northern regions, resting by the way, both in the interior and along the coast. Breeds on the Northern Barren Grounds, and islands of the Arctic Sea.

Charadrius marmoratus, Wagler, Syst. Avium.

Golden Plover, Charadrius pluvialis, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vii. p. 71. Winter.

Charadrius pluvialis, Bonap. Syn. p. 297.

Charadrius pluvialis, Golden Plover, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 623.

American Golden Plover, Charadrius marmoratus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 575.

318. 3. Charadrius vociferus, Linn. Kildeer Plover.

Plate CCXXV. Male and Female.

Tail rather long, much rounded; bill black, feet light greyish-blue, hind part of tarsus pale flesh-colour; upper part of head, fore part of back, smaller wing-coverts, and inner secondary quills brownish-olive; rump orange-red; lower parts white; a brown band from the base of the bill, under the eye, to the occiput; over this a white band on the forehead, and extending behind the eye, where it is tinged with light red; surmounted by a brownish-black band between the eyes; on the neck two broad rings, the upper white, the lower black, succeeded by a band of white, and another of black in front; primaries brownish-black, each with a white mark, linear on the outer, enlarging on the inner quills; secondaries, excepting the inner, white, but most of them with a large patch of blackish-brown toward the end, their tips and most of those of the primaries white, as are those of the larger coverts. Tail-feathers white at the base, succeeded by orange, the four middle brown, all with a broad subterminal band of black, the tips white, those of the middle feathers pale reddish, the outer on each side white, with three bands of black on the inner web.

Male, 10, 20.