o 
360 CHARADRIIDZ. 
Pu. estiv. ptilosi hiemali similis, sed pileo paullo cinnamomeo lavato, fascia postfrontali transversa nigra 
distincta, regione parotica nigra distinguenda. Long. tota circa 6°2, ale 4:2. (Deser. femine adulte ex 
Corpus Christi, Texas. Mus. nostr.) 
Hab. NortH America, Western United States, from California east to Kansas and 
Western Gulf States®°—Mexico, Mazatlan (Grayson*), Celestin, N. Yucatan 
(Schott *); Costa Rica (Zeledon*)—Western Souta AMERICA to Peru and 
Chile’. | 
The Snowy Sand-Plover belongs to the section of the genus gialitis in which the 
species have the lores entirely white. In general appearance it resembles the Kentish 
Plover of Europe (4. alexandrina), but is distinguished from the latter and from 
4. coliaris by the absence of the black loral line. 
“gialitis nivosa is an inhabitant of the Western United States, but extends 
eastward into Kansas and Texas; we have received a good series of skins from 
Mr. Armstrong from Corpus Christi. Its winter habitat seems to be the western side 
of South America, where it ranges as far south as Chile. In Central America it is 
probably only a bird of passage, and the records of its occurrence are very few; the 
species would appear, however, to pass by both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, baving 
been procured at Mazatlan by Grayson %¥, and by Schott in Northern Yucatan 2. 
Zeledon also places it in his list of Costa Rican birds 4. 
Like its European ally, this Plover congregates after the breeding-season in small 
flocks, which follow the receding tidal water to pick up small shells, crustacea, and 
insects. Elliot says that its note is low and rather mournful. The eggs, three or 
four in number, are laid in a small hollow scooped out in the sand 6; they are of 
a pale creamy-buff colour, with spots, lines, and scrawls of dark brown or black, 
and a few underlying markings of pale purple. 
Subfam. HIMANTOPODINEL. 
The members of this subfamily, the Stilts (Himantopus) and the Avocets (Recurvi- 
rostra), are chiefly remarkable for their extremely long legs, which, when outstretched, 
extend far beyond the tip of the tail. The bill is straight in Himantopus and 
upturned in ecurvirostra; in both it is smooth and tapering towards the tip, with no 
dertral swelling at the end. 
HIMANTOPUS. 
Himantopus, Briss. Orn. v. p. 83 (1760) ; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxiv. p. 809 (1896). 
The long legs of the Stilts are their chief characteristic, the tarsus being more than 
twice the length of the middle toe and claw. The bill is straight and of nearly 
uniform length, tapering slightly towards the tip. The toes are cleft to their base, 
and have scarcely any interdigital web. The hind toe is absent. 
