128 PR.ECOCIAL GRALLATORES — LmiCOL.E. 



]\[r. K. Browne includes it in his list of the birds observed by him on Vancouver 

 Island, and four specimens of it were procured by Mr. Bischoff near Sitka. Mr. 

 Henshaw did not meet with any of this species on Santa Cruz Island, and he is of the 

 opinion that none breed in that group. Mr. Gruber procured a tine specimen of this 

 bird at Santa Barbara in spring. Mr. Henshaw regarded it as a rather uncommon 

 species on the coast of California, and as one whose habits are but little known. 

 Nothing has been learned in regard to its nesting. It occurs on the Pacific coast of 

 South America as far as Chili. 



Family CHAEADEIID^. — The Plovees. 



Char. Small or medium-sized shore-birds (scarcely waders), with rather short, 

 somewhat Pigeon-like bill, large round head, short neck, long and pointed wings, 

 and moderately lengthened legs, the hind toe usually absent. 



The above superficial characters are sufficient to define the family of Plovers, as 

 distinguished from the allied groups. The affinities of the Plovers are with the 

 StvejJsUidce (Turnstones) on the one hand, and the CEdlcnemidic (Thick-kneed Plovers) 

 on the other ; but they seem sufficiently distinct from either, and form, upon the 

 whole, a very well-marked family of the great Limicoline group. 



The American genera of Charadriidce (with the exception of Pluvlanellus, Home. 

 & Jacq.,^ which we have not seen) may be characterized as follows : — 



Table of American Genera. 



A« Size large (wing more than eight inches) ; bead more or less crested ; plumage more or less 

 metallic above. 

 a. Occiput -with a slender recurved crest ; a well-developed hind toe, with claw ; wing rounded, 

 first quill shorter than fourth. 



1. VaneHus. Wing unarmed, or with very rudimentary spur ; tarsus not more than twice 



as 1(11)-- as the middle toe. 



2. Belonopterus.- Wing armed with a very prominent curved spur on the head of the 



metacarpus ; tarsus more than twice as long as the middle toe. 

 6. Occipital feathers lengthened, forming a soft, pendant, rather bushy crest ; no trace of hind 

 toe ; wing pointed, the first quill longest, or longer than fourth. 



3. Ptiloscelys.^ Wing armed with a very minute spur; tarsus more than twice as long as 



miildle toe. 

 B. Size medium or small (wing less than eight inches) ; head without crest, and plumage with- 

 out metallic gloss above. 



c. Wing more than six inches ; plumage much speckled or spotted above ; lower parts chiefly 



bhick in summer. 



4. Squatarola. A well-developed land toe, without claw. 



5. Charadrius. No trace of liiud toe ; otherwise very similar to Squatarola, but smaller and 



more slender. 



d. "Wing less than six inches ; plumage nearly or quite uniform grayish or brownish above (the 



rump ochraceous in O.cyechm), the lower parts chiefly or entirely white at all stages. 



1 Type, P. sociahilis, Homb. & Jacq. 



'^ Belonopterus, Reich. Handb. 1851, xviii. (type, Charadrius cayennensis, Gmel. Hab. South 

 America). 



3 Ptiloscelys, Boxap. Compt. Rend. XLIII. 1856, 429 (type, Vanellus rcsplendens, Tschudi. Hab. 

 South America). 



