APPENDIX. 509 



probably its northern limit, as it was not observed on 

 the former expeditions through the higher latitudes. 

 It is consequently a more southern bird than the 

 Charadrius semipalmatus> which was seen in abundance 

 by Sir John Franklin's party during the whole route, 

 and by Captain James Ross in the peninsula of 

 Boothia, where it passes the summer in the marshes. 

 The piping plover was described at first by Wilson 

 as a variety of the common ringed plover, but in 

 afterwards figuring the semipalmated plover under 

 the same name, he intimated his suspicion of its 

 being a distinct species. Subsequent authors have 

 pointed out its peculiar characters, and the two species, 

 together with a third named Charadrius Wilsonii, and 

 very nearly resembling them, are well described and 

 figured in Mr. Audubon's splendid work. The piping 

 plover breeds as far to the southward as the Keys of 

 Florida, and though it exhibits every where nearly the 

 same plumage, we shall here subjoin a description of 

 Mr. King's specimen, as it is the only one that has 

 been brought from the fur countries. 



Colour. — Bill, black towards the point, orange at its tip. 

 Upper plumage, light brownish-grey ; that is, of a pale tint, inter- 

 mediate between the yellowish-grey and light broccoli-brown of 

 Werner. Forehead, cheeks, throat, the whole under-plumage and 

 sides of the rump, white; the white being continued round the 

 neck, so as to form a narrow ring behind the nape. A narrow 

 black band extends between the anterior angles of the orbits, behind 

 the white of the forehead ; and there is a black patch on each 

 shoulder, with a narrow connecting line crossing the breast ; but 

 in this specimen, the black does not cross the neck above, as it 

 occasionally does, on the tips of a single row of feathers, having pro- 

 bably been worn off. The quills, greater coverts, and middle tail fea- 

 thers, are blackish-brown ; but the middle of the shafts and part 

 of the inner webs of the former are white ; that colour spreading 

 on the fourth and succeeding primaries to their outer webs ; the 



