83 PLUVIALIS SQUATAROLA. 



dons, and dense, thin, longitudinally rugous epithelium. The 

 intestine is twenty-eight inches in length, from three-twelfths 

 to two-twelfths in width ; the coeca two inches and a quarter 

 in length, their greatest width two-twelfths ; the rectum two 

 inches and a half in length. 



The nostrils are linear-ohlong, narrower before, three- 

 twelfths of an inch long. The eyes large, their aperture 

 three and a half twelfths in diameter. That of the ear three- 

 twelfths. The feet are of moderate length, slender ; the 

 tibia bare for three-fourths of an inch ; the tarsus roundish, 

 covered with hexagonal scales, and thus differing from that 

 of the Lapwings. There is an exceedingly diminutive hind 

 toe, with five scutella, and a minute claw. The fore toes are 

 connected by membranes of considerable extent, the outer 

 extending as far as the second joint ; the inner toe a little 

 shorter than the outer, and with sixteen scutella, the middle 

 toe with thirty, the fourth with twenty-six. The claws are 

 small, slightly arched, slender, and rather acute ; that of the 

 hind toe more curved, and so small as scarcely to be observed. 



The plumage is close, soft, blended, and slightly glossed ; 

 the feathers broad and rounded. The wings are long and 

 pointed, with twenty-six quills ; the primaries tapering and 

 narrow, the first longest, the second little shorter, the rest 

 rapidly decreasing; the outer secondaries short, broad, 

 obliquely rounded, and incurved, the inner elongated and 

 tapering. The tail is rather short, and slightly rounded, of 

 twelve rounded feathers. 



The bill is black ; the iris dusky ; the feet greyish-black. 

 The upper parts are blackish-grey, variegated with very 

 numerous white spots, arranged along the margins of the 

 feathers, those on the rump tinged with yellow. The upper 

 tail-coverts are white, with some dusky bars towards the 

 end ; and the tail is barred with dusky and white, the greater 

 part of the inner webs of the four lateral feathers being of the 

 latter colour. The primary quills and their coverts are 

 chocolate-brown, slightly margined at the end, and inter- 

 nally, with greyish-white ; the shafts of the primaries white 

 toward the end ; the outer secondaries similar, white at the 

 base, that colour enlarging inwards ; the elongated inner 



