08 



PLUVIALIN.E. 



The plumage is close, short, and generally blended ; the 

 feathers oblong, rounded, with loose margins ; those on the 

 face very short, on the middle and hind part of the back also 

 short ; the scapulars very long and narrow. The wings are 

 long, narrow, pointed, or moderately rounded, with twenty- 

 five feathers ; the inner secondaries elongated and tapering. 

 The tail is short, even or rounded, of twelve feathers. 



The skeleton of the Pluvialinse bears in some respects a 

 great resemblance to that of the Columbine, although the 

 differences are also great, especially in the form of the 

 sternum and the length of the feet. Taking the Golden 

 Plover and Lapwing as types, we observe the following cha- 

 racters. The structure generally is rather delicate, the bones 

 being slender or thin. The skull is rather large, oblong, 

 compressed ; with the septum between the orbits very incom- 

 plete, having in it two large apertures. The orbits are very- 

 large, incomplete below, their upper margins elevated so as 

 to leave a deep groove between them, in which are the two 

 narrow curved depressions for the supraorbital glands. The 

 intermaxillary bones are linear, and separated from the 

 maxillary, which are very narrow, by a vacuity extending 

 nearly to the end. The lower jaAv is entire, arched, towards 



