114 



CHARADRIUS. RING-PLOVER. 



The Ring-Plovers constitute a genus of very considerable 

 extent, although not more than three species occur in Britain. 

 They are all of small size, some of them not exceeding a 

 Brown Linnet, while the largest does not equal the Golden 

 Plover. Although in most respects they agree with the 

 Plovers, properly so called, they differ in others, of which 

 some notice will be taken after giving their general cha- 

 racters. The body is ovate and moderately full ; the neck 

 short; the head moderate, oblong, compressed, and much 

 rounded above. 



Bill generally much shorter than the head, straight, 

 rather slender, as broad as high, slightly compressed toward 

 the end ; upper mandible with the dorsal line straight and 

 slightly declinate for half its length, then bulging or arcuate, 

 the nasal groove about half its length, the edges slightly 

 inflected toward the end, the tip rather obtuse ; lower man- 

 dible with the angle of moderate length, the dorsal line 

 ascending and a little convex, the sides concave at the base, 

 convex toward the end, the edges inflected, the tip narrow, 

 but rather blunt ; the gape-line straight. Mouth extremely 

 narrow, as is the palate, on which are two longitudinal 

 ridges, and anteriorly a few papillse. Tongue of moderate 

 length, narrow, deeply channelled above, with the edges 

 involute, the base emarginate and papillate, the tip narrow, 

 with a thin horny edge. (Esophagus narrow ; proventri- 

 culus oblong, with a broad belt of oblong glandules. Stomach 

 a roundish, compressed gizzard, with thick lateral muscles, 

 radiated tendons, and dense longitudinally rugous epithelium. 

 Intestine of moderate length and width ; coeca rather small, 

 cylindrical, narrow. 



Nostrils small, linear, pervious, sub-basal. Eyes large 

 and full ; eyelids feathered. Aperture of ear rather large, 

 roundish. Feet of moderate length, very slender ; tibia bare 

 for about a fourth ; tarsus of ordinary length, covered with 



