CHARADRIID.E — THE PLOVERS. 25 



Charadrius fulvus var. virginicus Coues, Key, 1872,243; Check List, 1874, No. 326; Birds 

 N. W. 1874, 449 (synonymy). 

 Charadrius marmoratus Wagl- Aud. Orn. Biog. v, 1839, 575, pi. 300; Synop. 1839,222; 

 Birds Am. v, 1842, 203, pi. 31G. 



Hab. America in general, from the Arctic coast (including Greenland) to Paraguay and 

 Chili; breeding in the arctic and subarctic districts, winter migrant to southern localities. 



"Sp. Chak. Bill rather short, legs moderate, wings long, no hind toe, tarsus covered be- 

 fore and behind with small circular or hexagonal scales. Summer plumage: Upper parts 

 brownish black, with numerous small circular and irregular spots of golden yellow, most 

 numerous on the back and rump.and on the upper tail-coverts assuming the form of trans- 

 verse bands generally; also with some spots of ashy white. Entire under parts black, with 

 a brownish or bronzed lustre, under tail-coverts mixed or barred with white. Forehead, 

 border of the black of the neck, under tail-coverts, and tibia?, white; axillary feathers cinere- 

 ous; quills dark brown; middle portion of the shafts white, frequently extending slightly to 

 the webs and forming longitudinal stripes on the shorter quills; tail dark brown, with 

 numerous irregular bands of ashy white, and frequently tinged with golden yellow; bill 

 black; legs dark bluish brown. Winter plumage {young and adult): Under parts dull a-hy, 

 spotted with brownish on the neck and breast, frequently more or less mixed with black; 

 many spots of the upper parts dull ashy white; other spots, especially on the rump, golden 

 yellow. 



"Total length, 9.50 inches; wing, 7.00; tail, 2.50; culmen, .92; tarsus, 1.70; middle toe, 90. 



" Specimens vary in the relative amount of the black and golden on the upper parts, in 

 the width of the white on the forehead, and other details of coloration. Careful measure- 

 ments of twenty-six specimens afford the lollowing results:— Eleven specimens in summer 

 /damage: Wing, 6.80-7.35, average, 7.11; culmen, .85-1.00, average, .91; tarsus, 1.60-1.85. 

 average, 1.73; middle toe, .85-1.05, average. .91. Six adults in changing plumage: Wing, 6.90- 

 7.30, average. 7.12; culmen, .90-1.00, average, .96; tarsus, 1.65-1.82, average, 1.70; middle toe. 

 .80-.95, average, .90. Seven specimens in winter plumage [mostly young): Wing, 6.80-7.20, 

 average, 7.03; culmen, .80-1.00, average, .91 ; tarsus, 1.55-1.75, average. 1.66; middle toe, .85-.05, 

 average, .87. Average of the whole series: Wing, 7.09; culmen, .91; tarsus, 1.70; middle 

 t( e, .9(i." [Water B.N. Am.) 



Iii Cook county, this species is, according to MY. Nelson, "a 

 very abundant migrant," arriving "in large flocks early in April, 

 and at this time the black of the breeding plumage lias just be- 

 gun to mottle their white breasts. Frequents wet praries until 

 the hist of the month, when it generally departs. Sometimes a 



few remain as late as May 5, and are then in perfecl br line,- 



dress. Returning early in September, with the fall plumage jusl 

 appearing, it remains until October." 



Genus ^EGIALITIS Boie. 

 Subgenus Oxyechus Reichenbach. 



• hut i; i mil. A.v. 8 j ' 1853, [ntrod. p. xviii. Type, ( 'Iiaradrius vo> Linn, 



Chab. Bill small, slender, about equal to 1 1 1 • • middle toe (without nail); tarsus nearly 



' w as long as middle toe; tail long (about two thirds at long ah the wings), reaching half 



ogth beyond the ends of the primaries, graduated, the lateral feath 

 than the middle pair; rump different In oolor from the i 



