168 BULLETIN 133, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



the typical form in larger size and in more buffy coloration. The 

 light margins on the feathers of the back and wings are more 

 rufescent and are broader than the dark central streaks, the head, 

 neck, and rumj) are more buffy, less grayish, and the undersurface has 

 a rufescent wash. It is probable that birds from central Chile may 

 be differentiated from eastern specimens with a more extensive 

 series than is available to me, as two specimens from near Santiago 

 have the gray of the breast more restricted than some from Argentina. 



BELONOPTERUS CHILENSIS CHILENSIS (Molina) 



Pai-ra Chilensis Molina, Sagg. Stor. Nat. Chili, 17S2, p. 258. (Cliile.) 



The use of the name bestowed by Molina on the Chilian lapwing 

 has been disputed but after due consideration it seems that it may 

 be recognized. In the first edition of his work on the Natural 

 History of Chile (cited above), Molina gave a brief diagnosis in 

 Latin as a footnote for each species of bird treated. On referring 

 to his account of the present bird we find it given as number 23, 

 II Theghel, Pm^a Chilensis, with the diagnosis " Parra unguibus 

 modicis, pedibus fuscis, occipite subcristato." The description that 

 follows wath a considerable account of the habits refers to Belonop- 

 terus save that he states "la sua fronte e guernita di una carnosita 

 rossa divisa in due lobi," a condition found in the Jacana and not 

 in the lapwing. Evidently he was endeavoring to describe the 

 plover as he gives an excellent account of its habits but had con- 

 fused with it the lobed forehead of the Jacana — probably because 

 both birds possess a spur on the w4ng. In the second edition of 

 Molina's work, printed in 1810 (p. 205), is a duplication of the ac- 

 count of Pm^a Chilensis save that it is numbered T, has the Latin 

 diagnosis omitted, and has included a reference to a Chilian vocabu- 

 lary. On page 206 is added the following statement : " Questa 

 proprieta, che gli e comune col Vanello, e la maggior parte de' 

 caratteri sopra-esposti, me avevano da prima determinato a porlo 

 nel medesimo genere, denominandolo Tringa Chilensis., ma la piccola 

 carnosita della sua fronte m' ha obbligate a lasciarlo nel genere 

 Parra, dal quale pero si scosta per la modicita delle sue dita." 



Here, again, there is confusion regarding a supposed fleshy lobe 

 on the head, but again attention is called to the short toes of the 

 bird in mind. Molina's description therefor is composite, but when 

 it is carefully considered will be found to apply in the main to 

 Belonopterus; there can be no question but that Belonopterus is 

 intended. It appears that the use of chilensis as the subspecific 

 name of the western form of the South American lapwing is 

 warranted. 



Should any decide that this name is not properly identified, then 

 they must fall back on Vanellus occidentalis Harting,^^ a new name 



^i^Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1874, p. 450. (Chile.) 



