BIRDS — CHARADRIDAE — AEGIALITIS. 



691 



southern regions, and visiting also other continents. It has heen found occasionally in Europe, 

 and bears a very strong resemblance to a species of that continent, Charadrius pluvialis ; in fact^ 

 so close is the similarity that the color of the axillary feathers is the most ready distinction for 

 recognition, white, in C. pluvialis ; ashy, C. virginicus. 



This species varies somewhat in the colors of its plumage, and it is rare to meet with speci- 

 mens, in the middle or southern States of this republic, in the full plumage of the nuptial season 

 or with the under parts pure black, though frequently spotted, and showing a tendency to that 

 color. It is of common occurrence throughout the United States. 



List of specimens. 



AEGIALITIS, Bole. 



^egialitis, Boie, Isis, 1822, 558. Type Charadrius hialicnla, L. 

 Jiegialites, KAnp, 1829. 



Ch. — Plumage more or Ies3 uniform, without spots. Neck and head generally with dark bands. Front of the legs with 

 plates arranged vertically, of which there are two or three in a transverse series. 



This genus, as far as North America is concerned, is distinguished from Charadrius by the 

 generally lighter color and greater uniformity of the plumage ; by the absence of continuous 

 black on the belly, and by the presence of dusky bands on the neck or head ; the size is smaller. 

 The tarsi, in most species, have the front plates larger and conspicuously different in this respect 

 from the posterior ones. 



