416 CHARADRIIBK. 



fcrent seasons, liatl no indications of summer plumage. Dr. 

 Horsficld includes this species in his Catalogue of the Birds 

 of Java. 



The adult bird in summer plumage has the beak black ; 

 the irides very dark brown ; the forehead and top of the head 

 white, the latter slightly speckled with greyish black ; nape 

 of the neck a mixture of dusky grey and white ; the whole of 

 the back, scapulars, wing-coverts, tertials, rump, and upper 

 tail-coverts, black and white, the base of each feather being 

 black, the ends white ; the wing-primaries greyish black, the 

 shafts white; tail-feathers white, with numerous greyish black 

 transverse bars ; the chin, cheeks, throat, sides of the neck, 

 breast, and belly, black ; vent and under tail-coverts white ; 

 axillary plume elongated and black at all ages and seasons ; 

 under wing-coverts white ; legs, toes, and claws, black. In 

 this state, as to colour of plumage, it is the Helvetica and 

 melanogaster of authors. 



The whole length very nearly twelve inches. From the 

 carpal joint to the end of the wing, seven inches and five- 

 eighths ; the first quill-feather three-eighths of an inch longer 

 than the second, and the longest in the wing. 



In winter the feathers on the upper surface of the body are 

 dusky grey, edged with dull white ; the throat, breast, and 

 sides, lighter in colour than the back, the feathers but slight- 

 ly streaked with dusky grey ; the belly, vent, and under tail- 

 coverts, dull white, with few or no marks. 



In spring the black feathers begin to appear on the breast, 

 and the birds may be observed in various degrees of change 

 from white, with only a few black feathers, to entire and 

 perfect black. The breeding-plumage is generally complete 

 by the end of May. 



Young birds of the year in autumn are darker than old 

 birds in winter, having a larger proportion of black above 

 and grey below. 



