22 niRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



Family CHARADRIID.ffi. — The Plovers. 



Char. Small or medium-sized slioi-e-biids (.•scarcely waders), with rather short, some- 

 what pigeon-like bill, large roumi head, short neck, long and pointed wings, and moder- 

 ately lengthened legs, the hind toe usually absent. 



The Plovers are quite distinct in their structural characters 

 from the Saudpipes and other Sculojxtcidfe, being more nearly 

 related to the Turnstones and Oyster-catchers, notwithstanding 

 the fact that the latter are so different in appearance. Instead 

 of wading about in the shallow ponds or the margins of streams, 

 as is the custom of the ScoJ<>p((cida', they frequent meadows and 

 sandy tracts, where they I'un swiftly along the ground, in a 

 peculiarly graceful manner. 



The North American genera ma.\ be distinguished as follows : 



A. Size large (wing more than eight inches); he.ad more or less crested; plumage 

 more or less metallie above. Occiput with a slender recurved crest; a well-de- 

 veloped hind toe, with claw; wing rounded, first quill shorter than foui'th. 



1. Vanellu3. Wing unarmed, or with rudimentary spur; tarsus not more than 

 twice as long .as the middle toe. 



B. Size meilium or small (wing less than eight inches); head without crest, and 

 plum.Tge without metalUe gloss above. 



c. Wing more than six inches; plumage much speckled or spotted above ; lower 

 parts chiefly black in summer. 



2. Charadrius, A well-developed hind toe, without claw Subgenus Sguatarola 



S. No trace of hind toe; otherwise very similar' to SQuataroln, but smaller and 



more slender Subgenus Vharadrius. 



d. Wing less than six inches; plumage nearly or quite uniform grayish or 

 brownish above (the rump ochraceous in subgenus Oxyeclius), the lower 

 parts chiefly or entirely white at all stages. 



I. JEgialitis. 



c'. Tail very long (half as long as thi' wing, or more), extending half its 



length beyond tips of closed wings; rump and upper tail-coverts pale 



rufous or ochra.'cous in the Ami'rican species. 



Bill slender, about ociual in length to the middle toe; tarsus decidedly 



loss than twice as long as middle toe; rump and upper tail-coverts 



rufous or oehriiceous (excoiit in (). tricollaris) Subgenus Oxt/eclius. 



e''. Tail short (less than half as long as the wing), reni-hing little, if any. be- 

 yond ends of closed wings; rump conoolor with the back. 

 Bill variable, liut usually shorter than middle toe, or, if longer, very 

 slender; tarsus less than twice as long as middle toe. Subgenus ^gialitis. 



