298 Synopsis of the Birds 



221. Charadrius helveticus Nob. Mottled ; long axillary 

 feathers black. 



Summer plumage, mottled with Mack and white ; beneath 

 black : winter, mottled with black and yellow ; beneath 

 whitish. Moulting and young, beneath varied with black and 

 whitish. 



Black-bellied Plover, Charadrius apricarius, Wils. Am. 

 Orn. vii. p. 41. pi. 59. fig. 4. summer dress ; and Swiss Plover, 

 Charadrius helveticus, Nob. Am. Orn. winter plumage. Tringa 

 helvetica, L. Vanellus helveticus, Briss. 



Inhabits the north of both continents. 



43. STREPSILAS. 



Tringa. L. Gm. Lath. Arenaria, Briss. Vieill. Strep- 

 silas, 111. Te.mm. Ranz. Scolopax (subgenus Strepsilas) Cuv. 

 Morinella, Meyer. 



Bill shorter than the head, robust, hard, straight, conic- 

 attenuated, compressed, slightly flattened above, truncated 

 at the point; upper mandible straight, slightly recurved 

 from the middle ; lower somewhat recurved at tip : nostrils 

 placed in a short furrow, basal, lateral, oblong-linear, half 

 covered by a membrane, pervious : tongue short, compres- 

 sed, canaliculate, acute. Feet rather short, four-toed ; a 

 very small part of the tibia bare ; tarsus not longer than the 

 middle toe, rather robust, scutt Hated; toes with a narrow 

 margin, divided to the origin ; hind toe touching the ground 

 at tip : nails curved, acute ; middle one dilated on the inner 

 margin. Wings long, acuminate, tuberculated ; first primary 

 longest. Tail rather short, of twelve feathers. 



Female similar to the male. Young differing from the 

 adult, and changing repeatedly until the third year. Moult 

 semi-annualty. 



Solitary : follow the retreating waves : dextrously turn 

 over heavy stones with their bills, and examine carefully 

 every recess in search of their favourite food, marine insects, 



