THE RINGED PLOVER. 191 



the Sub-Class II., B., viz., the Carinatae, from which sub-class 

 the Ringed Plover is derived. 



The living representatives of the Class Aves to which our 

 subject belongs are readily distinguished from the members of 

 any of the other classes, by the fact that they are bipedal 

 animals clothed with feathers, and having mandibles destitute of 

 teeth, and forming a bill. In addition to these characteristics, 

 the whole of the class possess wings more or less perfectly 

 developed. The Class Aves is divided into two principal 

 sections. Section A, the Ratitw, contains birds entirely destitute 

 of a keel on the sternum, and consequently flightless. Section 

 B, the Carinattf, contains birds having a keel on the sternum, 

 and able to fly. The carina or keel forms a point whence the 

 muscles driving the wings may derive resistance. 



The CarinatcB are divided at present into thirty orders, some 

 of which are tentative only. The Ringed Plover belongs to the 

 twelfth of these orders, viz., the Charadrii formes, which includes 

 all the plover-like birds (Plate II.). The principal characters of 

 this order are : 



(i.) The nostrils are sometimes holorhinal and sometimes 

 schizorhinal. 



(ii.) The feet are never fully webbed, 

 (iii.) The palate is always schizognathous. 

 The Charadriiformes are divided into nine principal families. 

 I. The Dromadidce, or Crab Plovers. 

 IL The ChiomdidcB, or Sheathbills. 

 III. The Attagidcz, or Seedsnipes. 

 IV. The Charadriidce, or True Plovers. 

 V. The CursoridcB, or Coursers. 

 VI. The Glareolidce, or Pratincoles. 

 VII. The Parridce y or Jacanas. 

 VIII. The (Edicnemidcz, or Stone Plovers. 



IX. The Otididce, or Bustards. 



Of these families, Nos. IV., V., VI., VIII., and IX., have 

 occurred in Dorset, and it is to Family IV. that the subject of 

 these remarks belongs. We have, as far as the characters are 



