THE RINGED PLOVER. 1 95 



jEgialitis hiaticola and Vanellus cristatus typical examples of the 

 different types. 



The British genera of the sharp-winged group are dis- 

 tinguished in accordance with the table given in Plate V., and 

 this is the present last word of the authorities on classification. 

 (Plate V.) 



With all deference and humility at differing from great 

 authority, the opinion we hold is that the present genera are by 

 no means satisfactory. Mr. Henry Seeholm, in his work on 

 British Birds, published in 1886, did not divide the Family 

 CharadriidcE into sub-families, and he took as his -type genus 

 Charadrius. In this genus he included Arenaria interpres (now 

 relegated to the Sub- Family Arenarimce), JEgialitis dulius 

 (minor], JEgialitis hiaticola (hiaticula and hiaiicula major], 

 jEgialitis alexandrina (cantianus], Eudromius morinellus, Octhodro- 

 mus asiaticus, Charadrius pluvialis, Charadrius dominicus (fulvus\ 

 Squatarola helvetica, and Oxyechus vociferans. The Turnstone, 

 Seebohm was prepared to relegate to a Sub-Genus Morinella, as 

 the bill was aberrant. This bird has now (and, as we believe, 

 rightly) been placed in the Sub-Family Arenariince, so that we 

 may at once dismiss it from further consideration. 



For the genus Charadriius he gave the characters dertral 

 swelling at the tip of the bill and pointed wings, but observed 

 that the hind toe was present in some species and not in others, 

 that in some species the tarsus was reticulated and in others 

 scutellated. Now, it will be observed, that the species above 

 named, all fall into our group A with pointed wings. 

 Squatarola helvetica is decidedly entitled to the distinction of a 

 separate genus, since it alone of the six remaining British 

 genera has the hind toe present ; JEgialitis and Charadrius 

 however, are as at present defined, separated mainly upon 

 the ground that Charadrius dons its black breast and frontal 

 band during the breeding season only, whilst &gialiti$ retains 

 it all the year round. This is to our mind a very unsatis- 

 factory character upon which to separate JEgialitis from 

 Charadrius. 



