514 CHARADRIIDjE. 



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 is 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 

 slightly 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 gene- 

 rally 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. 



