CHARADRIID.E THE PLOVERS. 25 



Charadrius fulvus var. virginicus COUES, Key, 1872, 243; Check List.1874.No. 326; Birds 



N. W. 1874, 449 (synonymy). 



Charadrius marrnoratus WAGL. AUD. Orn. Biog. v, 1839, 575, pi. 300; Synop. 1839,222; 

 Birds Am. v, 1842, 203. pi. 316. 



HAS. America in general, from the Arctic coast (including Greenland) to Paraguay and 

 Chili; breeding in the arctic and subarctic districts, winter migrant to southern localities. 



"Sp. CHAB. Bill rather short, legs moderate, wings long, no hind toe, tarsus covered be- 

 fore and behind with small circular or hexagonal scales. Summer plumage: Upper parts 

 brownish black, with numerous small circular and irregular spots of golden yellow, most 

 numerous on the back and rump, and on the upper tail- coverts assuming the form of trans- 

 verse bands generally ; also with some spots of ashy white. Entire under parts black, with 

 a brownish or bronzed lustre, under tail-coverts mixed or barred with white. Forehead, 

 border of the black of the neck, under tail-coverts, and tibiae, white ; axillary feathers cinere- 

 ous; quills dark brown; middle portion of the shafts white, frequently extending slightly to 

 the webs and forming longitudinal stripes on the shorter quills; tail dark brown, with 

 numerous irregular bands of ashy white, and frequently tinged with golden yellow; bill 

 black; legs dark bluish brown. Winter plumage (young andadult): Under parts dull ashy, 

 spotted with brownish on the neck and breast, frequently more or less mixed with black ; 

 many spots of the upper parts dull ashy white; other spots, especially on the rump, golden 

 yellow. 



" Total length, 9.50 inches; wing, 7.00; tail, 2.50; culmen, .92; tarsus, 1.70; middle toe, 90. 



" Specimens vary in the relative amount of the black and golden on the upper parts, in 

 the width of the white on the forehead, and other details of coloration. Careful measure- 

 ments of twenty-six specimens afford the iollowing results -.Eleven specimens in summer 

 plumage: Wing, 6.80-7.35, average, 7.11; culmen, .85-1.00, average, .91; tarsus, 1.60-1.85, 

 average, 1.73; middle toe, .85-1.05, average, .91. Six adults in changing plumage: Wing, 6.90- 

 7.30, average, 7.12; culmen, .90-1.00, average, .96; tarsus, 1.65-1.82, average, 1.70; middle toe, 

 .80-.95, average, .90. Seven specimens in winter plumage (mostly young): Wing, 6.80-7.20, 

 average, 7.03; culmen, .80-1.00, average, .91; tarsus, 1.55-1.75, average, 1.66; middle toe, .8S-.95, 

 average, .87. Average of the whole series: Wing, 7.09; culmen, .91; tarsus, 1.70; middle 

 toe, .90." ( Water B. N. Am.) 



In Cook county, this species is, according to Mr. Nelson, "a 

 very abundant migrant," arriving "in large flocks early in April, 

 and at this time the black of the breeding plumage has just be- 

 gun to mottle their white breasts. Frequents wet praries until 

 the last of the month, when it generally departs. Sometimes a 

 few remain as late as May 5, and are then in perfect breeding 

 dress. Returning early in September, with the fall plumage just 

 appearing, it remains until October." 



GENUS -SJGIALITIS BOIE. 

 SUBGENUS Oxyechus REICHENBACH. 



Oxyechus BEICH., Av. Syst. 1853, Introd. p. xviii. Type, Charadrius vociferus LINN. 



CHAB. Bill small, slender, about equal to the middle toe (without nai!) ; tarsus nearly 

 twice as long as middle toe; tail long (about two thirds as long as the wings), reaching half 

 its length beyond the ends of the primaries, graduated, the lateral feathers about 75 shorter 

 than the middle pair; rump different in color from the back. 



