222 CHARADRIIDJE. 



Subfamily CHARADRIIN^E. 



The present subfamily consists of Plovers and Lapwings, the 

 only genus about which any doubt can arise being Strepsilas, the 

 Turnstone, which has a differently shaped bill, though it resembles 

 Plovers otherwise in structure. Plovers have the bill of moderate 

 length, rarely exceeding the head, the dertrum or terminal por- 

 tion of the upper mandible is distinctly swollen, and the culmen 

 convex towards the end. There is considerable resemblance in 

 form between a Plover's bill and a Pigeon's. The tarsus is always 

 reticulated behind, but in front it is sometimes reticulated, some- 

 times transversely shielded. 



The Plovers are birds of meadows and grassy or sandy tracts, 

 rather than marsh birds. They are often found at the edge of 

 water, but not as a rule actually in swamps. 



Key to tlie Genera. 



a. Bill conical, culmen flattened, no swelling 



near tip STREFSILAS, p. 222. 



b. Upper mandible swollen near tip. 

 '. A wattle in front of the eye. 



a". A small hind toe. 



3 . Tarsus reticulated in front SARCOGRAMMUS, p. 224. 



b 3 . Tarsus transversely shielded in 



front MICROSARCOPS, p. 228. 



b". No hind toe ,. SARCIOPHORUS, p. 226. 



b'. No wattle. 



c". A sharp spur at bend of wing HOPLOPTERUS, p. 229. 



d". No spur. 

 c 3 . A hind toe. 



4 . Head with a long crest VANELLUS, p. 230. 



b 4 . No crest. 



a 5 . 2nd or 3rd primary longest . . CHETTUSIA, p. 231. 



W. 1 st primary longest SQUATAROLA, p. 235. 



d 3 . No hind toe. 



c 4 . Plumage spotted with yellow 



above CHARADRIUS, p. 233. 



d*. Plumage brown above, not 



spotted yEoiALiTis, p. 236. 



Genus STREPSILAS, Illiger, 1811. 



Bill conical, pointed, the culmen flattened and straight ; nostrils 

 linear, in a groove that extends nearly halfway down the bill ; 

 wings long, pointed, 1st primary longest ; tarsus short, trans- 

 versely shielded in front, reticulated behind ; hind toe well 

 developed ; toes not connected by web. 



Generally distributed. Two species are known ; of these one is 

 Indian. The name Arenaria of Brisson is used for the genus by 

 some naturalists, but not by the majority, who reject this term for 



