128 



PU.ECOCIAL GRALLATUUE8 — LIMIC'OL.E. 



Mr. K. Browne includes it in his list of the birds observed by him on Vancouver 

 Island, and four spoeiniens of it were procured by Mr. IJischoR' near Sitka. }^.. 

 Henshaw did not meet with any of this species on Santa Cruz Island, ami he is of the 

 opinion that none breed in that group. Mi". Gruber procured a fine specimen of this 

 bird at Santa Uarbara in spring. Mr. Henshaw regarded it as a rather unconrnon 

 species on the coast of California, and as one whose habits are but little kr.own. 

 Nothing has been learned in regard to its nesting. It occurs on the Pacific '.oast of 

 South America as far as Chili. 



Family CHARADRIIDiE. — The Plovers. 



Char. Small or medium-sized shore-birds (scarcely waders), with rather short, 

 somewhat Pigeon-like bill, large round head, short neck, long and pointed wings, 

 and moderately lengthened legs, the hind toe usually absent. 



The above superficial characters are sufficient to define the family of Plovers, as 

 distinguished from the allied groups. The affinities of the Plovers are with the 

 StrvpsUiihe (Turnstones) on the one hand, and the (Edlcnemida' (Thick-kneed Plovers) 

 on the other ; but they seem sufficiently distinct from either, aud form, upon the 

 whole, a very well-marked family of the great Liiiiicoline group. 



The American genera of Chanub'i'ulo' (with tlie exception of Phiviunellus, Homb. 

 & Jacq.,1 which we have not seen) may be characterized as follows ; — 



Table of American Oenera. 



Ai Size large (wing more than eight inches) ; bead more or less crested ; plumage more or less 

 metallic above. 

 a. Occiput with a slender recurved crest ; a well-developed hind toe, with claw ; wing rounded, 

 first quill shorter than foiirtli. 



1. Vanellus. Wing unarmed, or with very rudimentary spur ; tarsus not more than twice 



as b)ng as the middle toe. 



2. Belonopterus.^ Wing armed with a very prominent curved spur on the head of the 



metacarpus ; tarsus more than twice as long as tbe middle toe. 

 6. Occipital feathers lengthened, forming a soft, ])endant, rather busby crest ; no trace of bind 

 toe ; wing pointed, tbe first quill longest, or longer than fourth. 



3. PtlloBoelys.* Wing armed with a very minute spur ; tarsus more than twice as long as 



middle toe. 

 B> Size medium or small (wing less than eight incites) ; bead without crest, and plumage with- 

 out metallic gloss above. 



c. Wing more tliau six inches ; plumage much speckled or spotted above ; lower parts chiefly 



black in sununer. 



4. Squatarola. A well-developed hind toe, without claw. 



5. Charadrius. No trace of bind toe ; otherwise very similar to Squatarola, hut smaller and 



more slender. 



d. Wing less than six inches ; plumage nearly or quite uniform grayish or brownish above (tbe 



rump ochraceous in Oxycchus), the lower parts chiefly or entirely white at all stages. 



1 Type, P. sociabilii, HoMn. & Japq. 



* Belonopterua, Reich. HanJb. 1851, xviii. (type, C/iaradriiis cayennensis, Gmel. Hah. South 

 America). 



8 Ptiloacehjs, Bonap. Compt. Rend. XLIII. 1856, 429 (type, Vanellus resplendens, Tschudi. Sab. 

 South America). 



