454 CHARADRIID^E. 



on the sides with a band of white below the wing ; ax- 

 illary plume elongated, and pure white ; under tail-coverts 

 white. 



In winter the chin is white ; front of the neck and the 

 breast, white, tinged with dusky, and spotted with dull 

 yellow ; the upper surface of the body nearly as in sum- 

 mer ; before and after the breeding-season the adult birds 

 may be seen for a time with the breast of a mixed plumage 

 of black and white. 



The whole length of an adult bird rather more than 

 eleven inches. From the carpal joint to the end of the 

 wing seven inches and three-quarters ; the form of the wing 

 pointed ; the first quill-feather the longest of the whole. 



The plumage of adult birds of both sexes is nearly alike 

 at the same season of the year ; but young birds of the 

 year during their first autumn have the breast much darker 

 in colour than the same part of the old birds in winter, 

 and may be distinguished throughout their first winter 

 from parent birds by the greater proportion of dusky grey 

 on the breast and belly. 



