Ordek GRALLE.J [Fam. CHARADRIID.E. 



ANAEHYNCHUS FRONTALIS. 



(WRY-BILLED PLOVER.) 



Anarhijnchus frontalis, Quoy et Gaim. Voy. de l'Astr. Zool. i. p. 252, pi. 31, fig. 2 (1830). 

 Thinornisl frontalis, Gray, Gen. of B. iii., p. 545 (1847). 

 Anarhynchus albifrons, Schl. Handl. Dierk. i. p. 435 (1857). 

 Charadrius frontalis, Gray, Ibis, 1862, p. 234. 

 Thinornis frontalis, Gray, Hand-1. of B. iii. p. 17 (1871). 



Ad. suprk dilute cinereus, scapularibus et tectricibus alarum dorso concoloribus : alii spuria brunnea : rerui- 

 gibus cinerascenti-brumieis, versus apiceni conspicue saturatioribus, scapis albidis : sccuudariis cinereis, 

 dorso concoloribus : Cauda cinerascenti-brunnea, rectricibus exterioribus pallide cineraceis, extimis 

 albicantibus : froute et supercilio distiucto albidis : linea secunda frontali nigra : linea per oculum 

 ducta et regionem paroticam aniplectente cineracea : subtus albus, torque pectorali lato nigro : sub- 

 alaribus albis, imis cinereo lavatis : rostro nigro : pedibus nigricanti-viridibus vix cinerascentibus : iride 

 nigra. 



Juv. similis sed sine torque pectorali. 



Adult male. Crown, hind neck, and all the upper surface uniform dark grey, the wing-coverts edged with 

 lighter ; primaries dark brown on their outer webs and at the tips, with white shafts, and the inner 

 webs dusky grey; the inferior primaries marked with white on their basal portion; secondaries and 

 their long covering-plumes dusky grey ; the middle tail-feathers greyish brown, the outer ones silvery 

 grey, margined and tipped with white ; forehead, throat, and all the underparts pure white, the upper 

 part of the breast crossed by a broad band of velvety black, which is generally widest on the left side; 

 under tail-coverts and lining of wings pure white. Irides and bill black ; legs and feet blackish green 

 tinged with grey. Total length 8 inches; wing, from flexure, 4 - 75; tail 2; bill, following the curva- 

 ture, 1*4; bare tibia "4; tarsus 1 ; middle toe and claw 1'05. 



Female. Similar to the male, but with the pectoral band much narrower and of a duller black. 



Young. Plumage of the upper parts as in the adult, but paler; under surface pure white. The progress 

 towards maturity is indicated by a narrow irregular zone of sooty black mottled with white. 



Chick. Covered with silky white down mottled on the upper parts with grey ; bill greyish black, brownish 

 at the tip ; legs greyish olive. 



Remarks. The structural peculiarity from which this Plover derives its name is thus minutely described by 



