HOPLOXYPTERUS. 349 



Subfam. LOBIVANELLIN^. 



All the members of this subfamily have a swollen tip to their bill, as in the true 

 Plovers, and in this respect they differ at once from the Oyster-catchers and Turnstones. 

 The pattern of the scaling on the tarsus is also another well-marked characteristic, the 

 scales being transverse on the front and reticulate on the hinder aspect. 



Most of the species are armed with a spur on the wing and have generally some 

 facial wattles. The majority of them belong to the Old World, and but three genera, 

 Oreophilus, Ptiloscelis, and Eoploxypterus, are found in the Western Hemispherej the 

 last-mentioned alone claiming consideration in the present work. 



HOPLOXYPTERUS. 

 Hophxypterm, Bp. C. R. xliii. p. 418 (1856) ; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxiv. p. 135 (1896). 



The single representative of this genus of Spur-winged Plovers has generally been 

 placed in the genus Hoplopterus, which embraces three well-known species of the Old 

 World. The American H. cayanus, according to Dr. Bowdler Sharpe's latest arrange- 

 ment, should be placed in the Lobivanellinae, whereas Hoplopterus belongs to the true 

 Plovers, Charadriinae. 



In addition to the transverse scaling of the front of the tarsus, which is very long, 

 being nearly double the length of the middle toe and claw, the hind toe is absent, 

 there is no facial wattle or lappet, and only a small spur on the wing. 



One species only is known, H. cayanus, which is found in Guiana and Brazil and is 

 believed to have been met with in Honduras. 



1. Hoploxypterus cayanus. 



Pluvier arme, de Cayenne, D'Aubent. PI. Enl. ix. t. 833 '. 



Charadrius cayanus, Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 749 ^ 



Hoplopterus cayanus, Moore, P. Z. S. 1859, p. 63'; Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1859, p. 228'. 



Hoploxypterus cayanus, Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxiv. p. 135 " ; Forbes & Robinson, Bull. 

 Liverp. Mus. ii. p. 63 °. 



Brunneus, interscapulio aurnmo et acapularibus quibusdam nigris, reliquis albis ; fascia utrinque interscapulari 

 alba ; uropygio, supracaudalibus et cauda basali pure albis, rectricibus aigricanti-brunneo late terminaliter 

 fasciatis ; aJis brunneis, tectricibus majoribus albis ; primariis nigricantibus, ad basin albis ; secundariis 

 albis extimis nigro terminatis, intimis dorso concoloribus ; fronts et vertice antico cum loris, supereilio et 

 facie lateral! nigris ad collum posticum et lateralem et ad torquem prsepectoralem conjunctis ; plaga 

 oecipitali brunnea, lat« albo circumdata ; corpora subtus reliquo pure albo : rostro nigricante, mandibula 

 basin versus camea ; calcario alari grisescenti-brunneo ; iride coryUina, palpebris rubris. Long, tota 

 circa 8-0, alae 5-4, caudse 2-3, culm. 1-15, tarsi 1-75. 



S mari similis. Long, tota circa 9-5, alae 5-6. (Descr. maris et feminae adultae ex Guiana Brit. Mus, 

 nostr.) 



Bab. Honduras, Aloor (Ulua) River {Leyland^^y—Bw.'sim Guian.^; Amazonia; 

 Brazil; Ecuador^. 



