SQUATAKOLA.— CHAEADEIUS. 351 



Ptil. Mem. Brunnea, albo variegata, plumis plerisque albo maculatis vel indentatis ; supracaudalibus albis ; 



Cauda alba, brunneo transfasciata ; alls brunneis, tectricibus albo maculatis, majoribus extns late albo 



marginatis ; remigibus sepiariis, intus albis, primariorum rhachide alba, primariis interioribus albo quoque 



extus notatis ; secundariis brunneis, basaliter albis ; pileo brunneo, plumis singulis vix albido fimbriatis ; 



loris et superoUio indistincto albis ; regione parotica brunnea ; genis albis, anguste brunneo striatis ; 



corpore subtus toto albo, gutture imo anguste brunneo striolato ; pectoris latetibus brunneo marmoratis ; 



subalaribus albis ; axillaribus nigris ; tectricibus primariorum inferioribus griseis : rostro et pedibus 



nigris ; iride brunnea. Long, tota circa 10-0, alse 7-2, caudsB 2-65, culm. 1-3, tarsi 1-75 (Descr. avis 



adultee ex Chiapam. Mus. nostr.) 

 Ptil. cestiv. Supra nigro et albo variegata et fasciata ; fronte et supercilio lato, plaga praepectorali magna, 



abdomine imo et subcaudalibus pure albis ; corpore reliquo subtus nigro. Long, tota circa 10-0, alae 8-1. 



(Descr. maris adulti ex Kodiak, Alaska. Mus. nostr.) 



Hab. North America, nesting in the tundras of the Arctic Eegions, migrating south in 

 winterly. — Mexico, Mazatlan {Grayson^), Valley of Mexico {Herrera ^^ i^), city of 

 Mexico {White ^ ^% San Mateo, Tehuantepec (Sumichrast ^o), Merida, N. Yucatan 

 (Schott^); Guatemala, Chiapam, Pacific coast {0. S.^''^^). — South America in 

 winter. — Northern Europe and Siberia in summer, migrating south in winter ^^. 



The Grey Plover, as this bird is called in England, is only a winter visitor to Central 

 America, when it migrates along both coasts on its journeys to and from the Arctic 

 Eegions. It also wanders inland, and has been observed occasionally on the Missis- 

 sippi River in large flocks, and, according to Herrera i^, passes through the Valley 

 of Mexico on migration. 



In winter S. helvetica travels generally along the coast to the extreme south of both 

 continents, migrating either singly or in family-parties, returning generally with the 

 black breast of the nuptial plumage partially or fully developed. 



The species is very shy, both in its breeding-haunts and on migration. Its food 

 on the sea-shore consists of small Crustacea, but during the nesting-season it devours 

 berries and locusts, and is said then to be very palatable as food. 



CHAEADEIUS. 



Charadrius, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 253 (1766); Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxiv. p. 191 

 (1896). 

 Charadrius, as at present restricted, includes the Golden Plovers, which differ from 

 Squatarola chiefly by the absence of the hind toe. It resembles the latter genus in 

 having a black breast during the breeding-season, and is remarkable for its spangled 

 golden plumage. The species are not so distinctly Arctic in their choice of nesting- 

 quarters, since they breed in the northern temperate zones, as well as in the tundras 



of the north. 



Three species are recognized, two belonging to the Old World and one to America 



in general. 



