360 GHAEADEIID^. 



Ftil. oegtiv. ptilosi hiemali sinulis, sed pileo paullo cinnamomeo lavato, fascia postfrontali transversa nigra 

 distincta, regione parotica nigra distingnenda. Long, tota circa 6-2, alae 4-2. (Descr. femime adultae ex 

 Corpus Chiisti, Texas. iTus. nostr.) 



Eab. NoETH America, Western United States, from California east to Kansas and 

 Western Gulf States 5.— Mexico, Mazatlan (Grayson^ Celestin, N. Yucatan 

 (Schott 2) ; Costa Rica {Zeledon *). — Westeen South Aaieeica to Peru and 

 Chile '. 



The Snowy Sand-Plover belongs to the section of the genus Mgialiiis in which the 

 species have the lores entirely white. In general appearance it resembles the Kentish 

 Plover of Europe (-^. alexandrina), but is distinguished from the latter and from 

 ^. collaris by the absence of the black loral line. 



^gialitis nivosa is an inhabitant of the Western United States, but extends 

 eastward into Kansas and Texas ; we have received a good series of skins from 

 Mr. Armstrong from Corpus Christi. Its winter habitat seems to be the western side 

 of South America, where it ranges as far south as Chile. In Central America it is 

 probably only a bird of passage, and the records of its occurrence are very few ; the 

 species would appear, however, to pass by both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, having 

 been procured at Mazatlan by Grayson ^, and by Schott in Xorthern Yucatan ". 

 Zeledon also places it in his list of Costa Kican birds *. 



Like its European ally, this Plover congregates after the breeding-season in small 

 flocks, which follow the receding tidal water to pick up small shells, Crustacea, and 

 insects. Elliot says that its note is low and rather mournful. The eggs, three or 

 four in number, are laid in a small hollow scooped out in the sand ^ ; they are of 

 a pale creamy-buff colour, with spots, lines, and scrawls of dark brown or black, 

 and a few underlying markings of pale purple. 



Subfam. EIMAXTOPOBIN^. 



The members of this subfamily, the Stilts {Himantopus) and the Avocets (Securvi- 

 rostra), are chiefly remarkable for their extremely long legs, which, when outstretched, 

 extend far beyond the tip of the tail. The bill is straight in Himantopus and 

 upturned in jRecurvirostra ; in both it is smooth and tapering towards the tip, with no 

 dertral swelling at the end. 



HIMANTOPUS. 



Himantopus, Briss. Orn. v. p. 33 (1760) ; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxiv. p. 309 (1896). 



The long legs of the Stilts are their chief characteristic, the tarsus being more than 

 twice the length of the middle toe and claw. The bill is straight and of nearly 

 uniform length, tapering slightly towards the tip. The toes are cleft to their base, 

 and have scarcely any interdigital web. The hind toe is absent. 



