BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 115 
long as middle toe without claw, less than one-fifth to more than one- 
fourth as long as wing, slender, covered with small hexagonal scales, 
these larger in front where usually more or less transverse on lower 
portion; outer toe decidedly shorter than middle toe, the inner toe 
still shorter; hallux absent; a distinct web between basal phalanges 
of outer and middle toes, the space between inner and middle toes 
with web usually minute or scarcely visible, rarely distinct. 
Coloration.—Upper parts grayish brown, including rump and upper 
tail-coverts; under parts white, usually with a jugular or pectoral 
band of black, grayish brown, or cinnamon-rufous, this sometimes 
reduced to a patch on each side, or altogether absent. 
Range.—Nearly cosmopolitan, but absent from Polynesia. (Many 
species. ) 
KEY TO THE AMERICAN SPECIES OF CHARADRIUS.2 
a. A distinct web between basal phalanges of inner and middle toes; web between 
outer and middle toes larger. (Northern North America, south in winter to 
southern South America.)...........-...---- Charadrius semipalmatus (p. 116.) 
aa. No distinct (if any) web between inner and middle toes; web between outer and 
middle toes smaller. 
b. Culmen decidedly shorter than middle toe with claw. 
c. A more or less distinct nuchal collar of white (often with a black one imme- 
diately below it); a black or grayish brown jugular band, or patch of same on 
each side of chest. 
d. Lores with a black or grayish brown stripe, extending from bill to and 
beneath eyes to auricular region; upper parts darker grayish brown. 
e. Bill stouter, its basal half light-colored (yellow or orange-yellow in life); 
no white on crown. (Northern Europe, northwestern Asia, and extreme 
northeastern North America.).......----- Charadrius hiaticula (p. 120.) 
ee. Bill more slender, wholly black or with only extreme base of mandible 
yellow; a white bar immediately behind black patch on fore part of © 
crown. (Europe and Asia, south in winter to northwestern Africa, 
India, New Guinea, etc.; accidental in California?) 
Charadrius dubius (p. 124). 
dd, Lores wholly white; upper parts much paler grayish brown or brownish 
gray. (Eastern North America, south in winter to northern Mexico, 
Greater Antilles, and Bermudas.).........- Charadrius melodus (p. 128). 
ce. No trace of white (nor black) nuchal collar; chest cinnamon-rufous in summer 
adults, never with a black band. (Northeastern Asia, south in winter to 
Philippines, Moluccas, and Australia; accidental in Alaska.) 
ji Charadrius mongolus (p. 182). 
a Agialites albidipectes Ridgway, Proc. U. 8S. Nat. Mus., v, March 21, 1883, 526 
(Aigialitis albidipectus Ridgway, in Baird, Brewer and Ridgway, Water Birds N. Am., 
i, 1884, 153), based on a specimen supposed to be from Chile, in the collection of the 
U.S. National Museum, proves to be a South African species with wrong locality on 
the label: Charadrius marginatus Vieillot, Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., xxvii, 1818, 138; 
Aigialitis marginata Gurney, Ibis, 1860, 218; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., xxvi, 
1896, 282; Charadrius leucopolius Wagler, Syst. Av., 1827, Charadrius, sp. 28; Charadrius 
nivifrons, Lesson, Traité d’Orn., 1831, 544 (ex Cuvier, Régne Anim., 1829, 501,= 
nomen nudum). 
Aegialitis occidentalis Cabanis, Journ. fiir Orn., 1872, 158; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. 
Mus., xxvi, 1896, 295, from Province of Tarapacd, Chile, I have not seen. 
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