CHAEADEIUS. 155 



(J10i"toH". $H"tol2". Legs black-grey. Bill black.— /« wWer ; Forehead 

 and chin white. Below white, with brown spots. Above brown, tipped white. 

 Tail white, broadly barred black and brown. Axillaries black. — In summer : 

 Lower surface deep black, edged white. Back barred black and white. Almost 

 world wide. Breeds in the far north and visits the south of both hemispheres in 

 winter. Eggs (2 x 1 4) pyriform, greenish, spotted brown. (J. 844. B. 1441.) 

 Also the genus Aphriza. One species — A . virgata, 94", with hind toe, from W. N. America, 

 Also the genus Zonibyx. One species — Z. modesta, 7", "with hind toe, from S. America. 

 Also the genus Stephanibyx. Three species, without hind toe, from Africa — S. coronatus, 

 12i" ; S. melanoptenis, 10" ; and S. inomatus, 8J". 



Genus CHARADRIUS. 



OiarSdHus =x'>'P<''Spi-i^, in classical Greek, a bird dwelling in clefts or river- valleys, xo/'i^^P'"' 

 The sight of it was held to be a cure for jaundice. 



Nasal groove extends about two-thirds length of bill. First quill longest. 

 Secondaries short. Tertiaries lengthened and pointed. Tail rounded. No hind 

 toe. Plumage brown, spotted yellow. Tarsus reticulated throughout. Outer 

 and mid toe nearly half-webbed. 



138. Charadrius pluvialis. Thb Golden Plovbb. 



PlwiMUs^T^my ; from plUv1,a=Ta,i-a. Charleton says because it frequents places damp 

 from rain and marshes. Littr^ derives the French plumer from the fact of the birds only 

 reaching France in the rainy season. 



(J 10" to 11 J". Legs blue-grey. Bill black. — In winter: Above black, 

 mottled golden. Throat, lower breast, and abdomen pure white. Axillaries 

 pure white. — In summer : Above black, mottled golden and white. Throat, 

 breast, and belly black. Eeigns in the W. Palaearctic, from Europe generally to 

 W. Siberia, and migrating south in winter to N. Africa and Sind. Male helps 

 in incubation. Four pyriform eggs (2-1 x 1-4), light brown, spotted purple. 



H.M.S. Caroline in Pacific reported that during a gale on May 14th twelve 

 Golden Plover were seen round the ship migrating from the Sandwich Islands 

 for the north. The ship was 1,200 miles from nearest land, and it was cord- 

 puted that the time of flight would be 80 hours (at 30 miles an hour) to complete 

 the distance between Hawaii and the mainland. (B. 1440. S.F. vii. 186.) 



139. Charadrius fulvus. The Eastern Golden Plover. 



Chota battan, India. 



^ 9" to 10". ? 9|". Legs plumbeous green. Bill black. — In winter : 

 Above dull grey, with triangular spots. Breast white, spotted yellow. Primaries 

 black. Axillaries smoky grey. — In summer : Above darker, and spots smaller. 

 Beneath deep black, edged white. Eeigns in the Nearctic region. Breeds in 

 E. Siberia, and has a wide range in Asia and Australia, but it rarely reaches 

 Europe. Visits India between September and May. Said to breed in India. 

 Four pyriform eggs (1-9 x 1-3), buff, blotched brown. (B. 1439.) 



Genus .^GIALITIS. Sand-Plovers, Dotterels, and Einged Plovers. 



ai7iaXrTis=of the shore, alyia\6s. 



No hind toe. Tarsi reticulated. Of small size. Often with black collar. 

 Sexes alike. First quill longest. Upper plumage unspotted brown ; below 

 chiefly white in breeding season, the amount of black not exceeding a pectoral 

 band. Almost cosmopolitan. 



