GOLDEN PLOVER. 505 
GOLDEN PLOVER.—CHARADRIUS PLUVIALIS. — Fie. 237. 
Arct. Zool. p. 493, No. 399. — Bewick, i. 322.— Le pluvier doré, Buff. viii. 81. 
Pl.ent. 904. — Peule’s Museum, No. 4198. 
< CHARADRIUS VIRGINIANUS. — Bonapante.* 
Charadrius pluvialis, Bonap. Synop. p. 297.— North. Zool. ii. p. 369. — Chara- 
drius Virgmianus, Bonap. Osser. Sulla, 2d edit. del Reon. Anim. Cun. p. 93. — 
Charadrius marmoratus, Wagl. Syst. Av. Char: No. 42. 
Tuis beautiful species visits the sea-coast of New York and New 
Jersey in spring and autumn; but does not, as far as I can discover, 
breed in any part of the United States. They are most frequently met 
* The Prince of Musignano, after the publication of his Synopsis of North Ameri- 
can Birds, and Observations on Wilson’s Nomenclature, pointed out the distinction 
of the North American and European birds. The plate of Wilson also shows every 
character of the northern birds. The lengthened bill and legs, the more distinet 
dorsal spotting, and clearer color of the forehead, the dusky hue of the under parts, 
and the mention by Ord of the brown axillaries, all point ‘out this bird, which can 
never be mistaken. The following are the principal distinctions which appear be- 
tween skins of C. Virginianus from India and New Holland, and specimens of C 
pluvialis, shot this forenoon : — 
Cy Pluvialis. C. Virginianus. 
1. Total length, 103 inches. 1. The skins are about 10 inches in 
s. Jength, but are much stretched ; * 
#, or 8, as mentioned by Wagler, 
nearly the true length. 
2. Length of bill to extremity of gape, 2. Length of bill to extremity of gape, 
linch. 1$ inch. 
3. Length of wing, from joining of bas- 3. Length of wing, from joining of bas- 
tard pinion to fore arm, and tip of tard pinion to fore arm, and tip of 
first or longest quill, 8 inches. first or longest quill, 64 inches. 
4. Length of unfeathered tibia, inch. 4. Length of unfeathered tibia, $ inch. 
5. Length of tarsus, 12 inch. 5. Length of tarsus, nearly 18 inch. 
6. Throat, lower part of the breast, 6. ‘hroat, and all under parts, dull 
belly, vent, and crissum, pure yellowish gray, with darker tips to 
white. the feathers. 
7. Pale markings on the upper parts, 7. Pale markings on the upper parts, 
dull gamboge yellow ; spotting, larger, and inclining more to clear 
more in oblong spots ; and, on the while ; above, more in spots on the’ 
wing and tail-coverts, take the form sides of the feathers. 
of bars. a 
8. Light markings on the tail, dull and 8. Light markings on the tail, decided, 
undecided, with a decided dark nearly white ; no dark bar through 
barring. it. . 
9. Outer teil-feathers, with pale mar- 9. Outer tail-feathers, with white tip 
gins, the distinct and frequent bar- and outer margin, which shoot 
ring through the whole length. down the rachis. s 
10. Under wing-coverts, and axillaries, 10. Under wing-coverts, and axillaries, 
pure white. wood brown gray. 
11. Lesser wing-coverts, tipped with 11. Lesser wing-coverts, tipped and 
white, but otherwise of a uniform _tather broadly edged with white. 
color. 
C. pluvialis is introduced into the Northern Zoology, but I strongly suspect these 
excellent sae aa overlooked the other species. Both may be natives 
