CHARADElIDiE— THE PLOVERS. 25 



♦ 



Gharadrius fukus var. virginicus Coues, Key, 1872, 243; Check List, 1874^ NoJ 326; Birds 

 N. W. 1874, 449 (synonymy). 

 Oharadrius marm.oratus Waql.— AUD. Orn. Biog. v, 1839, 575, pi. 300; Synop. 1839.222;' 

 Birds Am. v, 1842, 203, pi. 316. 



Hab. America in general, from the Arctic coast (including Greenland) to Paraguay and 

 Ohili; breeding in the arctic and subarctic districts, winter migrant to southern localities. 



"8p. Char. BUI rather short, legs moderate, wines long, np hind toe, tarsus covered be- 

 fore and behind with small circular or hexagonal scales. Summer plumage: Upper parts 

 brownish black, Vlth numerous small circular and irregular spots of golden yellow, most 

 numerous on the back and rump, and on the upper tail-coverts assuming the form of trans- 

 verse bands generally; also with some spots of ashy white. Entire under parts black, with 

 a brownish or bronzed lustre, under-tail-coverts mixed or barred with white. Forehead, 

 border of the black of the neck, under tail-coverts, and tibiae, white ; axillary feathers cinere- 

 ous ; quills dark brown ; middle portion of the shafts white; freauently extending slightly to 

 the webs and forming longitudinal stripes on the shorter auills; ta,il dark brown, with 

 numerous irregular bands of ashy white, and frequently tinged with golden yellow; bill 

 black; legs dark bluish brown. Winter plumage {young and adult): Under parts dull ashy, 

 spotted with brownish on the neck and b.reast.-freauently more or less mixed with black; 

 many spots of the upper parts dull ashy white ; other spots, especially on the rump, golden 

 yellow. 



" Total length, 9.50 inches; wing, 7.00; tail, 2.50; culmen, .92; tarsus, 1.70; middle toe, 90. 



" Specimens vary in the relative amount of the black and golden on the upper parts, in 

 the width of the white on the forehead, and other details of coloration. Careful measure- 

 ments of twenty-six specimens afford the iollowjng reanltB -.Sleven specimens in summer 

 plumage: Wing, 6.80-7.35, average, 7.11; culmen, .85-1.00, average, .91; tarsus, «l. 60-1. 85, 

 average, 1.73; middle toe, .85-1.05, average. .91. Six adults in changing plumage: Wing, 6.90- 

 7.30, average, 7.12;_culmen, .90-1.00, average, .96; tarsus, 1.65-1.82, average, 1.70; middle toe, 

 .80-. 95, average, .90. Seven specimens in winter plumage {.mdstly young): Wing, 6.80-7.20, 

 average, 7.03; culmen, .80-1.00, average, .91; tarsus, 1.55-1.75; average, 1.66; middle toe, .85-.95, 

 average, .87. Average of the whole series: Wing, 7.09; culmen, .91; tarsus, 1.70; middle 

 toe, ,90." {Water B. N. Am.) 



In Cook county, this species is, 'according to Mr. Nelson, "a 

 very abundant migrant," arriving " in large flocks early in April, 

 and at this time the black of the breeding plumage has just "be- 

 gun to mottle their white breasts. Trequents wet -praries until 

 the last of the month, when it generally departs. Sometimes a 

 few remain as late as May 5, and are then in perfect breeding 

 dress! Eeturning early in September, with the fall plumage just 

 appearing, it remains until, October." 



Genus ^GIALITIS Boie. 

 Subgenus Oxyechus Rbichenbach. 



Oxyechus Reich., Av. Syst. 1853, Introd. p. xviii. Type, Oharadrius vociferus Linn. 



Chab. Bill small, slender, about, equal to the middle toe (without nail); tarsus nearly 

 twice as long as middle toe; tail long (about two thirds as long as the wings), reaching half 

 its length beyond the ends of the primaries, graduated, the lateral feathers about .75 shorter 

 than the middle pair; rump different in color from the back. 



-4. 



