CHAPTER XL 

 Genus CHARADRIUS. 



CHARADRiiNyE sulco nasali obvio : alls haud calcaratis : rectricibus mediis fere omninb brunneis Diagnosis of 

 et quam rectrices laterales non valde longioribus (nunquam 25 millim.). 



The Plovers differ from the Stone-Curlews in ?iever having the central feathers of the tail Generic 

 nearly as much as an inch longer than the outer ones. The nasal aperture being placed in a 

 distinct groove, prevents them from being confounded with the Coursers or the Pratincoles. 

 Finally, the absence of while at the base of the central tail-feathers, which are uniform brown 

 for more than two thirds of their length, excludes the Lapwings, most of which are further 

 excluded by the absence of lobes on the lores or spurs on the wings. 



The synonymy of the genus Charadrius is another appalling instance of the " furor 

 genericus," especially on the part of the arch genus-splitter Bonaparte. A genus has been 

 provided for about every two species ! 



Synonymy of the Genus Charadrius. 



Type. 

 Ckaradrius, Linneus, Syst. Nat. i. p. 150 (1758) ; Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 253 



(1766) No type. 



Pluvialis, Brisson, Orn. v. p. 42 (1760) ..." C. pluvialis. 



Squatarola, Leach, Syst. Cat. Mamm. fyc. Brit. Mus. p. 29 (1816) . . . C. helveticus. 



iEgialitis, Boie, Ms, 1822, p. 558 C. hiaticula. 



Eudromias, Brehm, Vog. Deutschl. p. 545 (1831) C. morinellus. 



Anarhynchus, Quoy and Gaimard, Voy. Astrol., Zool. i. p. 252 (1833) . . C. frontalis. 



Oreophilus, Jardine and Selby, III. Orn. iii. pi. 151 (1835) C. totanirostris. 



Erythrogonys, Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1837, p. 135 C. rufiventris. 



Hiaticula, Gray, List Gen. Birds, p. 85 (1840) C. hiaticula. 



Thinomis, Gray, Zool. Voy. Ereb. fy Terr. p. 11 (1846) C. novae-zealandiae. 



Pluvianellus, Hombron and Jacquinot,fide Gray, Gen. Birds, iii. p. 549 (1846) C. sociabilis. 



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