172 



CHARADEITJS. 



Literature. Plates. — Baird, Lawrence, & Cassin, Birds N. Amer. pi. xc. 



Habits. — Baird, Brewer, & Bidgway, Water-Birds N. Amer. i. p. 164. 

 Eggs. — Described by Brewer on p. 167 of the above-mentioned volume. 



Subspeeifie 

 characters. 



Geographi- 

 cal distribu- 

 tion. 



Seasonal and 



other 



changes. 



The American form of the Kentish Plover is on an average a slightly smaller bird 

 than its European and Asiatic allies, varying in length of wing from the carpal joint from 

 4*4 to 4 - inch. Typical examples have pale legs and feet 1 , like C. dealbatus, but differ 

 from both forms in having white lores. It is said that on the American continent inter- 

 mediate forms in both respects are found, some examples having dark legs and others 

 black lores. 



The American Kentish Plover is a salt-water bird, and is said to be a resident on the 

 shores of the Pacific from California to Northern Chili. Its range extends eastwards to 

 the southern shores of the Great Salt Lake in Utah 2 , in about the same latitude as Cape 

 Mendocino on the coast, which appears to be its northern limit. 



I have examples collected by Whitely (Sclater and Salvin, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1868, 

 p. 176) and by Howard Saunders in Peru, and by Mr. G. F. Mathew near Valparaiso, 

 which appears to be the southern limit of its range. It is said to be a resident in California, 

 and there is no evidence that it is a migratory bird in any part of its range. 



Another point on which this species appears to be in a transition state is in its 

 seasonal and sexual changes of plumage. In the Eurasian form the black markings over 

 the forehead, on the lores, behind the eyes, and on the sides of the breast are replaced by 

 brown in the female and young, and in the winter plumage of both sexes. In the 

 American form the black markings vary very much in extent, and are seldom entirely 

 absent, except in very young birds. 



1 Authorities vary as to the colour of the legs of this species. Ten examples in my collection have all 

 pale enough legs now, whatever they may have had when they were alive. Baird, Cassin, and Lawrence (loc. 

 cit.) say " legs light" ; Baird, Brewer, and Bidgway (loc. cit.) say " legs dull slate colour, toes black"; Coues 

 (Key N. Amer. Birds, rev. ed. p. 603) says " legs black " ; but Coues (Ibis, 1866, p. 275) says " legs pale 

 livid blue, feet blackish." 



2 Its alleged occurrence in Guatemala (Salvin, Ibis, 1863, p. 191) is an error, the species referred to 

 being unquestionably G. collaris. It is doubtful to what species the ^Egialitis tenuirostris (Lawrence, Ann. 

 Lye. N". York, vii. p. 455) from Cuba must be referred, but it is much more likely that the bird described was 

 an example of Charadrius melodus than of Charadrius nivosus. 



