539 



HOPLOPTEEUS SPINOSUS. 



(SPUR -WINGED PLOVER.) 



The Black-breasted Indian Plover, Edw. Nat. Hist. Birds, i. p. 47, pi. 47 (1743). 



Pluvialis persica cristata, Brisson, Orn. v. p. 84 (1760). 



Pluvialis senegalensis armata, Briss. Orn. v. p. 86 (1760). 



Charadrius spinosus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 256 (1766). 



Le Pluvier arme du SenSgal, DAubent. PI. Enl. no. 801 (1770). 



Le Pluvier huppe, Buff. Hist. Nat. Ois. viii. p. 98 (1781). 



Le Pluvier a aigrette, Buff. torn. cit. p. 99 (1781). 



Charadrms persicus, Bonnat. Tabl. Encycl. i. p. 21 (1790). 



Charadrius senegalensis, Steph. in Shaw's Gen. Zool. xi. p. 482 (1819). 



Charadrius cristatus, Steph. torn. cit. p. 483 (1819). 



Hoplopterus, Bp. (Charadrms spinosus, L.), Saggio di una Distrib. Metod. Anim. Verteb. 



p. 56 (1831). 

 Vanellus melasomus, Swains. B. of West Afr. ii. p. 237, pi. 26 (1837). 

 Hoplopterus spinosus (L.), Bp. Comp. List, p. 46 (1838). 



Philomachus, G. B. Gray (Charadrius spinosus, L.), List of Gen. of B. p. 65 (1840). 

 Hoplopterus persicus (Bonnat.), G R. Gray, Gen. of B. iii. p. 542 (1847). 

 Hoplopterus armatus, C. L. Brehm, Vogelfang, p. 284 (1855, nee Jard. & Selby), 



Figurm notabiles. 

 Edwards, I. c. ; D'Aubenton, I. c. ; Swainson, I. c. ; Gould, B. of Eur. pi. 293. 



Ad. capite supra et nucha, stria, mediana a mento usque ad pectus ducta, pectore epigastrioque nitide nigris : 

 capitis et colli lateribus et collo postico, subalaribus, crisso, supra- et subcaudalibus albis : dorso, 

 scapularibus et secundariis intimis cervino-umbrinis : remigibus primariis nitide nigris : tectricibus 

 alarum extus albis et intus paUide cervino-umbrinis : cauda ad basin alba, et in dimidio apicali nitide 

 nigra, : rostro et pedibus nigris : iride scarlatino-rubra,. 



Adult Male (Egypt, 19th December). Crown, nape, chin, and the centre of the throat down to the breast, 

 breast and underparts down to the lower abdomen deep glossy black ; sides of the head and of the neck 

 and throat and hind neck pure white ; back, scapulars, and inner secondaries pale buffy brown ; sides 

 of the rump, upper tail-coverts, and basal portion of the tail white ; rest of the tail black very narrowly 

 tipped with white ; quills, all but the inner secondaries, deep black ; wing-coverts on the outer part of 

 the wing pure white and towards the body gradually becoming buffy brown; a sharp spur on the 

 shoulder; under wing-coverts and axillaries, crissum, and under tail-coverts pure white; bill and feet 

 black; iris rich lake-red. Total length about 10'5 inches, culmen T2, wing 815, tail 4 - 2, tarsus 2'85. 



Young. Closely resembles the adult bird ; and there is no difference either in the plumage of the sexes. 



Young in down (fide Von Heugl. Orn. N.O.-Afr. p. 1006). Crown and upper parts rufescent isabelline 



2g 



