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Genus I.— CHARADRIUS, Linn. PLOVER. 



Bill short, or as long as the head, straight, rather stout, somewhat com- 

 pressed, pointed; upper mandible with the dorsal line straight, and slightly 

 declinate for at least half its length, then bulging a little, and arched to the 

 tip, which is rather acute, the sides flat and sloping at the base, convex 

 towards the end, where the edges are sharp and inclinate; nasal groove 

 extended to half the length, and bare; lower mandible with the angle rather 

 long and narrow, the sides at the base erect and nearly flat, the dorsal line 

 ascending and slightly convex, the edges sharp and involute towards the tip, 

 which is narrow and rather pointed. Nostrils sub-basal, linear, open, and 

 pervious. Eyes rather large. Head of moderate size, roundish, the fore- 

 head much rounded; neck rather short; body ovate, rather full. Feet rather 

 long, slender; tibia bare for a considerable space; tarsus rather compressed, 

 covered all round with reticulated hexagonal scales; toes of moderate length, 

 slender, scutellate, second shorter than fourth, first wanting or rudimentary; 

 anterior toes broadly marginate, webbed at the base. Claws small, compress- 

 ed, slightly arched, rather acute. Plumage soft, blended, the feathers broad 

 and rounded. Wings long and pointed, the primaries tapering, the first 

 longest; inner secondaries tapering and elongated. Tail rather short, or of 

 moderate length, rounded, of twelve rounded feathers. Tongue tapering, 

 grooved above; oesophagus of moderate width; proventriculus oblong; sto- 

 mach roundish, very muscular, its lateral and inferior muscles prominent, 

 epithelium dense, longitudinally rugous; intestine rather long and of mode- 

 rate width; coeca rather long. 



