222 AMERICAN RING PLOVER. 



the eyes, continuous with a streak over them, a small band on the lower 

 eyelid, and a ring on the middle of the neck, enlarged in front so as to cover 

 the throat, pure white. A broad ring of black on the lower part of the 

 neck, broader in front. All the lower parts and the sides of the rump white. 

 The upper parts of the same greyish-brown as the head, the scapulars and 

 elongated inner secondaries more decidedly glossed with olive. Alula, pri- 

 mary coverts, and primary quills dusky, the coverts tipped with white, the 

 outer primaries, with a portion of the shaft, white, the inner with an elongated 

 patch of white on the outer web in addition, and the proximal part of the 

 inner web of the same colour. Secondary quills with a narrow terminal 

 margin of white, which is much enlarged on (or in some specimens covers) 

 the two next to the elongated ones, which are externally margined with 

 brownish-white. Tail pale greyish-brown, brownish-black towards the end, 

 the tip white, enlarging on the outer, and including the whole of the lateral 

 feather, and the outer web of the next. 



Length to end of tail H inches, to end of wings 8, to end of claws 7; 

 extent of wings 14; bill along the ridge ^, along the edge of lower mandible 

 T r ¥ ; wing from flexure 5, tail 2^; tarsus \%, middle toe and claw ||. Weight 

 1^ oz. 



The female is a little larger than the male, but similar, although the black 

 markings are tinged with brown. 



Young in September. 



Bill dusky, at the base yellowish. Feet pale yellowish-green, claws dusky. 

 Upper parts lighter than in the adult, the feathers margined with pale yel- 

 lowish-grey; no black band on the forehead, or on the neck, but a patch of 

 dusky on the side of the neck and breast; the band from the bill to behind 

 the eye greyish-brown. 



This species exhibits a very intimate affinity to Charadrius Hiaticula of 

 Europe, which is precisely similar in form, proportions, and colouring, but 

 considerably larger, and having the feet orange-coloured, with the webs much 

 less extended. 



Width of mouth 2 twelfths. Tongue 4 twelfths long, very concave above, 

 rounded at the point. (Esophagus 2 inches 8 twelfths long, 3 twelfths in 

 breadth. Proventriculus 3^ twelfths broad, its glandular belt 6 twelfths. 

 Stomach oblong, 9 twelfths by 7 twelfths; its muscles large; the epithelium 

 with numerous rugas. Intestine 14 inches long, 2 twelfths in breadth. Cceca 



1 inch from the extremity, 1^ inches long, 1|- twelfths in width. Trachea 



2 inches long, 1^ twelfths in breadth; its rings about 70, very feeble. Bron- 

 chial half rings about 15. The muscles as in the last species. 



In the genus Charadrius, the oesophagus is thus narrow or of moderate 

 width, without crop or remarkable dilatation. The proventriculus is large, 



