BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER. 



337 



BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER {Charadrius apricarius.) 



PLATE LVII.— Fig. 4. 



Alwagrim Plover, Arct. Zool. p. 483, No. 398. — Le Pluvier Dore" a gorge noire, Buff. 



viii. 85. —PcaWs Museum, No. 4196. 



SQUATAROLA CINEREA.— EhUMiKG* 



Pluvialis cinerea, Wil. Orn. 229. — Gray Squatarola, Squatarola grisea, Steph. Oont. 

 Sh. Zool. vol. xi. p. 505. — Le Vanneau Gris, Guv. Reg. Anim. vol. i. p. 467. — 

 Squatarola cinerea., Flem. Br. Zool. p. 3. — Vanellus melanogaster, North. Zool. 

 ii. p. 370. 



This bird is known in some parts of the country by the 

 name of the large whistling field plover. It generally makes 

 its first appearance in Pennsylvania late in April ; fre- 

 quents the countries towards the mountains; seems parti - 



* This species, with some others, forms the division Vanneau pluviers, 

 the genus Squatarola of Cuvier, and, according to modern ornithologists, 

 has been separated from the Gharadrii on account of the presence of 

 a hinder toe. 



In the arrangement of this group, as in many others, I fear the 

 characteristic marks have been taken in a manner too arbitrary. Those 

 birds known by the name of Plovers form a small but apparently dis- 

 tinct group ; they contain the G. pluvialis, Virginianus, &c, and, but for 

 the rudimentary toe, the gray plover would also enter it : they agree 

 in their manners, their incubation, and changes of plumage. We, again, 

 have another well-defined group, which is called the Dotterels, agreeing 

 in similar common habitudes ; but, in one species, bearing according to 

 arrangement the name of Squatarola, we have all the marks and form 

 of plumage, but the hinder toe much developed. It therefore becomes 

 a question whether the presence or want of this appendage should be 

 brought into the generic character (as it always has been), or should be 

 looked upon as one of the connections of forms. In the latter way the 

 plovers should form the genus Squatarola, the dotterels Charadrius, and 

 the two birds in question be placed opposite in their respective circles. 



Vanellus, or the Lapwings, again, form another group, as well marked 

 in their different habits, and intimately connected with Pluvianus ; 

 neither of these, however, have any representative in North America. 



Many gray plovers breed in the English fens, and, like the migratory 

 sandpipers, flocks appear on the shores at the commencement of winter, 

 where they mingle with the other species. The plate is that of the 

 summer or breeding plumage. — Ed. 



VOL. IT. Y 



