370 



NORTHERN ZOOLOGY. 



[137.] 1. Vanellus melanogaster. (Bechst.) Grey Lapwing. 



Genus, Vanellus, Briss. 



Tringa helvetica. Foiister, Phil. Trans., lxii., p. 412, No. 43. 



Swiss Sandpiper. Penn. Arct. Zool, ii., p. 478, No. 396. 



Grey Sandpiper (Tringa squatarola). Idem, p. 477, No. 393. 



Black-bellied Plover (Charadrius apricarius). Wils., vii., p. 41, pi. 57, f. 4.* 



Vanneau Pluvier (Vanellus melanogaster). Temm., ii., p. 547. 



Vanellus melanogaster. Sab. Frankl. Journ., p. 684. Richards. Append. Parry's Second 



Voy., p. 352, No. 12. 

 Charadrius (Squatarola) Helveticus. Bonap. Syn., No. 221. 

 Toolee-areeoo or Tooglee-aiah. Esquimaux. 



This bird is observed in the fur-countries in similar places to those fre- 

 quented by the Golden Plover, though it is not equally common. Tt breeds in 

 open grounds from Pennsylvania to the northern extremity of the continent. Its 

 eggs are oil-green, spotted irregularly with different shades of umber-brown : 

 the spots crowded and confluent round the obtuse end. 



DESCRIPTION 

 Of a specimen, killed at Hudson's Bay, lat. 57°, Aug. 14, 1822. 



Colour. — Whole upper surface of the head, the under eyelid, back of the neck, shoulders, 

 vent, thighs, and tail coverts above and below white, the dark base of the plumage partially 

 appearing on the neck, and a few brown bars on the tips of the upper tail coverts. Rump 

 clove-brown, with whitish tips. Rest of the dorsal plumage, the wing coverts, and tertiaries 

 variegated with white and greenish-black, the white generally forming broad bars on the tips 

 and sides of the feathers ; bastard wing, greater quills, and their coverts, blackish-brown, the 

 latter tipped with white ; middles of the quill shafts and of the outer webs of the sixth and 

 succeeding primaries, and the bases and borders of the secondaries, white. Orbits, part of 

 the upper eyelid, the lores, chin, and whole under surface of the neck, the breast, belly, and 

 long axillary feathers, reddish-black. Inner wing coverts white and pale grey. Tail white, 

 banded with eight blackish-brown bars, which are nearly obsolete on the lateral feathers. 

 Bill and legs black. 



Form. — Bill longer and stronger than that of Ch. pluvialis. Tail somewhat rounded. 

 Inner toe connected to the middle one by a rudimentary web. Outer web equal to the first 

 phalanx of the outer toe in depth. Toes margined by a thick fold of skin. Hind toe very 

 small, armed with a minute nail. 



Dimensions. 





Inch. 



Lin. 





Inch. 



Lin. 



Inch. 



Lin. 



Length, total 



12 







Length of bill to rictus . 



1 



6 



Length of middle nail . 



2 



„ of tail 



. 3 



4 



„ of naked thigh 



. 1 







„ of hind toe and nail 



If 



„ of wing 



• 7 



4 



,, of tarsus . 



1 



10 



Extent of wing . . 23 







,, of bill above 



1 



2 



,, of middle toe . 



. 1 











* All our specimens have the black under plumage, but want the yellow spots represented in Wilson's figure. 



