826 



ORNITHOLOGY. 



this bird to Charadrius xanthocheilus, Wagler, it is in a great measure 

 because we at present are acquainted with no other species from the 

 Southern Islands in the Pacific Ocean to which this description can 

 be applied, and not on account of any especial application of Wagler's 

 description to this bird. 



One specimen from the Hawaiian Islands, in the collection of the 

 Expedition, appears to be Charadrius fulvus, Gmelin. It is, like those 

 above alluded to, in imperfect plumage, and its only peculiarity is a 

 more uniform brown color on the breast and neck before ; in other re- 

 spects it is similar, and we do not regard it as a distinct species. 



Under date of November 13th, 1841, at sea, between the coast of 

 California and the Sandwich Islands, Dr. Pickering alludes to this 

 species as follows : 



" A Golden Plover, which had been noticed flying around the ship, 

 came on board towards evening and was captured. It was greatly 

 fatigued, and evidently much out of its course, as we were nearly five 

 hundred miles to the eastward of the Island of Oahu. As it came 

 on board voluntarily, this circumstance was regarded as conclusive 

 evidence of the non-existence of land in this vicinity. In this speci- 

 men, the whitish band extending through the frontlet and over each 

 eye, appeared to me as unusually distinct." 



Dr. Pickering again mentions this bird as being noticed flying 

 around the vessels of the squadron, on the 22d of December, at sea, 

 some degrees west of the Sandwich Islands. It is evidently widely 

 difiiused, and performs very extensive migrations. 



2. Genus SQUATAROLA, Cuvier, Eeg. An. I, p. 467 (1817). 

 1. Squatarola HELVETICA {Linn.). — The Black-bellied Plover. 



Trinya helvetica et squatarola, Linn. Sjst. Nat. I, p. 250, 252 (1766). 

 Cltaradrius apricarius, LiNN. Syst. Nat. I, p. 254 (1766). 



Wilson, Am. Orn. VII, Plate LVII ; Aud. B. of Am. Plate 

 CCCXXXIV ; octavo ed. V, Plate CCCXV. 



In the collection we find a specimen of this species from California ; 

 and Dr. Pickering records its occurrence in both that country and 



