Genus — ^PAGOA, nov. 
Type P. geoffroyi. 
Plovers of medium size with very stout bills, long wings, short legs, and 
medium feet. 
The characters are as in Cirrepidesmus, but the long powerful bill, which 
is longer than the middle toe and claw, at once characterises this genus. This 
genus I have discussed {ante), and its acceptance obviates the misnaming of 
specimens, and enables the correct nomination of the species to be quickly 
arrived at whatever state of plumage the bird may be in. 
In connection with these Small Plovers it seems imperative to utilise 
very restricted genera, as the widening at once admits all the Plovers, whatever 
form they be. The latter course cannot conduce to the advancement of 
science, as it is quite obvious that the genus would cover a family, and the 
inclusion of the Golden and Grey Plovers borders upon the absurd. The 
extreme opposite course appears more accurate, as I have learned from my 
study of the Petrels that small, apparent differences were sometimes due to 
deep-seated causes: there it was seen that the whole-black, stout bill of 
Pterodroma was of different origin to the light-coloured longer bill of Puff^nus ; 
yet in the adults, colour and form were better characteristics than detailed 
description. I suggest a somewhat parallel case here, and propose that the 
particoloured-biU of Charadrius {=Mgialitis formerly) points to a different 
origin to that of the wholly-black bill of the present genus, for instance. I 
wiU go more into detail under that genus. 
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