220 
CHARADRIINtE. charadrius. 
ther short ; body ovate, rather full. Plumage soft, blended, 
somewhat compact above ; wings long, pointed, with the 
first quill longest. Tail of moderate length, somewhat 
rounded, or with the middle feathers projecting, of twelve 
feathers. (Esophagus of moderate width ; stomach round- 
ish, compressed, very muscular, with the epithelium dense 
and rugous ; intestine rather long, and of moderate width ; 
wdth rather long coeca. A single pair of inferior laryngeal 
muscles. Nest on the ground, shallow ; eggs generally four, 
large, pyriform, spotted. Young densely covered with down, 
and able to walk immediately after birth. 
GENUS I. CHARADRIUS, Linn. PLOVER. 
Bill short, or as long as the head, straight, rather stout, 
somewhat compressed, pointed; upper mandible with the 
dorsal line straight, and slightly declinate for at least half its 
length, then bulging a little, and arched to the tip, which is 
rather acute, the sides flat and sloping at the base, convex to- 
wards the end, where the edges are sharp and inclinate ; nasal 
groove extended to half the length, and bare ; lower mandi- 
ble with the angle rather long and narrow, the sides at the 
base erect and nearly flat, the dorsal line ascending and 
slightly convex, the edges sharp and involute towards the 
tip, which is narrow and rather pointed. Nostrils subbasal, 
linear, open, and pervious. Eyes rather large. Head of 
moderate size, roundish, the forehead much rounded ; neck 
rather short ; body ovate, rather full. Feet rather long, slen- 
der ; tibia bare for a considerable space ; tarsus rather com- 
pressed, covered all round with reticulated hexagonal scales ; 
toes of moderate length, slender, scutellate, second shorter 
than fourth, first wanting or rudimentary ; anterior toes 
broadly marginate, webbed at the base. Claws small, com- 
])ressed, slightly arched, rather acute. Plumage soft, blend- 
ed, the feathers broad and rounded. Wings long and point- 
ed, the primaries tapering, the first longest ; inner seconda- 
