298 Synopsis of the Birds 
221. Charadrius helveticus Nob. Mottled; long axillary 
feathers black. 
Summer plumage, mottled with black and white ; beneath 
black : winter, mottled with black and yellow ; beneath 
whitish. Moulting and young, beneath varied with black and 
whitish. 
Black-bellied Plover Charadrius apricarius , Wils . Am. 
Orn . vii. p. 41 . pi. 59. fig. 4 . summer dress ; and Swiss Plover , 
Charadrius helveticus , Nob. Am. Orn. winter plumage. Tringa 
Helvetica, L. Vanellus helveticus , Briss. 
Inhabits the north of both continents. 
43. STREPSILAS. 
Tringa, L. Gm. Lath. Arenaria , Briss. Vieill. Strep - 
silas , 111. Temm. Ranz. Scolopax ( subgenus Strepsilas) Cuv. 
Morinella , Meyer. 
Bill shorter than the head, robust, hard, straight, conic- 
attenuated, compressed, slightly flattened above, truncated 
at the point ; upper mandible straight, slightly recurved 
from the middle ; lower somewhat recurved at tip : nostrils 
placed in a short furrow, basal, lateral, oblong-linear, half 
covered by a membrane, pervious : tongue short, compres- 
sed, canaliculate, acute. Feet rather short, four-toed; a 
very small part of the tibia bare ; tarsus not longer than the 
middle toe, rather robust, scutellated ; toes with a narrow 
margin, divided to the origin ; hind toe touching the ground 
at tip : nails curved, acute ; middle one dilated on the inner 
margin. Wings long, acuminate, tuberculated ; first primary 
longest. Tail rather short, of twelve feathers. 
Female similar to the male. Young differing from the 
adult, and changing repeatedly until the third year. Moult 
semi-annually. 
Solitary : follow the retreating waves : dextrously turn 
over heavy stones with their bills, and examine carefully 
every recess in search of their favourite food, marine insects, 
