206 
AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER. 
small, compressed, slightly arched, slender but obtuse at the end, the inner 
edge of the middle claw dilated. 
Plumage soft, blended, slightly glossed, the feathers rounded. Wings long 
and pointed ; primary quills tapering, the first longest, the second a little 
shorter, the rest rapidly graduated; outer secondaries short, broad, obliquely 
rounded, inner tapering and elongated. Tail rather short, rounded, of 
twelve rounded feathers. 
Bill black. Iris brown. Feet bluish-grey. The upper part of the head, 
the fore part of the back, and the scapulars are beautifully variegated with 
brownish-black and bright yellow, the latter in spots along the edges of the 
feathers. The hind part of the back greyish-brown, variegated with yellow 
of a duller tint ; the tail brown, barred with white. The wings are hair- 
brown, the smaller coverts spotted with yellowish-white, the primary coverts 
and secondaries tipped with white. The inner secondaries like the scapu- 
lars. Part of the forehead, the loral space, a band over the eye, and the 
throat, are greyish-white; the sides of the neck and body variegated with 
brown, dull white, and yellowish. The breast and a broad band down the 
fore-neck are brownish-black, the latter margined on each side with white. 
Axillar feathers, and lower tail-coverts, white. 
Length to end of tail 10§ inches, to end of wings 101, to end of claws, 11^; 
extent of wings 22f; wing from flexure 7; tail SfV; bill along the back 
along the edge of lower maudible 1 T 2 ¥ ; bare part of tibia x 8 2 ; tarsus 1^, 
middle toe 1 T V, its claw T V Weight oz. 
Adult in winter. 
The black on the lower parts is peculiar to the breeding season ; and after 
the autumnal moult, they become of a light greyish colour, spotted and 
streaked with deep grey. In other respects the plumage is similar to that 
described above. 
Length to end of tail 101, to end of claws Ilf ; extent of wings 22f . 
Weight 4i oz. 
Light coloured variety. 
Bill and feet greyish-blue. Iris deep brown. Upper part of head and 
back mottled with black and pale yellow ; wing-coverts greyish, with white 
and dusky spots, as are the sides of the head and throat; a broad band of 
white over the eye ; fore part of neck pale grey, fading into pale cream- 
colour and white ; the breast and fore-neck with large spots of black. 
This individual was killed in the breeding season. 
