AMERICAN RING PLOVER. 
221 
American Ring Plover, Charadrius semipalmatus, Swains, and Rich. F. Bor. 
Amer., vol. ii. p. 36*1. 
Semipalmated Ringed Plover, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 21. 
American Ringed Plover, Charadrius semipalmatus , Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iv. p. 
256 ; vol. v. p. 579. 
Male, Ii, 14. 
From Texas to the Arctic Regions, after passing through the interior, as 
well as along the Atlantic shores. Breeds in Labrador and the Fur Coun- 
tries. Many spend the winter in the Floridas. 
Adult Male. 
Bill shorter than the head, straight, somewhat cylindrical. Upper mandi- 
ble with the dorsal line straight for half its length, then bulging a little and 
curving to the tip, which is rather acute, the sides sloping at the base, con- 
vex towards the end, where the edges are sharp and direct. Nasal groove 
extended along more than half of the mandible ; nostrils basal, linear, in 
the lower part of the membrane, open, and pervious. Lower mandible 
with the angle short, narrow, but rounded, the sides at the base sloping 
outwards and flat, the dorsal line ascending and slightly convex, the edges 
sharp and involute towards the tip. 
Head of moderate size, oblong, rather compressed, the forehead rounded. 
Eyes large. Neck rather short. Body ovate, compact. Wings long. Feet 
slender, of moderate length ; tibia bare a considerable way above the joint; 
tarsus of moderate length, rather compressed, covered all round with sub- 
hexagonal scales ; toes slender ; the hind toe wanting ; third or middle toe 
much longer than the outer, which exceeds the inner ; all with numerous 
scutella ; the outer connected with the middle toe by a web, which extends 
to the second joint of the former and runs along the edge of the latter, 
forming a broad margin, the outer toe also connected with the middle toe by 
a short membrane which does not extend more than half-way to the second 
joint. Claws small, slightly arched, compressed, rather blunt, that of the 
middle toe having the inner edge dilated. 
Plumage soft and blended ; the feathers rounded, those of the back some- 
what distinct. Wings long and pointed ; primary quills tapering, the first 
longest, the second a little shorter, the rest rapidly graduated; outer second- 
aries incurved and obliquely emarginate ; the inner tapering and elongated, 
one of them reaching to half an inch from the tip of the longest primary. 
Tail of moderate length, considerably rounded, of twelve feathers. 
Bill black, its basal half rich orange. Iris deep hazel. Feet pale flesh- 
colour, claws black. Forehead, loral space, and a band passing below the 
eye and including the auriculars, black ; the rest of the head above and the 
nape, light grevish-brown, tinged with dull olive. A broad band between 
Vol. V. " * 31 
