222 
AMERICAN RING PLOVER. 
the eyes, continuous with a streak over them, a small band on the lower 
eyelid, and a ring on the middle of the neck, enlarged in front so as to cover 
the throat, pure white. A broad ring of black on the lower part of the 
neck, broader in front. All the lower parts and the sides of the rump white. 
The upper parts of the same greyish-brown as the head, the scapulars and 
elongated inner secondaries more decidedly glossed with olive. Alula, pri- 
mary coverts, and primary quills dusky, the coverts tipped with white, the 
outer primaries, with a portion of the shaft, white, the inner with an elon- 
gated patch of white on the outer web in addition, and the proximal part 
of the inner web of the same colour. Secondary quills with a narrow ter- 
minal margin of white, which is much enlarged on (or in some specimens 
covers) the two next to the elongated ones, which are externally margined 
with brownish-wliite. Tail pale greyish-brown, brownish-black towards 
the end, the tip white, enlarging on the outer, and including the whole of 
the lateral feather, and the outer web of the next. 
Length to end of tail 7* inches, to end of wings 8, to end of claws 7 ; 
extent of wings 14; bill along the ridge £, along the edge of lower mandible 
jL; wing from flexure 5, tail 24; tarsus |4, middle toe and claw jf. Weight 
oz. 
The female is a little larger than the male, but similar, although the 
black markings are tinged with brown. 
Young in September. 
Bill dusky, at the base yellowish. Feet pale yellowish-green, claws 
dusky. Upper parts lighter than in the adult, the feathers margined with 
pale yellowish-grey ; no black band on the forehead, or on the neck, but a 
patch of dusky on the side of the neck and breast ; the band from the bill 
to behind the eye greyish-brown. 
This species exhibits a very intimate affinity to Charadrhis Hiaticula of 
Europe, which is precisely similar in form, proportions, and colouring, but 
considerably larger, and having the feet orange-coloured, with the webs 
much less extended. 
Width of mouth 2 twelfths. Tongue 4 twelfths long, very concave above, 
rounded at the point. (Esophagus 2 inches 8 twelfths long, 3 twelfths in 
breadth. Proventriculus 3J twelfths broad, its glandular belt 6 twelfths. 
Stomach oblong, 9 twelfths by 7 twelfths; its muscles large; the epithelium 
with numerous rug®. Intestine 14 inches long, 2 twelfths in breadth. Coeca 
1 inch from the extremity, 1J inches long, 1£ twelfths in width. Trachea 
2 inches long, twelfths in breadth; its wings about 70, very feeble. Bron- 
chial half rings about 15. The muscles as in the last species. 
In the genus Charadrius, the oesophagus is thus narrow or of moderate 
width, without crop or remarkable dilatation. The proventriculus is large ( 
