226 
TEE PIPING PLOVER. 
with the middle by a short membrane; claws small, compressed, obtuse, the 
rather blunt inner edge of the middle claw a little dilated. 
Plumage soft and blended; the feathers rounded, those on the back some- 
what distinct. Wings long and pointed ; primary quills tapering, the first 
longest, the second a little shorter, the rest rapidly graduated ; inner 
secondaries tapering and elongated, so -as nearly to equal the longest pri- 
maries. Tail of moderate length, slightly rounded, of twelve rather nar- 
row feathers, which taper a little towards their rounded extremities. 
Bill orange in its basal half, the rest black. Iris reddish-brown; margins 
of eyelids orange. Feet brownish-yellow; claws dusky. Forehead, sides of 
the face, throat, and the whole under parts, pure white. Upper parts pale 
brownish-grey. A black band across the upper part of the forehead, another 
surrounds the lower part of the neck, broad on the sides, but narrow above 
and below, where it is formed merely by the tips of some of the feathers. 
Above this is a white band over the hind neck, also very narrow above. 
Primaries dusky, each with a large white patch on a portion of the outer, 
and on the greater part of the inner web; secondaries of a lighter brown, 
white on the inner webs, some of those nearest the body entirely white ; 
the five innermost like the back ; most of the quills are more or less tipped 
with white, the primary and secondary coverts more distinctly so. The 
tail-feathers may be described as white ; the second has a brown spot on 
the inner web towards the end, the third a larger spot or band on both 
webs, and the colour enlarges on the rest, until the middle feathers are 
nearly all dusky-brown. 
Length to end of tail 7+ inches, to end of claws 7, to end of wings 6f ; 
extent of wings 15£; wing from flexure 41; tail 2 T V ; bill along the back 4, 
along the edge of lower mandible X V, tarsus flu middle toe {A its claw 
T \. Weight 3 oz. 
Female in summer. 
The female is considerably smaller, but resembles the male in colouring, 
only the dark bands on the forehead and neck are narrower, and of a dusky 
brown tint. 
Length to end of tail 7 inches, extent of wings 14L 
The young, previous to their first moult, have the bill black, the feet 
flesh-coloured, with dusky claws. The colours of the plumage are nearly 
the same as in the adult, but there is no dark band on the forehead, and that 
on the lower neck is merely indicated by a brownish-grey patch on each 
side. The neck is surrounded by a collar of downy white feathers, and the 
tips and margins of the feathers of the head and back are pale ochre. 
In this species the upper mandible is more concave than in any of the. 
preceding; but the structure of the mouth is similar. Its width is 44 
