Pluvianus cinerea Blyth, Jour. As. Soc. Bengal (1842), 11, 587.
Microsarcops cinereus Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1896), 24,
133; Hand-List (1899), 1, 149; Oates, Cat. Birds' Eggs (1902),
2, 9; McGregor, Phil. Jour. Sci. (1907), 2, sec. A, 295.
Luzon (Guerrero). Korea and southern Japanese islands to Mongolia
and northern China; southern China, Indo-Burmese countries,
and northeastern Bengal in winter.
"Adult male.--Above light brown, with a slight bronzy gloss; rump,
upper tail-coverts, and base of tail white; terminal third of tail
black, forming a broad band, tips white with a slight subterminal
shade of brown, the black band vanishing toward the outer tail-feather,
which is entirely white; wing-coverts brown like the back, but a little
paler; median coverts with narrow white tips, except the outer ones,
which are pure white; greater coverts nearly entirely white, with
brown at the extreme base, increasing in extent on the inner ones;
alula dark brown; primary-coverts and quills black; secondaries
pure white; outer ones dusky near the ends, inner ones externally
light brown, and innermost brown like the back; crown, nape, and hind
neck, as well as side of face and neck, throat, fore neck, and chest
light pearly gray, with a narrow black band across the upper breast;
chin rather paler gray; remainder of under surface including under
wing-coverts and axillars, pure white. 'Basal two-thirds of bill
deep yellow, terminal third black; feet dull yellow, claws black;
edges of eyelids and lappets deep yellow.' (Oates.) Length, 355;
culmen, 35; wing, 239; tail, 102; tarsus, 67.
"Adult female.--Similar to the male in plumage. Length, 368; culmen,
35; wing, 239; tail, 107; tarsus, 68.
"Adult in winter.--Differs from the summer plumage in having the gray
of head and throat washed with brown, especially on the chest; the
black band obscured by ashy or whitish tips to the feathers." (Sharpe.)
Young male in winter.--Upper parts brown with a slight gloss, the
feathers with dusky shafts; forehead and neck a trifle lighter
and grayer; upper tail-coverts and tail white, rectrices with a
subterminal, blackish band which is widest on central pair and absent
from outermost pair; chin whitish; throat, and sides of head and
neck, light brown with whitish streaks; breast brown, rest of under
parts white; wing-coverts brown like the back but a little paler,
median coverts with narrow white tips, except the outer ones which
are pure white; greater coverts nearly entirely white, with brown at
extreme base, increasing in extent on inner ones; alula dark brown;
primary-coverts and quills black; secondaries white, the inner ones
externally light brown and the innermost brown like the back.
This lapwing resembles a large plover, but is distinguished by
having a small hind toe, a short and blunt wing-spur, and a small,
fleshy wattle or lappet between the eye and the base of bill. The
only Philippine specimen known was taken near Manila in January, 1906.
Subfamily CHARADRIINÆ.
Bill moderate, not longer than head, culmen flat and straight from
base to the terminal swollen dertrum; first primary slightly the
longest; tarsus covered on all sides with small hexagonal scales;
toes webbed at base; hind toe minute or absent.
Genera.
a1. Larger; wing more than 165 mm.; upper parts much spotted.
b1. A minute hind toe; axillars sooty black. ... Squatarola (p. 103)
b2. No hind toe; axillars gray or white. ... Charadrius (p. 104)
a2. Smaller; wing less than 165 mm.; upper parts nearly uniform gray
or brown.
b1. Larger; wing, 140 to 165 mm.; bill stouter. ... Ochthodromus
(p. 105)
b2. Smaller; wing, 100 to 115 mm.; bill more slender. ... Ægialitis
(p. 109)
Genus SQUATAROLA Leach, 1816.
This genus is similar to Charadrius but differs in having a minute
hind toe; the character is scarcely of generic value.