Bill short, straight, subcylindrical, obtusely pointed; upper
mandible, with its dorsal line straight for half its length,
afterwards convex; nasal groove bare, extended along two-thirds of the
length of the bill. Head of moderate size, rather compressed, rounded
in front. Eyes large. Neck rather short; body ovate, rather full.
Plumage soft, blended, somewhat compact above; wings long, pointed,
with the first quill longest. Tail of moderate length, somewhat
rounded, or with the middle feathers projecting, of twelve feathers.
Œsophagus of moderate width; stomach roundish, compressed, very
muscular, with the epithelium dense and rugous; intestine rather long,
and of moderate width; with rather long cœca. A single pair of
inferior laryngeal muscles. Nest on the ground, shallow; eggs
generally four, large, pyriform, spotted. Young densely covered with
down, and able to walk immediately after birth.
GENUS I. CHARADRIUS, Linn. PLOVER.
Bill short, or as long as the head, straight, rather stout, somewhat
compressed, pointed; upper mandible with the dorsal line straight, and
slightly declinate for at least half its length, then bulging a
little, and arched to the tip, which is rather acute, the sides flat
and sloping at the base, convex towards the end, where the edges are
sharp and inclinate; nasal groove extended to half the length, and
bare; lower mandible with the angle rather long and narrow, the sides
at the base erect and nearly flat, the dorsal line ascending and
slightly convex, the edges sharp and involute towards the tip, which
is narrow and rather pointed. Nostrils subbasal, linear, open, and
pervious. Eyes rather large. Head of moderate size, roundish, the
forehead much rounded; neck rather short; body ovate, rather full.
Feet rather long, slender; tibia bare for a considerable space; tarsus
rather compressed, covered all round with reticulated hexagonal
scales; toes of moderate length, slender, scutellate, second shorter
than fourth, first wanting or rudimentary; anterior toes broadly
marginate, webbed at the base. Claws small, compressed, slightly
arched, rather acute. Plumage soft, blended, the feathers broad and
rounded. Wings long and pointed, the primaries tapering, the first
longest; inner secondaries tapering and elongated. Tail rather
short, or of moderate length, rounded, of twelve rounded feathers.
Tongue tapering, grooved above; œsophagus of moderate width;
proventriculus oblong; stomach roundish, very muscular, its lateral
and inferior muscles prominent, epithelium dense, longitudinally
rugous; intestine rather long and of moderate width; cœca rather
long.
316. 1. Charadrius Helveticus, Linn. Black-bellied Plover.--Bull-head.
Ox-eye.
Plate CCCXXXIV. Male and Young.
An extremely diminutive hind toe; bill and feet black. In summer, the
upper parts variegated with black, yellowish-brown, and white, the
feathers being tipped with the latter; forehead yellowish-white, the
rest of the head and hind neck greyish-white, spotted with dusky; hind
part of rump, upper tail-coverts and tail-feathers white, transversely
barred with brownish-black, the tail tipped with white, and having
four dark bars on the middle feathers, and seven or eight on the outer
webs of the rest; primary quills and coverts brownish-black, the
latter terminally margined with white; shafts of the primaries about
the middle, and part of the inner webs toward the base, white; inner
six with a white patch on the outer web toward the base, and margined
with white externally; outer secondary feathers white at the base, and
margined with the same; inner dusky, with marginal triangular white
spots; a narrow ring round the eye, and a broad longitudinal band on
each side of the neck, together with the abdomen and lower
tail-coverts, white; loral space, cheeks, fore part of neck, breast,
and axillar feathers, black. In winter, the upper parts spotted with
pale yellow, the lower greyish-white, the throat, neck, and sides
streaked with dusky, the axillars black. Young pale brownish-yellow,
mottled with dusky, rump whitish. After the second moult, the upper
parts brownish-black, spotted with white, some of the spots yellow;
fore part and sides of neck and body, greyish-white, mottled with
brownish-grey, the rest of the lower parts white.
_Male_, 11-3/4, 25.
From Texas along the coast to the northern extremity of the Continent.
Breeds from Virginia northward. Not abundant.
Tringa helvetica and Squatarola, Linn. Syst. Nat p. 250, 252.
Black-bellied Plover, Charadrius helveticus, Wils. Amer. Orn.
v. vii. p. 41. Summer.
Charadrius helveticus, Bonap. Syn. p. 298.
Grey Lapwing, Vanellus melanogaster, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor.
Amer. v. ii. p. 370.
Black-bellied or Swiss Plover, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 26.
Black-bellied Plover, Charadrius helveticus, Aud. Orn. Biog.
v. iv. p. 280.