Male, 113/4, 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.
317. 2. Charadrius marmoratus, Wagler. American Golden Plover.
Plate CCC. Adult in summer, winter, and spring.
Bill black, feet bluish-grey. In summer the upper part of head, fore part of back, and scapulars variegated with brownish-black and bright yellow, the latter in spots along the edges of the feathers; rump with smaller spots, two on each feather; quills and coverts dark greyish-brown, secondaries paler, the inner margined with yellowish-white spots, the smaller coverts spotted with the same; tail-feathers greyish-brown, faintly banded with paler, the two central with marginal yellowish spots; a broad band of white across the forehead and over the eyes, and extending along the side of the neck; the rest of the lower parts brownish-black, excepting the lower tail-coverts, which are chiefly white, the lateral banded or spotted with black, and the axillary and lower wing-coverts, which are light grey. In winter, the upper parts are blackish-brown, marked with small yellow spots, the lower parts pale grey, passing behind into greyish-white, the neck and breast streaked with greyish-brown. This species, which closely resembles Charadrius pluvialis, is distinguishable by having the tarsus slightly longer, the toes somewhat shorter, and the axillar feathers always light grey, they being white in that species, which very probably exists in North America, although I am not at present in possession of specimens, and cannot with certainty describe it as belonging to that country.
Adult, 101/2, 223/8.
Migrates southward in autumn and winter in vast flocks, from the northern regions, resting by the way, both in the interior and along the coast. Breeds on the Northern Barren Grounds, and islands of the Arctic Sea.
Charadrius marmoratus, Wagler, Syst. Avium.
Golden Plover, Charadrius pluvialis, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vii. p. 71. Winter.
Charadrius pluvialis, Bonap. Syn. p. 297.
Charadrius pluvialis, Golden Plover, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 623.
American Golden Plover, Charadrius marmoratus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 575.