Grey Lapwing, Vanellus melanogaster, Richards. and Swains. Fauna Bor.-Amer. vol. ii. p. 370.
Black-bellied or Swiss Plover, Nuttall, Manual, vol. ii. p. 26.
Adult Male in summer. Plate CCCXXXIV. Fig. 1.
Bill as long as the head, straight, somewhat compressed, stout. Upper mandible with the dorsal line straight and slightly sloping for more than 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 a little more than half the length of the mandible; nostrils sub-basal, linear, open and pervious. 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 narrow tip.
Head of moderate size, roundish, the forehead much rounded. Eyes large. 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; the first extremely diminutive, with an equally minute claw; the second shorter than the fourth, which is much exceeded by the third; the anterior toes are rather broadly marginate, the web between the third and fourth extending to the second joint of the latter, that between it and the second smaller. Claws small, compressed, slightly arched, acute.
Plumage soft, blended, the feathers broad and rounded. Wings long and pointed, primary quills tapering, the first longest, the second a quarter of an inch shorter, the rest rapidly graduated; secondaries, short, broad, obliquely rounded; the inner tapering and elongated. Tail rather short, slightly rounded, of twelve rounded feathers.
Bill and claws black. Iris and feet greyish-black. Forehead yellowish-white, the rest of the head and the hind neck greyish-white, spotted with dusky. The upper parts are variegated with black, yellowish-brown, and white, the feathers being tipped with the latter. The hind part of the rump, the upper tail-coverts, and the 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. Alula, primary coverts, and primary quills brownish-black, the coverts terminally margined with white; shafts of the primaries about the middle, and part of the inner web towards the base, white; the inner six with a white patch on the outer web towards the base, and margined with white externally; the outer secondary feathers white at the base and margined with the same; the inner dusky, with marginal white triangular spots. A narrow ring round the eye, and a broad longitudinal band on the side of the neck white; loral space, cheeks, fore part of neck, breast, and axillar feathers, black; the rest of the lower parts white, the lower primary coverts grey towards the end.
Length to end of tail 11 3/4 inches, to end of wings 12 1/2, to end of claws 14; extent of wings 25; wing from flexure 8 1/4; tail 3 1/4; bill along the ridge 1 1/4, along the edge of lower mandible 1 1/4; bare part of tibia 3/4; tarsus 2; hind toe 1 1/2/8; middle toe 1 1/8, its claw 1/4; outer toe and claw 1 1/8; inner toe 1. Weight 6 1/2 oz.
The Female resembles the male, but has the black of the lower parts of a less deep tint.
Young about a week old. Plate CCCXXXIV. Fig. 2.