Part 22

Plate CCIV. Male and Female.

Upper part of head and hind neck olivaceous brown; a brownish-orange line from the bill to the eye; lower eyelid white; loral space, cheeks, and part of the sides of the neck bluish-grey; upper parts of the body streaked with greenish-olive and light grey, the two sides of each feather being of the latter colour; wing-coverts dull olive, tinged with grey, some of them with slight irregular whitish markings; primaries olive-brown, secondaries and tail-feathers like the back; upper part of throat yellowish-white, edged on either side with pale yellowish-brown; sides and fore part of neck bluish-grey, tinged with pale yellowish-brown; the fore part of the breast of the latter colour; lower wing-coverts, sides, hind part of abdomen, and middle lower tail-coverts undulated with deep greyish-brown and greyish-white; lateral tail-coverts with the outer webs white; tibial feathers similarly barred, but paler; middle of abdomen greyish-white; iris pale yellow. Female with the tints duller.

_Male_, 15, 20-3/4. _Female_, 14, 19-1/4.

Exceedingly abundant from Texas to New Jersey, breeding in all salt-water marshes. Few proceed eastward beyond Long Island. Constantly resident from the Carolinas southward. Not inland.

Clapper Rail, Rallus crepitans, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vii. p. 112; but not the figure, which is that of R. elegans.

Clapper Rail, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 201.

Clapper Rail or Salt-water Marsh-Hen, Rallus crepitans, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 33; v. v. p. 570.

313. 3. Rallus Virginianus, Linn. Virginian Rail.

Plate CCV. Male, Female, and Young.

Upper parts deep brownish-black, streaked with live olive-brown; sides of the head dull bluish-grey, loral space of a deeper tint; a brownish-orange line to the eye; quills and primary coverts; blackish-brown; smaller coverts dark chestnut; throat reddish-white; fore neck and breast bright orange-brown, approaching to yellowish-red; sides, abdomen, and lower wing-coverts barred with brownish-black and white, the bands of the latter narrower; tibial feathers dusky anteriorly, light reddish behind; lower tail-coverts with a central brownish-black spot, their edges white, the tips pale reddish. Female and young similar, but with somewhat duller tints.

_Male_, 10-1/2, 14-1/4. _Female_, 9-1/4.

Distributed through the country, and along the Atlantic shores, from Texas to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia; breeding in all the districts. Frequents fresh and salt water. Returns southward in autumn, when great numbers spend the winter from Carolina to Louisiana.

Virginian Rail, Rallus virginianus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vii. p. 109.

Rallus virginianus, Bonap. Syn. p. 334.

Lesser Clapper Rail, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 205.

Virginian Rail, Rallus virginianus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 41; v. v. p. 573.

GENUS V. ARAMUS, Vieill. COURLAN.

Bill long, being double the length of the head, rather slender, but strong, much compressed, straight, its breadth less before the nostrils, than towards the point; upper mandible with the dorsal line straight until towards the end, then slightly arcuato-declinate, the ridge convex in its whole length, the sides nearly erect, more convex toward the extremity, the tip blunted, the edges broad and obtuse for half their length, sharp but thick in the rest of their extent; lower mandible slightly ascending at the base, then direct, much compressed toward the tip, which is acute, the angle long and very narrow, the dorsal line slightly convex, the edges obtuse, becoming sharp towards the end; nasal groove nearly half the length of the bill. Nostrils direct, linear, long. Head rather small, oblong, compressed; neck long and slender; body ovato-oblong, much compressed. Feet very long, rather stout; tibia bare in its lower half; tarsus long, compressed, anteriorly broadly scutellate; toes long, rather slender; hind toe small; fourth considerably longer than second; anterior toes divided to the base, scutellate. Claws of moderate length, very slightly arched, compressed, tapering to a point. Plumage rather compact above, blended beneath. Wings of moderate length, very broad, concave, rounded; first short, falciform, with the inner web broader toward the end; fourth quill longest; inner secondaries much elongated. Tail short, broad, convex, rounded, of twelve broad rounded feathers. Digestive organs as in the Rails and Gallinules.

314. 1. Aramus scolopaceus, Vieill. Scolopaceous Courlan.

Plate CCCLXXVII. Male.

Bill greenish-yellow; feet leaden-grey; plumage chocolate-brown, the upper parts glossed, with purple and brown reflections; fore part of the head paler, inclining to grey, each feather with a greyish-white central line; sides of the head and throat still lighter, and a small portion of the throat whitish, these parts being streaked with greyish-brown and greyish-white; lower eyelid white; hind part and sides of neck marked with elliptical spots of white in regular series, there being one on each feather, some of them extending forwards to the posterior angle of the eye; some of the feathers on the middle of the breast and the lower wing-coverts similarly marked with lanceolate white spots; quills and tail glossy blackish-purple. Female somewhat less, but similar. Young, when fledged, of a much lighter tint; head and fore neck brownish-grey; excepting the quills, primary coverts, tail-feathers, and rump, all the plumage marked with spots of white; those on the neck elongated, on the back, wings, and breast lanceolate.

_Male_, 25-3/4, 41. _Female_, 25, 42. _Young_, 23.

Confined to the Everglades and central parts of Florida, where it is resident, but rather rare. Accidental on the Florida Keys.

Aramus scolopaceus, Bonap. Syn. p. 39.

Scolopaceous Courlan, Aramus scolopaceus, Bonap. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 111.

Scolopaceous Courlan, Aramus scolopaceus, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 68.

Scolopaceous Courlan, Aramus scolopaceus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 543.

FAMILY XXXIV. GRUINÆ. CRANES.

Bill about the length of the head, straight, depressed at the base, compressed toward the end, rather obtuse. Nostrils subbasal, lateral oblong. Head rather small, oblong; neck long; body large, compressed. Legs long and slender; tibia bare at the lower part; tarsus somewhat compressed, anteriorly scutellate; toes rather long, first short and somewhat elevated; claws obtuse. Plumage full and rather compact. Wings broad, convex, the inner secondaries elongated and decurved; tail short, rounded.

GENUS I. GRUS, Briss. CRANE.

Bill longer than the head, straight, rather slender, but strong, compressed, obtusely pointed; upper mandible with the dorsal line nearly straight, a little concave at the middle, slightly declinate toward the tip, the ridge flat and rather broad as far as the middle, the sides sloping, towards the end convex; the nasal sinus narrow, bare, and extending to nearly two-thirds, the edges direct, thick; lower mandible with the angle narrow and very long, the sides perpendicular at the base, the edges thick, the tip narrow and obtuse. Nostrils subbasal, lateral, oblong, large, pervious. Head small, compressed; neck very long and slender; body very large, but compressed. Feet very long; tibia bare to a great extent; tarsus long, stout, moderately compressed, anteriorly covered with broad decurved scutella; toes stout, scutellate, of moderate length, marginate, the first very small and elevated, the fourth webbed at the base. Claws of moderate size, strong, considerably curved, rather compressed, blunted. Plumage imbricated; upper part of head bare. Wings ample, the second, third, and fourth longest, inner secondaries and their coverts curved downwards. Tail short, rounded, of twelve broad, rounded feathers.

315. 1. Grus Americana, Forster. Whooping Crane.--Sand-hill Crane. White Crane. Blue Crane. Brown Crane.

Plate CCXXVI. Male. Plate CCLXI. Young.

Adult with the bill dusky green, the feet black, the bare part of the head carmine, the plumage pure white, except the alula, primaries, and primary coverts, which are brownish-black. Young with the bill and feet brownish-black, the bare part of the head carmine, but less extended, the plumage bluish-grey, the feathers margined with yellowish-brown, chin and sides of head greyish-white, primary quills and coverts dark brown towards the end, with brownish-white shafts.

_Male_, 54, 92.

From Texas to North Carolina during autumn and winter, and across to the Rocky Mountains. Breeds from Upper California northward to the Arctic Regions, from which it removes southward early in autumn. Abundant in Georgia and Florida, and from thence to Texas.

Whooping Crane, Ardea Americana, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vii. p. 20.

Grus Americana, Bonap. Syn. p. 302.

Grus Americana, Whooping Crane, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 372. Adult.

Grus canadensis, Brown Crane, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 273.

Whooping Crane, Grus Americana, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 34. Adult.

Brown Crane, Grus canadensis, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 38. Young.

Whooping Crane, Grus Americana, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 202, Adult; p. 441, Young.

FAMILY XXXV. CHARADRIINÆ. PLOVERS.

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.

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_, 10-1/2, 22-3/8.

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.

318. 3. Charadrius vociferus, Linn. Kildeer Plover.

Plate CCXXV. Male and Female.

Tail rather long, much rounded; bill black, feet light greyish-blue, hind part of tarsus pale flesh-colour; upper part of head, fore part of back, smaller wing-coverts, and inner secondary quills brownish-olive; rump orange-red; lower parts white; a brown band from the base of the bill, under the eye, to the occiput; over this a white band on the forehead, and extending behind the eye, where it is tinged with light red; surmounted by a brownish-black band between the eyes; on the neck two broad rings, the upper white, the lower black, succeeded by a band of white, and another of black in front; primaries brownish-black, each with a white mark, linear on the outer, enlarging on the inner quills; secondaries, excepting the inner, white, but most of them with a large patch of blackish-brown toward the end, their tips and most of those of the primaries white, as are those of the larger coverts. Tail-feathers white at the base, succeeded by orange, the four middle brown, all with a broad subterminal band of black, the tips white, those of the middle feathers pale reddish, the outer on each side white, with three bands of black on the inner web.

_Male_, 10, 20.

Common. Breeds from Texas to the eastern base of the Rocky Mountains, and in all the central and Atlantic districts, to Massachusetts. Fur Countries.

Kildeer Plover, Charadrius vociferus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vii. p. 73.

Charadrius vociferus, Bonap. Syn. p. 297.

Charadrius vociferus, Kildeer Plover, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 368.

Kildeer Plover, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 22.

Kildeer Plover, Charadrius vociferus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 191; v. v. p. 577.

319. 4. Charadrius montanus, Townsend. Rocky-mountain Plover.

Plate CCCL. Female. Male unknown.

Bill black, feet dull yellow. Forehead, a band over the eye, fore part of neck, and all the rest of the lower surface, white; crown of the head and nape dark yellowish-brown, sides and hind part of the neck dull ochre-yellow, which is the prevailing colour on the upper parts, the feathers being broadly margined with it while their central portion is greyish-brown; wing-coverts lighter; primary coverts and quills dusky, their shafts and margins white, that colour becoming more extended on the inner and on some of the secondaries, so as to form a conspicuous patch on the wing; inner secondaries like the back; tail yellowish-brown, tipped with yellowish-white, the two outer feathers margined with the same.

_Female_, 8-1/4, wing 6-1/8.

Rocky Mountains.

Charadrius montanus, Towns. Journ. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philadelphia, v. vii. p. 192.

Rocky Mountain Plover, Charadrius montanus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 362.

320. 5. Charadrius Wilsonius, Ord. Wilson's Plover.

Plate CCLXXXIV. Male. Plate CCIX. Female.

Bill very large, nearly as long as the head, black; feet flesh-coloured; upper parts light greyish-brown, lower white; lower part of forehead, a broad band over the eyes, throat, and a ring round the neck, white; a band between the eyes, and one on the fore neck, brownish-black; quills dusky brown, outer webs of inner primaries white toward the base, most of the quills tipped with white; tail brown, darker toward the end, the lateral feathers becoming white. Female similar, but without the black band on the forehead, and having that on the neck light brown.

_Male_, 7-8/12, 14-1/4.

Common, and breeds from Texas along the coast to Long Island. Resident in the Southern States.

Wilson's Plover, Charadrius Wilsonius, Ord. Amer. Orn. v. ix. p. 77.

Charadrius Wilsonius, Bonap. Syn. p. 296.

Wilson's Plover, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 21.

Wilson's Plover, Charadrius Wilsonius, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 73; v. v. p. 577.

321. 6. Charadrius semipalmatus, Bonap. American Ring Plover.

Plate CCCXXX. Male and Female.

Anterior toes connected by webs of considerable extent; bill small, half the length of the head, reddish-orange, tipped with black; upper parts greyish-brown tinged with olive, lower white; forehead, loral space, a band passing below the eye, and a broad ring on the neck, black; a band between the eyes, throat, and a ring on the neck, white; quills dusky, darker towards the end, an elongated white spot on the inner primaries; tips of the secondary coverts, and two or three of the inner secondaries, with the tips of the rest white; tail-feathers brown, darker toward the end, tipped with white, enlarging toward the outer, which is entirely of that colour. Female similar, with the black bands lighter. Young with the upper parts paler, the feathers narrowly margined with dusky and dull yellow, the black bands on the head wanting, that on the fore neck brown.

_Male_, 7-1/4, 14.

From Texas to the Arctic Regions, after passing through the interior, as well as along the Atlantic shores. Breeds in Labrador and the Fur Countries. Many spend the winter in the Floridas.

Ring Plover, Tringa Hiaticula, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vii. p. 65.

Charadrius semipalmatus, Bonap. Syn. p. 296.

American Ring Plover, Charadrius semipalmatus, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 367.

Semipalmated Ringed Plover, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 21.

American Ringed Plover, Charadrius semipalmatus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 256; v. v. p. 579.

322. 7. Charadrius melodus, Ord. Piping Plover.

Plate CCXX. Male and Female.

Bill scarcely half the length of the head, orange, with the end black; upper parts pale brownish-grey, lower part of forehead, sides of the face, and all the lower parts white; a black band across the upper part of the forehead, and a ring of the same on 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 on the hind neck; primaries dusky; a white band on the wing, narrow on the outer primaries, and enlarging so as to include the whole of some of the inner secondaries; secondary coverts also tipped with white; tail white, all the feathers, except the lateral, dusky toward the end. Young paler, the feathers of the upper parts edged with faint brown and yellowish; the black bands wanting.

_Male_, 7-1/2, 15-1/2.

From Texas, along the whole coast, to the Magdeleine Islands, Gulf of St Lawrence, breeding everywhere. Common. Great numbers spend the winter from South Carolina to the mouths of the Mississippi.

Ring Plover, Charadrius Hiaticula, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. v. p. 30.

Charadrius melodus, Ord., Bonap. Syn. p. 296.

Piping Ring Plover, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 18.

Piping Plover, Charadrius melodus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 154; v. v. p. 578.

GENUS II. APHRIZA, Aud. SURF-BIRD.