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Show 126 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF TIIE BEAGLE. rise 011 the wing, they utter a plaintive cry. Legs "crimson red;" toes leaden colour, with their under surface remarkably soft and fleshy. Iris dark brown. CHARADRIUS VIRGININUS. Borlc/t. Charadrius virgininus, B01·klt. Act . .Acad. Ores. Loop. Car. Nat. Cur. 1834. xvi. pl. 18. Charadrius marmoratus, W agl. This representative of the golden plover of Europe and North America, is common on the banks of the Plata in large and small flocks. It is found also, according to Meyer, in Chile. 1. SQuATAROLA CINCTA. Jard. ~Selby. Tringa Urvillii, Garnot, Ann. Ic. Nat. Jan. 1826. V:mcllus cinctus, LC8B. Voy. de Ia Coqu. Zool. p. 720. pl. xliii. Squatarola cincta, Ja1·d. ~Selby's Illust. Orn. pl. 110. Chnradrius rubecola, Vig. Journ. iv. p. 96. I obtained specimens of this bird in Tierra del Fuego, where it inhabited both the sea shore and the bare stony summits of the mountains; at the Falkland Islands, where it frequented the upland marshes; and at Chiloe, where I met with large flocks in the fields, not near the coast. 2. SQUATAROLA FUSCA. Gould. S. vert ice corporeque supra fuscis, d01·si pampte1·ique plumis pallidiore marginatis; 1·emigibus primariis nig1·escenti fuscis, pogoniis externis albo anguste nw1-ginatis rllacltibus albis; uropygio cauddque obscw·efuscis, remigibus externis albo late marginatis et tel"ininatis; fronte, genis, guld, abdomine postico, caudceque tegminibus i1iferioribus flavescenti albis, colli pectorisque lateribus fuscis, colli plumis fusco pallido tenninatis ; pedibus nigris. Long. tot. 8 uno. ala;, sg; cauda;, 3; tarsi, 1 i; rostri, 1· Crown of the head, all the upper surface brown, the feathers of the back and the scapularies, margined with paler; primaries blackish brown, finely edged on their inner margins with white, and with white shafts; rump and tail dark brown, the outer feathers largely margined and tipped with white ; forehead and sides of the face sandy white; throat, lower part of the abdomen, and under tail coverts, huffy white; sides of the neck and chest brown; the feathers of the latter tipped with still lighter brown ; bill and feet black. Habitat, Maldonado ; inland glassy plains. This species is most closely allied to the foregoing. I obtained only one specimen, which, on comparison with several of the S. cincta, appears a little larger in all its dimensions, especially in the length of the tarsi. Its back and scapu- BIRDS. 127 laries are of a more uniform brown, the feathers being less edged with pale brown. Its feet are black, whereas those of S. cincta are brown. PH1LOMACHUS CAYANUS. G .R. G my. Charadrius Cayanus, Lath. Ind. Om. 11. 748. I met with this bird from latitude 30° to 45° S. on both sides of s. America. In La Plata it is called "Teru-tero," in imitation of its cry· and in Chile according MI. ' ' to o ma, "Theghel." These birds, which in many respects resemble in habits our peewi~s (Vanellus. cristatus), ft·equent, generally in pairs, open grassy land, and espectally the neighbourhood of lakes. As the peewit takes its name from the soun~ of its voice, so does the teru-tero. While riding over the grassy plains, one 1s constantly pursued by these birds, which appear to hate mankind, and I am sure deserve to be hated, for their never-ceasing, unvaried, harsh screams. The stillness of the night is often disturbed by them. To the sportsman they are most annoying, by announcing to every other bird and animal his approach: to the traveller in the country, they may possibly, as Molina says, do good, by warning him of the midnight robber. During the breeding season, they attempt, like our peewits, by feigning to be wounded, to draw away from their nests dogs and other enemies. Their eggs are of a pointed oval form; of a brownish olive· colour, thickly spotted with dark brown. Their eggs, like those of the peewit, are esteemed particularly good eating. I. HrATICULA AzARJE. G. R. Gray. Chn.radrius .Azarm, Temm. pl. col. 184. --- collaris, Vieill. Albatuitui a collier noir, A zara, No. 392. My specimens were obtained on the banks of the Plata and at Valparaiso. The specimen from the latter country differs from those procured at the former, in the absence of the black collar on the breast, of the black streak running from the eye to the corner of the mouth; in the plumage of the back and back of head having a lesser tinge of red ; and especially in the feet being black, and tarsi blackish, instead of both being orange, as is the case with those killed on the shores of the Plata. I have not, however, thought it desirable to make two species of these birds, not having a larger series of specimens for comparison. 2. HIATICULA TRIFASCIATUS. G. R. Gray. Charadrius bifasciatus, Licltt. Vog. Vorz. p. 71. --- trifasciatus, Wa,ql. Syst. Av. sp. 31. I procured two specimens of this bird at Bahia Blanca, in Northern Patagonia. |