PIPING PLOVER.
C’HJlRÂDllIlTS MELODUS.
PlateXXIV.Mg. 3. ;
__ See Wilson’s American Ornithology, Ringed Plover, Charadrius Hiataeula, Vol. V.
p. 30, pl.*377TBg. 3; for aredueeH representation Of the adult in spring dress, and the
üüstory.
Charadrius melodus, Obd, m the reprint o f Wilson’s Om. 711. p. 71, and Gen. Itid.
* the, water Birds, Syppl, Om: Wils. (JX.) p. ccSdi;. N ob.. Obs. Wils. Om. sp-.-230;
.juif Oat. and Syn. Birds S^sp. <2l 7 . - & Speech. Comp. sp. Philad.
Charadrius. Okenii, Wa-gleb^ Sysf^ AvVj , Charad. -gj. 24.
Ringed PloiSer var. B. Lath. Gey. Hist. IX. p. 327. §p. 12 var. B!
Philadelphia Museum.
■ T hé well merited eley#tion||o^is bird, to the rank of a Species
Fully vindicates, out^ predeceswr from the unjust'"insure éf
iTcms^ifi^^ who'-jthôuglît, his figure, of it intended for the
'^harc^riuSj Jiipticûla. The same èënsure is repeated and aggra-
Mr. jSamüe, who probably thought it intended for-the 0.
sémpWrtakiê. ïBiat if the' figure is free from the supposed fault oL.
^cèirpctïresiS, its extietnely diminished size, which renders ifH
ai^0pel^n^l^s,'fe(juifes. that the bird Should now appear in this
ife f tp ^mensiohs.-
^ 3^ t o^a|^js,«OTe true :.G. hiaticulà of. Europe not found on the
• bjnk the Thirds hitherto mistaken ff>r it
çonâtitute <%}• jjgry distinct and, exclusively ' American species,
notwithstanding the. .awkward quotations in the new édition of
Cuvier’s Règne Animal, which, in this instance, as in several
others, is as far behind its age ’as th e ^ rm e r was in advance of it.
Although the neybr. .too much lamented Wilson gave, in his
fifth volume, the present, bird as a variety of. which, h e intended,;
figuring the type in a future part of.his .work, whenhe camé., to it
in his .seventh volume, he clearly and positively, pointed out the
difference in markings, habits, migrations, and voice, between the
two which-he (fhen„considered as distinct specie^: h e thus, in
reality established the-spfçieyf, and indeed so well, that we cannot
do better than.refer to his g ^ ’clu^i^vr'easonings. , The only
essential, point.he omitted was to impose a: namiij <|n; his species,
which, he .undoubtedly would. have=.dojie had he lived to publish
himself the indexfeto .the water h ird s, as*, in some instances, he
supplied similar deficiencies for the land birds, $$&. Ord has,
hpwever, filled this*, void, by calling the bird C. melodus, which
appropriate name we feed hound-.to adopt; and th è '?inore So, as
Mr. Ord informs us that it would havè.been Wilsop’s own ehoicè.
Aimost simultaneously with our endeavours, in ^Msh^ountry ' i #
permanently fixing the sphcidsyDr. Wagler in Europe, on his
part, was also giving, it a nameÉSo fchatdt is now.furnished with
tWo.
In the circumstance of its inner'toe. being cleft*to the biase, this
bird approaches more-.closely to C. hiaticula orEurope, than to C.
s em ip a lm a tu s; hut in, .colours itr differs .greasy' from these; so
^ianiiar speeins, and the membrane that conneets\the,‘onte^foe:is
jjlbnsiderably smaller than in any. 'The ^nonyms of* Wilsqn,do
not' of course Japply to this newspecies ; and, what is worse, though
this is common tQ .all writers upon the RiUg-E^yer, they do nsj;
belong to one1 and the same-species.'
Although,. without, -doubt, related to the Tringæ, which are
Scofopacidse, the Plovers belong to another family, that of the
Pressirostres. of Guvier-r—which may be©ailed Charadndæri—and
through Otis and (Edicnemus these Waders are : connected- somewhat
with .the Gallinaceous „birds. This natural family of ourh,