Bulletin - United States National Museum - si-pddr - Smithsonian ...

168 BULLETIN 133, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM
the typical form in larger size and in more buffy coloration. The
light margins on the feathers of the back and wings are more
rufescent and are broader than the dark central streaks, the head,
neck, and rumj) are more buffy, less grayish, and the undersurface has
a rufescent wash. It is probable that birds from central Chile may
be differentiated from eastern specimens with a more extensive
series than is available to me, as two specimens from near Santiago
have the gray of the breast more restricted than some from Argentina.
BELONOPTERUS CHILENSIS CHILENSIS (Molina)
Pai-ra Chilensis Molina, Sagg. Stor. Nat. Chili, 17S2, p. 258. (Cliile.)
The use of the name bestowed by Molina on the Chilian lapwing
has been disputed but after due consideration it seems that it may
be recognized. In the first edition of his work on the Natural
History of Chile (cited above), Molina gave a brief diagnosis in
Latin as a footnote for each species of bird treated. On referring
to his account of the present bird we find it given as number 23,
II Theghel, Pm^a Chilensis, with the diagnosis " Parra unguibus
modicis, pedibus fuscis, occipite subcristato." The description that
follows wath a considerable account of the habits refers to Belonop-
terus save that he states "la sua fronte e guernita di una carnosita
rossa divisa in due lobi," a condition found in the Jacana and not
in the lapwing. Evidently he was endeavoring to describe the
plover as he gives an excellent account of its habits but had confused
with it the lobed forehead of the Jacana— probably because
both birds possess a spur on the w4ng. In the second edition of
Molina's work, printed in 1810 (p. 205), is a duplication of the account
of Pm^a Chilensis save that it is numbered T, has the Latin
diagnosis omitted, and has included a reference to a Chilian vocabulary.
On page 206 is added the following statement : " Questa
proprieta, che gli e comune col Vanello, e la maggior parte de'
caratteri sopra-esposti, me avevano da prima determinato a porlo
nel medesimo genere, denominandolo Tringa Chilensis., ma la piccola
carnosita della sua fronte m' ha obbligate a lasciarlo nel genere
Parra, dal quale pero si scosta per la modicita delle sue dita."
Here, again, there is confusion regarding a supposed fleshy lobe
on the head, but again attention is called to the short toes of the
bird in mind. Molina's description therefor is composite, but when
it is carefully considered will be found to apply in the main to
Belonopterus; there can be no question but that Belonopterus is
intended. It appears that the use of chilensis as the subspecific
name of the western form of the South American lapwing is
warranted.
Should any decide that this name is not properly identified, then
they must fall back on Vanellus occidentalis Harting,^^ a new name
^i^Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1874, p. 450. (Chile.)