on some Species of British Quadrupeds, Birds, and Fishes. 283 
Kentish Plover, is the only circumstance that could stagger our 
opinion ; and we must still conjecture that the bird figured by 
Lewin is only an accidental variety; for it is admitted in the 
Second Supplement to the General Synopsis (the author of which 
sent the description to Lewin), that this part of the bird has its 
gradations. In the first described specimen the tap of the head 
is ferruginous-brown ; and with respect to the two other speci- 
mens, killed in the month of April, it is stated that " in one of 
them the whole nape was of a fine pale reddish bay, the other 
pale brown, inclining to bay towards the nape." 
Here then we come as near as possible to the plumage of the 
generality of the Ringed Plovers in their adolescent state ; for in 
every other part it exactly accords. 
We shall now take leave of these birds, for the present, by re- 
marking, that we have repeatedly taken the young of the Hinged 
Plover before it could fly, and, we believe, in all the usual inter- 
mediate changes of plumage in every month in the year; and we 
do assert, that in its infant state the legs and bill are not yellow, 
though paler than they are after it has attained the power of fly- 
ino-, when they become of a dusky brown, and continue that co- 
lour for a considerable time, changing by degrees to a yellow- 
brown, and lastly to an orange-yellow; but this last is neve* 
effected till the plumage is complete, and is always the last mark 
of perfection. 
At this time (January) we have before us fresh specimens of 
this species, with all the marks of adults, except that the bill and 
legs do not possess the full yellow; at the same time we have others 
agreeing with the Alexandrian and Kentish Plovers, but with the 
crown of the head pale brown, some more or less tinged with ru- 
fous; and the white, which passes over the eye from the forehead, 
not quite running into the ring of that colour round the neek, 
2 o 2 but 
