96 



NATURAL HISTORY OF BIRDS. 



panying cut, Fig. 41, is the common pratincole, which is a regular summer visitor to the 

 Mediterranean sub-region and the valley of the lower Danube, sometimes stragglino- 

 northwards as far as Denmark and the British Islands. The color above is a fine 

 mouse-gray, the breast is similarly only somewhat lighter colored, shading backward 

 into buff and white ; chin and throat of a rusty yellowish buff circumscribed by a 

 narrow velvety black band, which is set off by a white border ; the under wing-coverts 



1 B>> 



FIG. 42. Eudromias morinellus, dotterel, and Charadrius apricarius, golden-plorer. 



and axillaries are beautiful chestnut; the bill is black, brilliant vermilion at base; 

 feet reddish black. Size that of a small tern. The pratincole, says Mr. Seebohm, 

 who made the acquaintance of this bird in the valley of Danube, in Greece, and Asia 

 Minor, is an inhabitant of sandy plains, large marshes, and bare elevated country, 

 spending a considerable portion of its time in the air, hawking for insects like a 

 gigantic swallow, skimming along with graceful motion, wheeling and darting about, 

 chasing its prey in all directions. Upon the ground it is equally at its ease, and runs 



