254 Wild Birds and their Haunts 



THE GOLDEN PLOVER (GHARADRIUS 

 PLUVIALUS). 



GENERIC markings. — In winter : Upper plumage 

 dusky, spotted with yellow, cheeks, neck and 

 breast mottled with ash-brown and buff ; throat 

 and abdomen white ; quills dusky, white along the shafts 

 towards the end ; beak dusky, feet deep ash-colour ; irides 

 brown. Summer : Upper plumage greyish-black, spotted 

 with bright yellow ; forehead and space above the eyes, 

 white ; sides of the neck white, mottled with black and 

 yellow ; lore, throat, neck, and lower parts, deep black. 

 Length, nine inches. Eggs, yellowish-green, blotched 

 and spotted with black. 



The Golden Plover is a common bird in the south of 

 England during the winter months, and it is also liber- 

 ally distributed in the Midlands and in the North, es- 

 pecially on the coastings ; also in the mountainous parts 

 of Scotland. Many of this species are found on the 

 Northumbrian coast from early October right away to 

 the beginning of March, and the flesh of this bird is highly 

 prized by sportsmen. 



Its habits and plumage are so different at the extremes 

 of winter and summer that the young naturalist who has 

 had no opportunities of observing them in their transition 

 stage, and has had no access to trustworthy books or notes 

 might be forgiven for setting down the two forms of the 

 bird as distinct species. 



In the hilly districts of the north of Europe, golden 

 plovers are numerous, sometimes being, with ptarmigans, 

 the only birds which relieve the solitude of the desolate 

 wastes. Though numerous in the same localities, they 

 are not gregarious during spring and summer, and are re- 

 markable for their extreme fearlessness of man. So tame, 

 indeed, are they, that in little frequented places, when 

 disturbed by the traveller they will run along the stony 

 ground a few yards in front of him, then fly a few yards, 

 then stand and stare and run as before. On such oc- 



