210 BllITISH BIRDS' XESTS. 



PLOVER, RINGED. Aho Ringed Dotterel. 



Description of Parent Birds. — Length about seven 

 and tln-ee-quarter inclies. Beak short, straight, 

 black at the tip, and rich, dark yellow towards 

 the base. Irides brown. Forehead white, middle 

 of crown black, followed by gre3'isli-brown, which 

 extends down the back of the neck ; back and 

 wings grej'ish-brown, except the ends of the 

 coverts, which are tipped with white, and the 

 primaries, which are dusky, with some white at 

 the base and along the shafts. Upper tail-coverts 

 greyish-brown ; quills greyish-black in the centre, 

 outside feathers white. A black patch commences 

 at the gape and j)asses under the eye, backward and 

 downward, to the side of the neck. A broadish 

 collar of white jDasses round the upper part of 

 the neck, followed by a gorget of black, which is 

 deepest in front. Breast and all the under-parts 

 white. Legs and toes orange ; claws black. 



In the female the black parts of the head and 

 neck are not so broad or well defined. 



Situation and Localitjj. — On the plain surface 

 or in a slight hollow, scraped in the sand or shingle 

 above high water-mark on stretches of Hat, sandy 

 shores, also in shallow crevices of bare, flat sea- 

 shore rocks ; sometimes quite inland on the banks 

 of rivers and lakes in nearly all suitable places 

 throughout the British Isles. Our illustration was 

 procured near to Bamborough Castle. 



Materials. — Xone generally, but sometimes a 

 lining of small pebbles ; and in places where a 

 crevice in a flat rock has been adopted I have 

 often met with a lining of small sea shells. 



Eggs. — Four, pear-shaped, pale buff, cream, or 



