EGGS OF BRITISH BIRDS. 121 



neat, round, shallow basin, in which the eggs are laid without 

 any lining. They are four in number, pyriform in shape, pale 

 buff in ground-colour, speckled and streaked with surface-spots of 

 dark and light brown, and with underlying markings of inky-grey. 

 The spots are pretty evenly distributed over the surface, but are 

 usually most numerous on the large end. The eggs vary in 

 length from 1*2 to 1*15 inch, and in breadth from 0.9 to 0"8o inch. 

 In the streaky nature of their markings the eggs of this bird show 

 an affinity with those of the Kentish Plover, but their lighter 

 colour, more delicate markings, and smaller size readily distin- 

 guish them. 



THE GREATER RINGED PLOVER. 

 (Charadrius hiaticula major.)* 



Plate 40, Figs. 1, :\. 



The large form of Ringed Plover, which inhabits the British 

 Islands, is very generally distributed in all suitable localities, but 

 is most common on the sandy coasts, though it occurs in con- 

 siderable numbers in favourable inland districts, as on the banks 

 of large rivers and the shores of lochs. It is found on most of 

 the adjoining islands, including the Orkneys and Shetlands, the 

 Outer Hebrides and the Channel Islands. It breeds also in Green- 

 land, Iceland, Spitsbergen, and Novaya Zemlya. The smaller 

 form (C. hiaticula) is a regular summer visitor to the whole 

 of Europe north of the Alps, and to Asia at least as far east 

 as the Taimur Peninsula, and possibly as far as Bering Straits. 

 This smaller form is also found occasionally on the southern 

 and eastern coasts of England. 



The Ringed Plover makes little or no nest. It contents itself 

 by scratching a little hollow in the sand, less frequently in shingle, 

 or even takes advantage of a hole already formed ; but occasionally 

 it deposits its eggs on the bare flat sand. 



The eggs are four in number, and do not vary much in colour. 

 They are very pale buff or stone-colour, spotted with blackish- 

 brown and with underlying markings of inky-grey. The spots 

 are pretty evenly distributed over the surface, but on many 

 specimens are most numerous on the large end, and vary in size 

 from specks to that of a very small pea, the average being about 



*s£gialitis hiaticula— Saunders, Manual, p. 523 ; Sharpe, Handb., III., p. 158. 



