BRITISH BIRDS. I47 



grey ; forehead 3"ellow, with black spots ; top of head, back 

 and upper tail coverts dark brown, with black centres to 

 every feather ; wdng coverts dark grey, the feathers 

 irregularly edged with yellow ; flights dark brown, with 

 black outer webs ; tail alternately banded with irregular 

 bars of yellow and dark grey ; face, chin, throat, breast, 

 and belly, dark velvet black ; sides of breast, belly, and 

 under parts greyish white, with a bluish tinge, marked 

 with arrow-headed or blotchy spots of a dark grey colour ; 

 legs and feet dark grey. The female resembles the male, 

 but is scarcely as black on the breast. These birds during 

 the winter are mottled with black, white, and yellow in a 

 most diversified fashion. 



They are partially niigratory, but many remain to breed. 

 They are more numerous towards the north. 



Four eggs, of a yellowish grey, spotted with brcjwnish red, 

 are laid on bare ground, and aie hatched in seventeen da^'s, 

 the young running immediately. 



The food consists of insects, worms, slugs, and snails, and 

 portions of various plants and grass. 



Grey Plo\"ER. — General colour grey and black ; above, 

 each feather has a dark, almost black, centre, and a wide 

 margin of grey. The head and tail are white, the latter 

 with black bars, and the former with a number of small 

 black spots. The bill is almost black ; the face, below the 

 eye, and the breast and fiist part of the belly jet black ; 

 vent and under tail coverts white ; legs and feet blackish 

 grey. Length, Hi inches. Daring the winter the plumage 

 is variousl}^ mottled. 



This species is migratory, and generally occurs in 

 Britain during the winter months ; no authentic case of its 

 having bred here being on record. 



Like the other members of the family, the grey plover 

 travels during the night, when its weird cry may be heard 



