GREY PLOVER. 89 



secondaries like the feathers of the hack. The sides of the 

 head, the neck all round, the breast and sides of the body 

 greyish-white, streaked with brownish-grey ; the abdomen, 

 lower tail-coverts, and tibial feathers white. The lower 

 wing-coverts are also white, the larger greyish-white ; but 

 the axillar are greyish-black. 



Length to end of tail llj^- inches; extent of wings 25 ; 

 wing from flexure 7-fj ; tail 3^ ; bill along the ridge 1-^, 

 along the edge of lower mandible 1^; bare part of tibia f ; 

 tarsus 1^4-; first toe -fj, its claw -^; second toe ^4-, its 

 claw y^j third toe 1-fj, its claw -yV; fourth toe \^, its 

 claw -^ 



Female in Winter. — The female is similar to the male, 

 but smaller. 



Length to end of tail 11^ inches ; extent of wings 23f ; 

 wing from flexure 7^; tail 3j 4 ¥ ; bill along the ridge ljV, 

 along the edge of lower mandible lfe; tarsus ljV; middle 

 toe and claw lj 4 . 



Variations. — Individuals vary considerably in size, and 

 more especially in the thickness of the bill, which is some- 

 times very remarkable. Many of the spots on the back and 

 wings are often yellow, of as bright a tint as in the Golden 

 Plover. 



Changes of Plumage. — In spring a partial moult takes 

 place, in consequence of which the lower parts become black. 

 The general moult happens in autumn, and is not completed 

 until November. 



Male in Summer. — Not having met with a specimen 

 killed in Britain in its complete summer plumage, I have 

 recourse to one shot at " Igloolik, 23rd June, 1823." The 

 bill and feet are black. The upper part of the head, the 

 occiput, and the back part of the neck above, are ash-grey, 

 mottled with pale brown. The lower part of the neck, the 

 back, the scapulars, and the wing-coverts, are transverely 

 spotted with white and brownish-black, with irregular patches 



