KILLDEER PLOVER. I93 



Little Ringed Plover, ^gialitls dubia (Scop.). 



The Little Ringed Plover has been often reported, but it 

 closely resembles the larger bird, and the majority of the 

 records are erroneous. It is a very rare wanderer on 

 migration, and, with the exception of one shot in North Uist, 

 has appeared less than a dozen times in southern counties ; 

 most of the dates have been during autumn migration. Yet in 

 Europe, where the bird has a wide range, it breeds in Holland, 

 Belgium, and France, and migrates to Africa ; its normal 

 migration route must be east of Britain. It is more of an 

 inland than a coastal species, nesting on river margins. 



As its name implies, it is smaller than our bird, but the best 

 distinction is in the wing ; the inner primaries are uniform 

 brown. In the Ringed Plover the inner webs are white, and 

 show as a white patch when the wing is closed, as a bar when 

 it is open. The bill is black, only slightly yellowish at the 

 base of the lower mandible, and the legs are paler, rather 

 pinkish yellow. The irides are dark brown. The black of 

 the adult bird is replaced by brown in the young, and the 

 upper parts are buffer. Length, 6*5 ins. Wing, 4*5 ins. Tarsus, 

 o'9 in. 



Killdeer Plover, ^gialitis vocifera (Linn.). 



Both specific and popular names of this common North 

 American plover refer to its loud, clear note, kill-dee; it is 

 noisy and, in the eyes of the hunter, a spoil-sport. It is found 

 throughout North America, and in winter Central America and 

 Peru. It has occurred in England and Scotland about half a 

 dozen times. Its colour scheme closely resembles that of our 

 Ringed Plover, but it has two bands across the breast, the 

 upper one forming a collar. The general colour of the upper 

 parts is browner, and this is specially noticeable on the facial 



Series II. O 



