194 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



Streak and cheeks. The lower back and wedge-shaped tail are 

 rufous brown, with a subterminal black band to the latter. It 

 is a rather larger bird than ours, with legs and tail longer in 

 proportion ; the bill is black, the legs yellowish green, and 

 the irides brown. Young birds have rufous margins to the 

 feathers of the upper parts. Length 9*5 ins. Wing, 6-5 ins. 

 Tarsus, 1*4 ins. 



Caspian Plover. y-Egialitis asiatka (Pallas). 



The Caspian Plover, which breeds in south-eastern Russia 

 and western Asia, and winters in Africa, has wandered to 

 southern England two or three times in spring and summer. 

 It has occurred elsewhere in western Europe. The adult bird 

 is, roughly, brown above and w^hite below, and has a broad 

 chestnut band bordered with black across the breast. The 

 face and neck are white, and a dark line through the eye 

 throws up the broad white superciliary stripe. In winter the 

 face is suffused with buff and the pectoral band is pale brown, 

 and the young are still more buff on the face and wings. The 

 bill is black, the legs are olive, and the irides dark brown. 

 Length, 7*5 ins. Wing, 5*6 ins. Tarsus, 1*35 ins. 



Dotterel. Eudromias ??iorijiellus (Linn.). 



The Dotterel (Plate 82) breeds in northern Europe and 

 Siberia, and winters in north Africa and western Asia. In the 

 British Isles it is a summer visitor and passage migrant, regular 

 in its visits, but never numerous. In spite of centuries of 

 persecution it still nests in small numbers in the Lake District, 

 and in the Grampians and other Highland mountains, but in 

 most parts is only known as a scarce spring and autumn 

 visitor. 



The plumage of a Dotterel in a specimen or picture looks 

 very conspicuous, but in its favourite haunts, wild barren 



