389 

 THE KEXTISH PLOVEE. 



CHARADKIUS CANTIANUS. 



Forehead, a band over each eye, chin, cheeks, and under parts, white ; upper 

 part of the forehead, a hand from the base of the beak extending tlu-ough the 

 eye, and a large spot on each side of the breast, black ; head and nape light 

 brownish red ; rest of the upper plumage ash-brown ; two outer tail-feathers 

 white, the third whitish, the rest brown ; beak, irides, and feet, brown. 

 Female wants the black spot on the forehead, and the other parts black in 

 the male are replaced by ash-brown. Length six and a half inches. Eggs 

 olive-yellow, spotted and speckled with l)lack. 



The Kentish Plover differs from the i^rececling in its in- 

 ferior size, in having a narrower stripe of black on the 

 cheeks, and in wanting the black ring round the neck. 

 It is found from time to time in various parts of the 

 counties of Kent, Essex, Sussex, and N"orfolk, but is most 

 abundant on the shores of the Mediterranean. Its habits 

 resemble closely those of the allied species. 



On the authority of the Greek historian Herodotus, a 

 little bird is found in Egypt called the Trochilus, which is 

 noted for the friendly and courageous office it performs for 

 the Crocodile. This unwieldy monster, having no flexible 

 tongue w^herewith to cleanse its mouth, comes on shore 

 after its meals, opens its jaws, and allows the Trochilus to 

 enter and pick off the leeches and fragments of food, 

 which, adhering to its teeth, interfere with its comfort. 

 This story was long believed to be a fable ; but the 

 French naturahst Geoffrey de Saint Hilaire has, in modern 

 times, confirmed the veracity of the father of history, and 

 pronounces the Trochilus of the ancients to be the Fluvier 

 a Collier interrom^m, the subject of the present chapter. 

 The Cayman of South America is also said to be indebted 

 for a similar service to the kindly offices of a little bird, 

 which, however, is not a Plover, but a Toddy. 



