634 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



cry. Nidificating, as they do, on somewliat open ground, their 

 young are very liable to be taken, and the parent birds feign lame- 

 ness, and adopt every sort of manoeuvre to entice the supposed 

 enemy away from their offspring. Most have a double moult, 

 and in some the change of plumage is very great. All are good 

 and wholesome eating, and some are not surpassed by many game 

 birds. The eggs too, in various countries, are considered a great 

 delicacy. 



Plovers differ considerably from Snipes and Sandpipers, with 

 which they are associated by some, in their shorter, stronger 

 and harder bill, adapted for seizing insects and small shells ofi 

 the surface of the ground, and not for insertion into the soft 

 mud, as they seldom or never enter even shallow waters, 

 most of tliem preferring dry ground. ^ They have also a generally 

 stouter and more robust make, several have the face nude, or 

 with lappets of skin at the base of the bill, and a few are armed 

 with strong spurs on the shoulder of the wings. In their anatomy 

 they resemble the Scolopacida, having a strong muscular gizzard, 

 long intestines, and short or moderate cocca. 



Plovers may be divided into CharadriiKS, or true Plovers, con- 

 taining the Golden and Ringed-plovers ; Va?iellince, or Lapwings ; 

 and Esacince or Stone-plovers ; the first, grade into the Courier- 

 plovers through the Dottrel ; and the last are nearly related to 

 some of the next family, the HcEmatopodidce. 



Sub-fam. Charadrin^ — Plovers. 



Bill short, somewhat weak, slightly enlai'ged above at tlie tip ; 

 tarsi shorter than in the next two families, and more reticulated ; 

 wings long and much pointed, 1st quill usually longest ; tail short, 

 nearly even ; hind toe generally wanting. 



The true Plover's are mostly birds of small size, and more gre- 

 garious generally than the Lapwings, have a speedier flight, and 

 the change of plumage at the spring moult is great in many, 

 some of them becoming as black as the Florikin, others assuming 

 a more or less rufous tinge on parts of the body. 



The first genus is distinguished from the others by having a 

 minute hind toe. 



