62 



PLOVER GROUP 



as is more probable, there is a gradual " shift-up " of the members of 

 the species, does not appear to be ascertained. The plover is only an 

 occasional straggler into India during winter, where its place is taken 

 by the lesser plover {Cliaradrhis dominiais), which may be seen in flocks 

 in the Bengal snipc-jhils. In the British Islands plover nest in small 

 numbers on the high grounds of Devon and Somerset, more numerously 

 on those of Wales, Derbyshire, and thence along the Pennine chain 

 into Scotland, and so on to the Hebrides, Shetlands, and Orkneys ; 



PUnKK (wi.ntkk). 



while they also breed on the mountains of Ireland, as well as locally 

 in lowland bogs. 



The plover measures i i inches in length. In the summer breeding- 

 plumage the upper-parts of the cock are mottled with golden yellow, 

 black, and white ; white also occurring on the forehead, whence it 

 extends backwards over each eye along the side of the neck and 

 the upper border of the flank ; the whole of the under side, with 

 the exception of the under tail-coverts (which are white, as are the 

 axillarics) being black. In winter, on the other hand, the yellow 

 predominates above, and the under surface is wholly white. The hen 

 in summer usually has somewhat less black on the lower surface. 

 Immature birds in the first pluinage differ from the adults in winter-dress 



