64 PLOVER GROUP 



whence they descend in winter to the marshes, estuaries, and the 

 coast generally, after the broods have collected in flocks. 



A few stragglers of the lesser, or lesser golden plover {Charadrius 

 (io}ni)iicus), distinguished by its grey axillar\' plumes, have been 

 taken in the British Islands, one being recorded from Norfolk in 1874, 

 a second probably from the same county in 1882, a third from 

 Orkney in 1887, a fourth from Perthshire in 1888, and a fifth from 

 Ireland (Mayo) in 1894. The typical representative of this species is 

 North American, and if the Asiatic race is distinguishable, it should 

 be known as C. doitiiniais fulvtis. 



Larger, and in Britain less abundant, than the pre- 

 Grey Plover . - r- 



. ceding species, the grey plover displays the same 



double moult, with the assumption of a black plumage 

 on the under-parts in summer, but is broadly dis- 

 tinguished by the retention of the hind-toe, as it also is by the less 

 important character of having the axillary feathers black in place of 

 white. Although these two features, coupled with the absence of a 

 crest to the head, arc amply sufficient to distinguish the species, the 

 following particulars may be added. Spots and bars of mingled black 

 and white constitute the colouring of the plumage of the upper-parts 

 of the cock when in full breeding-livery ; in marked contrast to which 

 is the jetty black which extends from the sides of the face to the 

 hinder part of the belly, where it is rci)laced by white. In autumn 

 this plumage is changed for one in which the back is grejxr and the 

 whole of the under-parts white. In both plumages the hen differs 

 from her lord solely by a slightly less brilliancy of tint : while the 

 birds of the year differ from their parents in the winter-dress in 

 having the upper-parts spangled with golden buff — a feature which 

 may cause them to be mistaken for golden plover, and also one which 

 indicates that this is the original t}'pe of colouring of the group. In 

 the chick the orange ground of the golden plover is replaced by 

 yellow, upon which arc spots of black ; this type of colouring being 

 said to harmonise completely with the yellow-green moss fringing the 

 small bogs in proximity to which the nests are usually placed. The 

 length of this bird is i 2 inches, and its weight probably exceeds in a 

 small degree that of the jilover. 



The grey plover, which is the sole rcpresentatixe of its genus, is 

 practically a cosmopolitan bird, breeding in the far north all round 

 the Pole, and in winter wandering south into Africa, India, Australia, 

 and South America. For such a wide-ranging species the name 



