102 INDIAN SPOETING BIEDS 



Laccadives. It becomes, however, rare in Sind, and is not found 

 in the hills nor in jungly districts ; it likes flat swampy districts 

 near the coasts and large rivers. It is an animal feeder, devour- 

 ing insects and worms, and is good eating, though said to be not 

 equal to the European golden plover. 



Golden plover come in in September, and, though Jerdon's 

 statement that they breed in India is questioned nowadays, 

 at any rate they may be found in mid-May. At this time they 

 have black under-parts, making a striking and beautiful contrast 

 with their yellow-marked backs, and outlined by a pure white 

 border. 



This plover breeds in the northern parts of the Old World 

 from the Yenisei eastward, and also in North America; bat 

 the American race is larger than the Eastern. It visits the 

 Malay Archipelago, Australia, South America, and even the 

 Sandwich Islands, in winter, but is very rare to the west of 

 our limits even at that time. It should be noticed that both 

 this and the following species, like so many plovers, have no 

 hinder toes. 



European Golden Plover. 



Charadrius pluvialis. 



The European golden plover, although a rarit}'^ in India, 

 is probably often passed over, for it is so like the Eastern species 

 that it is not likely to be distinguished except in the hand ; 

 the difference is then readily perceptible, the under-parts of 

 the wings being white, whereas they are greyish-brow^n m the 

 Indian golden plover. The European golden plover is also a 

 heavier bird than the Eastern, although its legs are not any 

 longer ; American specimens, however, nearly equal it in size. 

 The young of the grey plover {Squatarola helvetica), which 

 is found in India in winter as well as almost everywhere 

 else, might easily be mistaken for very large golden plovers, 

 being spotted with yellow, but they have a small hind toe. 



