THE BI.ACK-BREASTED DOTTERELS. T53 



base of forehead and lores white, mottled with black spots ; 

 a broad white eyebrow, extending as far back as the sides of 

 the nape ; sides of face and ear-coverts white, spotted and 

 streaked with dusky-brown, the ear-coverts brown along the 

 upper and hinder margin ; throat white, with dusky streaks 

 on the lower throat ; sides of neck and a broad band across 

 the fore-neck light ashy-brown, marked with sandy-buff, and 

 bordered on its lower edge by a narrow band of black, this 

 black band followed by a band of white across the chest ; 

 breast and sides of the body orange-chestnut ; centre of breast 

 and upper abdomen black ; lower abdomen, thighs, and under 

 tail-coverts pure white ; axillaries, under wing-coverts, and 

 quill-lining pale smoky-grey; bill blackish; legs brownish- 

 green; toes blackish-grey; iris brown. Total length, 8*5 

 inches; culmen, 075; wing, 5-8; tail, 2-5; tarsus, 1*4. 



Adult Female. — Similar to the male, but not quite so brightly 

 coloured, and the black patch on the abdomen less developed. 



It is generally said that the female Dotterel is the brighter 

 of the two, I cannot find this fact borne out by our series in 

 the British Museum, and in the pair procured by Mr. Ogilvie- 

 Grant in Ross-shire, the male was distinctly richer in colour 

 than the female. 



Wiuter Plumage. — Wants the black on the abdomen, and also 

 the chest-bands. The colour of the upper plumage is like 

 that of summer, except that the head is not so black, 

 being brown, with sandy-buff streaks; the sides of the face 

 ashy-fulvous, streaked with dark brown ; the chin white ; throat 

 ashy-brown, streaked with dusky-brown, with a faintly indicated 

 band of white on the chest ; remainder of under surface of 

 body isabelline-white, with a sandy-buff tinge on the sides of 

 the body. 



Young Birds. — Resemble the winter plumage of the adults, 

 but distinguished by having the mantle blackish-brown, with 

 whitish edgings to the feathers; the throat and under-parts 

 washed with ochreous-buff. 



Nestlings. — Black above, mottled with spots of rufous or 

 sandy-buff; head patterned with black, with a conspicuous 

 white forehead and eyebrow, with a black loral streak, and a 



