210 BIRDS OF LANCASHIRE. 



her. The black breast characteristic of the summer 

 phimage is generally assumed in greater or less per- 

 fection before the shore is abandoned in spring. 



GENUS SQUATAROLA. 



GREY PLOVER. 



Sqitatarola helvetica (Linnreus). 



A winter visitor, which appears on the coast at the 

 autumn migration, remaining till spring. It is not at all 

 uncommon, but does not gather in such large flocks as 

 the Golden Plover ; a few usually keeping together, and 

 not associating with other waders. Not being of a very 

 suspicious habit, its numbers are rapidly thinned on 

 arrival by the gunners, but, generally, it is considered 

 much scarcer now than it was some score of years ago. 

 It has only occasionally been found inland. 



GENUS ^GIALITIS. 



RINGED PLOVER. 



^GiALiTis hiaticula (Liunseus). 



Local Names — Sand-lark, Tidlot, Whistling Tidlot, Rinci- 

 neck Piirrc, Pew WiUiain, Tcir WdUam, Grnndlinfi. 



The Ringed Plover is the commonest of the resident 

 shore-birds on the Lancashire coast ; breeding on the 

 whole length of the sea-beach, and in the lower portion 

 of all the river-estuaries. It is rapidly, however, becom- 

 ing scarcer in the neighbourhood of the more frequented 

 watering-places, and is subjected to so much disturbance 



