96 



NATURAL IIISTOIIY OF BIRDS. 



panylng cut, Fig. 41, is tbe common pratincole, wliicli is a regular summer visitor to tlie 

 McditcMranean su1)-region and the valley of tlie lower Danube, sometimes straggling 

 northwards as far as Denmark an<l the British Islands. The color above is a fine 

 mouse-gr.ay, the breast is similarly only somewhat lighter colored, shading backward 

 into buff and white ; chin and throat of a rusty yellowish buff circunisciibed by a 

 narrow velvety black band, which is set off by a white border; the under wing-coverta 



Fio. 42. — Eudromias morinellm, dotterel, and Charadriiuapricariut, golden-ploTer, 



and axillaries are beautiful chestnut; the bill is blaik, brilliant vermilion at base; 

 feet reddish black. Size that of a small tern. The pratincole, says Mr. Secbohm, 

 •who made the acijuaintance of this bird in the valley of Danube, in Greece, and Asia 

 Minor, is an inhal^itant of sandy j>lains, large marshes, and bare elevated country, 

 spending a considerable portion of its time in the air, hawking for insects like a 

 gigantic swallow, skimming along with graceful motion, wheeling and darting .about, 

 chasing its prey in all directions. Upon the ground it is eijually at its ease, and runs 



