LITTLE RINGED PLOVER. 17 



date appears to be unknown. Otlier examples are said to have been 

 obtained in Norfolk, near Sliorebam in Sussex, and at Kingsbury Reser- 

 voir, but the evidence respecting them is not very satisfactory. 



The Little Ringed Plover is a summer visitor to the whole o£ Europe 

 north of the basin of the Mediterranean and south of about lat. 60°, 

 between which and the Arctic circle it can only be regarded as an 

 accidental straggler. It is a resident in the basin of the Mediterranean. 

 South of the Great Desert it is only known as a winter visitor, extending 

 on the west coast of Africa as far south as the equator ; but on the east 

 coast its winter range appears to be much greater, extending to Mozam- 

 bique and the Mauritius. On the Asiatic continent it is a summer visitor 

 throughout the Palaearctic Region, as far north as lat. 60°, and a winter 

 visitor throughout the greater part of the Oriental Region. 



The Little Ringed Plover is very nearly allied to the Common Ringed 

 Plover, which is distinguished from it by its larger size and by having 

 white shafts to all the quills. 



A race of the Little Ringed Plover, C.jerdoni, is said to be a resident in 

 Ceylon, and also occasionally to stray to the Indian peninsula. It is stated 

 to be smaller than its migratory ally, to have a yellower bill, and to be 

 furnished with corrugations on the orbital circle. 



A giant form of the Little Ringed Plover, C. placidus (attaining a length 

 of wing of five and a half inches), is found in Nepal, and probably ranges 

 through the eastern Himalayas into the valley of the Yang-tse, whence it 

 extends to all the islands of Japan. The Little Ringed Plover has no ally 

 on the American continent nearer than C. semipalmatus , a species inter- 

 mediate in size between the Common and Little Ringed Plovers of Europe, 

 but more nearly allied to the former, as there is a considerable amount 

 of white on many of the shafts and some of the inner webs of the quills. 

 The alleged occurrence of the Little Ringed Plover on the American 

 continent in California and Alaska rests upon unsatisfactory evidence. 



The Little Ringed Plover prefers the banks of rivers and inland sheets 

 of water to the sea-shore. On the latter it seems to be rarely met with. 

 It delights in the sandy beds of rivers, especially those which are shallow 

 and contain many sand-banks and dry pebbly stretches, where it can find 

 its food and rear its young. I found it not uncommon on the banks of a 

 half-dried-up river in Asia Minor, between Smyrna and the site of the 

 ancient Sardis. It is found far inland, and occasionally frequents fallows 

 and sandy plains at a considerable distance from water. In its habits it 

 very closely resembles its congener the Ringed Plover. Like that species 

 it is usually seen running hither and thither on the sands, close to the 

 edge of the water, now and then taking short flights just above the ground 

 or standing motionless for a few moments. It is rather more shy than its 

 larger ally and takes wing more readily. In its flight it is very similar 



VOL. III. c 



