KENTISH PLOVER 221 
tial plumage, but the black markings are duller and less 
defined. 
Immature, male and female.—The black markings of 
the adult plumage are replaced by brown; the feathers of 
the back and wings are margined with buff. 
The down of the nestling is more distinctly buff in shade 
than that of the nestling of the common species. 
Beak. Black. 
FEEr. Pale flesh-colour ; nails, black. 
IripEs. Brown. 
Haas. Pale stone-colour, finely spotted and streaked 
with dark brown: clutch, four. 
AVERAGE MEASUREMENTS. 
TOTAL LENGTH ... Aa Aa 786250 ime 
WING aA We oh cts AOR 
BEAK oe ue se ORD ae 
TARSO-METATARSUS hak a on OO 
iDrere: : Ista: < Shrine 
KENTISH PLOVER! £ialitis cantiana (Latham). 
Coloured Figures.—Gould, ‘ Birds of Great Britain,’ vol. iv, pl. 
40; Dresser, ‘Birds of Europe,’ vol. vii, pl. 523 ; Lilford, 
‘Coloured Figures,’ vol. v, pl. 12. 
The adult male Kentish Plover resembles the two 
preceding species in colour, but can be identified by its 
incomplete black collar, which is interrupted in front by 
the white feathers of the neck. 
Even with the aid of a powerful binocular, Ringed and 
Kentish Plovers cannot always be distinguished from one 
another, as they patter and flit about on the sea-beach. 
A profile view of these birds makes identification very 
difficult, as the black collar appears unbroken in both 
species. It is probable that the Kentish Plover has escaped 
the observation of ornithologists in many localities, where 
it is apparently unknown, as for instance along the exten- 
sive estuaries and imud-flats of the eastern sea-board of 
Ireland. 
' Named by Latham, who first described it from a specimen shot 
near Sandwich in Kent. 
