GREY PLOVER. 279 



of the body during the breeding-season, the Grey Plover 

 very closely resembles the Golden Plover, but the presence 

 of a hind toe, though small, prevents its being included in 

 the genus Charadrius. It is a larger bird than the Golden 

 Plover, with a more robust bill, and looks whiter about the 

 tail ; its most distinguishing characteristic when on the 

 wing is, however, in the colour of the axillary plumes, 

 which are black. 



The Grey Plover is by no means so abundant as the 

 preceding species, and is, as a rule, more confined to the 

 sea-coast and its vicinity during its visits, which extend 

 from early autumn to late spring. A few old black-breasted 

 birds return from their northern breeding- quarters by the 

 end of July or beginning of August ; the young arrive in 

 August and September ; and the bulk of the old birds come 

 in October and November, by which time the majority have 

 assumed the winter garb, although a black-breasted specimen 

 was observed at Tetney by Mr. Cordeaux on the 21st October, 

 1873. On their return northwards, they may be observed 

 on the sea-shore and mud flats in flocks of from twenty or 

 thirty up to a hundred in May, by which time they have 

 assumed the black breast. Some may be seen in June, and 

 occasionally in July : doubtless birds which are not breeding 

 that season, for there is no proof that any have ever nested 

 in this country. In Ireland, although a regular visitant, it 

 is less numerous than in England and Scotland, in which 

 again it is, where localities are equally suitable, more abundant 

 on the east than on the west coasts. Mr. Cordeaux thinks 

 that of those which arrive on the Lincolnshire coast in the 

 spring, comparatively few pass to the north of the Spurn ; 

 their course being apparently in the direction of the Baltic. 



Mr. Collett is inclined to believe that the Grey Plover 

 breeds on some of the fells of Norway, but absolute proof 

 appears to be wanting. Along the whole of the coast line of 

 Europe, it occurs on the double migration ; and a limited 

 number cross the Continent by way of the valleys of the 

 Rhine and the Rhone, which lead up to the lakes of the 

 Jura district : in fact the specific name helvetica is owing 



