146 BIRDS OF MIDDLESEX. 



ma}^, perhaps, account for the scarcity of the species 

 in this county. A small flock, or " trip,"* as it is 

 called, of these birds, appeared in April, 1858, on 

 Burnt Oak Farm, in the parish of Kingsbury. One 

 of them was shot, and is now in the collection of 

 Mr. Bond. 



Ringed Plover, Charadrius hiatiada. A regular 

 visitant in spring and autumn. Small flocks appear 

 early in May, and remain about the reservoirs for 

 some days. They then leave us, and, after an absence 

 of about seven weeks, reappear in flocks of from 

 half-a-dozen to twenty or more, when young birds as 

 well as old are seen. Some 3^oung birds, shot towards 

 the end of July accorded well with the description 

 given in Yarrell's ' British Birds,' having the beak 

 almost entirely black ; no black band over the white 

 on the forehead ; the lore, ear-coverts, and collar 

 round the lower part of the neck only dusky ; and 

 the legs and toes pale yellow. With regard to 

 the food that they find here, I have examined the 

 stomachs of a good many, and found them to contain 



* The various terms applied to different species of 

 winged game when in flocks, are as follows : — A brood of 

 Grouse ; a covey of Partridges ; a bevy of Quail ; a 7dd of 

 Pheasants ; a flight of Woodcocks ; a wisp of Snipe ; a temn 

 of Wild Ducks ; a spring of Teal ; a skein of Geese (when 

 flying ; a gaggle of Geese (when at rest) ; a iving of Plover ; 

 a trip of Dotterel ; a sege of Herons ; a herd of Swans ; a 

 dropping of Shelldrake ; a covert of Coots. 



