152 



BIRDS OF MIDDLESEX. 



I subsequently dissected the birds, and found the 

 Common Ring Plover to be an adult female in the 

 autumn dress, and the Little Ring Plover an imma- 

 ture male of the j^ear. The difference, therefore, be- 

 tween their respective weights was probably greater 

 than it would have been had both birds been adult. 

 The measurements, I think, would scarcely vary ; 

 at all events they would not vary in the same 

 proportion as the weight. If one may draw 

 conclusions from a single specimen, the food of 

 the two species is very similar, for the stomach of 

 C. hiaticula contained the remains of worms and 

 beetles, and numerous small pebbles, while that 

 of C. minor was filled with small beetles and a 

 single caddis-worm, but contained no sand or 

 pebbles of any sort. 



I carefully preserved the sternum of each, and 

 found a considerable difference in the measurement 

 of the corresponding parts, thus : — 



