BIRDS OF ICELAND 83 



Einged-Plover seems to occur singly. I do not know 

 if any authentic Icelandic specimens are in existence, 

 but there is a diminutive race of JE. Maticula which, 

 on the score of size, has often passed muster as 

 /E. ciironica ; and the mention of the two in company 

 above rather points to this, especially as the true 

 JS. curonica is more an inland and fresh-water bird 

 than one of the sea-coasts. Still, of course, it has to 

 reach the sea-coasts first, on migration. However, I 

 think that a little further evidence is desirable. The 

 Lesser Ringed-Plover is slender in build, only 6 J inches 

 long, with a wing of 4 J inches, and has the shaft of the 

 first primary only white, of the rest dusky. In 

 jE. hiaticulcc there are patches of white on the shafts 

 of all the primaries.] 



Charadrius pluvialis, Linn. 

 Golden Plover. 



Native names: 'Loa,' ' Lu,' ' HeiSlua,' ' Heihm,' ' Heilo.' 



A summer visitor in great numbers, breeding on 

 fells and hills ' from the centre all down to the sea ' ; 

 flocking in August, and then beginning to work down 

 towards the sea-coast, leaving the country during 

 September or the first week of October. One of the 

 commonest birds in Iceland, and met with everywhere 

 — its plaintive whistle, musical as it is, becoming 

 wearisome in time from the way in which the birds 

 dog you and incessantly repeat it. I found a nestling 

 only a few days old, near 'Asbyrgi, on August 8 



