SQUATAROLA HELVETICA 295 



SQUATAROLA HELVETICA (Linn^us). 

 GREY PLOVER. 



Tringa helvetica, Linn. Sijst. Nat. i, p. 250 (1766). 



Squatarola helTetica, Brehm, Vdg. Dcutschl. p. 554 (1831) ; Sharpe, 



Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxiv, p. 182 ; Loche, Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. ii, p. 260 



(1867); Koenig, J. f. 0. 1888, p. 270; id. J. f. 0. 1893, p. 83; 



Whitaker, Ibis, 1896, p. 98 ; Erlanger, J. f. 0. 1900, p. 57. 

 Yanellus (Squatarola) melanogaster, Malherbe, Cat. Bais. d'Ois. Alg. 



p. 20 (1846). 



Description. — Adult male, summer, from South Tunisia. 



Forehead, superciharies, sides of the neck and sides of the breast white ; 

 centre of the crown, back, scapulars and upper wing-coverts blackish- 

 brown, most of the feathers fringed with white ; rump and upper tailcoverts 

 white ; tail white barred with blackish-brown ; quills blackish-brown, with 

 some white on the inner webs ; entire throat, middle of the breast and upper 

 abdomen blackish-brown ; lower abdomen, crissum and under tail-coverts 

 white ; axillaries blackish-brown. 



Iris dark brown ; bill black ; feet blackish. 



Total length 12 inches, wing 7-60, culmen 1'20, tarsus 1-90. 



Adult female similar to the male. 



In winter the upperparts are greyer and the underparts white, the 

 throat striped, and the breast and sides of the body mottled with greyish- 

 brown. 



The Grey Plover, though not as abundant as the preceding species, 

 is to be found in Tunisia in certain numbers throughout the winter 

 months and during the periods of migration. Near the towns of 

 Tunis and Bizerta it may frequently be seen, and is probably not 

 uncommon all along the east coast of the Eegency. Von Erlanger 

 met with the species on the small island of Knais, between Sfax and 

 Gabes. Blanc informs me that he has found this Plover in summer 

 on the island of Djerba in South Tunisia, but there is no record of the 

 species nesting so far south, its usual breeding home being in northern 

 countries. The range of the Grey Plover is most wide-spreading, and 

 apparently extends to almost every part of the globe. 



The bird is essentially a shore-frequenting species, and is generally 

 to be met with on the sea-coast or in localities not far inland, although 

 in spring it appears to resort to grass fields and dry spots. It is 

 chiefly to be found in small flocks, is very swift on the wing, and runs 

 about with facility, resembling the Golden Plover in many of its 



