SHORTER-BILLED RUNNING BIRDS. 237 



outcry and excited flying and running hither and 

 thither ensue. British birds go south in autumn, 

 and their places are taken by a large immigration 

 from the north. At this time, owing to admixture 

 of young birds, the predominance of yellow in the 

 backs, and the absence of the black from the under 

 parts of old ones, the colour of the birds appears 

 generally browner in the upper parts and whiter 

 in the under ones. Flocks of hundreds of Golden 

 Plovers may then be met in association with similarly 

 large ones of Lapwings in lowland fields and, in 

 hard weather, on the coasts. The Golden Plovers 

 join in the aerial exercises of the Lapwings, but may 

 at once be distinguished from them by their smaller 

 size, pointed wings, quick wing-stroke, and rapid 

 wheelings, as well as by their liquid, whistling 

 ' Tlu-ee.' Whether flying or on the ground, they 

 hold themselves to some extent apart from the Lap- 

 wings, though in constant association with them. 



GRAY PLOVER— 12 inches. A coast-bird, principally of 

 the eastern sides, undergoing seasonal changes in the 

 colour of the plumage similar to those of the Golden 

 Plover, but to be distinguished from that bird by the 

 fact that the axillaries (vide Gray Plover) are at all 

 times black, whilst those of the Golden Plover are white. 



GRAY PLOVER. — Form, like Golden Plover 

 (plate 103). 12 inches. Upper parts black, barred 

 and spotted with white, becoming whiter towards the 

 tail ; tail white, barred with black ; forehead, streak 

 over eye, and large patch on side of breast white ; 

 face and under parts black, but white towards tail ; 



