OUKY PLOVER, 



41J 



Kincardineshire. Mr. Thompson tells mc it is a regular 

 autumnal visitant in Ireland, and it is more common in the 

 Avinter half year all round our shores than inland. Its food 

 is similar to that selected by the Golden Plover, and it is 

 an excellent bird for the table. 



M. Nilsson, the Swedish naturalist, considers that this 

 bird goes very for north to breed, returning through Sweden 

 in August. It is known to visit Norway, the Faroe Islands, 

 Iceland, and Greenland. In the Natural History Appendix 

 to Captain Parry's Second Voyage, written by Dr. Richard- 

 son, it is stated that this bird was found breeding on 

 Melville Peninsula in June. Captain James Ross, in 

 the Appendix to the Narrative of the Second Voyage of 

 Sir John Ross, says this bird " was. found by us breeding 

 near the margins of the marshes immediately to the south- 

 west of Fury Point, in considerable numbers. Some speci- 

 mens were also obtained near Felix Harbour." In the 

 Fauna Boreali-Americana, Dr. Richardson says, " This bird 

 is observed in the Fur-countries in similar places to those 

 frequented by the Golden Plover, though it is not equally 

 common. It breeds in open grounds from Pennsylvania to the 

 northern extremity of the continent. Its eggs are oil-green, 

 spotted irregularly with different shades of umber brown : the 

 spots crowded and confluent round the obtuse end." 



Nearer home this bird is found in Russia and Siberia ; 

 but less abundant in Germany than in Holland or France. 

 It is found in Spain, at Genoa, and in Italy, on its passage, 

 and goes to Africa. Dr. Andrew Smith brought specimens 

 from Algoa Bay, where he saw it all the breeding-season, but 

 says that it does not attain any black colour on the breast. 

 INIr. Selby mentions that it is found in Egypt. M. Tem- 

 minck remarks that he has received this species from Japan 

 in summer and winter plumage ; but that specimens from the 

 the Island of Sunda and New Guinea, though killed at dif- 



