47(j Mr. F. R. Lowe on the Siy nijicance of eertain [Ibis, 



arctic Tundras is not, as we have just noted, identical in 

 the Old and New Workls ; secondly, quite a number of 

 other Liniicola?, with very different colour-patterns, appear 

 to get on just as well in the nesting-season in ap[)arently 

 identical environmental surroundings^ ditiering s})ecies being- 

 even found in the closest juxtaposition ; thirdly, Golden 

 Plovers breed at the present time in areas {e.g. in the 

 British Isles) which were once Tundras but are now, with 

 the return of more genial conditions, grass- or heather- 

 clad moorlands, an immediate environment which could not 

 be said to bear a very close resemblance to that of the 

 Tundras ; and fourthly, both the Grey and the Golden 

 Plovers are equally at home in the Old and New Worlds 

 where, as we have seen, the floral picture presented by the 

 nesting-areas is not identical. 



In addition to these facts, we may point out that tlie 

 colour-pattern in the downy nestling of the Grey differs 

 from that of the Golden Plover ; for, apart from details, 

 the Grey Plover nestling is conspicuous for the white collar 

 at the back of the neck, a feature entirely wanting in the 

 Golden nestling ; and it is interesting to note that this 

 character is veiy ty[)ical of the nestlings of the Vanellinse 

 ( Vanellus being a familiar instance) in whatever part of the 

 world they are met with. 



The same character is met with in the nestlings of the 

 Ringed-Plover Association (^Charadrius = ^Egialitis, olim) ; 

 so that liere we have a conspicuous colour-pattern character 

 occurring in the nestlings of three distinct groups of Plovers ; 

 groups, moreover, which are world-wide in distribution and 

 in which the character of the immediate nesting-ground 

 is anything but similar ; so that, if we are jusiiHed in 

 drawing any conclusion at all, it is that this white neck- 

 rino- cliaracter in the nestlino's of all the heteroo'jneous 

 forms alluded to, is a factor which has been inherited fi-om 

 some comnjon pluvialine ancestor, and has not arisen as the 

 direct result of environment aided by natural selection. 



Before passing on to our more particular object, there are 

 other points worthy of a moment's consideration. The 



