THE RINGED PLOVER. 199 



Pluvialis torquata minor, Briss. Orn, V., p. 63., PI. v., Fig. 2 (1760). 

 Pluvialis torquata, ibid, p. 60, PL v., Fig. i (1760). 

 Pluvialis hiaticula, Droste Vog. Borkum, p. 150 (i86g). 



* Hiaticula annulata, Gray's List Gen. B., p. 65 (1840). 



* Hiaticula hiaticula, Linn. Licht. Nomenel. Ava, p. 94 (1854). 



* Hiaticula arabs, ibid. 



Hiaticula torquata, Gray's List Grail Brit. Mus., p. 68 (1844). 



N"OTE. The names marked above with an asterisk Henry Seebohm regarded as 

 applicable only to the smaller form of the species. 



(ii.) FAMILIAR NAMES. 



Mr. Bowdler Sharpe, in his handbook, gives the English name 

 of this bird as the " Ringed Sandplover." Mr. Henry Seebohm, 

 in his work on British Birds, gives the name as the " Ringed 

 Plover," and it is by this name the bird is usually called. Mr. 

 Sharpe (ibid) also gives the name " Sandlark," and states that at 

 Sidlesham and Pagham it is known as the " wide-awake." At 

 Rye and Dungeness I have always heard it referred to as the 

 "Big Ringed Plover." At Poole it is called the " Dotterel" or 

 " Ring Dotterel." This latter is the name used by Mr. E. T. 

 Booth, who amassed that marvellous collection of birds at the 

 Dyke Road Museum, Brighton. 



It was described as the "Sealark" by Albin in 1738. It is 

 also called at Poole the " Sea Swallow" and the "Rob," the 

 latter name being vaguely given to all small waders which are 

 not "Tinkers." The name "Tinker" is practically confined to 

 the " Peep-o'-day " birds and Sandpipers proper. 



(iii.) PLUMAGES. 



A series of sharply-marked contrasts which, when the bird is 

 in the hand, gives one the impression that it is a conspicuous 

 bird. This, however, is by no means the case. The bird's own 

 shadow kills the white on the lower parts to such an extent that 

 the under parts appear almost the same colour at a distance as 



