288 GREY PLOVER. 



THE GREY PLOVER, SQUATAROLA CINEREA. 

 Tringa squatarola^ Linn., Penn., Selby, etc. Fa- 

 nellus melanag aster ) Bechst. The Greg or Bustard 

 Plover of British authors. We have no authentic 

 record of this species breeding-, or being a resident 

 during the summer in our islands.* We have seen 

 it early in the season, in the breeding plumage, in 

 the London markets, and Mr. Yarrell has remarked 

 the same circumstance; neither does it appear 

 difficult to obtain specimens in this state from col- 

 lectors ; but, we believe, that most of these have 

 put on the nuptial dress, and are at the time of their 

 capture actually on their migration. Mr. Selby has 

 seen one or two occasionally on the Fern Islands 

 in June, but adds, they " may have been unequal 

 to the usual migration. "f Their summer abode 

 appears to extend very far north, reaching north- 

 ern Europe, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands, and, 

 on the authority of Captain James Ross and Dr. 

 Richardson, extending over many portions of Arctic 

 America. Its most usual appearance in Britain 

 is in spring, autumn, and winter, and then gene- 

 rally on the coast, in small parties ; never, so far 

 as we have seen, in the large flocks in which the 

 Golden Plovers assemble. We have met with them 

 frequently on the Sol way, and once shot a pair on 

 the banks of one of the lochs at Lochmaben. Mr. 



* Dr. Fleming says, " he has reason to believe that it breeds' 

 hi the high grounds of Kincardineshire." 

 + Selby ii. p. 229, note. 



