GREY PLOVER. 289 



Thompson states it to be an autumnal visitant to 

 Ireland. There are various authorities for its hav- 

 ing- a very extensive distribution, Algoa Bay,* 

 Egypt, j" Japan in summer and winter plumage ; J 

 J ava ; || and we have ourselves received specimens 

 from China and Southern Africa, in the winter 

 dress. 



In summer, the Grey Plover has the forehead 

 and streak over the eyes pure white ; the space 

 between the eye and the bill, auriculars, sides of 

 the neck, breast, and belly, deep black, while the 

 vent, under tail-coverts, and thighs, are white ; 

 the head and nape hair-brown, the feathers hav- 

 ing lighter edges; the back and scapulars very 

 deep clove-brown, sometimes .nearly black, the 

 shafts of the feathers being darkest, the tips edged 

 with greyish-white ; quills brownish-black, having 

 the shafts white, and the inner webs shaded to 

 greyish - white ; tail -coverts white, barred with 

 hair-brown; tail also white, barred with dark 

 hair-brown, on the centre feathers the pale spaces 

 are much clouded with the dark colour, and these 

 feathers are accuminated, on the outer plumes the 

 basal half of the feathers is without bars ; the 

 axillary feathers black. In the winter dress, the 

 ground colour of the upper part of the body is 

 hair-brown, the feathers margined and cut into 

 with angular marks of greyish and yellowish- 

 white ; no trace of black remains on the face or 



* Dr. Smith auct. Yarrell. t Selby. 



Temminck. || Horsfield. 



T 



