235 



1 



ITY }\ 



BLACK-ZONED PLOVER. 



Charadrius zonatus, SWAINS. 



PLATE XXV. 



Neck and breast surrounded with a black collar or zone, 

 margined al >ove by another of white ; front white ; a black 

 deep spot on the crown, encircled with white. 



WE cannot discover any description among the true 

 Plovers which is perfectly applicable to this species. 

 It comes nearest to the C. Phillippensis of authors, 

 but independent of that being a native of India, the 

 colours on the head appear differently disposed. 



The colour of this pretty little Plover, like most 

 others of the genus, is of a drab or grey-brown above 

 and white beneath. The head, however, is singu- 

 larly varied with black and white. In the first place, 

 there is a very narrow black band in front, passing 

 from eye to eye, and situated close to the base of 

 the bill ; above this is another, twice as broad and 

 pure white, which occupies the full front of the head, 

 passes over the eyes, and there crosses the middle of 

 ;he crown. The fore part of the head, behind the 

 white band already mentioned, is occupied by an- 

 other band of black which reaches as far back as 

 the middle of the crown, and is there bordered be- 



