933 



CHARADRIAD.E. 



CHARADRIAD.E. 



951 



C. hiaticvla, the Ringed Plover, Ring-Dotterel, Grand Pluvier a 

 Collier of Temminck. It is found throughout the year on most of the 

 shores of the British Islands, and is even more numerous on our own 

 shores in winter than it is in summer, 



C. Cantianus, the Kentish Plover, Pluvier a Collier Interrompu, 

 Temminck. This bird was first obtained at Sandwich in Kent, and 

 named by Dr. Latham in his ' General Synopsis of Birds.' Dr. Plom- 

 ley of Maidstone states that it is very numerous in Romney Marsh at 

 the present time. It arrives in April, breeds on the shingle, and 

 departs in August. (Yarrell, ' British Birds,' vol. ii.) 



C. minor, the Little Ringed Plover, or the Little Ring-Dotterel, 

 Petit Pluvier a Collier, Temminck. Although on the continent of 

 Europe by no means a rare bird, it has been obtained very rarely in 

 England. 



Harmatopux. Bill long, strong, compressed ; point very much com- 

 pressed, chisel-like. Nostrils lateral, longitudinally slit in the groove 

 of the bill. Feet strong, muscular ; three toes directed forwards, 

 middle toe united to the external one, up to the first joint, by a 

 membrane, and to the internal toe by a small rudiment ; toes bor- 

 dered with the rudiment of a membrane. Wings moderate, the first 

 quill longest. 



Habits of the Genus. The species live along the sea-shore, on the 

 beach or sands ; following the retreat of 'the waves, to gather such 

 crustaceous or marine animals as they wash up. They assemble in 

 great flocks for their migrations, but live solitarily during the time of 

 pairing and incubation. Their nests are made in the herbage and in 

 the marshy meadows near the sea, and they both run and fly with 

 rapidity. Their cry is shrill and resounding. They moult twice, in 

 autumn and spring, but the colours of the plumage scarcely change at 

 all at those periods ; the only marked difference observed at this 

 change of plumage exists in the absence or presence of the white 

 gorget. There is no difference in the sexes. (Temm.) 



H. oslralegui (Linn.), the Oyster-Catcher. The male and female in 

 winter plumage have the head, nape, upper part of the breast, back, 

 wings, and extremity of the tail, deep black ; a very marked gorget 

 under the throat ; rump, origin of caudal feathers and quills, 

 transverse band on the wings, as well as all the lower parts, pure 

 white ; bill and naked circle round the eyes very bright orange ; iris 

 crimson ; feet obscure red. 



The young of the year have the black of the plumage clouded and 

 bordered with brown ; the white dirty ; bill and naked circle of the 

 eyes blackish-brown ; iris brown ; feet livid gray. 



The summer or nuptial plumage has all the upper parts of the front 

 of the neck of the same black as the wings, which black is more lus- 

 trous and with reflections. (Temm.) 



This is L'Hultrier, Pie de Mer, and Becasse de Her, of the French ; 

 Beccaccia di Mare of the Italians ; Marspitt and Strandskjura of the 

 Swedes ; Tialldur (fern. Tilldra) of the Icelanders ; Kielder of the 

 Feroe Islanders ; Tield, Kield, Glib, and Strand-Skiure, of the Norwe- 

 gians ; Strand-Skade of the Danes ; Geschackte Austernfischer of the 

 Germans ; Scholackster of the Netherlanders ; Oyster-Catcher and 

 Sea-Pie of the British ; and Piogen y Mdr of the Welsh. 



It is common in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, Russia, Siberia, 

 and extending to Kamtchatka ; the British Islands (where it is indi- 

 genous, and breeds), from the Scilly Isles to Shetland; common 

 and resident in Ireland. Temminck states that this species also lives 

 in North America, but that the Oyster-Catcher of Brazil and the 

 whole of South America forms a distinct race. He adds that it also 

 inhabits Japan. The Prince of Canino, in his ' Birds of Europe and 

 North America,' however does not include it among the North 

 American birds, but places opposite to it (in the American column) 

 Jftematopus palliatiw, Temm. (H. oitraleyut, Wils. ; H. Brcunlieiaii. 

 Licht). 



Oyster-Catcher, or Sea-Pie (ll<ematopu ottralegvt). 



It feeds upon small crustaceans, &c. and bivalve mollusks, which 

 last its powerful bill and frame well enable it to open, so as to get at 

 the contents. It will frequently wade far out, and trust to swimming 

 back for its return. Their four eggs, of a bright hue, inclining to olive 



or yellowish stone-colour, spotted with ash-gray or dark brown, or 

 blackish, are deposited in a shallow hole, scratched in the gravel or 

 sand, and sometimes among the shingles of the beach, but most fre- 

 quently among the herbage of marshy places near the sea. It can 

 hardly be said to make a nest. Time of incubation three weeks. 

 Young when first hatched covered with down of a brownish-gray 

 colour. It is sometimes seen far up rivers and inland, where it feeds 

 on earth-worms, &c., and fresh-water insects and mollusks. Easily 

 domesticated in poultry-yards. Several used to be kept upon the 

 grass in front of the Pavilion at Brighton, and there are some in the 

 Gardens of the Zoological Society in the Regent's Park. 



Streptilas (111.). Bill moderate, hard at the point, strong, straight, 

 of an elongated conical shape, slightly curved upwards ; arete flat- 

 tened ; point straight, truncated. Nostrils basal, lateral, long, half- 

 closed by a membrane, pierced through and through. Feet moderate ; 

 not much nakedness above the knee ; three toes before and one 

 behind ; the three anterior toes united at the base by a very short 

 membrane; the posterior toe articulated upon the tarsus. Wings 

 acuminate ; the first quill the longest. (Temm.) 



S. interpres (Cinclus interpres, G. R. Gray), the Turnstone. The very 

 old male has the front space between the bill and the eye, a large 

 collar on the nape, a part of the back, a longitudinal band and anotfier 

 transversal one upon the wing, upper coverts of the tail, middle of 

 the breast, as well as the other lower parts, all of pure white ; deep- 

 black takes the shape of a narrow frontal band, which, passing before 

 the eyes, is dilated below, where on one side it is directed on the 

 lower jaw, and on the other dilating itself anew on the sides of the 

 neck, it surrounds the throat, and forms a wide plastron in front of 

 the neck and on the sides of the breast ; top of the head reddish- 

 white, striped longitudinally with black ; upper part of the back, 

 scapulars, and coverts of the wing bright chestnut red, sprinkled 

 irregularly with large black spots ; a large brown band on the rump ; 

 lateral quill of the tail pure white ; bill and iris black ; feet orange- 

 yellow. Length 8 inches and 2 or 3 lines. The female differs only 

 in having the shades less pure and the black less deep. 



In this state of plumage the bird is Tringa interpres of Gmelin ; 

 Morinella collarii, Meyer ; Turnstone or Sea-Dotterel of Edwards. 



The young of the year have no trace of black nor of red chestnut. 

 Head and nape of ashy-brown striped with deep-brown ; white spots 

 on the sides of the head and neck ; throat and front of the neck 

 whitish ; feathers of the sides of the breast deep brown, terminated 

 with whitish ; the other lower parts and the back pure white ; upper 

 part of the back, scapulars, and coverts of the wings deep brown ; 

 all the feathers surrounded by a wide yellowish border ; transverse 

 band of the rump deep brown bordered with ruddy ; feet yellowish- 

 red. The black and white more regularly defined, in proportion as 

 the bird advances in age. 



In this plumage the bird is Tringa Morinella, Linn. ; Tringa interpret 

 Morinella, Gmel.; Armaria cinerea, Briss. ; the Turnstone, Pennant. 



The young at the age of a year have the large plastron, or collar 

 on the front of the neck and on the sides of the breast, marked oxit 

 with black feathers, terminated by a narrow whitish border ; summit 

 of the head and nape brown, spotted with blackish-brown ; back, 

 scapulars, and coverts of the wings black, all the feathers surrounded 



Turnstone (Strepsilas interpret'). 



by a ruddy border ; a great black spot on the lateral tail-feather ; the 

 rest as in the adults. (Temm.) 



This is the Voltapietre of Savi ; Steinwiilzer of Brehm ; and Huttan 

 y Mor of the Welsh. 



Geographical Distribution. Very wide. Nova Zembla. Green- 

 land, Winter Island, Felix Harbour, the coast between Victoria 



