VANKLLUS.] AVES GRALLATORES 181 



where ; the large spot on the sides of the breast light brown, and very 

 faintly indicated: all the upper parts light cinereous brown. (Egg.) 

 Stone-colour, spotted with black: long. diam. one inch three lines; 

 trans, diam. eleven lines. 



A rare, and only occasional visitant in this country. Observed many 

 years ago near Sandwich in Kent, by the late Mr Boys. Has more 

 recently occurred in two or three instances on the coasts of Norfolk 

 and Sussex. Habits similar to those of the last two species. Feeds 

 on marine insects and worms. Lays from three to five eggs on the 

 bare sand. 



GEN. 64. VANELLUS, Briss. 

 (1. SQUATAROLA, Cuv.) 



166. V. griseus, Briss. (Gray Plover.) Upper plumage 

 dusky brown, variegated with white and ash-colour ; breast 

 and belly white with dark spots (winter), or of a uniform 

 deep black (summer). 



V. melanogaster, Temm. Man. d'Orn. torn. n. p. 547. Gray Plover, 

 Selb. Illust. vol. ii. p. 227. pi. 35. Bew. Brit. Birds, vol. n. p. 83. 

 Gray Sandpiper, Mont. Orn. Diet. 



DIMENS. Entire length eleven inches six lines: length of the bill 

 (from the forehead) one inch and half a line, (from the gape) one inch 

 three lines and a half; of the tarsus one inch eleven lines; of the naked 

 part of the tibia ten lines ; of the tail three inches ; from the carpus to 

 the end of the wing seven inches eleven lines : breadth, wings extended, 

 twenty-five inches six lines. 



DESCRIPT. (Winter plumage.) Forehead and chin white; streak over 

 the eyes, fore part of the neck, sides of the breast, and flanks, white, 

 variegated with spots of brown and ash-colour : head, and all the upper 

 parts of the body, dusky brown, the feathers edged and tipped with 

 grayish white: belly, abdomen, thighs, and upper tail-coverts, pure 

 white : beneath the wing some long black feathers arising from the 

 axilla : tail white, towards the tip reddish, with transverse brown bars 

 which become paler and less numerous on the lateral feathers : bill 

 black : irides dusky : feet blackish gray. (Summer plumage.) Space 

 between the eye and the bill, throat, sides and fore part of the neck, 

 middle of the breast, belly and flanks, deep black ; forehead, a broad 

 streak above the eyes continued down the sidqs of the neck and breast 

 and bounding the b'laek on those parts, thighs and abdomen, pure white : 

 crown and occiput cinereous brown, with the shafts of the feathers black ; 

 nape variegated with brown, black, and white; back, scapulars, and wing- 

 coverts, black, all the feathers broadly tipped and barred with white. 

 (Young of the year.) Somewhat similar to the adult bird in winter 

 plumage : the spots on the sides of the breast and flanks larger, but 

 of a paler tint: upper parts of a uniform light gray, variegated with 

 whitish spots; the transverse bars on the tail gray. (Egg.) Light 

 clay-brown, spotted and streaked all over with dark brown : long. diam. 

 one inch ten lines ; trans, diam. one inch four lines. 



Found on many parts of the British coast during the autumn and 

 winter months, but not in very great abundance. Retires northward to 

 breed. Feeds on worms and marine insects. Lays four eggs. 



