360 CHARADRIIDJ3 SQUATAROLA 



Charadrius helveticus, Scebohin, Geogr. Distr. Charadr. p. 102, with fig. 



(1888). 



Charadrius squatarola, Fleck, Journ. Ornitli. 1894, p. 381. 

 Squatarola squatarola, ReicJienoiv, Vog. Afr. i, p. 163 (1900). 



Description. Male in non-breeding dress. Above ashy-brown 

 mottled with white ; primary coverts and quills black, the former 

 slightly edged with white, the latter with the outer half of the webs 

 white and a good deal of white towards the basal half of the 

 feathers ; tail-coverts and tail white, the latter irregularly barred 

 with ashy-brown, the outer feathers almost pure white ; below, the 

 chin, lower breast and under tail-coverts pure white, the sides of the 

 face and foreneck somewhat mottled grey with dark shaft-marks. 

 Axillaries black; under wing-coverts white, except those of the 

 primaries, which are grey. 



Iris dusky-brown ; bill black ; legs and feet black. 



Length about 11-5 ; wing 7'4 ; tail 2-75; culmen 1-2; tarsus 1-8. 



The sexes are alike in non-breeding plumage ; the male in 

 breeding plumage is black below, including the sides of the face and 

 neck, the whole of the crown and neck above is white, the centre of 

 the crown slightly mottled with black ; the back and wings are 

 mottled with black and white and are much darker than in the non- 

 breeding plumage ; the young bird is slightly spangled with golden 

 on the upper surface, but can always be recognised by its black 

 axillaries. 



Distribution. The Grey Plover is one of the most cosmopolitan 

 of birds, being found all over the world (except perhaps in the 

 southern part of South America) at one time of the year or another. 

 It breeds far north on the tundras, beyond the limit of forest in 

 Europe, Asia and America, and migrates south during the northern 

 winter to Northern South America, Africa, India and Australia. 



Within our limits it has only been found, so far as I am aware, 

 either on or close to the sea-coast during the southern summer 

 months. It is stated by Sharpe, on the authority of Gurney, to 

 have occurred in the Transvaal, but it is not included in the many 

 lists of birds of that country obtained by Ayres. 



The following are localities : Cape Colony Eobben Island, 

 March (S. A. Mus.), Zoetendals vley in Bredasdorp (Verreaux), 

 Knysna, October and February (Marais), Port Elizabeth, common in 

 summer (Brown), East London (Wood); Natal Durban, January, 

 February (S. A. Mus.), Monocusi Eiver (Ayres) ; German South- 

 west Africa Walvisch Bay, October and December (Andersson), 

 May (Fleck). 



