PLOVER. GBALLATORES. CHARADRIUS. 233 



their nuptial garb by the end of May. In this state, the 

 Golden Plover has been described as a distinct species, un- 

 der the title of Charadrius Apricarius, a synonym also ap- 

 plied by ornithologists, in some instances, to the exotic 

 species which I have before mentioned as having been con- 

 founded with the present one. Some of our naturalists 

 indeed seem, at this day, to be either not aware or not 

 convinced of the change that annually takes place in the 

 appearance of our species, for Mr STEPHENS, the continua- 

 tor of Dr SHAW'S General Zoology, under the head of Cha- 

 radrius Apricarius (Alwargrim Plover), says, " This, which 

 TEMMINCK asserts to be the summer plumage of Charadrius 

 Pluvialis, I am induced to consider distinct, as I have never 

 seen a specimen that was captured in England, where the 

 Golden Plover is very common, and has been observed at 

 all seasons." That Mr STEPHENS should not have met with 

 it in this state in the south of England, is only what might 

 be expected, as these birds quit their winter haunts before 

 the change commences ; but that he should never have seen 

 a British-killed specimen under this change, is certainly ex- 

 traordinary, as many collections must at the time have pos- 

 sessed such ; and I may add, that previous to the publica- 

 tion of Mr STEPHENS' s eleventh volume, I was in the habit 

 of sending this bird, in its summer dress, to various friends 

 and correspondents, having, from my peculiar situation, op- 

 portunities of obtaining it in all its stages of change. About 

 the end of May or beginning of June, the females begin to 

 lay, making but little artificial nest, a small depression in the Nest, &c. 

 ground amidst the heath being generally taken advantage of, 

 and lined with a few dry fibres and steins of grass. The 

 eggs are four in number, rather larger than those of the 

 Lapwing, of a cream-yellow, inclining to oil-green, with large 

 irregular confluent blotches or spots of deep umber-brown. 

 The young, when excluded, are covered with a beautiful 

 parti-coloured down of bright kingVyellow and brown : they 

 quit the nest as soon as hatched, and follow their parents 



