DOTTEREL. GRALLATORES. CHARADRIUS. 239 



During its short abode with us, which is only in particular 

 districts, it haunts fallow and newly sown corn-fields, as well as 

 moors and open downs. In the neighbourhood of Cambridge 

 and Royston, it is killed during its vernal passage in consi- 

 derable numbers; its flesh, which is sweet and of delicate 

 flavour, being highly prized for the table. In Northumber- 

 land, it frequents some few places along the coast, and in 

 North Durham, about Scrimerston and Unthank (four 

 miles south of Berwick), it annually appears in large flocks. 

 Its food, like that of the Golden Plover, consists of worms, 

 slugs, insects, and their larvae. 



PLATE 39- Fig. 1. Represents the male bird in summer plum- 

 age. 



Crown of the head deep clove-brown, each feather being General 

 finely margined with white. Over each eye is a broad tionT^ 

 streak of white, which meet behind, at the nape of the Summer 

 neck. Cheeks, chin, and throat white. Lower part of plu 

 the neck, and upper part of the breast, pale hair-brown, 

 tinged with grey. Pectoral fascia consisting of a streak 

 of black and a broader one of white. Lower part of the 

 breast and belly orange-brown. Abdomen black. Vent 

 and under tail-coverts reddish-white. Upper parts of 

 the body pale hair-brown, tinged with ash-grey, the 

 feathers being margined with pale orange-brown. Tail 

 slightly wedge-shaped, having the two middle feathers 

 of a uniform pale hair-brown, the rest on each side with 

 white tips, and the outmost, with its outer web, also 

 white. Quills deep hair-brown, the shaft of the first 

 being white, very thick and strong. Legs and toes yel- 

 lowish-brown. Bill dusky. 



In the female, the pectoral band is not so distinct ; the 

 orange-brown upon the breast much paler, and tinged 

 with grey, and the abdomen mixed with white feathers. 



Fig. 2. Is taken from a female bird after the autumnal moult. 

 Forehead white, streaked with brown. Crown of the head 



