PLOVER. GRALLATORES. CHARADRIUS. 245 



common in Germany and the southern parts of Europe, but 

 hitherto unrecorded as a British species. TEMMINCK states 

 the Kentish Plover to be very abundant in Holland ; in 

 England it is comparatively of rare occurrence, and its ap- 

 pearance has been hitherto confined to the eastern shores of 

 the island. It is also found in Egypt, Nubia, and Tartary. 

 Its manners are similar to those of the Ringed Plover, and 

 it is a constant resident upon sea-coasts. It breeds upon the Nest, &c. 

 gravelly beach above the usual reach of high water, using 

 any small depression as a receptacle for its four eggs, which 

 are smaller than those of the preceding species, but alike in 

 colour *. Its food consists of small marine scarabaei, and Food, 

 other insects, worms, and diminutive bivalve shell-fish. 



PLATE 38. Fig. 3. Represents the adult bird, from a speci- 

 men in the collection of Sir WILLIAM JARDINE, Bart. 

 Bill and legs black. Forehead and streak over the eyes General 

 white. Behind the forehead is an angular spot or band ticm^" 

 of black. Space between the bill and eyes, and the ear. Adult 

 coverts, black. Crown of the head and nape of the neck bird * 

 deep yellowish-brown, tinged with ash-grey. On each 

 side of the breast is a large patch of brownish-black. 

 Under parts, and imperfect ring round the neck, pure 

 white. Upper parts pale wood-brown, with a greyish 

 tinge. Quills hair-brown, with the shafts of the pri- 

 mary ones white. Tail having the four central feathers 

 hair-brown, the three outer ones yellowish-white. 



From a notice by Mr GEORGE CLAYTON of .Rochester, in the 23d 

 Number of the Magazine of Natural History, it appears highly probable 

 that the Char. Cantianus breeds annually upon the Kentish coast ; for he 

 says, " I first met with these birds in Pegwell Bay, and on the Sandwich 

 Flats in May 1830. They were then in pairs, and probably breed in the 

 banks of shells which abound there." From his having shot seven of them 

 in one day, they seem to have been rather numerous, and have in all likeli- 

 hood hitherto escaped detection, from the similarity of their appearance 

 and habits to the Ringed Plover. 



