PLOVERS 63 



helvetica (Linnaeus)]. Winter visitor to our coasts. Bird of 

 passage. Occasional non-breeding birds in summer. 



Bird. Length 11 J in. Not unlike the golden-plover in the 

 general pattern of its plumage, but easily distinguished from 

 it, in summer, by the black and white barred upper-parts, and 

 at all seasons and ages by the black axillaries, conspicuous 

 against the light under-surface of the wing, and by the white 

 upper tail-coverts. In summer the under-parts and face are 

 black banded marginally with white as in the case of the 

 golden-plover. Short hind toe. Legs and beak black. After 

 the autumn moult the under-parts are mostly white. Fore- 

 breast ash-brown with dusky mottlings. The upper-parts are 

 mostly ash-brown more or less marked with whitish and 

 dusky. The young resembles somewhat that of the golden- 

 plover, with the marked difference above noted. 



126. Lapwing, green - plover, peewit [ Vanellus vanellus 

 (Linnseus) ; Vanellus vulgaris Bechstein]. Resident and 

 generally distributed. 



Bird. Length 12 J in. Recognised by the glossy green- 

 black crest and crown, the coppery-green 

 mantle glossed purple, the tail white on 

 the basal part and sides, rest black ; the 

 white under-parts with metallic-hued 

 black on the throat and upper breast, 

 and the conspicuous chestnut colour of 

 the upper and under tail-coverts. In 

 flight recognition is aided by the broad 

 rounded wings, and by the under-surface 

 of the same, which is black with white 

 axillaries. After the autumn moult the 

 throat is white. The male has the larger 

 crest. 



Nest. On pasture, marsh, or moor. 

 A scrape in the ground, lined with bents 

 or other material. 



Eggs. Usually 4. Pear-shaped. Yellowish, or olive-brown 

 to olive-green thickly spotted and blotched with black-brown. 

 Greenish-blue varieties. Av. size, 1*83 x 1*31 in. Laying 

 begins end of March to early April. One brood. 



(5) Family: Charadriidce. (c) Subfamily: Hcematopodince. 



127. Oyster-catcher, sea-pie [Hcematopus ostralegus ostralegus 

 Linnaeus]. Winters on all our coasts. Breeds on coast 

 and inland, but scarce in S. and E. England. 



Bird. Length 16 in. Easily distinguished by the long 



