238 SHORTER-BILLED RUNNING BIRDS. 



bill and legs black. In winter the black parts become 

 dirty white. Winter migrant* 



The Gray Plover whilst with us is essentially a 

 shore-bird, procuring its food on the sand-banks and 

 mud-flats exposed at low tide. It affects principally 

 our eastern coasts, and is less seen in Ireland. Some 

 birds remain throughout the winter, but it is chiefly 

 at the times of the spring and autumn migrations 

 that the bird is observed. Then they may be met in 

 flocks of half-a-dozen to fifty or so running quickly 

 along the tide-line, snapping up marine insects and 

 the like. The notes are a long, melancholy whistle 

 that may be written ' K dp,' and a shorter call-note 

 like the ' Tlu-ee ' of the Golden Plover. The wings 

 are pointed, the wing-stroke rapid, and the flight 

 quick, and while flying the birds affect geometrical 

 formations, with frequent canting and wheeling. 



GOLDEN PLOVER 11 inches. A breeder on British 

 moors, similarly black on face and breast in the summer, 

 and occurring on the coasts principally in winter and at 

 the times of migration. Note and gestures practically 

 indistinguishable from those of the Gray Plover; but 

 the axillaries (that part of the wing nearest the body 

 on the under side of the wing, i.e. the 'arm-pit') in 

 the Gray Plover are at all times black, and in the Golden 

 Plover white. 



KENTISH PLOVER. Form, like Ringed Plover 

 (plate 104). 6| inches. Upper parts brown, and tail 

 brown, except the outer feathers, which are white ; 

 forehead and eyebrow white ; black strap over the 

 crown ; another from the base of the bill to the ears ; 

 white band round the throat ; below this, a black 



