PLOVERS 61 
‘our parallel stripes or bands of buff. The black tail is banded 
with tawny yellow and has a white terminal rim. Under-parts 
mainly white or whitish, more or less vaguely barred with 
dusky grey. ; 
Nest. A depression in the ground in a marshy place, some- 
times among heather. Lined with dead grasses. 
Higgs. Normally 4. Pear-shaped with ground-colour varying 
from greenish or yellowish-green to olive-brown, more or 
less heavily spotted or blotched with shades of brown and 
underlying ash-grey. Av. size, 156x112 in. Laying begins 
March-April, and later in the north. One brood, some- 
times two. 
121. Jack-snipe [Gallinago gallinula (Linnzeus)]. Generally 
distributed winter visitor, Also bird of 
passage (E. Clarke). Marshes and coast. 
Bird. Length 7} in., therefore dis- 
tinctly smaller than the preceding, from 
which it may be further distinguished by 
having twelve instead of fourteen tail- Fic. 75 
feathers, by the absence of a marked 5 a 
central buff stripe on the crown, and by the metallic purple 
of the rump and the metallic greens on the scapulars. Four 
buff stripes along the back. Under-parts mostly dull white 
more or less streaked with dark brown. 
(5) Family: Charadride. (b) Subfamily: Charadriine—Plovers 
122. Dotterel [Zudromius morinellus Linneus|, Summer 
visitor, chiefly to Scottish hills. Bird of passage. 
Bird. Length 9in. At once distinguished from the other 
British plovers by the white band across the upper breast and 
the large conspicuous patch of chestnut below it. Upper-parts 
mostly ash-brown with paler edges, A marked white stripe 
passing over the eye backward. A brownish-black patch on 
the lower breast. Belly and tail-coverts white. After the 
autumn moult the black and chestnut of the under-parts give 
way to white. Fledglings differ greatly, sufficient for recogni- 
tion being the buff eye-stripe, breast and flanks, and the 
absence of the white breast band. 
Nest. High up on barren mountain slopes. A depression 
scantily lined with bents or other material. 
Liggs. Usually 3. Yellowish or olive boldly blotched with 
deep black-brown and occasionally with underlying ash-grey. 
Av. size, 1:62x1-14in. Laying begins in June, One brood. 
123. Ringed-plover ringed-dotterel [Agiahtis hiaticula 
lwaticula (Linnezeus)|. Resident, chiefly on our coasts. 
