<*> CHARADE JUS SEMIPALMATUS. 



to reconcile such difference of habit in one and the 

 same bird. The ring plover is common in Knl;md, 

 and agrees exactly with the one now before ns ; but 

 the light coloured species, as far as I can learn, i- 

 found in Britain; specimens of it have indeed been 

 taken to that country, where the most judicious of 

 their ornithologists have concluded it to be still the 

 ring plover, but to have changed, from the effect of 

 climate. Mr Pennant, in speaking of the true ring 

 plover, makes the following remarks : " Almost all 

 which I have seen from the northern parts of North 

 America have had the black marks extremely faint, and 

 almost lost. The climate had almost destroyed the 

 specific marks, yet in the bill and habit preserved 

 sufficient to make the kind very easily ascertained." 

 These traits agree exactly with the light coloured 

 species just described. But this excellent naturalist 

 was perhaps not aware, that we have the true ring 

 plover here in spring and autumn, agreeing in every 

 respect with that of Britain, and at least in equal 

 numbers; why, therefore, has not the climate equally 

 affected the present and the former sort, if both are the 

 game species? These inconsistencies cannot he recon- 

 ciled but by supposing each to be a distinct -] 

 which, though approaching extremely near to each 

 other in external appearance, have each their peculiar 

 notes, colour, and places of breeding. 



The ring plover is seven inches long, and fourteen 

 inches in extent ; bill, short, orange coloured, tipt with 

 black ; front and chin, white, encircling the neck ; 

 upper part of the breast, black ; rest of the lower parts, 

 pure white ; fore part of the crown, black ; hand from 

 the upper mandible covering the auriculars, also black ; 

 back, scapulars, and wing-coverts, of a brownish ash 

 colour; wing-quills, dusky Mack', marked with an oval 

 spot of white about the middle of each ; tail, olive, 

 deepening into black, and tipt with white; legs, dull 

 yellow; eye, dark ha/el; eyelids, yellow. 



This bird is said to make no nest, but to lay four eggs 

 of a pale ash colour, spotted with black, which 



