282 CHARADRIIM. 



so much esteemed at present as when Dr. Muffett (temp. 

 Elizabeth) wrote " The gray Plover is so highly esteemed 

 that this Proverb is raised of a curious and male-contented 

 stomack ; A gray Plover cannot please him. Yet to some 

 the green [Golden] Plover seemeth more nourishing, and to 

 others the Lapwing, which indeed is savory and light of 

 digestion, but nothing comparable to Plovers." 



The adult bird in summer plumage has the beak black ; 

 the irides very dark brown ; the forehead and top of the 

 head white, the latter slightly speckled with greyish-black ; 

 nape of the neck a mixture of dusky grey and white ; the 

 whole of the back, scapulars, wing-coverts, tertials, rump, 

 and upper tail-coverts, black and white, the base of each 

 feather being black, the ends white ; the wing-primaries 

 greyish- black, the shafts white ; tail-feathers white, with 

 numerous greyish-black transverse bars ; the chin, cheeks, 

 throat, sides of the neck, breast, and belly, black ; vent 

 and under tail-coverts white ; axillary plume elongated and 

 black at all ages and seasons ; under wing-coverts white ; 

 legs, toes, and claws dark slate. 



The whole length is twelve inches. From the carpal 

 joint to the end of the wing seven inches and five-eighths ; 

 the first quill-feather three-eighths of an inch longer than 

 the second, and the longest in the wing. 



In winter the feathers on the upper surface of the body 

 are dusky grey, edged with dull white ; the throat, breast, 

 and sides, lighter in colour than the back, the feathers but 

 slightly streaked with dusky grey; the belly, vent, and 

 under tail-coverts, dull white, with few or no marks. 



In spring the black feathers begin to appear on the 

 breast, and the birds may be observed in various degrees 

 of change from white, with only a few black feathers, to 

 entire and perfect black. The breeding-plumage is generally 

 complete by the end of May. 



Young birds of the year in autumn are much spotted with 

 yellow, giving them a strong superficial resemblance to the 

 Golden Plover. 



