GREY PLOVER. 43 



rudimentary, and lying close to the leg, and claws, greyish 

 black. 



'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 darker than old 

 birds in winter, having a larger proportion of black above and 

 grey below.' Yarrell. 



The full summer plumage is acquired the latter end of May. 



Sir William Jardine says 'Two specimens shot a few years 

 since, by the side of one of the Lochmaben lochs, in the month 

 of August, had the ground colour of the upper parts very dark, 

 and the edging and angular spotting of the feathers nearly 

 of the tint of sienna yellow, so as to cau'se them to appear, 

 when first taken up, to be the G-olden Plover; the breast also 

 had the dark parts of the feathers much broader, and the 

 whole tinted over with yellowish wood brown. These were 

 considered to be young birds arrived from migration.' 



