108 GOLDEN & GREY PLOVEES LAPWING. 



GOLDEN PLOVEE (Charadrius pluvialis). 



Eesident; though partially migrant. Breeds sparingly in 

 Wales, Devonshire and Somerset, and, more abundantly, in the 

 North of England, Scotland, and Ireland. 



Haunts. Moorland districts. 



Plumage. Forehead and stripe over eyes white, continued 

 down sides of neck to flanks ; upper parts prettily mottled 

 with black, golden, and creamy white ; under parts black ; 

 axillaries white. Bill, legs, and feet black. Length 11 in. 

 Female similar, but black areas more sooty. In winter, adults 

 lose the black on under parts, which then become whitish, 

 spotted with yellowish brown. Young: upper parts more 

 spotted, and with browner golden ; under parts grey. Nestling : 

 upper parts mottled with black, grey, and golden down ; under 

 parts greyish white. 



Language. A melodious double whistle like " lou-ee, lou-ee," 

 especially noisy in wet weather. In the love season it utters a 

 trilling whistle like " tirr-pee-you." 



Habits. In winter and when on migration this species 

 is gregarious. Largely a night feeder. It runs well, like all 

 true Plovers. Flight rapid, and when in flocks they wheel 

 about in the air in graceful and regular evolutions. 



Food. Insects, worms, slugs, Crustacea, &c. 



Nest. May. One brood. 



Site. On the ground, among heather or grass. 



Materials. A few grasses and heather-stalks. 



Eggs. Four. Stone-colour or buff, spotted and blotched 

 with deep brown and purplish grey. Large for the bird's size. 

 Pyriform shape. 



GEEY PLOVEE (Squatarola helvetica). 



A winter visitor ; has not been known to breed here. It 

 greatly resembles the Golden Plover, but is rather larger. 

 Axillaries black (not white, as in Golden Plover), and the white 

 tail-coverts are conspicuous in flight. It has a rudimentary 

 hind toe, unlike the Golden Plover. In habits it resembles the 

 Golden Plover, but is exclusively a shore bird. Alarm-note, a 

 plaintive " klee-eep." Call-note is much like Golden Plover's, 

 but uttered in a higher key. 



LAPWING OB PEEWIT (Vanellus vulgaris). 



Eesident ; but in winter there is a partial emigration from 

 the North. Well distributed and common. Partial to low 

 hills, sheep pastures, arable and meadow-land. 



Plumage. Crown of head and crest greenish black. Stripe 

 over eye and sides of face white. Upper parts cupreous 



