841 



PLOVERS. 



There are three sorts of these birds, which are objects of the 

 sportsman's pursuit; the golden, the grey, and the peewit or 

 lapwing. 



The golden plover is the size of the turtle; its weight nine 

 ounces ; length eleven inches, breadth twenty-four ; the bill is 

 short and black ; the feathers on the head, back, and wing coverts, 

 are dusky, beautifully spotted on each side with light yellowish 

 green ; round the eyes and the chin almost white ; sides of the 

 head, the neck, and sides of the body, the same as the upper 

 parts, but much paler ; the breast brown, marked with greenish 

 oblong strokes; the middle feathers of the tail barred with black 

 and yellowish green ; the greater quills are dusky ; the legs 

 black ; and it wants the back toe, by which it is distinguished 

 from other birds of its kind. There is some variety seen in the 

 colour of the belly ; this is owing to the season : about the be- 

 ginning of March, the appearance of black in the breast is first 

 seen, increasing by degrees, until that part becomes a full black; 

 but after the time of incubation, this tint again disappears, and 

 the belly is white. The male and female differ very little, and 

 in the young birds the spots are not of a full yellow, but incline 

 more to grey. 



M. Baillon, who has observed these birds in Picardy, asserts 

 that their early plumage is grey ; that at their first moult in 

 August and September, they get some feathers of a yellow cast, 

 or which are spotted with that colour ; but it is not until after 

 some years that they acquire their fine golden tint. He adds, 

 that the females are hatched entirely grey, and only when old 



assume a little yellow ; and that it is very rare to see their feathers 

 2*3 



