206 



Family GLAREOLID^. 



PRATINCOLE. Glareola pratincola (Linnaeus). 



Coloured Figures. Gould, * Birds of Great Britain,' vol. iv, pi. 

 46 ; Dresser, ' Birds of Europe,' vol. vii, pi. 513 ; Lilford, 

 ' Coloured Figures,' vol. v, pi. 5. 



The Pratincole visits Southern Europe in summer, but 

 can be regarded only as a rare wanderer to Britain during 

 the spring and autumn migrations. It was first noted in 

 1807, in Lancashire and Cumberland. Subsequently, it has 

 been obtained in Norfolk, Essex, Lincolnshire, Cambridge- 

 shire, Yorkshire ; it has visited Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, 

 Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon, Cornwall, and Breconshire 

 (Saunders) . 



Two examples have been procured in Scotland, one 

 at Unst in the Shetlands, August 16th, 1812 ; the other 

 at Montrose in Forfarshire, November 4th, 1899 (Harvie- 

 Brown, Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist., 1900). This appears to be 

 the most recent capture known. 



From Ireland there is but one record of its occurrence, 

 viz., in co. Cork previous to 1844 (Ussher, ' Birds of Ireland,' 

 p. 249). 



The Pratincole can be distinguished from other small 

 shore-birds by its forked tail. In most wading-birds the 

 middle feathers of the tail are longer than the lateral 

 ones. In the Pratincole this arrangement is reversed. 



Like its near allies the Plovers, the Pratincole can run 

 rapidly ; when at rest it has the peculiar habit of jerking its 

 tail up and down. 



Flight. The wings are long and pointed, and well 

 adapted for swift and sustained flight ; Degland compares 

 the aerial movements of this species to those of the Swallow. 



Food. This bird is mainly insectivorous ; it lives chiefly 



