KENTISH PLOVER 221 



tial plumage, but the black markings are duller and less 

 denned. 



Immature, male and female. The black markings of 

 the adult plumage are replaced by brown ; the feathers of 

 the back and wings are margined with buff. 



The down of the nestling is -more distinctly buff in shade 

 than that of the nestling of the common species. 



BEAK. Black. 



FEET. Pale flesh-colour ; nails, black. 



IRIDES. Brown. 



EGGS. Pale stone-colour, finely spotted and streaked 

 with dark brown : clutch, four. 



AVERAGE MEASUREMENTS. 



TOTAL LENGTH 6'5 in. 



WING 4-5 



BEAK 0*5 ,, 



TARSO-METATARSUS 0*9 ,, 



EGG ... 1-15 X '85 in. 



KENTISH PLOVER. 1 ^gialitis cantiana (Latham). 



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

 40 ; Dresser, ' Birds of Europe,' vol. vii, pi. 523 ; Lilford, 

 ' Coloured Figures,' vol. v, pi. 12. 



The adult male Kentish Plover resembles the two 

 preceding species in colour, but can be identified by its 

 incomplete black collar, which is interrupted in front by 

 the white feathers of the neck. 



Even with the aid of a powerful binocular, Hinged and 

 Kentish Plovers cannot always be distinguished from one 

 another, as they patter and flit about on the sea-beach. 

 A profile view of these birds makes identification very 

 difficult, as the black collar appears unbroken in both 

 species. It is probable that the Kentish Plover has escaped 

 the observation of ornithologists in many localities, where 

 it is apparently unknown, as for instance along the exten- 

 sive estuaries and mud-flats of the eastern sea-board of 

 Ireland. 



1 Named by Latham, who first described it from a specimen shot 

 near Sandwich in Kent. 



