THE KENTISH PLOVER. 123 



with more white, and the white on the under part marking 

 the roseate tint. 



There is no formal nest, the eggs being deposited upon a 

 smooth place among the shingles, from which it is difficult to 

 distinguish them. They are four in number, rather smaller 

 in size than those of the former species, ranged quatrefoil, as 

 are all those of the genus, of a whitish cream colour, with 

 minute spots and streaks of black. 



The habits of the female in the nest have not been dis- 

 covered ; but it is probable that they are similar to those of 

 the last-mentioned species, as the other habits of the birds, 

 and their haunts in those places where the present species is 

 found, nearly correspond. 



The young, which run as soon as they come out of the egg, 

 are covered with down nearly of the same colour with the 

 eggs, though perhaps a little yellower in the general tint. 

 The legs are very long in proportion to the size of their 

 bodies; and they skulk and hide themselves among the 

 stones. It has not been ascertained whether the parents 

 feed them ; but in the warm season at which they are pro- 

 duced, small animals are very numerous in their haunts. 



In winter, the plumage of the male changes considerably, 

 the rufous tint on the head goes off, the black on the head 

 disappears, and that on the shoulders becomes dull and 

 lessened in extent, the upper part also loses the reddish, and 

 the under part the pale roseate tinge. The whole bird be- 

 comes like the female, only the upper part is paler in the 

 tint than the female in the summer plumage ; and the black 

 Is seldom entirely obliterated. The young also resemble the 

 female, when in their first plumage ; and the old males may, 

 in the course of the season, be found in all the intermediate 

 stages, between the plumage shown in the figure, and that 

 described as the nearest approach to the female. 



Though the feet of the Kentish plover are better adapted 



