AVES— DOTTEREL.. ..PLOVER. ...LAP WING. 623 



THE DOTTERELi 



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Is about ten inches in length, and weighs four ounces. The bill is shorter 

 than that of the majority of this genus, being only an inch long. The head 

 is black, spotted with white, and a white stroke runs over each eye, meeting 

 behind. The upper parts of the plumage are grayish brown, margined with 

 a dull, deep yellow. The breast is a dull orange, and across it is a streak of 

 white, margined above with black. The colors of the female are less vivid. 

 It is esteemed a very foolish bird ; and Avas believed to mimic the actions of 

 the fowler, to stretch out a wing when he stretched out an arm, &c., regard- 

 less of the net which was spreading for it. They appear in England in small 

 flocks, from April to September. 



THE RINGED PLOVER. 2 



The ringed plover is seven inches and a half long, though it weighs but 

 two ounces ; the bill is half an inch long, and from it to the eyes runs a black 

 line. The upper part of the neck is encircled with a white collar, the lower 

 part with a black one. The back and wings are light brown, the breast and 

 belly are white, the legs yellow. They frequent the shores of England in 

 summer, and are sometimes known by the name of the sea lark. They 

 are also common in America. 



THE LAPWING. 3 



The lapwing, or bastard plover, is about the size of a common pigeon, and 

 is covered with very thick plumes, which are black at the roots, but of diffe- 



' Charadrius morinellus, Lin. '-^ Charadrius hiaticula, Lin. 



3 Vqnellus cristatus, Meyeii. The genus Vanellus has the bill short, slender, straight, 

 compressed, tip gibbous ; nostrils lateral, longitudinally cleft ; legs slender, with three 

 toes before and one behind ; the middle one connected with the outer by a short membrane, 

 and the hinder one almost oblite'ated, or very short, not toucliing the ground; wings 

 elongated. > 



