GOLDEN PLOVER.— C7!ararfri?(s ph(.virUis. DOTTEnEL.—Charddrhcs ^.orineUiis. 



KENTISH VhO\ ER.—Cliarddrius cantidnus. 



The breeding-places are selected on higli grounds, and the eggs, mostly three in 

 number, are placed on a few grass steins laid carelessly in a depression in the soil, sheltered 

 in most cases by a large stone or fragment of rock. The colour of the eggs is like that of 

 the golden Plover. 



The top of the head and back of the neck are dark brown ; above the eye a rather broad 

 white streak runs towards the nape of the neck, and the chin and sides of the face are 

 white, speckled with darker tints. The back is ashen brown, and the scapularies and wing- 

 coverts are edged with buff. The primaries are ashen grey mixed with white. The throat 

 is ashen grey, and the breast is rich dark fawn, crossed by a bold white streak, extending 

 completely across the breast and terminating at the shouldei'S. The abdomen is black, and 

 the under tail-coverts buffy white. In the summer the breast is buffy white. The total 

 length of this bird is not quite ten inches. 



The pretty little Kentish Plover may be seen on some of our shores, running along 

 the edge of the waves with surprising celerity, pecking here and there as the waves retreat, 

 and uttering its happy whistling little notes as it runs. 



It bears a considerable resemblance to the ringed Plover {Charadrius Maticida), but 

 may be distinguished from that bird by the smaller size and the broken black collar on the 

 neck, which does not extend completely across the breast. The best mode of observing 

 this bird, or, indeed, the many species that haunt the shores, is to get on the cliffs, lie down 

 among the high grass and herbage, and make use of a good doiible field-glass. With an 

 ordinary telescope the birds get out of the held too rapidh^, and they are liable to be 

 alarmed by the movements of the tube. 



