232 GRALLATORES. CHARADRIUS. PLOVER. 
Tue present species has a wide geographical range, though 
not, I imagine, to the extent supposed by many naturalists ; 
the birds which have been considered by them as belonging 
to this species being of a different one, viz. the Charadrius 
Marmoratus of WaciER, which, though nearly allied to, 
and greatly resembling, Char. Pluvialis in general appearance, 
yet possess certain and permanent distinctions in colour of 
plumage, size, &c. Among these, I may mention, as a test 
of contradistinction, the colour of the under surface of the 
wings, and of the long axillary feathers, which, in the exotic 
species, are of an uniform cinereous or pale hair-brown co- 
lour; whereas, in all specimens ef C. Pluvialis, they are pure 
white. Instead, therefore, of extending the range of the 
species now before us to America, New Holland, and other 
parts of the southern hemisphere, I feel inclined to limit it to 
Europe, Northern Asia, and some few districts in the North 
of Africa. Although it may be accounted indigenous in 
Britain, being found in parts of the kingdom through the 
whole year, it is nevertheless subject to the laws of migra- 
tion, even within these confines. Thus, as autumn approaches, 
and after the young have acquired maturity, large flocks are 
formed, which gradually leave the upland and mountainous 
districts, and come down to the lower lands and to the coast. 
Some of these bodies pass onwards to spend the winter on 
the open downs that overlook the sea in the southern coun- 
ties, where this bird can only be regarded as a winter visi- 
tant, since it does not appear that it breeds much to the south 
of a boundary formed by the river Tyne. Towards the end 
of March, or the beginning of April, when the impulse of 
nature excites them, the flocks, which during the autumn 
and winter had remained united, begin to separate into smaller 
parties, and retire to the uncultivated grounds of the northern 
counties of England, and to the Highlands of Scotland, 
where they break into pairs and prepare to breed. At this 
period the vernal moult commences, and a remarkable change 
of plumage is soon perceptible, the birds being fully clad in 
