Food.} 
General 
descrip- 
tion. 
Summer 
plumage. 
242 GRALLATORES. CHARADRIUS. PLOVER. 
they feed on small marine insects, worms, and crustacea ; 
and, when frequenting the edges of rivers and lakes, on 
aquatic insects, both as larvee and in the perfect state. The 
Ringed Plover is widely distributed over Europe, inhabiting 
the northern parts as far as Iceland. In Holland it abounds; 
also upon the coasts of France, Italy, &c. It is met with in 
parts of Africa, and the species found in North America 
seems to be in every respect similar. Its note is a rather 
soft plaintive whistle, frequently repeated when on wing, or 
when running on the shore. This bird appears to have been 
often confounded by preceding authors with the Charadrius 
minor of 'Temminck, and also with the Charadrius Canti- 
anus of LatHam; which latter ranks as a British species, 
and is occasionally found upon the southern coast. The for- 
mer has not yet been met with in Britain. The Ringed 
Plover is subject to the double moult, but the change is on- 
ly shewn by the greater intensity of the black, and the more 
perfect purity of the white parts of the plumage. 
Piate 38. Fig. 1. Represents the adult male in summer 
plumage. 
Base of the upper mandible, space between it and the eyes, 
and the ear-coverts, black. Forehead white; behind 
which a band of black passes over the crown of the 
head from eye to eye. Over the eye a streak of white 
passes backwards towards the nape of the neck. Chin, 
throat, and collar, white. Lower part of the neck, and 
upper part of the breast, having a broad gorget of in- 
tense black, passing backwards and forming a second 
collar. Under parts pure white. Back part of the 
head, nape of the neck, and the whole of the upper parts, 
pale hair-brown, with a cinereous tinge. Quills deep 
hair-brown, with the basal part of the outer webs of the 
secondaries white. Greater wing-coverts having white 
tips. Tail, with the two middle-feathers, hair-brown, 
the rest having white tips, except the outer feather, 
