SOCIAL PLOVER. 163 



parts of Europe is accidental. It has, however, occurred in Hungary, 

 Dahnatia, Germany, and Italy. Mr. Saunders thinks he saw a 

 specimen of this bird in February, 1868, hanging up in the market 

 at Cadiz, in a semi-putrid state, so that it would have been impos- 

 sible to preserve it. (See the Ibis, 1871, p. 386.) Pallas met with 

 it in great numbers at Jaik and Samara, on the Volga. It has also 

 been found in Persia, Syria, and Sinai. M. ISTordmann says that he 

 has no doubt it nests in the south of Hussia, and Temminck re-affirms 

 this; but neither adduces any instance of a nest having been found. 



Dr. Leith Adams informs me that he found the Social Plover 

 pretty common in the Punjab; and Captain (now Colonel) Irby 

 includes it in his list of birds observed in Oudh and Kumaon. In 

 India it is known as the Keptusca or Cawnpore Sandpiper: I quote 

 his own words, ("Ibis," 1861, p. 238.) — "Exceedingly common 

 on open sandy plains, in January, February, and March. Never 

 seen alone, but in flocks of from six to upwards of fifty. When 

 on the ground they appear at first sight very like the Golden 

 Plover, but upon taking wing they resemble Sarciopliorus bilohiis or 

 Lohivanellus cinereus, shewing a great deal of white in the wings, 

 but flying close to the ground, unlike the other Plovers." 



There is not much known with certainty about the nidification 

 and habits of the Social Plover. Its e^g has been in collections only 

 during the last two or three years. It is said, however, to con- 

 gregate in large flocks in Chinese Tartary and Southern Russia, 

 and to breed in companies more or less numerous, like our well 

 known Lapwing. The eg^, according to Biideker, is like that of 

 the Lapwing, but not difficult to distinguish. It is larger and more 

 swollen in shape, and the ground colouring is a clear greenish, 

 often passing, towards the larger end, into reddish yellow. It is 

 covered with brown and blackish brown spots, which are of a 

 roundish or semicircular shape. 



The adult male has the top of the head, a line from the gape 

 through the eyes, the primaries, lower part of abdomen, and a 

 band across the end of the tail, black; a band round the vertex, 

 throat, under wing and tail coverts, and secondary quill feathers, 

 white, the latter having small patches of liver brown on their outer 

 webs at the end; nape, scapulars, back, and vipper wing and tail 

 coverts, grey brown; sides of the head and neck fawn-colour; chest 

 and crop smoky brown, terminating in deep black below the abdomen, 

 which black again terminates in feathers strongly marked with liver 

 brown; flanks white; tail white, with a black band near the end, the 

 most lateral feather being pure white; bill, legs, and feet black. 



