CHAKADKIID.E. 299 



surprised, on stalking the birds from behind a sand-hill, to see within a 

 hundi'ed j-ards of him a fine pair of Cream-coloured Coursers — one, 

 Beemingly, an adult male in splendid plumage, the other a female or young 

 bird. They were accompanied by a single Lapwing, which kept continually 

 getting uj) and flying over their heads screaming, which caused the birds to 

 be wild. Mr. Mathew waited about half an hour behind the sand-hill, in 

 the hope that the birds would walk within shot ; but as they would not 

 do this, he attempted to approach them, when they rose directly on his 

 showing himself, settling again by another pond some distance off. He 

 again followed them ; but this time they rose wild and flew right up into 

 the clouds out of sight, uttering a peculiar cry. He was quite certain as 

 to his identification of the birds. (M. A. M., Zool. 1857, p. 5346 ; 

 G. F. M., 'Naturalist,' 1866, p. 359; J. G., Zool. 1871, p. 2475; 

 G. F. M., Zool. 1860, p. 6980.) 



In Cornwall Mr. Rodd knew of no occurrence of this rare and beautiful 

 bird ; but since the publication of his book one was reported by the late 

 Mr. Thomas Cornish, of Penzance, as having been obtained in December 

 1884 at Mawgan, near 8t. Colomb. 



Mr. Cecil Smith kuew of no Somerset example ; but Mr. Brooking Eowe, 

 in his ' List of the Birds of Devon,' mentions one which was procured in 

 that county, but gives no particulars about it. Mr. Mansel-Pleydell 

 states that Lord Digby, when following the hounds in 1853, observed a 

 Cream-coloured Courser on Batcombe Down ; on the next day Lord 

 Hchester sent his keeper to look for it ; the bird was found and shot, 

 and is now at !Melbury. 



The eggs of the Cream-coloured Courser were until quite recently among 

 the desiderata of oologists. But the birds have been detected nesting on 

 Fuerteventura, one of the Canary Islands ; and during the last three 

 years a number of their eggs have been sent to England from this locality. 

 No nest is made, and the eggs are deposited on the bare, sandy, gritty soil, 

 and are very protective in their colour. Some, in our series, are exactly 

 like miniature eggs of the Stone-Curlew. 



GrOlden Plover. Cliaradrius phmalis, Linn. 



A winter visitor, but sometimes remaining until late in the spring, and 

 stated to have been formerly resident in small numbers, a few, it was 

 supposed, breeding on Dartmoor and Exmoor. Flocks visit the marsh- 

 lands in the estuaries of the larger rivers in October and November, 

 at whicli time Ihcre is a considerable immigration from more nortliern 

 countries, and llie numbers seen in winter are sometimes largo, especially 

 in severe weather. Si)ecimens in full breeding-])lumage occasionally occur 

 near Exeter, Kingsbridge, and Blymouth in April and May. 



The (xolden IMover is chiefly known in Devonshire as a regular autumn 

 visitor from the North, flocks making their ap))earance at that time of the 

 year on all our moorlands, whence in severe frosts they descend into the 

 meadows, and arc then also found upon the coasts. In the middle of the 



