CHAKADRIUS FULVUS. 935 



barred with it on the outer webs ; the primaries are scarcely any blacker than in winter, but the shafts at the base 

 are much darker, and there is less white towards the tips. 



The markings in some specimens are much more golden than in others ; but the specimen above described has the 

 upper-surface feathers tipped with white in an exceptional manner. 



The summer dress begins to be assumed in Ceylon about the middle of April, and before the birds have left the island 

 they may be procured in every stage of change almost to the complete black plumage. A male shot at Galle on 

 April 29, 1871, has the face and under surface nearly uniform black, a few of the feathers on the upper part of the 

 throat, and here and there on the breast, being parti-coloured ; the white band on the forehead and down the sides 

 of the neck is fully developed, and all the upper-surface markings bright golden yellow. 



The breast is the first part to change, and becomes tolerably black before the black face and throat and the white 

 forehead are assumed. As I remarked in the ' Ibis ' for 1874, the black under plumage is assumed, to a considerable 

 extent, by a change of colour in the feather ; black marginal spots appear near the tips of the breast-feathers, 

 and quickly coalesce until the terminal half, all but the extreme tip, becomes black; the white margin then 

 turns ; these feathers may be distinguished from the new-moulted feathers, which are entirely black, and of course 

 encased in the usual manner at the shaft. 



Young, nestling in down (Tenesay river, July 22, 1877 : mus. Seebohm). Above mixed velvety black, golden yellow, 

 and white ; the black markings in the form of bold blotches and conspicuous mottlings ; forehead and lores white, 

 with a cross-shaped black mark ; an irregular band of white across the hind neck, joining the white throat and 

 fore neck ; above and below the gape there is a black line running back to the ear-coverts ; under surface greyish 

 white. Tarsus l - 4 inch, bill to gape OS ; bill black ; legs and feet wood-brown. 



TJie first plumage is very similar to the adult winter dress ; but the spots on the upper surface are smaller and less 

 bright, and the under surface is sullied with grey ; the ground-colour of the head and back is not so dark as in 

 the adult. 



06s. This species was first confounded with the European bird C. pluvialis, and was afterwards thought to be the 

 same as the American race C. virginicus. It afterwards received a title of Temminck's, applied to it by Bonaparte, 

 and was finally demonstrated to be the same as the Malasian and Australian species, C.fulvus. 



It differs notably from C. pluvialis in having the axillary plume and under wing grey instead of pure white, in having 

 longer legs and a proportionately larger bill. The European bird has also a different character of marking on the 

 upper surface, more easily understood at a glance than from description ou paper. A specimen in breeding- 

 plumage from the Tenesay, shot by Mr. Seebohm, has a greater number of marginal yellow spots on the upper- 

 surface feathers than are present in the Asiatic race, and the tertials are marked with regular oblique marginal 

 bands instead of spots as in our bird ; the black frontal band is slightly broader ; the bands of the central tail-feathers 

 are yellower and more complete than in our bird. 



The nestling C. pluvialis is quite differently coloured, being finely mottled with golden yellow and black on the upper 

 surface, without the nuchal white band ; the forehead is without the cross-shaped mark, and the cheeks are mixed 

 brown and yellow. Tarsus 1-2 inch ; bill to gape 062. In these measurements even the chick is well marked. 



C. virginicus has the axillaries dark grey, as in C.fulvus, but is larger. 



Distribution. — The Asiatic Golden Plover arrives in Ceylon in great numbers in the month of October; 

 but in some seasons considerable flocks reach the island nearly a month earlier. I have met with it in the 

 south of Ceylon near Wackwella as early as the 10th of September. In 1875 they first made their appearance 

 at Trincomalie about tbe 5th of October, at which time tbey were to be seen frequenting isolated rocks in the 

 harbour and about tbe sea-coast, previous to overspreading tbe interior. In a few days tbey disappeared from 

 these marine localities, and took up their usual babitat in open places along the sea-board and inland swamps 

 and fields. Mr. Holdsworth remarks that they arrive in the Manaar district (Aripu) in August, many of 

 them still wearing traces of their summer dress ; and this I have noticed in September specimens at Galle. 

 During tbe season of its sojourn in Ceylon it wanders about a good deal in wet weather, appearing in places 

 after a beavy night's rain in November, December, and January where it is never seen in dry weather. On 

 such occasions it makes its appearance in public places near the sea, such as the Galle face at Colombo, and 

 the esplanades at Galle, Jaffna, and Trincomalie. I have met with it in suitable localities in all parts of the 

 northern, north-eastern, and nortb-western districts which I have visited j and the same may be said of the 

 low country in tbe west and soutb of the island. It is very abundant between Wackwella and Baddegama, 



