Family CHARADRIID^. Genus Charadrius. 



Subfamily Charadriin^e. 



ASIATIC GOLDEN PLOVER. 



CHARADRIUS Y'[JIN\JS—Gmelin. 



Geographical Distribution. — British: At least two ex- 

 amples of the typical Asiatic Golden Plover have been known to 

 occur in the British Islands, but one of these is tainted with the 

 fact of having been obtained in Leadenhall Market — a centre to 

 which many Continental examples of Waders find their way during 

 the season. This — the first reputed British example — was said to 

 have been sent with a number of Golden Plovers from Norfolk in 

 December, 1874 (Dresser, Ibis, 1875, p. 513). However probable 

 this may be, it was always open to the doubt of having been sent from 

 the Continent, and accidentally mixed with the Norfolk batch of 

 Plovers. It sufficed, however, to put British naturalists on the look- 

 out, and thirteen years later (November 26th, 1887) an example was 

 obtained at Stennis, in Orkney, round which no doubt of any 

 kind appears to dwell (J. G. Millais, Field, 1887). Foreign: Eastern 

 Patearctic region in summer ; Oriental and Australian regions in 

 winter. Of only accidental occurrence in Europe and South-west 

 Asia : Heligoland, Malta, Malaga, Poland, Mekran coast. Breeds 

 on the tundras of East Siberia from the valley of the Yenesay to 

 the Pacific coast ; passes through South Siberia, Mongolia, and 

 Japan on migration, to winter in India, the Burma peninsula, 

 China, the Malay Archipelago, Australia, New Zealand, and 

 Polynesia. 



Allied Forms. — Charadrius pluvialissxiA. C . fulviis americanus, 

 treated in the preceding and following chapters. 



Time during which the Asiatic Golden Plover may be 



taken. — August I St to March ist. 



