WATTLED PLOVERS— OYSTER-CATCHERS. 271 



are diificult to capture, on account of their resemblance to the surroundings 

 in whioli they are hatched ; the same may be said of the eggs, which closely 

 resemble the adjacent shingle. Some of the other dotterels, such as the 

 members of the genus Ochtliudrovuis, are handsome birds, with a chestnut 

 collar across the chest. The true dotterels (Etidromins) are mountain-breeding 

 birds, and our English species, E. morvnellus, is the only one of the group 

 with any black on the belly. This, however, is not assumed as a breeding- 

 dress, as is the case with the grey and golden plovers. 



The latter birds have a spangled plumage, and don a black breast in 

 summer, passing into a white-breasted livery in winter. The grey plover 

 (ScpiatHvola hiRmtica) differs from the golden plover {Charadrivs phivicdis) 

 in having a hind toe. It nests on the tundra or barren grounds in the 

 Paliearctio and Nearctic regions beyond the limit of forest growth, and 

 until recently its eggs were amongst the rarest in collections. Mr. See- 

 Ijohm and Mr. Harvie Brown, however, have obtained them on the Lower 

 Petchora River, and Mr. Trevor-Battye and Mr. H. J. Pearson on Kolguev 

 Island. 



Another group of the broad-winged lapwings is represented by our common 

 pewit {Vaitelhis 'vaiiellus), which has no wattle on the face or spur on the 

 wing, like many of the other genera of 

 the (Jliaradrihicp, such as the spur-winged 

 plovers of Africa (Hojjlopterns), which have 

 a formidable spur on the bend of the wing, 

 with which they fight. H. spinosus is said 

 to be the species which attends on the cro- 

 codile, and enters its mouth to clean the 

 teeth of the monster. Some of the other 

 genera of this group of plovers have a 

 facial wattle, but no spur on the wing, 

 while in the genus Xiphidiopteriis we 



have two species, one Javan, and the other 



West African, which have a large wing- no.'il.-'t'Bv. Common Lapwing 



spur and a conspicuous facial lappet as (Vanelius vandlus). 



well. 



All the wattled plovers (sub-family Loh'n-anellhi.ce) have the metatarsus trans- 

 versely scaled in front, but reticulated behind. They are nearly all broad- 

 winged birds like the pewits or lapwings, and most of them have spurs on 

 the wings, and wattles or lappets on the face. 



We now come to a group of the Chayadriiiue, where there is no swelling 

 at the end of the bill, and in this section of the plovers are the oyster- 

 catchers (ffccmaSoporfi'fi'''') and the turnstones {Areimriuue). 



All the oyster-catchers have the metatarsus reticulated both in front and 

 behind, and the angle of the lower mandible is placed very far back, the end 

 of the bill being compressed, and having a somewhat sharp 

 ridge. Twelve species of oyster-catchers are known, most of The Oyster- 

 thembeing black drblackand white inplumage. They are found catchers. — 

 in all parts of the globe, but do not extend very far north. Sub-family 

 They breed on the shores and on the sandy beds of rivers, Tlu'matopodina'. 

 and the nest is a little depression in the sand or moss. The 

 eggs are not unlike those of the stone-plovers or thick-knees, being of a clay- 

 brown with blackish spots or scribblings. 



Only one genus, Arenaria, represents this sub-family of plovers, which is a 



