CHAEADEIT7S. 



103 



Charadrius squatarola (Linn.), Naumann, Vdg. Deutschl. vii. p. 249 (1834). 

 Squatarola melanogaster {Bechst.), Malherbe, Faun. Orn. Sicil. p. 166 (1840). 

 Squatarola helvetica (Briss.), Keyserling & Blasius, Wirb. Eur. p. 207 (1843). 

 Vanellus squatarola (Briss.), Schlegel, Rev. Crit. p. lxxxiv (1844). 

 Pluvialis squatarola (Linn.), MacgiUivray, Hist. Brit. B. iv. p. 86 (1852). 

 Squatarola wilsoni, Lichtenstein, Nomencl. Av. p. 95 (1854). 

 Squatarola rhynchomega, Bonap. Compt. Rend, xliii. p. 416 (1856). 

 Pluvialis varius (Briss.), Degland fy Gerbe, Orn. Eur. p. 127 (1867). 

 Charadrius varius (Briss.), Finsch §■ Hartlaub, Vdg. Ost-Afr. p. 644 (1870) . 



Plates. — Gould, Birds Great Britain, iv. pis. 36, 37 ; Dresser, Birds of Europe, vii. pis. 517, Literature. 



518, 519. 

 Habits. — Seehohm, British Birds, iii. p. 44. 

 Eggs. — Seebohm & Harvie-Brown, Ibis, 1876, pi. v. ; Seebohm, British Birds, pi. 25. figs. 7, 8, 9. 



The Grey Plover is easily diagnosed by its blade axittaries. Specific 



characters. 

 The Grey Plover is found more or less commonly on the coasts of the British Islands, Geograpbi- 



chiefly during autumn migration, but occa- 

 sionally in winter and spring. It is far less 

 nmnerous on the west coasts than on the east. 

 It frequents in small numbers the inner islands 

 on the west coast of Scotland, but only occurs 

 sparingly in the Outer Hebrides. In Ireland 

 it is still less common, although it appears 

 regularly every season. 



The Grey Plover is a circumpolar bird, 

 but has only been known to breed on the 

 tundras above the limit of forest-growth. It 

 appears to be very local in its distribution 

 during the breeding-season. It is not known 

 with certainty to breed anywhere except in the 

 lower valley of the Petchora, on the Taimyr 

 peninsula, and the delta of the Lena, in the north of Siberia, in Alaska, on the 

 banks of the Anderson river, and on Melville peninsula. It passes through Central 

 and Southern Europe on migration, and winters in the basin of the Mediterranean 

 and in South Africa. The eastern birds pass through South Siberia, Turkestan, 

 Mongolia, and Japan on migration, and winter in India, South China, Australia, and 

 the islands of the Malay archipelago, including New Guinea, the Salomon Islands, &c. 

 In the New World its range has not been so accurately determined, but it is known to 



cal distribu- 

 tion. 



