457 



diffidence, not being quite certain whether it is the adult female or the young bird of the previous year 

 gaining his first breeding-plumage, which has the breast tinged with brownish. All the specimens 

 examined which had this tinge happen to be females. 



Male in spring plumage. Much more white than in full summer dress, the approach of which is indicated 

 by the black which is appearing everywhere on the upper and under surface, the breast being for the 

 most part black, but mottled all over by the white feathers which remain. 



Adult male in winter plumage. Above greyish brown, the centres of the feathers darker brown with narrow 

 black shafts and white edgings ; forehead and sides of the face white, marked with lines of dusky brown, 

 which are most conspicuous on the cheeks ; wing-coverts coloured like the back, but the white margins 

 to the feathers very broad, the outermost greater coverts as well as the primary coverts black, with a 

 white margin to the inner web ; quills black, the shafts white in the middle, and the smaller feathers 

 marked with white on the outer web ; upper tail-coverts pure white, with irregular bars of ashy brown 

 here and there ; tail-feathers white, barred transversely with greyish brown, these markings becoming 

 narrower and more irregular towards the outer feathers, which are almost entirely white ; under surface 

 of the body white, the lower part of the throat striped with ashy brown, the fore part of the breast and 

 flanks being indistinctly mottled with greyish brown ; under wing- and tail-coverts white, slightly 

 marked with black, the lowest under wing-coverts smoky grey ; axillary plumes black ; bill and feet 

 black; iris blackish. Total length 12 inches, culmen l - 2, wing 7'6, tail 3 - 0, tarsus 1*7. 



Young. Crown of the head blackish, with distinct spots of golden-yellow ; forehead, lores, and a spot under 

 the eye white, as also a very distinct eyebrow, which, however, is streaked with black ; cheeks and ear- 

 coverts whitish, streaked with dusky brown, and distinctly washed with golden; sides of the neck 

 greyish, mottled slightly with black ; back blackish, all the feathers having golden edgings, some of 

 them fading into white ; wing-coverts coloured like the back, washed with golden, but a little inclining 

 to ashy grey ; the greater and primary coverts clear ashy brown, with broad white margins ; quills 

 blackish, the shafts white in the centre, and all the primaries narrowly margined with white round the 

 end of the feather, the smaller quills marked with white on the external base of the feather, being also 

 more grey in colour and broadly margined with white, the innermost secondaries blackish, spotted with 

 golden ; rump and upper tail-coverts blackish, with spots of golden, the lowest coverts pure white ; tail 

 white, with transverse bars and spots of greyish black, the middle feathers washed with golden ; throat, 

 breast, and abdomen, as well as the under wing-coverts, white, the tail-coverts somewhat spotted on the 

 outer edge with black, and the lowest under wing-coverts smoky grey ; the lower part of the throat and 

 fore part of the breast dusky grey, mottled, more especially on the sides of the breast, with irregular 

 streaks and lines of darker grey. 



Obs. In the stage of plumage just described the Grey Plover is exceedingly similar to the Golden Plover, 

 being everywhere spotted with golden ; but the present species may always be distinguished at all ages 

 by the black axillaries. The Grey Plover has also a much larger bill ; and, of course, the hind toe gene- 

 rically separates it from the Golden Plover ; but the black axillaries are an unfailing character, by which 

 the bird may be known, even in life. The young Grey Plover varies exceedingly in the amount of 

 golden colour on the plumage, this predominating in the young stage, and becoming gradually bleached 

 into white as the bird arrows older. 



&' 



Explanation of the Plates. In order to assist in the determination of the Grey Plover in its young or golden 

 stage of plumage, the bird has been drawn side by side with a Golden Plover, both being in autumn 



3h 



