484 



Adult Male in summer (Constantinople, 26th April) . Forehead, a broad streak over and behind the eye, 

 lower nape, sides of the head and neck, except as hereinafter stated, and entire underparts pure white ; 

 above the white on the forehead is a tolerably broad black patch ; crown and occiput rich reddish 

 brown ; lores and a streak extending past the eye and including the ear-coverts, black, and on each side 

 of tbe upper breast, in advance of the carpal joint, is a patch of black, which is not continued across 

 the breast ; upper parts generally light hair-brown ; primaries blackish brown, the shafts white, except 

 at the tip ; secondaries lighter, and more or less edged with white ; central rectrices blackish brown, 

 the remaining tail-feathers white ; axillaries and under wing-coverts white ; bill and legs black ; iris 

 dark brown. Total length about 65 inches, culmen 0'8, wing 3'95, tail 17, tarsus T05. 



Adult Female (S. Sweden, 14th June). Differs from the male in having the black markings narrower, and 

 the crown and occiput coloured almost like the back, but rather paler. 



Adult Male in winter (Rhodes, 5th December). Differs from the male in summer dress in having the upper 

 parts darker, the reddish tinge on the crown and occiput obscured by brown edges to the feathers, and 

 the black on the head blurred by white edges to the feathers. 



Young in first autumn (Rye, Sussex, 18th September). No black on the head or sides of the breast; crown, 

 nape, and sides of the head to below the eye light hair-brown with lighter edges ; forehead dusky 

 white ; upper parts as in the adult, but the feathers have lighter margins ; underparts white ; the 

 patches on the sides of the upper breast, which in the adult are black, are dull brown in the young ; 

 legs and bill black. 



Young in down (Tangier) . Forehead white with a tinge of yellowish buff at the base of the bill ; a black 

 streak through the eye to the nape, widening behind the eye ; upper parts yellowish buff, variegated 

 with black ; underparts pure white. 



Obs. As in most of the small Plovers, there is a considerable individual variation in size, not only in 

 specimens from far distant countries, but amongst a series from the same locality. After measuring a 

 large series, I find that the males vary in size about as follows — culmen 08-082, wing 4"0-4'45, 

 tail F7-20, tarsus r05-ri2. The largest example is one from the south coast of England, and the 

 smallest is one from near Constantinople; but I find the next largest is a bird from Darjeeling, and one, 

 a mere trifle larger than the smallest bird, is from the Sussex coast. After a careful examination of 

 Mr. Swinhoe's specimens of so-called AS. dealbata from China, I cannot distinguish any difference, at 

 least in the birds in a preserved state. Mr. Swinhoe informs me, however, that his AS. dealbata has 

 a spot at the base of the lower mandible light- coloured, and that the tarsi are of a lighter colour when 

 fresh killed than in AS. cantiana, both of which are, he says, found in China. 



The present species does not range as far north as the common Ringed Plover, not being met with 

 higher than Great Britain and Southern Scandinavia, but in Central and Southern Europe it is 

 not uncommon in suitable localities, and has been met with as far south as the Cape colony in 

 Africa. In Asia it occurs as far east as Japan ; but in America it is replaced by JEgialitis nivosa. 

 In Great Britain it is met with but very rarely, except on the south coast of England, where 

 perhaps a few pairs may yet breed, though it has been almost exterminated by thoughtless 

 gunners and egg-collectors. It has been met with on the Norfolk coast, but is rare. Mr. 

 Stevenson (B. of Norf. ii. p. 99) enters fully into the details of the various recorded occurrences, 

 and enumerates from his own notes nine instances of its having been obtained in Norfolk 



