GOLDEN PLOVER. 169 



GRALLATORES. CHARADRIIDJE 



PLATE CCXX. 



GOLDEN PLOVER. 



CHARADRIUS PLUVIALIS. 



The Golden Plover is indigenous in Britain, although 

 not many, comparatively speaking, remain here to breed ; 

 but their numbers receive a great accession in autumn from 

 large flocks which migrate southward from their breeding- 

 grounds in high northern latitudes, to pass the winter in 

 our milder regions. During the winter these flocks inhabit 

 low, marshy grounds, and the neighbouring fields of turnips, 

 fallow lands, or meadows. 



The geographical distribution of the Golden Plover, 

 ranges over many parts of the globe, principally the 

 northern half of it ; it is known to inhabit periodically the 

 Hudson's Bay districts, Canada, Siberia, Persia, and the 

 East Indies. In Europe it occurs in Russia, Norway, 

 Sweden, Iceland, the Faro Isles, the Hebrides, Scotland, 

 England, Holland, and every country southward, to the 

 borders of the Mediterranean ; and in Sardinia it is more 

 numerous during the winter than anywhere before named ; 

 it also reaches Syria. 



The localities above mentioned are its most frequented 

 haunts with us, but it also frequently occurs on open 

 heath grounds, flat or hilly, and in young corn fields, and 



VOL. V. P 



