GOLDEN PLOVER. 173 



The measurements of the Golden Plover are as follows : 

 its entire length about eleven inches, its wing, from the car- 

 pus to the tip, eight inches, the beak one inch, and the tar- 

 sus one inch eight lines. 



The plumage of the adult bird in summer is jet black on 

 the upper parts, the edges of the feathers being regularly 

 spotted with gold yellow ; the forehead and space above the 

 eyes pure white, the sides of the neck the same, but spotted 

 with black and yellow ; the throat, front of the neck, breast, 

 and belly, black ; the eyes are brown, legs lead-colour, and 

 the beak dusky. 



In winter the top of the head and all the upper parts are 

 dusky, with paler yellow spots on the edges and tips of the 

 feathers ; the sides of the head, neck, and breast, irregularly 

 streaked, and spotted with raw umber brown, and grey ; the 

 throat, belly, and vent are white ; the quills are dusky, with 

 white streaks along the shafts ; the greater wing-coverts are 

 tipped with white ; the eyes, legs, and beak much the same 

 as in the adult in summer. The male and female are very 

 nearly alike. . 



The young of the year are brown, with yellow spots on 

 the upper parts, both colours being strongly mixed with 

 greyish-ash. 



The egg figured 220 is that of the Golden Plover. 



