530 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



from its near allies by ochraceous-tawny back, rump and upper tail- 

 coverts. 



Field -characters. — - Apart from larger size, separable from other 

 " Ringed " Plovers by double black band across breast. Rufous 

 rump and longish tail also conspicuous. Mostly an inland bird, 

 frequenting dry rolling pastures, borders of ponds and lakes, and 

 wet meadows. Occurs over coastal marshes on migration, but 

 seldom alights there and does not associate with its maritime 

 relatives. In southern U.S. in winter frequents seashore. On 

 ground bobs head and neck with great frequency. Flight swift and 

 buoyant. A noisy bird, its cry sharp and ringing " kee-hee ! " or 

 "kil-dee!" (J. T. Nichols.) 



Breeding-habits. — Breeds generally on grass lands or arable far 

 from water. Nest. — A mere depression in ground, sometimes lined 

 with a few bents or twigs ; also in sand with fragments of shell 

 round eggs. Eggs. — Usually 4, pyriform, ochreous or clay-colour, 

 spotted, streaked and blotched with black and inky -grey shell-marks. 

 Average of 31 eggs, 38.4x27.1. Max.: 41.5x27 and 39.4x28. 

 Min. : 36.2x27.2 and 38x26.1 mm. Breeding-season. — April, May, 

 and June. Incubation. — No details available. 



Food. — Insects, worms and small Crustacea recorded. 



Distribution. — Great Britain. — Six. Near Christchurch (Hants.) 

 April, 1859. Tresco (Scilly Isles) Jan. 15, 1885 (Saunders, p. 545 

 and Birds Hants., p. 287). Peterhead (Aberdeen) 1867 (W. P. 

 Pycraft, Ann. S.N.H., 1904, p. 247). Three Romney Marsh (Kent), 

 April 21 and 22, 1908 (N. F. Ticehurst, Brit. B., n, p. 169 ; Bull, 

 B.O.C., xxm, p. 25). Two shot Winchelsea (Sussex) Nov. 12, 1915, 

 a third seen and again on 16th (H. W. Ford-Lindsay, Brit. B., ix, 

 p. 212). 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Breeds in North America, from British 

 Columbia south to central Mexico, winters in Central and South 

 America, from California to Venezuela, Peru, and more rarely 

 Paraguay and Chile, rare Bahamas, Bermuda. Said to have 

 occurred Madeira. 



CHARADRIUS APRICARIUS 



378. Charadrius apricarius oreophilos (Meinertzhagen) — THE 

 BRITISH GOLDEN PLOVER. 



Pltjvialis apricarius oreophilos A. C. Meinertzhagen, Bull. Brit. 

 Orn. Club, xlii, p. 6 (1921— Brit. Is. Type Orkneys). 



Description. — Adult male and female. Winter. — Fore-head whitish 

 or cream, feathers with dusky centres ; nape golden streaked 

 dusky-brown ; rest of upper -parts brown-black or dark sepia, 

 feathers notched and tipped golden, upper tail-coverts barred 

 same ; superciliary stripe pale golden or cream more or less streaked 

 brown ; small patch below and line above eye white ; ear-coverts, 



