THE ASIATIC GOLDEN PLOVER. 537 



ground. Average of 22 eggs, 49.2x33.2. Max.: 54x33.2 and 

 49.3 X 34.5. Min. : 46.5 X 34.3 and 46.7 X 32 mm. Breeding -season. 

 — Latter part June and early July. Incubation. — Apparently chiefly 

 by female but Murdoch states that both sexes were shot from nest 

 and both had incubation patches. Single brooded. 



Food. — Little definitely recorded. Probably main food worms and 

 insects. Hatch records orthoptera (grasshoppers) and insect larvae 

 from arable land, and Clarke an instance of young fish (Sicydium) 

 being eaten. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Four or five. [Leadenhall Market, 

 autumn 1882.] Near Perth Aug. 3, 1883* (J. G. Millais, Zool, 1886, 

 p. 26). Belmullet (Mayo) Sept. 13, 1894 (E. Williams, Irish Nat., 

 1894, p. 224 ; Saunders, p. 549). Shell Haven Point (Essex) Aug. 6, 

 1896* (H. Nunn, Zool., 1897, p. 330). Rye (Sussex) Sept. 22, 1916 

 (J. B. Nichols, Brit. B., xi, p. 45.) 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Breeds in arctic north America, west to 

 northern Alaska, winters in Brazil and Argentina, passing down 

 Atlantic Ocean, returning through Mississippi valley, and occurring, 

 on migration, in Greenland and Bermudas. Once on Heligoland, 

 1847. Replaced in north-east Asia and at Point Barrow in N. Alaska 

 by C. d. fulvus. 



381. Charadrius dominicus fulvus Gm.--THE ASIATIC GOLDEN 

 PLOVER. 



Charadrius fulvus Gmelin, Syst. Nat., 1, ii, p. 687 (1789 — Tahiti). 

 Charadrius dominicus P. L. Miiller, Saunders, p. 549 (part). 



Description. — Adult male and female. Winter. — Distinguished 

 from C. d. dominicus by black-brown upper -parts, feathers notched, 

 tipped and barred yellow-gold (not such a green -gold as in. G. apri- 

 carius) and by having under -parts as follows : chin and throat buff- 

 yellow, throat sometimes streaked brown ; ear-coverts brownish ; 

 cheeks and sides of neck creamy-yellow streaked brown ; breast 

 fawn -brown, feathers with creamy or yellowish edges ; flanks white 

 with median brown streaks, sometimes washed fulvous and tipped 

 golden ; remaining under -parts including axillaries and under 

 wing-coverts as in C. d. dominicus ; tail-feathers pale sepia, barred 

 darker and washed white or yellow, yellow most marked on central 

 pair ; wing as in C. d. dominicus, but innermost secondaries and 

 coverts, median and lesser coverts notched and edged cream-yellow 

 or golden. This plumage is acquired by complete moult end of 

 Aug. to Feb. N.B. — In one March specimen autumn moult was not 

 yet completed, 1st and 2nd primaries being in quill and body in full 

 moult, while in several dated Feb. 2nd or 3rd primary was in 

 sheath. Summer. — The body-feathers (not all scapulars), central 

 pair of tail-feathers (sometimes three central pairs), some inner- 



* Apparently C. d. dominicus but possibly C. d. fulvus. 



