542 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Breeding-habits. — A tundra -haunting species. Nest. — A mere 

 depression in mossy ground, lined with bits of mosses and stalks of 

 lichen, etc. Eggs. — Normally 4, pyriform, closely blotched and 

 spotted with black on pale stone-colour or greyish-olive ground and 

 a few ashy shellmarks ; lacking the warm, rich appearance of 

 Golden Plover's eggs, and not unlike light coloured eggs of Lap- 

 wing. Average of 40 eggs, 51.6x35.9. Max.: 55.2x35.6 and 

 50.7 X 38. Mn. : 45.7 X 34.7 and 51 .9 X 34 mm. Breeding -season. — 

 Latter half June and early July in N. Russia and Kolguev. Incuba- 

 tion. — By both sexes, as both females and males have been shot 

 from eggs. Period not known. Single brooded. 



Food. — Earthworms, small fresh and salt water mollusca, such as 

 small periwinkles and water -snails, insects, including coleoptera 

 (Bembidium, Aphodius, Harpalinus and Gurculionidce), hemiptera, 

 and probably diptera. Also seeds of plants. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Winter -visitor and passage -migrant 

 (end July-€arly Nov., but chiefly Sept. to mid -March-early June 

 and a few throughout summer) . Generally distributed (usually small 

 parties) east and south coasts England, less frequent west coast and 

 Scotland, where usually very scarce north of Solway on west and 

 north of Ness on east ; also rare Orkneys, Shetlands, and Hebrides. 

 In Ireland visits all coasts, but scarce south. Rare vagrant inland. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Breeds in tundras of arctic Europe, 

 W. Siberia and Siberian Islands, Greenland, and eastern America, 

 passes through subarctic regions and winters from coasts of Europe 

 to S. Africa, Madagascar and Seychelles, W. Indies and S. America. 

 Replaced by closely allied races in north-east Siberia (which migrates 

 to Malayan Archipelago and India to Australia), and perhaps parts 

 of N. America. 



Genus CHETTUSIA Bp. 



Chettusia Bonaparte, Iconogr. Faun. Ital., Uccelli, Introd., pp. 12, 115 

 (1841 — Monotype G. gregaria). 



Somewhat resembling Vanellus but has no crest. Bill black, 

 slender. 1st and 2nd developed primaries about equal and longest, 

 3rd little shorter. Tarsus longer than in Vanellus. Hind toe dis- 

 tinct though small. 2 species, only one casual in British Isles. 



CHETTUSIA GREGARIA 



383. Chettusia gregaria (Pall.)— THE SOCIABLE PLOVER. 



Charadritjs gregarius Pallas, Reise d. versch. Prov. d. Russ. Reichs, 1, 



p. 456 (1771 — Volga steppes). 



Vanellus gregarius (Pallas), Saunders, p. 553. 



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

 broad eye-stripe which meets on nape, light buff or cream ; crown 

 olive -brown, feathers narrowly tipped warm buff, those of fore -part 

 of crown usually with small black spots or streaks, some on hinder 



