350 



REPTILES AND BIRDS. 



help they can ; so if you are not a novice in field sports, you will find 

 no great difficulty in profiting by this circumstance and so filling your 

 game-bag. 



The Plover migrates from the north of Europe to Africa, and 

 vice versa ; it thus visits France twice a year, in spring and autumn. 

 Their appearance at these usually rainy seasons is doubtless the 

 reason that they have obtained the generic name Pluvialis. The 

 principal species are — the Great Plover, the Kentish Plover, the 

 Golden Plover, the Dotterel, and the Pluvian. 



Fig. 141.— Golden Plover. 



The Great Plover ( CEdicnemus crepitans) is about the size of a 

 Dove ; it is very uncommon, very active, and very shy. The only 

 chance of shooting it is in the evening, at the moment when it comes 

 to wash itself on the edges of lakes and rivers. Its flesh is not much 

 valued. 



The Kentish Plover (Ckaradris cantianus) is thus named on 

 account of its collar being divided into two parts ; it is considerably 

 less than the last-named bird, and is found in Europe and Asia. 



The Golden Plover (Charadrius pluvialis, Fig. 141) is nearly as 

 large as a Woodcock; the ground of its plumage is of a yellow colour, 

 speckled over with brown spots. In winter it is always numerously 



