66 



RING PLOVER. 



the sand with expanded tail and hanging wings^ endeavouring to 

 decoy you from its nest. The present species is never seen to 

 breed here ; and tho I have opened great numbers of them as late 

 as the twentieth of May, the eggs which the females contained were 

 never larger than small bird-shot ; while, at the same time, the 

 light-colored kind had every where begun to lay in the little cavi- 

 ties which they had dug in the sand on the beach. These facts 

 being considered, it seems difficult to reconcile such difference of 

 habit in one and the same bird. The Ring Plover is common in 

 England, and agrees exactly with the one now before us ; but the 

 light-colored species, as far as I can learn, is not found in Britain; 

 specimens of it have indeed been taken to that country, where the 

 most judicious of their ornithologists have concluded it to be still 

 the Ring Plover, but to have changed from the effect of climate. 

 Mr. Pennant, in speaking of the true Ring Plover, makes the fol- 

 lowing remarks: "Almost all which I have seen from the north- 

 ern parts of North America have had the black marks extremely 

 faint, and almost lost. The climate had almost destroyed the spe- 

 cific marks; yet in the bill and habit preserved sufficient to make 

 the kind very easily ascertained." These traits agree exactly 

 with the light-colored species described in our fifth volume. But 

 this excellent naturalist was perhaps not aware that we have the 

 true Ring Plover here in spring and autumn, agreeing in every re- 

 spect with that of Britain, and at least in equal numbers ; why, 

 therefore, has not the climate equally affected the present and the 

 former sort, if both are the same species ? These inconsistencies 

 cannot be reconciled but by supposing each to be a distinct spe- 

 cies, which, tho approaching extremely near to each other in ex- 

 ternal appearance, have each their peculiar notes, color, and places 

 of breeding. 



The Ring Plover is seven inches long, and fourteen inches in 

 extent; bill short, orange colored, tipt with black; front and chin 

 white, encircling the neck; upper part of the breast black; rest of 



