THE GOLDEN PLOVER. 
87 
The shores and moors are everywhere crowded with them and 
within a hundred yards of the lodge^ Henessey, with two barrels, 
'killed seven couple and a half last evening. The bent- banks are 
their favourite fixture ; and 1 have never crossed them of late 
without finding at least one stand. I have seen three hundred 
of these birds thus congregated."’^ 
The same author continues : — There is, in shooting plover, a 
common remark made by sportsmen, that the second is always the 
most productive barrel. The rapidity with which they vary their 
position when on the ground seldom admits of a grand combina- 
tion for a sitting, or rather a running, shot. But when on tlie 
wing their mode of fiight is most favourable for permitting the 
shot to tell ; and it is by no means unusual to bring down a 
number. When disturbed they frequently wheel back directly 
above the fowler, and offer a tempting mark, if he should have a 
barrel in reserve ; and even when too high for the shot to take 
effect I have often thrown away a random fire ; for the plover, on 
hearing the report, directly make a sweep downwards on the wing, 
and I have by this means brought them within range of the second 
barrel."’^ — (p. 292, edit. 1843.) 
This singular habit the golden plover shares with others of its 
* The mention of large flocks upon the moors renders it evident that the Golden 
and not the “ Gray” plover is meant : the latter species is a shore bird, and, besides, 
does not appear in flocks such as those described. It is surprising that intelligent 
men will not make themselves acquainted with the correct names of the birds on 
which they so pleasantly descant. Tor a long period we have had three species of 
plover distinguished as Green (Lapvring), Golden, and Grey, each deriving the name 
from its actual colour, yet are they commonly confounded together. In the ‘ British 
Naturalist’ (vol. ii. p. 266) the Golden is treated of at length under the name of Green 
plover ; and at p. 271, the following remarks appear : — “ There are few birds of 
which the iguonegenes are more perplexing than the plover ; it is in fact almost the 
British chameleon. One sees it in one light, and it is ‘ green ; ’ a second takes a 
greater fancy to the yellow spots, and it is ‘ golden a third comes upon it in the 
winter ; the green and the gold have both faded, and, lo ! it is ' grey.’ ” Here we 
have three distinct species, ranked by some systematic authors under as many genera, 
confounded together by the British Naturalist ! 
When the golden plover, either from youth or seasonable change of plummge, does 
not exhibit its golden drops, the unaltered characters of structure have only to be 
looked to ; the absence of the hind toe, and the comparatively small and delicate bill 
at once distinguish it from the grey plover. The white appearance of the upper tail 
coverts of the latter species, as seen when the bird flies, distinguishes it from the 
golden plover. Shooters recognize it by this character alone, when its distinctive 
call-note is not uttered. Close examination, however, shows that these coverts are 
' not wholly white. 
