^GIALITIS HIATICULA. 
RiQg*ed Plover. 
Charadrhis hiaticula, Linn. Faun. Suec., p. 66. 
torquatiis, Leach, Syst. Cat. of Indig. Mamm. and Birds in Brit. Mus., p. 28. 
jEgialitis septentrionaUs, Brehm, Vog. Deutschl., p. 548. 
hiaticula, Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 558. 
Hiaticula annulata, G. R. Gray, List of Gen. of Birds, 1840, p. 65. 
torquata, G. R. Gray, List, of Spec, in Brit. Mus. p. 68. 
The Ringed Plover is so generally dispersed along the sea-coasts of the British Islands that it would be 
difficult to say on which of them it could not be found. Mr. Rodd describes it as “ generally distributed 
along the shores of Cornwall, and very often associated with Dunlins ; breeds early ; eggs found in Scilly 
in April.” From this locality, the most south-westerly of our counties, it is found throughout England and 
Scotland to the Orkneys ; it also frequents the Western Islands and Ireland. It is a stationary species, and 
is to be met with both in winter and summer. It usually breeds on the shingly portion of the beaches, but 
frequently along the sides of the larger rivers, and, moreover, often proceeds to the wastes and warrens of 
the interior, where it may find any attractive spot whereon to deposit its eggs and rear its young. The 
other countries it inhabits are Iceland and Europe generally, to within the Arctic circle ; and it crosses over 
the Mediterranean to Africa, occurring there as far south at least as Mozambique and Walvisch Bay. I am 
rather surprised that it is not included by Jerdon in his ‘ Birds of India,’ nor by Mr. Holdsworth in his 
“ List of Ceylonese Birds neither does Mr. Swinhoe appear to have seen it in China. On reference to my 
‘ Handbook to the Birds of Australia,’ it will be found that I possess a specimen killed at Port Stevens, in 
New South Wales ; it would he somewhat strange, therefore, if it should ultimately prove that the Ringed 
Plover does not inhabit either India or China: it must surely be at least a casual visitor to those countries. 
An opinion is pretty general that a second species of Ringed Plover arrives on our southern coast in spring, 
and either remains to breed here, or proceeds to regions further north for this purpose. On this head I 
have recewed letters from various correspondents, some assuring me that the smaller bird is quite distinct from 
the larger, while others express their doubts about regarding it as such. The specimens of the old and young 
Ringed Plover figured on the accompanying Plate, were taken from examples of the larger and indigenous bird 
collected by myself on the Great Shingle at Dimgeness Point on the coast of Kent, June 12th, 1864 ; and as 
the drawing was made on the spot the colouring of the soft parts of both may be depended upon. I must 
remark that although there were several broods on the shingle of the same age as those I have figured, 
which had not left the shell more than a day or two, there were others running about that were nearly 
fledged and able to fly, clearly showing that some of the paired birds had incubated their eggs at an earlier 
period. I have, from time to time, weighed many of the old birds of this species, and taken admeasurements 
of a still larger number, in order to ascertain the comparative w^eight and size of the sexes, but without 
anv satisfactory result, some of the males being heavier and larger than the females, and vice versa. The 
largest bird proved to be a female ; but this large size did not appear to be constant in that sex. 
Mr. Harting also kindly weighed for me six specimens shot by himself at Pagham Harbour on the 3rd of 
December, 1867. These six birds were evidently adult, as they had black rings round their necks, and the 
crescentic marks on their chests. The following are the weights and the colouring of the outer tail-feathers 
(which was supposed to be a character of importance) of the six specin)ens in question : — 
No. 1. Female 
No. 2. Male . 
No. 3. Female 
Colour of outer 
Weight. tail-feathers. 
1160 grains. White. 
1120 „ Wliite. 
1100 „ WTiite. 
No. 4. Male . 
No. 5. Male . 
No. 6. Male . 
Difference between heaviest and lightest =180 grains. 
Colour of outer 
Weight. tail-feathers. 
1080 grains. Dark spot. 
1030 „ Dark edge. 
980 „ Faint spot. 
The weight of the little species or race, as the case may be, of the Ringed Plover, taking the average of 
four specimens sent to me in the flesh by Mr. Swaysland on the 23rd of September 1867, was two ounces; 
but one of them weighed a quarter of an ounce more, and another as much less. As the question respecting 
there being one or two species of these Ringed Plovers on our coasts is still occupying the attention of 
British ornithologists, I shall here insert two notes I have received on the subject. The first is from Mr. 
George Dawson, of Brighton, who says, “ with regard to these birds being only a smaller race of tlie larger, 
I do not, at present certainly, agree, because you may see a flock of sixty of the small ones at Shoreham at 
the time the larger birds have young ones ; both kinds keep distinct ; and the small (which I call Charadrius 
