6 CHARADRIUS SEMIPALMATUS. 
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 ns ; but 
the light coloured 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 following remarks : “ Almost all 
which I have seen from the northern parts of North 
America have had the black marks extremely faint, and 
almost lost. The climate had almost destroyed the 
specific marks, yet in the bill and habit preserved 
sufficient to make the kind very easily ascertained.” 
These traits agree exactly with the light coloured 
species just described. But this excellent naturalist 
was perhaps not aware, that we have the true ring 
plover here in spring and autumn, agreeing in every 
respect 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 recon- 
ciled but by supposing each to be a distinct species, 
which, though approaching extremely near to each 
other in external appearance, have each their peculiar 
notes, colour, and places of breeding. 
The ring plover is seven inches long, and fourteen 
inches in extent ; bill, short, orange coloured, tipt with 
black ; front and chin, white, encircling the neck ; 
upper part of the breast, black ; rest of the lower parts, 
pure white ; fore part of the crown, black ; band from 
the upper mandible covering the auriculars, also black ; 
back, scapulars, and wing-coverts, of a brownish ash 
colour ; wing-quills, dusky black, marked with an oval 
spot of white about the middle of each ; tail, olive, 
deepening into black, and tipt with white ; legs, dull 
yellow ; eye, dark hazel ; eyelids, yellow. 
This bird is said to make no nest, but to lay four eggs 
of a pale ash colour, spotted with black, which she 
