RINGED PLOVER.
nf greater weight, differ much in tin' colouring of tho plumage of the back, which is of a far lighter
tint of greyish brown ; the legs are also more fleshy and of a paler hue, the colour being a yellow fleshtint,
while those of the smaller race are always of a bright and often of a deep o range-yellow. These
small forms do not make their appearance on our shores till after the larger are well on with their
ne-1 iug-operntions. The following extracts taken from my journals will show the dates at which the
smaller were passing over our coasts, and the time when the larger forms were observed while engaged
with their eggs or young:—
"Muy 6, 1880. Over at Shoreham. Wind north-east, very cold. Several lloeks of the small Itingcil
Plover lately landed were feeding on the muds in the harbour at low water and resorting to the shinglebanks
when the tide flowed. Eggs of the larger form were seen on the shingle-hanks, several pairs
being met with between the Shoreham Coastguard Station and the west end of the wide water opposite
Lancing."
" Mav 21, 1881. "Wind west. Breed of four young of the Kinged Plover i, larger form) wen running
after the old birds on the mud in the harbour near the ferry at Shoreham. Many of the small variety
in flocks Hying up and down the tide-way in the river at low water." I never met with a chance of
examining a nest of the small form of the Biuged Plover, and believe that the whole of this diminutive
race proceed further nurth to rear their young.
So late in the season as August 23rd, in 187Í), I noticed a downy brood of this species near tho
Coastguard Station at Shoreham; these must have been a second brood, unless the birds bad suffered
from repealed losses of their former eggs or young. Large flocks of both Dunlins and Ringed Plovers in
immature plumage were at the same time driven into the harbour by a heavy gale accompanied bydrifting
squalls of rain.
The colours of the soft parts of au immature bird shot at Shoreham on the 16th of September,
1SSÜ, were as follows :—Bill black, with the exception of a dingy yellow-ochre tinge at the base; legs
and feet pale livid greenish yellow; soles of feet yellow.
KENTISH PLOVER.
CM A It J DKH 'S t-- / XT I. fNUS.
Tins diminutive Plover was first discovered in Kent at the close of the last oratory, and derives its
scientific appellation from the county in which it was obtained; in Sussex it is almost equally plentiful,
and a few have regularly come under my observation while shooting in spring and autumn on Hreydou
mudllnts in Norfolk. In no other part of the country have I met with this neat and attractive bird,
though ils similarity tu the Biuged Plover may reasonably be supposed to account for a straggler having
been occasionally overlooked.
Along the (kit hue of const lying between Bye Harbour and Dungeness this species was formerly very
nbundant ! during the last twenty years, however, they have greatly decreased in numbers, their nests
having been plundered to supply the demands of collectors, and the birds themselves shol down for the
same purpose. The first arrivals not (infrequently put iu an appearance about the middle or latter end of
April, but May had usually set in before any nnmliers were observed. The nest in this locality is invariably
placed hi the sand or line gravel a little above high-water mark I I never observed one on the grass-iuarshes
a quurter of a mile or so inland, which are often resorted to by the Hinged I'loi cr. Hy the close of summer the
young birds are seen in small parties on the snniU to the cast of Bye Harbour, betaking themselves as the lide
rises, to the mudflats in the Nook and the sladcs and watercourses adjoining the beach in llomney Mar-h.
In September 18C0 I noticed for several days an immense gathering of immature Waders on the sands
between Camber Coastguard Station and the harbour mouth: the birds composing this flock covered at
' half-mile of ground when spread out to feed at the small pools on the flats, the various
nd whoa s pread out to feed at
mi to th maches, thoi gh oeca
o be the most numere us, thou
so several small parties
uck out a course for tl smselves
few Kno s were also cattered
apped slow y up and do n the c
of Wader
er 1 isionallv intermixing while ehanging llndr
i at least a hundred Curlew Sandpipers
' or so of Kentish Plovers, which, when
• without joining any of the larger flights,
it, while Gulls and Terns iu hundreds
I of the winding elinunel towards the
hail>our, the immense concourse of Waders and Sea-fowl making up a most animated scene.
s and Sca-fow 1 mohín
net species, i
r the first week iu October I never
met with this neither have I heard of a specimen having
been obtained or seen by cither I lie tishermen or coast-gunners, who are perpetually on the look-out for any
varieties.
On Breydon mudflats, where a few Kentish Plovers stop for a day or two during spring and autumn while
on their passage to and from the north, these birds are known as Alexandra Plovers among the professional