when the winig is extended, a very visible band. These
points should suffice to distinguish the two Species at any
age.
The Little Kinged Plover also exhibits some difference
in its habits, preferring the sides of rivers rather than the
shores of the sea. On this point the late Mr. Hoy, who had
attended to the distinguished peculiarities of - this species on
the Continent, remarks, “ The Little Plover'appears to be
very rarely found on the sea coast; but frequents in ■ preference
the banks of rivers, where it? breeds. It lays^its
eggs on the sand, not a particle of grass, or othor material
being used. I t is very partial to sand banks* forming
islands, which are often met with in some Of the? larger
rivers of the Continent. It haay also frequently--behfound
during the breeding-season upon those large extents of sand
which are met with at some little' distance -from the bonders
of rivers, overgrown in part with a coarse wiry grass.’*’ ’,>The
eggs are generally four in number, and measure l ’lt)
by *85 in.; of a pale yellowish stoneKcol-ofeif; with numerous
small spots. ,of dark brown, without the bold blotches found
in the egg of 'the Ringed Plover.
The fbod is similar tó that; of the preceding species.
The usual note is rendered By. Naumann as dia or
uttered, very quickly, but the love, cill .is a much, pore
prolonged trill.
* It is somewhat remarkable that the Little- Kinged Plover
should so rarely be obtained on our^shores, inasmuch as itfo
a common species; in summer in the northern, portions of the
Continent. It, breeds in Scandinavia?, 1 Russia, they greater
part of Germany, and.in Belgium, although in Holland it
appears to be a bird of passage; and it-nests regularly in
some parts of Prance, Spain, .Italy; and-along all the northern
side of the Mediterranean, jj .'Principally a winter visitant to
North. Africa, it descends that continent to the Gaboon on
the west, and to Mozambique on the east; and has algo
occurred in Mauritius. 'The most northern locality on
record is probably JÜÉ^Zylma, on .the Petchora, where a
solitary specimen was obtained! by Messrs. J^ebohm and
Harvie-Brown; but ,%outh of that, it -occurs throughout
Siberia and Turkestan, where it breeds: up to an altitude'
of 4,000 feet; and in China and Japan, where it also
breeds. I t can bfef traced from Palestine, through Persia
and Afghanistan, to Kashgar, Fwhere Dr. Scully obtained it'
at an elevation of 12,000 feet^and procured-a'young bird
in*the month of December ; it-visits bhe Mekran" coast -and
the .greater part India in winter -; in-Ceylonfit is said to>
be resident*;- and it ranges "onwards from -Burmah to the
Philippines and the Moluccas. 1
A -small Plover, said' to have been obtained at San
Francisco, and- described' as a new^speeies by Mr.- Ridgway,
under the name was^ subsequently
"identified .by him with M. c^ m ^ dmt-Mr. Ridg-
way now-'cohsiders it very doubtfubwhether the locallty^given'
(öMe label was'‘Corïtótw!l .
In-the adult .bird 'iber beakds Hae^" except" at'the baserbfx:
the* bower - mandible, where ifeiis - yelfew; the dridess dark
brown; teye-lids ^ bright ;iyllfe^rdh© forehead wMtepïwith>
a black patch above d t ‘exterfding fó dhe, eye on eSachdMe1;
top tóf the -head and thedcciput ash'-browm; lore and ear-
(bveifitsf black; nape -of themeck'white ;1 below4tts t a collar'
of-tffiack; back,- scapulars, wing?c@Vefts, tertialsy rump, and
upper taiMóvetts,-ash-bïown ; primary and secondarywingir
feathers 'dusky brown; these and -the? grèatër'wing-cover,ts/
edged with whiter; the first primary <quth-feather<'onfy - with
abroad white shaft'; "tad-feathers .ash-brown at the -base,
darker towards the end*; the five outer tail-feathers on
*each'side white, at .the* end, tp s colour increasing in extent
oh^ach'lateral feather, the outpf one on each side having
onljr a dusky spot onl the inner ^qb, - but- this* appears'do
ber’&nita^-at all ages: chin and throat, white, this colour
' extending from the latter round the n%pa/ of the neck;
'^glow this and .above the breast is<^> collar of black; the
breast dtself, £he'belfy, ventend undpr tail-coverts, pure
white; - legs and tpep dull yqll.p.W ^th® claws black.
Adult specimens generally pleasure six inches and oné-
quarter. From the carpal joint id 'the^ ênd of the wing,
' VOL. in . M M .