More abundant in France than in Germany ; rare in Switzerland ; common enough in the islands and on the coasts of Holland. Abun dant in summer in the regions of the Arctic Circle and of Oriental climates, where it breeds. M. Cantraine killed a young one in the Strait of Boniface. (Temm.) Dr. Von Siebold and M. Burger saw it in Japan, and M. Temminck states that he has seen individuals from that locality in both summer and winter plumage. Sir John Richard son, who notices it as the Toolee-areeoo, or Tooglee-aiah, of the Esquimaux, says that it is observed in the Fur Countries in similar places to those frequented by the Golden Plover, though it is not equally common, and that it breeds in open grounds from Penn sylvania to the northern extremity of the continent. He describes a specimen killed at Hudson's Bay (lat. 57°) in August 1822. Captain James Ross, in the Appendix to Sir John Ross's Last Voyage,' observes that it was more rarely met with than the Golden Plover, but was found breeding near the margins of the marshes immediately to the south-west of Fury Point in considerable numbers. Some specimens were also obtained near Felix Harbour. It is met with in Egypt, and upon the confines of Asia, in Siberia, &c. (Selby.) The last-quoted author states that in Britain there are a few stations on the coast of Northumberland where it is found during the whole winter, but only in families or small flocks. It generally arrives about the middle of September, sometimes even earlier, he adds, at which time several of the old birds still retain a part of their summer plumage. In the month of May they go northward. Mr. Gould says that they appear in the greatest abundance in this country while performing their periodical migrationa in the months of April and May along the coasts of Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and Kent. (` Birds- of Europe.') Vanellus (Briss.). Bill shorter than the head, straight, slightly compressed, the points of both mandibles horny and hard. Nasal groove wido, and reaching as far as the horny tip. Nostrils basal, linear, pierced in the membrane of the nasal groove. Legs slender, with the lower part of the tibite naked. Feet 4-toed, three before and one behind, united at the bane by a membrane ; hind toe very short, articulated upon the tarsus. Tarsi reticulated. Wings ample, tuberculated, or spurred. The first three quill-feathers notched or suddenly narrowed towards their tips, and shorter than the fourth and fifth, which are the longest. (Gould.) b. cristalos (Tringa reinellmo, Linn.), the Peewit, or Lapwing. The male in winterplumage has the occipital feathers very loug,looee barbed, and curved upwards. Top of the howl, et est, trout of the neck and brenst, glossy black ; upper parts deep grecu with brilliant reflections ; sides of the neck, belly, abdomen, and base of the tail, pure white ; tail-feathers terminated by a large black space, with the exception of the external feather ; lower coverts ruddy, bill blackish; feet red-brown. Length rather more than 12 inches. The female has the black of the throat and breast less deep. The young before the moult have the occipital crest shorter; some blackish colour below the eyes; the throat varied with black and ashy brown ; all the feathers of the upper and lower parts terminated with ochreous yellow ; feet ashy-olive. The spring or nuptial plumage is scarcely distinguishable by the greater bril liancy of the reflections on the back and wings, and by the deeper intensity of the black of the throat and breast. The crest however is longer, and the colour of the feet bright reddish.
The Peewit is spread over the whole of Europe, and is partienlarly plentiful in liollad. Mr. Gould states that he has seen specimens in collections from India and Africa. It is noted by Messrs. Dixon and Rom as occurring in great numbers near Erzeroom, arriving at the end of 3dercb, and departing at the end of November. During the
summer it frequents the river (Kara-Su, or northern branch of the Euphrates), but on its arrival, and previous to its departure, it is found in moist fields. The native name is Kiz-Coosh6o (Maiden's Bird), or Kalunauni Coosh6o (13ittli-Ilini). ranellos Keptuschka, and Char-wiring Marinello, and C. minor were found by those gentlemen at the same locality. (' Zool. Proc.,' I S39.) It appears in the ' List of Birds' seen in Japan, by Dr. Von Siebold and M. Biirger; and Tenaminck states that individuals from that locality differ in nothing from those of Europe.
Accidental Varieties.—Pure white. Yellowish white with faint indications of the deeper colours. One or other part of the body speckled with white feathers. (Ternm.) This species is Le Vanneau of the French; Paoncella Commune of the Italians ; Gehaiibte Kiebiz of the Germans; De Kievit of the Netherlanders; Peaseweep, Peewit, Bastard Plover, Lapwing, and Wypo, of the British ; Cornehwigel of the Welsh. lt is also the Wipe, Kowipa, and Blieeka, of the Swedes; • Vibe and Kivit of the Danes; and, according to Belon, .AYE of the Greeks (Aristot., Anim.; viii. 3); Pavonzino end Parruchello of the Italians; and in some provinces Dixhuit and Papechieu of the French.
The habits of this species very much resemble those of the other Plovers, and the arts by which the parents try to lead either dog or man from their eggs or young by counterfeiting the gait of a wounded bird, itc., are as well if not better known am the stratagems of its congeners on the like occasions. Tide is the bird which furnishes the plover's eggs of the London market ; and those who rob the nest are, t Is said, careful not to take all, but they leave one or two, so as to induce the bird to go on laying, which she generally does to make up her number. The full compliment, when the bird is not robbed, is generally four, and they are olive-coloured, spotted and blotched with black. That part of the egg which is usually called the white (the albumen) I. transparent when boiled, and his somewhat of a bluish tinge. The nest, if nest it may be called, in the bare earth. It haunts the borders of rivers, lakes, plains, and marshy and is generally to be found near the seashore in the winter. This part of its habits well agrees with those described an proper to Aristotle's Aix, accord ing to the reading given by Belon. This elegant bird mem' to have been as much esteemed by the French for the table as by our own countrymen. In the ' Portraits des Oyseattx the following quatrain appears under the figure of the bird : " voy cy demote Is pottralet du Vanes% Et le voyant, pourras to Yeue paistre; Mils sl to yeulx d'un bon moreesu repatstre 11 y a pea its menieurs oysosua Wean." In the Northumberland Hounehohl-Book,"Wypea ' are charged at one penny each, and they are among the births admitted to his lordship s own 'meet.' Thin species is confined to the Old World ; but Captain P. P. King, R.N., has described a second species from the Straits of 3lagalhaens. It is figured in the' Illustrations of Ornithology,' under the name of Squatarola cincta.
Philonmehua, the Spur-Winged Plover. It is the Philomachus apinoaus (Charadrius spinosua, Linn.; Plurialis Sencgalensis armee, Brims.; Plurianus spinosua, Gould.) When the male and female are in perfect plumage all the summit of the head and occiput, throat, front of the neck, breast, sides, quills, and three-fourths of the tail are black ; region below the eyes, lateral ham of the bill, sides of the neck, nape, long feathers on the sides, inside of the wings, the whole border of the wing, thighs, abdomen, rump, and first fourth of the origin of the tail, pure white; the whole of the mantle, quills nearest the body, an well as all the coverts, gray brown, more or less deep or umber-colour ; two lateral feathers of the tail terminated with white. Length I0 to 11 inches.