I70 LOST AND VANISHING BIRDS 



a series of shrill, oft-repeated notes. The alarm- 

 note may be expressed by the syllable ptirr ; the 

 more usual call-note is a loud, clear whit. This 

 latter note, during the pairing season, is often 

 repeated so rapidly as to become a trill, and is 

 uttered as the cock bird soars and flies in circles 

 above his mate upon the sands below. The food of 

 this Plover consists of crustaceans, sand worms, 

 molluscs, and insects. 



The Kentish Plover probably pairs for life, and 

 returns season after season with admirable per- 

 sistency to the same strip of shingle to breed. 

 The eggs are laid towards the end of May or early 

 in June. Nest there is none beyond a little hollow 

 in the sand or shingle, whilst sometimes the eggs 

 are laid on a drifted heap of dry seaweed. These 

 eggs are usually three, but sometimes four in 

 number, and are buff in ground colour, blotched, 

 streaked, and spotted with blackish brown and grey. 

 Few birds sit more alertly, and the moment danger 

 is detected the wily parent runs from her charge 

 for some distance ere rising. The young birds are 

 very nimble, and when alarmed hide themselves by 

 crouching low amongst the pebbles. Dr. Sharpe, 

 who has had an enviable experience of this rare 

 bird, thus writes respecting the young: "I have. 



