RINGED PLOVER. 381 



Mr. W. H. Power, in his Birds Observed at Bainham, 

 1865, says the Einged Plover was " first seen on its 

 move southward on July 19. I noticed an instance of 

 the great voracity of crabs. Having shot a Einged 

 Plover, which fell in the water, I went as soon as I had 

 reloaded to pick it up ; not more than two minutes could 

 have elapsed, but when I arrived at the spot where it 

 fell I could only see the tip of one wing some distance 

 below the surface of the water. Upon seizing this and 

 pulling it out, I landed at the same time three crabs ; 

 they had already made a considerable hole in the breast 

 of the bird." 



The Einged Plover, writes Captain Boyd Alexander in 

 1896, " breeds on the ' Lydd Beach' in fair numbers, and 

 seems to be the least affected of its genus by the artillery 

 practice. These noisy little birds course over the beach 

 all day long, uttering their whistling cries. Even the 

 Sky-Larks of the locality have caught their plaintive 

 notes, and they produce them amongst their own with 

 startling exactitude." 



The following observations on this bird at New 

 Eomney and Littlestone-on-Sea, were made by Mr. 

 E. F. M. Elms in 1902 : " Saw the first Einged Plovers 

 about half-way between Littlestone and Dymchurch on 

 May 18; watched them running about the shingle for 

 some time, and felt convinced there was a nest near at 

 hand, but was unable to locate it. They (for it was 

 a pair under observation) seemed full of anxiety and 

 uneasiness, and incessantly kept up their tremulous 

 piping. After accomplishing each little run forward over 

 the pebbles they would pause, and seem to cast a sidelong 

 glance at one another. 



" On May 20 I spent a considerable time watching 



