KENTISH PLOVER 877 



are along the south-east and south coasts of Kent, it at 

 once repairs to these spots. Nidification, or rather, 

 propagation, begins soon after, depending a good deal 

 on the season. The weather in May, 1878, having 

 being warm, the young were hatched by the end of that 

 month ; last season being as much against them as the 

 previous one was in their favour, I found eggs only half 

 incubated by the beginning of June. The eggs, which 

 are three in number — not four, as is usual with other 

 species of the genus — are generally laid on the bare beach. 

 Occasionally the bird will deposit them on a heap of 

 seaweed which has been thrown up by a very high tide. 

 The most usual place is on small pebbles through which 

 a little grass grows. Where the eggs are so deposited the 

 bird lays its first egg on the stones without any attempt at 

 a nest, but twists a few pieces of the surrounding grass 

 amongst the pebbles, so that by the time the three are 

 deposited there is a scanty apology for a nest. If put off 

 the eggs the bird will retire to a short distance, and 

 after a plaintive whistle, run a few yards, then fly a little, 

 and drop and run again. As soon, however, as the young 

 are hatched, its manner is quite different ; it will then 

 fly very close around, giving at each stroke of the wings 

 a sharp whistle, then drop suddenly, as if shot, crouch 

 very close, expand its wing and tail and drag itself along, 

 then suddenly take wing agani and go through the same 

 motions, till the intruder is at a safe distance. The call- 

 note is a soft whistle quickly repeated four or five times. 

 The young, which run as soon as they are hatched, keep 

 close to the parent bird till well able to shift for them- 

 selves. The food of this species consists of insects and 

 small worms, which it picks up at the water's edge and 

 on the beach, when its form and manner much resemble 



