GREY PLOVER. 281 



fig. 2). It was not however until 1875 that any detailed 

 account of the nidification of this species in the Old World 

 was rendered available through the explorations of Messrs. 

 Seebohm and Harvie-Browu on the ttoidras of the Petchora. 

 Full particulars of their interesting discovery are published 

 in * the Ibis ' 1876, pp. 222—230, and four representative 

 specimens of the eggs are figured (pi. v.). The first nest 

 was found on the 22nd June on the east bank of the river, 

 nearly opposite Alexievka ; it was situated on a dry tussocky 

 ridge intersecting the dead flat boggy moor, and w'as a mere 

 hollow, evidently scratched, perfectly round, somewhat deep, 

 and containing a handful of broken slender twigs and rein- 

 deer-moss, upon which lay four eggs. The female w^as shot 

 from this, and from many other nests, and by the 12th 

 July ten identified clutches of eggs had been secured : those 

 on the last day containing live chicks which were hatched 

 out in a basket filled with Bean-Goose down. The eggs 

 when fresh are described as " intermediate in colour between 

 those of the Golden Plover and the Peewit, and subject to 

 variation, some being much browner and others more olive, 

 none quite as green as typical Peewit's eggs, or as orange 

 as typical ones of the Golden Plover ; but the blotching is 

 in every respect the same, the underlying spots equally 

 indistinct, the surface spots generally large, especially at the 

 larger end, but occasionally very small and scattered." In 

 size they vary from 1*8 by 1'35 to 2'02 by 1-4 in. 



The young in down, obtained as above mentioned, are 

 very yellow, spotted with black ; colours which harmonize 

 with the yellow-green moss on the edges of the little bogs 

 close to which the nests are placed. The ground-colour 

 appears to lack the orange tint noticeable in the down of the 

 young of the Golden Plover. The alarm note is a plaintive 

 koj) ; there is a double call-note, Klee-eep, and sometimes 

 these appear to be combined. When on our coasts it may 

 be rendered by Ti-e-Ui in a much shai'per key than the note 

 of the Golden Plover. The food of the Grey Plover consists 

 of worms, marine insects, marsh shells, green sea-weed, and 

 the maggots of the sea-weed fly. For the tal)le it is hardly 



VOL. III. o o 



