CHAPTER IX 



PLOVERS AND THEIR PECULIARITIES 



Eyes and no eyes — Plover habits — The Lapwing — Hated by 

 Covenanters — The spur- winged Plovers — Annoying ways 

 — The Kiewitje and its habits — Grey Plover — The Killdeer 

 — Dotterel — Einged Plover — The Locust-bird — Wonderful 

 methods of destroying locusts — Sea-cow bird — British 

 plovers known in South Africa — The Eain-bird — Other 

 South African plovers — The wattled, Caspian, Heywood's, 

 and Kitlitz's plovers — Moquin's Oyster-catcher — Proba- 

 bility of discovery of new species. 



In these whirling days, few people find time to stop 

 and consider the ways and habits of the many 

 interesting creatures that surround them. A sprink- 

 ling of enthusiastic naturalists, the more thoughtful 

 among sportsmen, and perchance one in a hundred 

 of the tourists who throng river, and mountain, and 

 loch during their brief vacations — these are the 

 only folk who have eyes and ears for the thousand 

 and one interesting traits even of the avi-fauna 

 of their own land. And yet, as every true lover of 

 nature knows, there is a world of pleasure to be got 



out of a little quiet observation even in the fields or 

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