RINGED PLOVER. 93 
pact little figure with repose in every feature. Again, 
as we approach, it is all life and action, the head 
thrown well forward, and the breast carried close to the 
ground. A little quick run precedes the spreading of 
its wings, and, with a rapid sweeping flight, perhaps 
whistling as it flies, it seeks some further station. Once 
more alighting, the wings are closed, a few quick steps 
exhaust the impetus of its flight, and the former attitude 
is re-assumed. In feeding, also, by the water’s edge, 
or on a smooth tract of sand left bare by the tide, its 
quick nervous actions and particularly the rapid move- 
ments of the feet, are extremely interesting; with now a 
little run and then a stop to pick up some tiny atom of 
food, reminding one somewhat of a thrush searching for 
worms on a grassplot after a heavy shower. The food 
of this species, at least on the coast, consists chiefly of 
minute hard shelled molusca, and small shrimps and 
sand-hoppers. I have also found in their stomachs 
numerous small white worms, about half an inch in 
length, mixed with a few gritty substances. It so 
happens that I have never witnessed any of the art- 
ful devices, described by Macgillivray as adopted by 
this plover, to decoy intruders from the nest, but 
my own experience quite agrees with the statement 
of Mr. J. R. Garrett, as published by Thompson in his 
“Birds of Ireland” (vol. ii., p. 98), that the hen bird 
when sitting on her eggs does not make any cry 
as she runs off, but that once the young are hatched 
both parents become very clamorous when disturbed. 
At such times their anxiety is evinced by an irregular 
pitching flight, and somewhat altered note, resembling 
the word “pen-y-et,” pronounced as three syllables, 
with a strong emphasis on the first and last. Whilst 
on the warrens, the ringed-plover is known as the 
‘“‘ stonehatch,” on all parts of our coast it is termed the 
*stonerunner,” and at Salthouse dogs are commonly 
