GREATER RINGED PLOVER. 261 



Breeding habits : This Ringed Plover is resident 

 in our islands, but subject to much local movement 

 during the non-breeding season. Its favourite breeding- 

 grounds are long reaches of sandy coast, or the sand- 

 banks and shingly shores of rivers and lakes. Although 

 not exactly breeding in colonies, it remains to a certain 

 extent gregarious during the summer, and numbers of 

 pairs may be found nesting within a small area. Early 

 in April the large flocks break up into smaller parties of 

 paired birds, which retire to their usual nesting-places, 

 the bulk of them finding accommodation on tl:e coast. 

 Rarely the nest, however, may be found at some con- 

 siderable distance from water of any description. The 

 Ringed Plover makes no nest. In some cases a little 

 hollow is scraped in the sand, but very often even this 

 slight provision is dispensed with. The eggs, however, 

 are always laid well above the usual tide-mark, and on 

 the fine sand rather than on the shingle. The bird sits 

 very lightly. Indeed if the sun shines brightly she is 

 on the eggs but little during the daytime. As soon as 

 the breeding-place is invaded by man the ever-watchful 

 birds slip off their eggs, as a rule manifesting little con- 

 cern for their safety, seemingly conscious that they are 

 rendered safe by their protective colour, which harmonizes 

 so well with surrounding objects that only a close search 

 can discover them. 



Range of egg colouration and measurement : 

 The eggs of the Ringed Plover are four in number, 

 pyriform in shape, and smooth in texture. They are 

 pale buff or stone-colour in ground, somewhat sparingly 

 spotted and speckled with blackish-brown, and with 

 underlying markings, similar in character, of ink-gray. 

 The spots are generally small and evenly distributed 

 over the surface, but most numerous and largest on the 

 big end of the ^'gg. The range of variation is not very 



