216 CHARADRIIDZ 
The Ringed Plover is decidedly sociable. Solitary birds 
may be seen both on the sea-beach and on the margins 
of inland-lakes, but it generally keeps company with other 
small shore-birds, such as those already mentioned. On the 
sand-flats of the North Bull, Dublin Bay, I have seen 
several Snow-Buntings, having foraged in the refuse cast 
ashore by the tide, hop out to the water’s edge and escort a 
small wisp of immature Ringed Plover along the beach. 
Flight.—The flight of this species is swift and power- 
ful. When .a flock is scared from its feeding-grounds at 
the edge of the tide, the birds generally fly out to sea in a 
body, for a short distance, and return to the strand, often 
close to the spot from which they were disturbed. If per- 
sistently hunted, the flocks detach themselves into smaller 
batches, and as the birds gradually settle down, they scatter 
themselves widely over the strand. 
Ringed Plovers often accompany Dunlins on the wing, 
and imitate their wonderful aérial movements so accurately 
that in a large flock the two species are practically indistin- 
guishable. I have seen a flock, flying in from the sea, turn 
in the air, as at a word of command, the bright breasts 
and rapidly-beating pinions glittering like a shower of silver 
spray in the brilliant sunshine. Approaching the water’s 
edge, the flock opened out and after a momentary pause, 
each member speedily shot downwards with a swooping 
action (a characteristic movement of many wading-birds), to 
rest or feed on the sands. It was not until I turned my 
field-glass on the birds and examined them leisurely that i 
detected what species were 1n the flock. 
Occasionally a single Ringed Plover may be noted 
coursing swiftly over the beach, its wings almost tipping 
the foam of the breakers. Such a bird is often surprised 
by the Merlin: along the sands of the Dublin coast I have 
frequently witnessed a most exciting race for hfe. More 
than once have I disturbed a Merlin which flew off, leaving 
behind a half-picked Ringed Plover, and, judging from the 
quantities of feathers and bones that one finds, it is evident 
that this bird often falls a prey to the clutches of the swift 
little Falcon. 
Nor can the Ringed Plover always trust the Kestrel 
(which seldom molests small birds), when it hovers over the 
sands searching for the downy young. 
‘ood.—This_ species feeds on worms, sand-hoppers, 
minute shrimps, shell-fish, insects, and vegetables. I have 
