240 SHORTER-BILLED RUNNING BIRDS. 



RINGED PLOVER. — Plate 104. 7^ inches. 

 General colour above light brown ; forehead white, 

 a broad black strap passing over the crown from eye 

 to eye ; another passing over the bill from ear to 

 ear ; a broad white band round the throat, succeeded 

 by a similar broad black one on the neck ; remainder 

 of under parts white ; bill and legs orange, the former 

 tipped with black. Resident. 



Eggs. — 4 (I have found 5), pear-shaped, pale 

 stone or cream, finely spotted with detached round 

 spots of dark brown and gray; l"4xl0 inch (plate 

 130). 



Nest. — A depression among shingle or on bare sand, 

 with a few pieces of broken shells for lining, situated 

 usually a little above high- water mark. 



The Ringed Plover is one of our commonest shore- 

 birds. It is found throughout the United Kingdom, 

 and nests also beside inland lochs. The nest is a 

 slight circular depression in the shingle above high- 

 water mark, and is usually lined with small stones and 

 bits of shell. The clear, musically whistled ' Tu-lip ! ' 

 of the male gives warning of approach, and if the 

 eye be run along high-water mark, the female will 

 probably be seen scudding with lowered head down 

 to the sand. There the birds run to and fro in long 

 sweeps about the shore, calling, and at each pause 

 standing to bob their heads in protest. If the eggs 

 have been laid, they will betake themselves well ahead 

 along-shore ; if the young are out, the female keeps 

 near, flj'ing round with frequent piping, or running 

 frantically to and fro, at times depressing her tail and 



