PLOVERS AND SANDPIPERS. 73 
mud-flats. The Ringed Plover is about the size 
of a Thrush, and may be easily recognised by 
its broad white collar, black breast and cheeks, 
brown upper parts, and snow-white under parts. 
Its actions on the shore are most engaging, tripping 
here and there along the margin of the waves, 
over the wet sand and shingle, darting this way 
and that as some tempting morsel of food is 
discovered. If in autumn or winter, this Plover 
will generally be met with in flocks of varying 
size; if in summer in scattered pairs or parties 
composed of the birds breeding in the immediate 
neighbourhood. Ringed Plovers are most attached 
to certain haunts, and seem to frequent them year 
by year, notwithstanding continued persecution and 
disturbance. It is the same when they are feeding. 
If alarmed they usually rise in a compact bunch, 
fly out to sea a little way, then return inshore, 
perhaps passing two or three times up and down 
before finally alighting. Again and again may 
this action be repeated, although the flock has a 
tendency to break up if flushed many times in 
quick succession, and odd birds will fall out, or 
remain skulking amongst the shingle. A dense 
flock or bunch of Ringed Plovers is a pretty sight. 
The birds fly quickly, and wheel and turn with 
astonishing precision, now close to the waves, then 
up in the air above the horizon, often persistently 
uttering their shrill call note, which resembles the 
syllables fo0-2¢ rapidly repeated. Occasionally a 
