17s 
pair and resort to the heaths, where they breed. 
At this season they are abundant in most of 
the hilly parts of Scotland, and in the Hebrides. 
They select for their nest a slight hollow in a dry 
place, among the heath or moss, irregularly strewed 
with fragments of withered plants. The eggs, four 
in number, are very large, of a pale greenish yellow 
or cream colour, irregularly spotted and patched 
with dark brown. When the young are able to 
fly, the Plovers collect into flocks, but remain in 
the heaths and hill pastures until the commence- 
ment of winter. During continued frosts they 
search for their food on the sands and rocky shores 
of the sea at low water. Great numbers are 
killed, their flesh affording delicate eating, not 
much inferior to that of the Woodcock. 
PLOVER, GREY. 
VANELLUS MELANOGASTER, Zemm. 
The Grey Plover, which is plentiful in some 
parts of North America, and pretty generally 
distributed over the temperate countries of the 
continent of Hurope, is more abundant in France 
than in Germany, and is rare in Switzerland. It 
seems to be with us merely an annual visitant, 
appearing in small flocks, chiefly in autumn and 
spring. It is found along the coasts, where it fre- 
