2io SKETCHES OF BIRD LIFE. . 



when looking upon a species which is new to him ; 

 and we shall never forget the delight which we 

 experienced on that occasion, when, peering through 

 the heather, we saw for the first time, within ten 

 yards of us, a black-breasted Golden Plover. Al- 

 though so many years ago, we can still recall every 

 attitude of the bird as we first saw it. The uplifted 

 wing and short quick run, as if for a meditated 

 flight, and then the sudden repose and motionless 

 attitude, on finding that no danger threatened. We 

 watched it till our eyes swam, when another came 

 in view, announcing its presence by a soft whistle 

 exactly similar to that we had heard before. 



Our curiosity satisfied, we rose to our feet and 

 both birds took wing. Soon we saw a third and 

 a fourth, and picking up the almost forgotten gun, 

 began to think of securing one or two specimens 

 for closer examination. This we had no difficulty 

 in doing, for the birds were by no means wild. 

 We concluded from their actions, and from the 

 early date, that they had not yet commenced to 

 nest ; and this conclusion was strengthened by the 

 fact that we searched a large tract of ground for 

 more than three hours without finding any eggs. 



