30 AN EAST COAST NATURALIST 



before taking to wing. In 1880 eight were shot in 

 that neighbourhood. It has since yearly become 

 scarcer. 



HATCHING EXTRAORDINARY 



As a local nester the Ringed Plover (JEgialitis 

 hiaticula) was at one time well known. Fifty years 

 ago the number of nests ran into two figures ; but 

 year by year, as traffic increased, and rifle practice 

 still more disturbed the peace and quiet of the 

 sandhills in the vicinity of the Old North Battery, 

 the sitting pairs became fewer and fewer, until at 

 the present time only three or four nests are present, 

 although fortunately not always found. In the early 

 'eighties a dozen nests at the outside were counted. 

 In 1877 an old sportsman, out with his gun in the 

 breeding season (then not unlawful), and observing 

 a pair of birds in a great state of alarm, diligently 

 searched and found a nest containing three eggs 

 four being the usual number. Concluding they were 

 fresh, he put them in his pocket, and on reaching 

 home placed them in a collar box and put them on 

 a shelf. An hour or so after, hearing "peepy" 

 cries, his attention was naturally directed to the 

 box, and on opening it he discovered a young bird 



