104 OUR MIGRANT BIRDS 



Habits. When with us they usually consort in small 

 flocks, sometimes keeping company with Dunlins and 

 Sanderlings. Very tame in disposition. 



Food. Aquatic insects, worms, small Crustacea and 

 mollusca. 



Nidification. Breeds in Northern Europe and Asia. 



GREY PLOVER (Squatarola helvetica}. 



A winter visitor ; has not been known to breed here. 

 It greatly resembles the Golden Plover, but is rather 

 larger. Axillaries black (not white, as in Golden Plover), 

 and the white tail-coverts are conspicuous in flight. 

 It has a rudimentary hind toe, unlike the Golden Plover. 

 In habits it resembles the Golden Plover, but is exclu- 

 sively a shore bird. Alarm-note, a plaintive " klee-eep." 

 Call-note is much like Golden Plover's, but uttered in a 

 higher key. 



CURLEW SANDPIPER (Tringa subarquata}. 



An annual visitor on migration in small numbers, 

 chiefly to the east coast. 



Haunts. Mud and sand-flats. Sometimes penetrat- 

 ing inland. 



Plumage. Head, neck, and mantle chestnut, streaked 

 and barred with black and grey. Upper tail-coverts 

 buffish white, and barred with black. Quills and tail- 

 feathers ash-grey. Under parts chestnut, barred indis- 

 tinctly with brown and grey on belly and flanks. Bill, 

 legs, and feet black. Note slighty down-curved bill. 

 Length 8 in. Female similar, but slightly larger. 



