OTHER BIRDS 91 



near Lymm. It was in a tree four feet six 

 inches from the ground, and 200 yards from 

 any water. 



Golden plover come to the Bollin meadows 

 every winter, but not so many I think as when 

 the land was more liable to floods, at least I 

 do not hear their clear whistle as often as 

 formerly. It is not unusual to see them 

 flocking with peewits. 



Peewits are called simply " plover " here. 

 There are large flocks on every side though 

 not actually in the garden. 



In August 1897, there was an extraordinary 

 concourse of peewits on the bank of the river 

 just opposite. The noise they made was 

 loud and continuous, and birds were flying 

 backwards and forwards all the while. The 

 whole of the bank for a hundred yards or 

 more was covered with them, others were at 

 the water's edge, washing like ducks or play- 

 ing about and chasing one another, others 

 were picking among the stones or drinking. 

 All the time the noise never ceased, and a 

 friend said it reminded her of the gulls on 

 the coast of Ireland that she heard on her 

 way to America. The assembly on that 

 particular day (August I3th) broke up about 

 one p.m., having lasted for more than an 

 hour. Frequently during the rest of the 

 month, peewits gathered at the same place, 

 but not in the same numbers, and one day in 

 December, 1898, I noticed that there was 



