THE RINGED PLOVER 191 



coast. He is incessantly in motion, tripping over the sands 

 and the shingle ; now pausing a moment to dig up a worm 

 from the sand, then running on again to join his companions. 

 See him run after the retreating waves and search the wet 

 shining sand as soon as it is free from water, being driven back 

 again by the next wave that breaks along the shore. You 

 may observe his conspicuous dress for a long distance across 

 the sand or the mud; but when on the shingle you may often 

 stumble over him before he rises with a sharp cry of alarm 

 and flits rapidly before you a long way down the coast. His 

 flight is quick, his long wings beating rapidly ; but sometimes 

 he skims along for a considerable distance, usually before he 

 alights. He rarely flies very high, except when passing to a 

 distant part of the shore, or when seriously alarmed then he 

 often goes some distance out to sea and hurries along close to 

 the waves. His actions round the sheets of fresh water are 

 much the same as on the coast. He frequents the shallow 

 margin of the pool, and especially delights to hunt for food 

 where a stream falls into the lake. I have seen this graceful 

 little bird repeatedly on the stone walls which enclose 

 reservoirs, and on the tops of weirs and sluices, running 

 about with as much ease and activity as on the shore. It 

 often utters its alarm-note when in these situations a loud 

 double note, something like the spring call of the male 

 Chaffinch; but its usual call -note is a much harsher and 

 more guttural cry. In spring this little Plover sometimes 

 rises into the air and utters a not unmusical cry, which may 

 probably be its love song. 



The food of this pretty species is composed of the small 

 creatures found in the soft sand and mud sand worms, 

 shrimps, and the inmates of the tiny shells. It is also quite 

 an adept at catching flies, and finds many beetles on the 

 higher grounds and near the inland fresh -waters. I have 

 taken the remains of vegetable substances from its stomach, 



