192 OUR RARER BIRDS 



so that it occasionally feeds on buds and shoots of marine 

 and fresh- water plants. 



The Einged Plover is a rather late breeder. So far as my 

 observations extend, I rarely find its eggs before the end of 

 May, and in backward seasons not until early June. I have 

 taken fresh eggs of this species even in the third week of the 

 latter month. Its breeding grounds are principally on the 

 sandy shores. It does not frequent the shingly beaches so 

 much as the broad stretches of fine sand ; it has a reason for 

 this, which we shall soon discover when we have found its 

 nest. In the late spring the big flocks of Einged Plovers dis- 

 band ; many of them retire to more northern latitudes, and 

 the birds return to their favourite breeding -places. But 

 even in summer this bird still remains very sociable, and 

 parties of six or eight individuals may constantly be seen 

 feeding and flying together. The eggs must be carefully 

 searched for, as the parent birds very rarely betray their 

 whereabouts. Experience has taught me that it is of little 

 use to hunt amongst the coarse shingle ; but by confining my 

 attention to the strips of fine sand I am soon rewarded by 

 a sight of the nest. Nothing indeed could be more simple 

 sometimes a hollow is formed in the sand, but very often 

 even that provision is dispensed with and the eggs lie on 

 the bare flat surface. They are always laid well above 

 high -water mark; and very often several nests may be 

 observed quite close together. The eggs are four in number, 

 dark cream in ground colour, minutely spotted with dark 

 brown and pale gray. Most of the markings are very small, 

 but generally a few large spots are scattered amongst them, prin- 

 cipally at the large end of the egg. Having now the eggs before 

 us, we can see why they are laid upon the sand. Their fine 

 markings effectually harmonise with surrounding tints, but if 

 they were laid on shingle they would be much more easily 

 seen. The old birds never show much anxiety for their eggs, 



