RINGED PLOVER. 93 



pact little figure with repose in every feature. Again, 

 as we approach, it is all life and action, the head 

 thrown well forward, and the breast carried close to the 

 ground. A little quick run precedes the spreading of 

 its wings, and, with a rapid sweeping flight, perhaps 

 whistling as it flies, it seeks some further station. Once 

 more alighting, the wings are closed, a few quick steps 

 exhaust the impetus of its flight, and the former attitude 

 is re-assumed. In feeding, also, by the water's edge, 

 or on a smooth tract of sand left bare by the tide, its 

 quick nervous actions and particularly the rapid move- 

 ments of the feet, are extremely interesting ; with now a 

 little run and then a stop to pick up some tiny atom of 

 food, reminding one somewhat of a thrush searching for 

 worms on a grassplot after a heavy shower. The food 

 of this species, at least on the coast, consists chiefly of 

 minute hard shelled molusca, and small shrimps and 

 sand-hoppers. I have also found in their stomachs 

 numerous small white worms, about half an inch in 

 length, mixed with a few gritty substances. It so 

 happens that I have never witnessed any of the art- 

 ful devices, described by Macgillivray as adopted by 

 this plover, to decoy intruders from the nest, but 

 my own experience quite agrees with the statement 

 of Mr. J. E. Garrett, as published by Thompson in his 

 "Birds of Ireland" (vol. ii., p. 98), that the hen bird 

 when sitting on her eggs does not make any cry 

 as she runs off, but that once the young are hatched 

 both parents become very clamorous when disturbed. 

 At such times their anxiety is evinced by an irregular 

 pitching flight, and somewhat altered note, resembling 

 the word "pen-y-et," pronounced as three syllables, 

 with a strong emphasis on the first and last. Whilst 

 on the warrens, the ringed-plover is known as the 

 " stonehatch," on all parts of our coast it is termed the 

 " stonerunner," and at Salthouse dogs are commonly 



