PRELIMINARY CLASSIFIED NOTES 317 



and Ussuria, and south to about 60 on the Lena, while, according to Severtzow, it 

 rarely breeds in Turkestan. In the Nearctic region it breeds in Greenland and 

 Davis Strait, but is replaced by an allied race in North America. The winter 

 quarters of this species lie in the Mediterranean region and Africa, where it has been 

 recorded as far south as Cape Colony and Natal, chiefly along the east and west 

 coasts. It also occurs in the Azores, Canaries, Madeira, India, Australia, Chile 

 and Barbados accidentally, while the American race winters in S. America. 

 [F. p. B. J.] 



3. Migration. Found in the British Isles all the year round in varying 

 numbers, and probably resident to a large degree in England and Wales and in 

 Ireland : from Scotland a considerable exodus takes place on the approach of 

 winter. In winter a considerable number of ringed-plovers come to us from Northern 

 Europe, many of the birds passing the winter in Ireland and the south of England : 

 there is also some evidence of an immigration to the south-east of England by an 

 east-to-west route (cf. Clarke, Ibis, 1904, p. 141). A slight southward emigration 

 takes place in autumn, whether of British-breeding or autumn immigrant birds 

 it is difficult to say. Birds of the smaller race visit the south-east of England in 

 spring, and a few may possibly remain to breed (cf. Ticehurst, B. of Kent, 1909, 

 p. 417). A gregarious traveller. [A. L. T.] 



4. Nest and Eggs. There is considerable variation in the nesting-habits 

 of this species. Some nests are mere depressions in the gravel or shingle, others are 

 carefully lined with fragments of water-worn shells and white stones, while some 

 birds built a regular nest, more or less composed of bits of bent, small sticks, bits 

 of stalk, driftwood, sea- wrack, and in one case green leaves and stalks of Atriplex 

 littoralis (H. W. Feilden). 1 The sites also vary considerably from shingle-beds 

 and sand-flats to stony hillsides (Faeroes), thick grass (Middlesex) and cornfields 

 (0. Grabham, Field, June 7, 1902). (PL LI.) The eggs are normally 4 in number, 

 sometimes 3 only may be found incubated, and on rare occasions 5 have been 

 recorded. They are pyriform in shape, the ground-colour being clay-yellow or 

 ochreous, and spotted with brownish black. A rare variety has handsome blackish 

 blotches, while others have been recorded with blue ground and devoid of markings, 

 or white and only faintly marked. Seen from within, the shell is deep blue-green 

 when fresh. (PL K.) Average size of 64 eggs, I'34x0'95 in. [34'2x24'7 mm.]. Both 

 sexes have been seen incubating (W. Farren and F. Heatherley). Faber and Graba 

 (the latter on the evidence of a brooding spot) state that the male takes part in 



1 See British Birds, i. p. 373. 



