THE RINGED-PLOVERS 345 



presumably indicated by the fact that a certain proportion of the birds 

 line their nests with vegetable material. But this habit of using 

 material other than the small stones and shells usually found in shore 

 nests is almost entirely dependent on the nature of the ground and 

 surroundings. It would probably be more correct to say that the 

 variation indicates the lines along which the evolution of nest-building 

 has taken place, and also some of the conditions governing the 

 development. The normal shore nest of the ringed-plover, and other 

 shore-nesting birds such as Terns, may be presumed to approach most 

 nearly to the primitive type. In such birds, abandonment of sand or 

 shingle for ground more liable to dampness and cold, is generally 

 accompanied by a marked tendency to more elaborate and substantial 

 nest-building. There is no real evidence to indicate that the ringed- 

 plover is more prone nowadays than formerly to nesting away from 

 the shore, and unless such evidence can be produced, or that a 

 change is taking place in nest-building, irrespective of habitat, it 

 is premature to speak of the ringed-plover in this respect as in a 

 transitional state. 



These small plovers have at all times a very graceful flight. In 

 the spring at pairing time it is particularly so. Ringed-plovers may 

 be seen in pairs skimming low over the ground, circling to a fair 

 height, and descending again like a flash, almost touching the ground 

 as they do so. They do not follow each other, but each describes 

 similar evolutions, overlapping and crossing the others line of flight. 

 Their long, pointed wings, showing much white, give a fictitious 

 impression of size ; and as they alight on the ground after skimming 

 a short distance with curved drooping wings, they seem suddenly to 

 vanish from sight as they touch ground, for the white in the plumage 

 is hidden by the closed wings ; in place of the long-winged graceful 

 flyer, is a little plump-shaped grey bird, very difficult to see as it runs 

 with short quick steps over the sand. 



The ringed-plover 1 has a very pretty way of raising its wings 



1 This action is, however, not peculiar to the one species. 



