348 THE PLOVERS 



intruder approaches the nest, the female is warned by the double- 

 noted alarm-call of the male " tuli-tuli" l The mate of a sitting-bird 

 is generally near at hand, but I do not think a warning-note is really 

 necessary, at any rate one is not always given. 



From my own observations, I think that it very probably depends 

 upon which bird is sitting. If the female is sitting, the male gives an 

 alarm, but if the male is sitting, the female is less likely to stand on 

 guard and sound a warning cry. It has been stated of the Kentish- 

 plover that it " seldom makes any demonstration in the way of a call- 

 note ; it creeps away through the dry beach grass, which it resembles 

 so closely in colour." The species may certainly be described as 

 quieter than the ringed-plover, but I have heard them uttering their 

 alarm-notes very soon after leaving the nest ; and Mr. Dombrain states 

 that " if put off eggs, the bird retires a short distance, utters a plain- 

 tive whistle, runs a few yards, then rises on wing for a very short 

 spell, and drops and runs again." 3 



Both species are very cautious when returning to the nest. They 

 approach in a series of short runs and halts, and at each halt give a 

 quaint little bob of the head. Often when one appears to be about to 

 go on to the nest it will run straight past it, and then work back 

 again. The ringed-plover, if there is any cause for alarm such as a 

 hidden camera near the nest frequently gives sharp utterance to the 

 alarm-note "tuli" or, as better expressed by Naumann, "tul n or "trtil." 

 A ringed-plover when put off its nest will often, after running a short 

 distance, give a sharp call, fly up and circle around its disturber, and 

 then alight on the ground again. It will now be joined by its mate, 

 and the two birds, always keeping a direction away from the nest, 

 will run to and fro, sometimes venturing quite close to the intruder, 

 and then running off very quickly in an opposite direction frequently 

 uttering their short sweet call apparently endeavouring to deceive 

 as to the locality of the nest. 



1 Birds by Land and Sea, p. 184. 



2 Zoologist, 1896, p. 412. 3 Ibid., 1880, p. 138. 



