THE RINGED-PLOVERS 349 



When the young are hatched there is no question about the 

 attempts of both species to lure away an intruder. Their method of 

 procedure is similar. The adult gives a warning-note, and the young 

 birds crouch close on the ground. The behaviour of the old birds 

 depends now on how near the enemy approaches their crouching 

 chicks. If not too near they content themselves by running swiftly 

 about, often uttering a shrill whistle. Occasionally one will fly up 

 and around, and then alighting a few yards from one's feet, run off in 

 a direction opposite to where the chicks are crouching. If, however, 

 one goes near the nest or handles the young birds, the anxiety of the 

 parents becomes frantic. Flying close up, they will throw themselves 

 breast forwards on to the ground, and with spread tail, and wings 

 turned so as to show a great deal of white, they will shuffle along, 

 uttering the while a pitiful squeaking cry. The female is, as a rule, 

 more demonstrative than the male. The zeal with which the ruse is 

 performed varies with the individual and the circumstances. I have 

 seen a female ringed-plover shuffle along the ground a confused 

 bundle of white feathers in a straight line for about fifty yards. If 

 one remains with the chicks, the bird may stop and flutter about on 

 the ground. If one follows her, she is more likely to fly up whistling, 

 circle round, and alight a little distance away. 



Whilst occupied in photographing some ringed-plovers, I once 

 witnessed a very pretty episode which had the impress of concerted 

 action. The nest contained one egg and one chick just out of the 

 shell ; another chick that had been hatched two or three hours was 

 crouching on the ground about a foot from the nest. (PL LI., Fig. 3.) 

 The old birds showed much concern while I was making my arrange- 

 ments, running about, with much whistling, shuffling along the ground, 

 and evidently doing all they could to lure me away. Directly I was 

 out of sight in my hiding-tent, they flew up and settled a few yards 

 from the nest. One gave a call, and immediately the chick that was 

 out of the nest got up and ran towards them. They led it away 

 rapidly, and after waiting some time expecting in vain that one of 



