PLOVER. GRALLATORES. CHARADRIUS. 241 



tion long experience enables me decidedly to contradict, as 

 these birds are met with in even greater abundance upon the 

 Northumbrian coast during the winter, than in the summer 

 or breeding season, when some of them retire inland to the 

 banks of rivers, and to the pebbly margins of lakes. They 

 particularly frequent bays, creeks, and the mouths of rivers, 

 where the shore is composed of gravel, and during winter 

 collect in small flocks, which generally keep themselves se- 

 parate from the Purres and other Tringas, although they may 

 occasionally be seen joining them in their wheeling flights. 

 They run with nearly as much swiftness as the Sanderling, 

 and in this action (as is also seen in the other Plovers and 

 Cursorial birds) the neck is shortened, and the head thrown 

 well back between the shoulders. Early in May they begin 

 to pair, and to look out for an appropriate situation for rear- 

 ing the forthcoming brood. This situation is usually found 

 amongst the gravel, near the high- water mark ; sometimes 

 also on the links or sand-hills that line the coast, or even in 

 a corn-field, if immediately adjoining the shore. A few, as 

 I have before observed, retire inland for this purpose, where 

 they take up their residence on the margins of rivers. Lit- 

 tle artificial nest is made ; a slight hollow, lined with a few Nest, &c. 

 stems of dry grass, sufficing to receive the four eggs, which 

 are of cream-yellow, tinged with grey, covered all over with 

 variously-sized spots of blackish-brown, with others of a 

 lighter shade appearing beneath the outer shell, and in size 

 nearly equal to those of the Common Sandpiper (Totanus 

 Hypoleucos). The old birds display great anxiety about 

 their young, and, like the Golden Plover, use various strata- 

 gems (such as feigning a crippled state, or tumbling over as 

 if unable to fly), with the view of enticing a dog, or any sus- 

 pected enemy, from the vicinity of their brood. On wing 

 these birds are strong, and fly with rapidity, but seldom to 

 any great distance, unless repeatedly disturbed ; generally, 

 after a short circuit, alighting upon the sand or gravel not 

 far from the spot whence they last rose. Upon the sea-coast 



VOL. II. Q, 



