250 



THE BIRDS OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC 



Ringed Plover. 



J 



A far commoner shore-bird is the ringed plover (AZgialitis 

 hiaticula), whose range extends from the far north to Cape Colony 

 and from Greenland to Kamchatka. The nest is the usual depression on the beach, 

 and the eggs are the normal four. In length this bird measures only 7 inches, or 

 not half the size of the avocet. It is one of the most intelligent of birds, and 

 is an adept at feigning death or lameness when its eggs are threatened. One of 

 the first to warn other birds of approaching danger, it may frequently be seen 



— ^ piloting a flock of 



dunlin across the waves 

 to a place of safety. 

 The colour is greyish 

 brown above and white 

 below, with a conspic- 

 uous black-bordered 

 white forehead, a white 

 eye-stripe, and a black- 

 ish gorget. 



Sandy 

 Kentish Plover. ^ 



shores 



covered with short grass 

 mingled with other 

 plants form the fav- 

 ourite resorts of the 

 Kentish plover (AS. 

 alexandrina), a species 

 which, except on migra- 

 tion, rarely frequents 

 fresh water, although 

 common on some of the 

 large lakes of Hungary. 

 Raiiiiina from Iceland 

 to Japan, it winters in 

 the north of Africa, the 

 Malay Archipelago, and 

 Australia. It is never 

 found very far north, 

 and is remarkably capricious in the choice of its halting-places and breeding- 

 grounds. The nest is generally placed close to the water, although far 

 enough away to be safe from the tide, and is most difficult of discovery 

 owing to the size and coloration of the eggs, which are three or four in 

 number. It has been stated that wherever the nest of the ringed plover 

 contains four eggs, that of the Kentish plover has only three, but this 

 merely a generalisation from insufficient instances. In size this 

 about half an inch shorter than the ringed plover, from which 



&»: 



AVOCET. 



be 

 is 



may 



bird 



it may be distinguished at a glance by its black 



ijororet. 



legs 



and incomplete 



