36 BRITISH BIRDS. 



of the tundra, and loves to frequent the wildest districts in our islands. 

 To the tundras and fjelds of Northern Europe it is a migrant, reaching its 

 favourite breeding-grounds about the middle of May ; but in this country 

 its eggs are already laid at that date. I noticed that in the valley of the 

 Petchora the Golden Plover frequented totally different ground from the 

 Grey Plover, haunting the round exposed knolls in preference to the flat 

 bogs, and being almost always found where the tundra had more of the 

 rolling character of prairie, intersected by willow patches and miniature 

 valleys, narrow deep streams of pure sparkling water, and clear tarns 

 surrounded by brushwood. The Golden Plover makes itself one of the 

 most conspicuous birds on the moors. No sooner does the observer set 

 foot on these interminable wilds than the birds rise here and there from 

 different parts of the heath and fly towards him, sometimes alighting within 

 a few yards of him. Although to some extent a wary bird, much of its 

 shyness disappears in spring, and it may often be noticed at this season 

 running lightly amongst the heath or standing quietly with head erect on 

 some tuft of grass intently watching the intruder. In early spring Golden 

 Plovers may frequently be observed in large flocks passing towards the 

 moors or even on the moors, where if alarmed they rise in the air and wheel 

 and turn in a peculiarly graceful manner. These flocks soon disperse, and 

 scatter themselves over the moors in pairs for the purpose of breeding. The 

 flight of the Golden Plover is powerful and well sustained ; it is not so 

 erratic as the flight of the Peewit, and is performed with moderately quick 

 beatings of the wings. When on migration or in passing from place to 

 place, as is oft their wont in winter, the flock generally takes the shape of 

 a wedge. 



The Golden Plover is an active bird on the ground, where it both runs 

 and walks. A flock of these birds feeding on a stretch of open sand is a 

 very pretty sight. Every now and then one or two pause in their labours 

 for a moment, and with head erect look warily around. Nimbly they run 

 to and fro, sometimes wading in the shallows, or standing motionless as if 

 lost in thought. At the approach of danger the alarm-note sounds and 

 the whole flock takes wing, sometimes rising to a great height, where 

 they perform various aerial movements and then descend on another part 

 of the shore. Upon the moors the Golden Plover may often be observed 

 in the wild broken pastures searching for its food, and not unfrequently 

 it is flushed from the large patches of coarse cotton-grass which here 

 and there dot the heathy wilds. The food of this bird in summer consists 

 principally of worms and insects. It searches the swampy parts of the 

 moors, and probes the heaps of manure, or often catches an insect as it 

 flits past. Dixon once watched a small party of these birds in Skye that 

 were feeding on the maggots which infested a dead sheep. It was a curious 

 sight to see them running nimbly over the sheep's body, some half hidden 



