246 BIRD-LIFE OF THE BORDERS. 



plumage evidently take a different course at that season, for 

 they very rarely occur on this coast. It is, however, noteworthy 

 that the very few which are obtained occur earlier than the 

 young birds namely, in August, nearly a month before the 

 young arrive the reverse of the general rule with the allied 

 species. 



Grey Plover never assemble in large packs, ten or a dozen 

 being the maximum numbers usually seen together. Their 

 disposition is social, rather than gregarious as a species, 

 and almost every great cloud of Dunlins, &c., has the com- 

 pany of two or three Grey Plovers. I have noticed them 

 associating with almost all the different waders, and even with 

 half a dozen King-Dotterels on the rocks. 



SEA-PYOTS. 



They are easily distinguishable by their note from the 

 Golden Plovers ; but, indeed, the latter are very seldom met 

 with in the " slakes " in winter, except in severe weather, 

 when driven off the moors and inland haunts by snow and 

 frost. The Grey Plovers, on the other hand, never leave the 

 tidal area. 



Although these Plovers and the Knots appear quite imper- 

 vious to the utmost degree of cold experienced in our British 

 winters, yet large numbers of them travel a great distance to 

 the southward of our islands at that season. They are 

 common in the Mediterranean, and in the south of Spain 



