PLOVERS AND SANDPIPERS. 73 



mud-flats. The Ringed Plover is about the size 

 of a Thrush, and may be easily recognised by 

 its broad white collar, black breast and cheeks, 

 brown upper parts, and snow-white under parts. 

 Its actions on the shore are most engaging, tripping 

 here and there along the margin of the waves, 

 over the wet sand and shingle, darting this way 

 and that as some tempting morsel of food is 

 discovered. If in autumn or winter, this Plover 

 will generally be met with in flocks of varying 

 size ; if in summer in scattered pairs or parties 

 composed of the birds breeding in the immediate 

 neighbourhood. Ringed Plovers are most attached 

 to certain haunts, and seem to frequent them year 

 by year, notwithstanding continued persecution and 

 disturbance. It is the same when they are feeding. 

 If alarmed they usually rise in a compact bunch, 

 fly out to sea a little way, then return inshore, 

 perhaps passing two or three times up and down 

 before finally alighting. Again and again may 

 this action be repeated, although the flock has a 

 tendency to break up if flushed many times in 

 quick succession, and odd birds will fall out, or 

 remain skulking amongst the shingle. A dense 

 flock or bunch of Ringed Plovers is a pretty sight. 

 The birds fly quickly, and wheel and turn with 

 astonishing precision, now close to the waves, then 

 up in the air above the horizon, often persistently 

 uttering their shrill call note, which resembles the 

 syllables too-it rapidly repeated. Occasionally a 



