PLOVERS AND SANDPIPERS. 109 



all heading in the same direction, and moving 

 about quickly. If the flock is a very large one 

 some of the individuals are almost constantly in the 

 air, flying over the heads of their companions, and 

 alighting again, as if eager to get the first look 

 over the ground. They are very wary when 

 congregated in such large assemblies, easily flushed, 

 and often performing various evolutions, both over 

 the sands or the water, before alighting again. 

 The Knot more often runs with a series of short, 

 quick steps than walks, and it flies both rapidly and 

 well. After feeding, the entire flock will often 

 stand for a long time on a certain piece of the 

 shore, sleeping and preening plumage, but even on 

 these occasions they are somewhat restless, and it 

 is rare to see all still at once. They feed both by 

 night and by day. The call-note is seldom or 

 never uttered, although when on migration the 

 birds appear to be noisy enough, crying incessantly 

 to each other as they fly along in the gloom. 



But little is known of the nesting economy of 

 the Knot. Its great breeding grounds the nesting 

 places of the vast flocks that pass southwards in 

 autumn still remain undiscovered. Where they are 

 situated it is useless to speculate. Naturalists are 

 ignorant of its eggs, which still remain unknown 

 in collections, although the young in down have 

 been obtained. The Knot breeds in the high 

 Arctic regions, in the North Polar Basin, mostly, if 

 not entirely above lat. 80 ; and here it has been met 



