NESTS OF THE GREY PLOVER 139 



intersecting the bog, containing four eggs about the size 

 and shape of those of the golden plover, but more like 

 those of the lapwing in colour. The nest was a hollow, 

 evidently scratched, perfectly round, somewhat deep, and 

 containing a handful of broken slender twigs and reindeer- 

 moss. Harvie-Brown concealed himself as well as he 

 could behind a ridge, to lie in wait for the bird returning 

 to the nest, and after half an hour's watching shot a 

 veritable grey plover. Soon afterwards another of our 

 men found a second nest, also containing four eggs, in 

 an exactly similar situation. Harvie-Brown took this nest 

 also in hand, and in about an hour succeeded in shooting 

 the female. The third nest was found by the Samoyede. 

 This time I lay down behind a ridge some thirty yards 

 from the nest, and after waiting a quarter of an hour 

 caught sight of the bird on the top of a distant tussock. 

 Presently she ran nearer to another ridge, looked round,, 

 and then ran on to the next, until she finally came within 

 fifty yards of where I was lying. I had just made up my 

 mind to risk a shot when she must have caught sight of 

 me, and flew right away. In a quarter of an hour I 

 caught sight of her again, approaching by short stages as 

 before, but from an opposite direction. I must have been 

 in full sight of her. When she had approached within 

 fifty yards of me, as near as I could guess, I fired at her 

 with No. 4 shot and missed. I remained reclining where 

 I was, with little hope that she would try a third time to 

 approach the nest, and whiled away the time with watch- 

 ing a Buffon's skua through my glass as it cautiously 

 approached in my direction. Turning my head round 

 suddenly I caught sight of the grey plover running 

 towards the nest within fifty yards of me. I lifted my 

 gun and fired again, but was so nervous that I missed 

 her a second time. I was so vexed that I got up and 



