A HISTORY OF KENT 



ber (Prentis). This plover, locally called ' thick- 

 knee,' used to breed in tolerable numbers on the 

 Lydd beach and in its neighbourhood, but now 

 it is rare to find more than one or two pairs 

 breeding there. This banishment has been 

 mainly brought about by the disturbing in- 

 fluence caused by the artillery practice at 

 Lydd, and in a lesser degree by the modern 

 practice of rolling young wheat. On 22 May 

 1896 I found a nest on the Lydd beach con- 

 taining two eggs, but owing to the locality 

 being continually subjected to a ' dropping ' 

 artillery fire the birds deserted the nest after 

 four days of sitting. It has probably bred 

 near Rainham, since Mr. Prentis mentions 

 having procured a bird in June. 



194. Cream-coloured Courser. Cursorius 



gallicus (J. F. Gmelin) 

 A rare wanderer. In the British Museum 

 there is a specimen obtained by Mr. William 

 Hammond in 1785 near Wingham (Latham, 

 Ge?i. Syn. Suppl. 1 787, p. 254, pi. 1 1 6). On 

 10 October 1866 another was killed near 

 Sandwich and is now in the Margate Museum 

 (Harting, Zoo/. 1866, p. 523). 



195. Dotterel. Eudi-onias morinellm (Linn.) 

 A scarce migrant in spring and autumn. 



A fine pair of this species were obtained 

 near Lydd on 29 May 1896, and are in 

 my collection. In September immature 

 birds on passage now and again frequent the 

 grass land near our chalk range between Great 

 Chart and Wye. 



196. Ringed Plover. MgiaUth hiatiada 



(Linn.) 

 Locally, Stone-runner. 

 A common resident along our coast where 

 there are stretches of sand and mud. Con- 

 siderable numbers breed on the Lydd beach, 

 where I have taken the eggs. During the 

 breeding season these noisy little birds course 

 over the beach all day long, uttering their 

 whistling cries. Even the skylarks of the 

 locality catch their plaintive notes, and pro- 

 duce them amongst their own with startling 

 exactitude. In September the homebred birds 

 are augmented by numbers of migrants, resort- 

 ing to the shore line in large flocks. In spring 

 the continental form of this species — a smaller 

 bird — may often be met with on the south 

 coast. 



every year. The breeding locality of this 

 bird is the Lydd beach between Rye and 

 Dungeness, and the artillery practice at Lydd 

 during the nesting season as well as the greed of 

 collectors are effectually bringing about the 

 banishment of this species. In 1896 four 

 pairs bred on the beach not very far from 

 Dungeness. The nest is not easily found. 

 The bird seldom makes any demonstration in 

 the way of a call-note ; it creeps away like a 

 mouse through the dry beach grass, which it 

 resembles so closely in colour. When the 

 eggs are hatched the bird is still more wary. 

 It often drops the food close to the young 

 without even alighting. In the beginning of 

 September the birds, bred in the locality, 

 assemble in small flocks of five to six birds, 

 frequent the water's edge at low tide for a 

 short time, and then depart. 



198. Golden Plover. Charadrius pluvia/is, 



Linn. 

 Common during severe winters ; the ma- 

 jority are immature birds frequenting our 

 grass fields. During the autumn migration in 

 September small parties visit for a short time 

 the vicinity of our harbours. In spring they 

 seldom stop, passing high over head in small 

 flocks, chiefly adults with their black breasts. 



199. Grey Plover. Squatarola helvetica 



(Linn.) 

 Throughout September small parties of 

 immature birds appear from time to time on 

 the portions of our coast where the sand is 

 muddy and along the brackish pieces of water 

 on the Lydd beach. In November the adult 

 birds put in an appearance, but only a few 

 remain with us throughout the winter. From 

 May to the beginning of June individuals in 

 breeding plumage come and go on our mud- 

 flats. I have known a few birds stay with 

 us throughout the summer. 



200. Lapwing. Vanellm vulgaris, Bechstein. 

 Locally, Peewit, Green Plover. 



A common resident, breeding in the 

 marshes, but owing to drainage and the 

 modern practice of rolling young wheat its 

 breeding numbers have decreased. During 

 severe winters numbers of ' foreigners ' come to 

 our pasture fields. In the beginning of Sep- 

 tember large flocks congregate on our south 

 coast prior to leaving the county. 



197. Kentish Plover. Mgialith cantiana 20 

 (Latham) 

 Locally, Stone-runner. 

 As a breeding species becoming scarcer 



Turnstone. Strepsllas interpres (Linn.) 

 A common migrant to our coast in spring 



and autumn 

 obtained. 



birds in summer dress are seldom 



294 



