202 UPLAND PLOVER 



observations I made would fill a very long chapter, 

 but I will confine myself to one, and this one relates 

 to the upland plover, the bird I have had to mention 

 so many times. 



The north migration as a rule begins about the 

 15th of February and continues to the 15th of March, 

 and it is at the beginning of the former month that 

 the disquiet becomes noticeable. Now on one occa- 

 sion the season of unrest began much earlier, in the 

 month of January, increased from day to day and 

 week to week in the most extraordinary way, and 

 continued to about the middle of March before the 

 birds began to fly north, the migration continuing 

 through March. On any day in February when out 

 riding I would see from time to time a bird spring 

 up with its wild alarm cry and flight, and after going 

 a little distance drop down again. Then in a minute 

 or two another, farther away, would start up with 

 its cry; and sitting still and watching and listening, 

 I could see the birds rise up here and there all over 

 the plain — rise with a cry, then settle down again; 

 and if one rode a hundred miles to any side he would 

 find it the same everywhere. The birds were in a 

 continual state of agitation, of fear; and though this 

 state began so much sooner than usual, the actual 

 migration did not begin till a month later than the 

 usual time. 



If in this chapter I have reverted again and again 

 to that one subject of the behaviour of birds prior 

 to migration, it is because these simple facts, which 

 seem to me to be essential in studying the problem, 



