THE BIRDS OF THE MOY ESTUARY. 285 
“stands” rest by day on the sandy flats of the Estuary near Bar- 
tragh, and are most numerous when the moon is full. 
Ringed Plover, Charadrius hiaticula—-Very common in winter. 
A few pairs breed on Bartragh, where I have found the nests a 
short distance above high-water mark: they were merely slight 
hollows scratched in the sand, and every nest that I saw was lined 
with little bits of broken cockle-shells. I have met with a few 
pairs in summer on the shores of that fine fresh-water lake, Lough 
Conn, and have no donbt that they breed wherever there are 
sandy bays on the margin of the lake. 
Gray Plover, Squatarola cinerea.—Met with in very limited 
numbers on the sands and shores during the winter, generally not 
more than one or two birds being seen together; but towards the 
latter end of March and beginning of April they commence to 
collect together preparatory to leaving for their summer haunts. 
On the 29th March last I saw a flock of nearly thirty birds on the 
sands near Bartragh, and shortly afterwards saw a flock of eighteen 
flying past. They frequently remain as late as June before leaving 
for their breeding quarters. Near Bartragh, on the 29th June, 1860, 
I saw a flock of thirteen Gray Plovers, two of which showed the 
black breast peculiar to the summer plumage, and on April 23rd, 
1875, near the same place, I saw a flock of nine, two of which had 
black breasts. 
Lapwing, Vanellus cristatus—Very common, and breeds on all 
the low swampy lands throughout the country, but in autumn their 
numbers are increased by thousands of new arrivals from the north, 
at least I see no other way of accounting for the multitudes that 
are to be seen everywhere, especially on the sands, which is 
the more strange as they seldom feed by day unless when the 
nights are dark. They frequent the sands in large numbers up 
to December, and by the middle of that month the flocks are much 
reduced in numbers, and become more so as the season advances, 
probably by many of the birds going farther south. In February 
and March there is a partial return of the flocks to the coast, out 
not in such numbers as appear in September and October. 
Turnstone, Strepsilas interpres.—A regular visitant, appearing 
generally in August and September, and remaining occasionally as 
late as May and June. 
Sanderling, Calidris arenaria.—Common during autumn and 
spring on the shores — the bay and estuary. Sometimes to be seen 
