XXVIII. 

 CHARADIUUS HIATICULA. (linn.) 



Ring Dotterel, Ring Plover, Sand Lark. 



The Ring Dotterel breeds on most parts of our sea coast, 

 being most frequent near the mouths of rivers and smaller 

 streams ; it makes no nest, but lays its four conical eggs 

 in a slight hole on the surface of the ground, either amongst 

 small gravel, or upon the little hillocks of sand which occur 

 so commonly on our flat beach. In some that I have seen, 

 the eggs present a very beautiful appearance upon the clean 

 white sand, frequently near the root of some tall grasses 

 which wave over them as a protection against the storm. — 

 These active little bu'ds are ever on the watch, and on wing 

 long ere you reach their eggs, making little circuits round 

 you, and uttering their sweet plaintive whistle, by which you 

 may always infer the near neighbourhood of their eggs or 

 young. 



The Ring Dotterel begins to breed early in May. During 

 the first week in June, in which we found several of their 

 eggs, some of them fresh laid, there were also young ones 

 running about. Of the two Figures in the Plate, the first is 

 the most common, both as regards shape and colour; the 

 other is, however, frequent. 



