86 CHARADRIID^. 



nearer to the coast or migrate to the southern parts of the king- 

 dom."* Sir Wm. Jardine, too, remarks, that this species is " on 

 the coasts generally in vast flocks during winter."t 



To give some idea of the numbers (though not great), &c, of 

 golden plover frequenting the Belfast mountains, one note may 

 be introduced : — " Oct. 19, 1833. — During a botanical walk to-day 

 over the mountains and bogs, the golden plover was met with five 

 times : a few were on the top of Lyle hill, a dry pasture inter- 

 mixed with heath ; about twenty -five were associated with as many 

 lap-wings in a bog from which both species rose at the same 

 moment, and kept together for some time on wing, but eventually 

 separated on the heath near the top of a mountain, where a large 

 flock of golden plover had already taken their ' stand ;'% at the 

 base of Aughnabrack about thirty were seen ; and on the hill 

 called the Sheepheads, not less than a hundred appeared : all 

 these were distinct flocks. Three of these flocks admitted my 

 approach within about thirty paces, though, after being persecuted, 

 they become very wild. Their tameness thus early in the season 

 is attributable to their being as yet undisturbed or shot at by 

 sportsmen, who rarely visit this quarter except for suipe-shooting, 

 which has not yet well commenced." 



There is often apparently an increase to the number of our 

 birds in these localities as winter advances, caused probably by 

 the severity of weather northwards. In the months of December 

 and January, in different years, I have observed large flocks ; as 

 on the 5th of December, 1831, when three, consisting each of 

 about two hundred birds, appeared. 



The author of " Wild Sports of the West," remarks, with 

 reference to the county of Mayo — winter coming ou with giant 

 strides — that "Gray [golden] plover must migrate in thousands 

 hither. Nothing else could account for the immense flocks that 

 have been seen, and will continue, as I am informed, to arrive. 



* lllus. Brit. Oni., vol. ii, p. 234. f Brit. Birds, vol. iii, p. 291. 



| This plover and the lapwing have been killed at the same shot in severe weather 

 at Clonghwater (Antrim), where they have frequently been observed feeding in com- 

 pany ; fieldfares and starlings being also occasionally associated with them. 



