132 BRITISH BIRDS’ EGGS. 
RINGED PLOVER. 
AMGIALITIS astaTica, Pallas. 
Pl. XX, fig. 2. 
Geogr. distr.—Europe generally; western Asia; Africa as far 
southward as the Cape; also recorded from Australia: in Great 
Britain generally distributed and partially resident. 
Food.—Insecets, spiders, Crustacea, Mollusca, and sea worms. 
Nest.—Sometimes none, but generally a mere depression amongst 
tufts of long grass, or scratched in shingle, with a few shells in the 
centre. 
Position of nest.—Frequently just beyond the reach of the water 
upon little hillocks of sand upon the sea-beach ; also occasionally near 
inland pieces of water. 
Number of eggs.—4. 
Time of nidification.—IV-VIII; April. 
When disturbed the Ringed Plover rarely takes long 
flights, but soon alights and runs rapidly on the sand. Its 
note is a clear, shrill whistle. It is very fond of barren, 
shingly beaches, and is essentially a shore bird. It may 
also be seen by the sides of large rivers, of inland lakes, or 
large ponds. 
The Ringed Plover has been known to lay as early as the 
23rd March, but the middle of April to the middle of May 
is the best time at which to commence looking for the eggs. 
Hewitson says, ‘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 sea-beach. In 
some of these substitutes for a nest, which I have seen, the 
eggs presented a very beautiful appearance upon the clean 
white sand; frequently near the root of some tall grass, 
which waved over them as a protection from the storm. 
During the breeding season the Ring Dotterel is ever on the 
alert and on wing long before you reach its eggs, making 
its circuits round you, and uttering its sweet plaintive 
whistle of alarm—a sure indication that you are in the 
near neighbourhood of its eggs or young ones.” —(Ill. Eggs 
Brit. Birds, vol. i1., p. 255.) 
It is believed that the Ringed Plover rears but one brood 
in a season. 
