OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 149 



Gray Plover, and carefully identified the parents of each. The 

 nest of the Gray Plover is merely a slight hollow in the moss or 

 lichen-covered ground, into which is placed by way of lining a 

 few twigs, scraps of reindeer moss, and other vegetable refuse. 

 The hollow of the nest is described as perfectly round and rather 

 deep. The eggs are four in number, and intermediate in colour 

 between those of the Golden Plover and the Lapwing, being 

 neither quite so olive as the latter, nor so buff as the former, in 

 ground colour, but the markings are similar in every respect. 

 They measure on an average 2'o inches in length by i"4 inch 

 in breadth. The part of the tundra most favoured by the Gray 

 Plover for nesting duties is the flat bog, intersected with tussocky 

 ridges. The birds were observed to indulge in rather curious flights 

 as they rose from their nests, tossing their wings in the air some- 

 thing like a Tumbler Pigeon. After being driven from their 

 home the female was generally the first to return, but she in- 

 variably came less conspicuously than the male. She generally 

 made her appearance on a distant ridge of the tundra, then, after 

 looking round her for a short time, she would run quickly to the 

 next ridge, and again look round, calling at intervals to her mate 

 with a single note. To this, however, the male was observed 

 seldom to reply, but when he did so it was with a double note. 

 After the female had run about thus for some time, the male 

 began to move, but he generally joined his mate by boldly flying 

 up to her. On the other hand the female rarely took to her 

 wings. She was very cautious, and passed and repassed her nest 

 several times, until she finally settled upon it. All the time that 

 the nest was being watched the female was very restless, and ran 

 about a good deal, but the male generally remained stationary on 

 a hillock or a ridge, apparently watching the movements of his 

 mate. When the young are hatched the old birds perform various 

 alluring antics to try and draw an intruder away; and Mr. 

 Seebohm gives a very remarkable instance of a female Gray Plover 

 dropping as if dead after being fired at, but when he was about to 

 pick her up she flew away, apparently uninjured ! Only one 

 brood is reared in the season. 



Diagnostic Characters. — Charadrius, with the axillaries 

 black, and a small hind toe. Length, 11 to 12 inches. 



