208 THE BIRDS OF SUSSEX. 



Plover, and the legs of a deeper orange j the note also is quite 

 different. These small birds were especially numerous about 

 Shoreham in May 1880, and are not uncommon from 

 Chichester in the west, to Rye in the east. There can be no 

 doubt that this small race breeds on the Sussex coast, as it 

 remains from May till October, when it totally disappears, 

 yet I have never heard of any' eggs having been found, which 

 could be distinguished from those of the ordinary Ringed 

 Plover. Both feed on shrimps and other small marine 

 animals. 



LITTLE RINGED PLOVEE. 



Mgialitis curonica. 



This little Plover is exceedingly rare in Sussex, and I have 

 seen no well-authenticated record of more than two examples 

 having been obtained. One of them is in my own collection, 

 and -was shot, many years ago, at West Wittering, in May, 

 but unfortunately I cannot give the year. Another was shot 

 by Mr. Dennis, who sends me this note : — " I shot a Little 

 Ringed Plover, together with a Redshank, at the Tide Mills 

 Creek, Bishopstone, not knowing at the time what it was ; 

 as, thoughl had repeatedly shot small specimens of the Ring 

 Dotterel, I had never met with this bird before.'^ This was 

 on August 28th, 1865. In Yarrell's ' British Birds ' (vol. iii. 

 p. 263) it is stated that the note is a sharp whistle, not like 

 that of the Common Ringed Plover, and shorter in duration ; 

 and, on p. 264 op. cit., it is observed that it very rarely 

 appears on the sea-coast, but frequents, and breeds on, the 

 banks of rivers, laying its eggs on the sand, and making no 

 nest. Its food is similar to that of the two preceding species. 

 I am not aware that it has ever bred in Britain. It may be 



