Birds. 923 



The Great Plover is with us little more than an occasional visitor. 

 It is, moreover, generally late in the autumn that this bird is seen. 

 The specimen in my collection was one of a party of six, shot by Mr. 

 Jolliffe in Bordwood Forest, during the first week in November, 1843. 

 R. Loe assures me he has seen this bird much later in the year. He 

 knew a pair to breed once on the Wacklands estate. 



The Golden Plover also visits us at uncertain periods, but usually 

 in severe weather, in smaller or larger flocks. February 18, 1843, 

 five golden plovers made their appearance, during a snow-storm, in 

 Bonchurch. Two of these birds came into my possession. There 

 are certain fields in the parish of Newchurch — a wonderful parish 

 your readers will think this same Newchurch, from my constant refe- 

 rence to it. For their information I will state that this said parish 

 includes both Ryde and Ventnor, the one on the northern and the 

 other on the southern shore, distant apart, as the crow flies, between 

 nine and ten miles ; and that it has, in addition to its extent, other 

 advantages to recommend it to the naturalist : for within its limits is 

 to be found all the variety of scenery his heart can wish ; extensive 

 woods differing in character, marsh-lands intersected by a river, open 

 downs and wild forest covered with furze. But it presents an addition- 

 al and no inconsiderable attraction to me : for in the village of New- 

 church resides, and has resided for fifty-eight years, that worthy and 

 respectable ally of mine, of whom, I trust, your readers are not tired of 

 hearing, Robert Loe. Consequently I am better acquainted with the 

 animal productions of Newchurch, than with those of any other part of 

 the island, except, perhaps, my own immediate neighbourhood : for 

 not only have I had R. Loe's large stores of information to draw upon, 

 but partiality for a walk and gossip with him has taken me pretty fre- 

 quently into the neighbourhood, and enabled me to make personal 

 examination of nearly every nook and corner worth examining. There 

 are, then, in this parish of Newchurch, certain fields, wherein, if a 

 golden plover be in the country, it is sure to be found. And this 

 same partiality for certain localities is a curious subject. It would, I 

 think, puzzle a featherless biped to detect any particular attraction in 

 these fields. In the same parish, certain other localities are equally 

 attractive to some other species of birds. For instance ; there are 

 three or four fields of comparatively few acres in extent ; and which- 

 ever of these fields happens to be in turnips, is always frequented by 

 snipes, to the number of sometimes nearly a hundred ; which, by the 

 way, are always agreed in one — to the shooter — very bad practice. 



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