502 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



THE INLAND BREEDING of the RINGED PLOVER 

 IN NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK. 



By W. G. Clarke. 



The Ringed Plover is chiefly known to ornithologists as a 

 bird of the sea-shore, where its exceeding rapid movements and 

 inconspicuous colouring render it difficult of observation. By 

 far the greater number nest in such localities, but year by year, 

 even before the return of spring, a small band migrate inland, 

 and on the heaths and warrens of the Norfolk and Suffolk 

 "breck" district undertake domestic responsibilities. It is a 

 difficult task to estimate with any degree of accuracy the numbers 

 of these heath-loving birds, but it cannot be very large. So far 

 as I have been able to ascertain personally or by correspondence 

 the Ringed Plovers only nest in eight localities in Thetford 

 district, although they are likewise found in the Lark valley. 

 These are Lakenheath, Wangford and Thetford Warrens, and 

 Thetford, Barnham, Santon Downham, Wretham and Roudham 

 Heaths. The two first named are on the border of the fenland, 

 and Wangford Warren seems to be most favoured in point of 

 numbers. Two or three pairs respectively are all that seem to 

 nest upon Thetford, Barnham, Wretham, and Roudham Heaths. 

 Previous to the spring of 1897 the latter was unknown to me as 

 a breeding locality of the Ringed Plover ; but three pairs then 

 occupied a small " breck" in a corner of the heath. From the 

 accounts we possess, it would seem that the Ringed Plover has 

 become sadly diminished of late years in its local breeding 

 haunts. Salmon termed them "very abundant" at Thetford in 

 1836. In 1863 they were " seen in small numbers" at Elveden, 

 presumably on Thetford Heath, the locality they now occupy. 



Certain theories have been advanced to account for the inland 

 nesting of this bird ; but that of Prof. Newton, the late Dr. Hind, 

 of Honington, Suffolk, and other eminent authorities, seems most 

 worthy of credence. Their supposition was that the Wash extended 



