HABITS OF THE GREAT PLOVER. 463 



still luminous. After a little, thinking the early morning flight 

 home of the birds was now over, I rose to go. As I walked off 

 the Plovers all rose from the heath, and I was astonished at their 

 numbers. They flew round several times in a wide circle, and as 

 they gradually, from the great cloud they had at first formed, 

 spread out into something more resembling a line, I was enabled 

 to count a considerable number of them. I counted 117, irre- 

 spective of a large section which separated itself from the rest 

 and flew off to the amphitheatre, so grouped that I was unable to 

 count them. The number of these last must, I should say, at 

 least, have made up the balance of another hundred, which 

 would make, as a minimum, 200 of them. But, I believe, they 

 were more numerous — perhaps from 250 to 300 in all. I must 

 have missed a great many in this rough counting, and the 

 number that went off looked very great. At any rate, counting 

 those that were certainly on the amphitheatre at this time, the 

 whole flock cannot, I think, be much below 300. 



On getting to my post at the amphitheatre I found, as I 

 expected, that the birds had gone down there, for they rose 

 again in another great flock, and again went down. At this 

 same time (6) a small flock of Peewits swept over the barren 

 ground between here and the river, and went down upon it. 



At 6.35 a larger flock appeared, and began to sweep, circling 

 around at a great height, uttering their cry. Noticed two of them 

 chasing each other, apparently in sport. 



7 o'clock.— Numbers of Peewits sailing about high up, and 

 mingled with them a flock of Starlings. Two Peewits often 

 chase each other, and there is, sometimes, in a sudden dip down 

 and curve up again, a trace of the aerial evolutions of the spring. 

 They "faintly imitate" them, as Gibbon might say. Peewits and 

 Starlings spread over the open space, searching about (apparently) 

 for food, though it is difficult to think what, exactly, they get on 

 such arid, barren ground. One Peewit will often rise from the 

 ground and fly at another one near, who will then also rise, and the 

 two will pursue each other a little, when, as if by mutual consent, 

 both will desist, and go on feeding as before. The Starlings seem 

 to enjoy the company of the Peewits. When these fly off, they 

 go with them; and I have noted the flock of Starlings mingled and 

 flying with the flock of Peewits (each almost, if not quite, as 



