22 THE BIRDS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



grounds in the remote north, and again on its return 

 southwards in September, October, and November. 



Of the habits of this bird on our own coasts I can 

 say nothing worthy of record, as I have, with one 

 exception, never been in any of its favourite haunts 

 in our Island at the right time of year, but I met 

 with it in small numbers in the north of Spain in 

 November and December, and on the great aUuvial 

 plains of Andalucia in great abundance during the 

 first fortnight of May 1872 : with a very few excep- 

 tions all the Grey Plovers shot by us at this latter 

 date had assumed their full breeding-plumage ; we 

 found little difficulty in obtaining the specimens that 

 I required, and might have killed many more, as 

 the birds allow^ed of a close approach on horseback 

 and showed but little fear of flying within easy gun- 

 shot of us when seated on our rugs and saddles 

 on the open plain. I could not notice any appreci- 

 able difference in the habits of this bird from those 

 of the Golden Plover in running, stopping abruptly, 

 and nodding; but I observed a curious habit that 

 had previously attracted my attention in Epirus — that 

 these birds now and then threw a complete somer- 

 sault in the air after the manner of a Tumbler Pigeon 

 or Roller. For a most interesting account of the 

 breeding-habits, nests, eggs, and young of the Grey 

 Plover, English ornithologists are indebted to the 

 ready pen of Mr. H. Seebohm, who, in company 

 with Mr. Harvie Brown, found many of these birds 

 nesting on the " tundras,'' vast moorlands on the 

 eastern bank of the river Petchora in the province 

 of Archangel, and published a very graphic account 

 of their explorations in 'The Ibis' for 1876, as well 

 as in a separate work on this special expedition. 



