dodges of the Peewit or Partridge to draw attention to 

 themselves and away from their broods on such occa- 

 sions, feigning to have broken wings or legs, and only 

 just avoiding capture by rising when very closely 

 pressed by man or dog. When the bird has no special 

 cause for anxiety it usually runs off rapidly before a 

 human intruder upon its haunts, uttering a soft sweet 

 whistle, and occasionally halting abruptly with noddings 

 of the head and bowings of the body. 



In the autumn these birds gather into large flocks 

 and associate with Dunlins and other Waders on the 

 mud-flats at low-water times. But the Ringed Plover 

 is essentially a bird of the sand, and can evidently find 

 a living in spots where a Sandpiper would starve, as it 

 is known to breed on some of the warrens of our 

 eastern counties ; and I have myself met with a pair 

 that were evidently breeding upon a high down in the 

 county of Hants during the month of June. There is 

 no doubt that this species habitually rears more than 

 one brood, as the young are often to be found well able 

 to take care of themselves in May, and, on the other 

 hand, I have found several that could not have been 

 hatched more than a few hours late in July. Besides 

 the name of Stone-Hatch, already mentioned, this bird 

 is very commonly known as Ringed Dotterel, Sea-Lark, 

 Stone-Runner, Sand-Lark, Pullot, and Purre ; this last 

 name, however, is more commonly applied to the 

 Dunlin. 



I must refer my readers to the often quoted 4th 

 edition of ' Yarrell ' for details relating to a small race 

 of this species that occurs more or less regularly on the 



