BLACK-BREASTED OR LITTLE PLOVER 75 
of the Spur-wing being pure white. The Spur-wing 
largely exceeds the Little Plover in size, and its cry 
is harsher and louder ; the Little Plover's is a thin 
metallic note, though, when the birds have a nest 
in the vicinity, it works up almost to a scream as they 
fly down again and again to within a yard of the 
intruder's head. 
The breeding-season commences, on the plains 
north of Avalon, as early as July ; on the basaltic 
plain it is a little later, and most birds have not 
hatched their broods till the end of August. I 
believe only one brood is reared in the season. Four 
is the invariable number of the full clutch of eggs ; 
they are laid on the ground in a slight depression, 
sometimes sheltered by a low rock, and are pyriform, 
of a greenish-olive ground colour spotted all over 
with varying shades of brown. In my experience 
this is one of the most difficult nests to find, even 
when one is certain from the birds' behaviour that 
one is within fifty yards of it. 
The Plover-habit of running swiftly for a few 
yards, then stopping motionless for perhaps minutes 
at a time, is well exhibited in this species. Its flight 
is singular, the wings being worked with a quick 
spasmodic beat, which is like that of no other bird 
except the Spur-wing's. The latter is, however, 
slower and heavier. The food of the Little Plover 
consists mainly of ground-dwelling insects. 
