GOLDEN PLOYED. 
or no regard to my conveyance, while driving along the road between Brighton and Shoreham in Sussex 
during winter after severe storms of wind and snow. These poor wearied birds occasionally suffered for 
this misplaced confidence, and several plump and in very good condition were occasionally obtained, as 
scarcely any traffic that resented my shots was met with along the roads on such occasions. 
These birds must leave their breeding-quarters on the Highland mountains, and the slopes of the 
lower hills occasionally, at an early date, as there is an entry in my notes for July the 8th, 1868, statino 
that great numbers were seen along the shores of the Dornoch Eirth on that day. I well remember 
discharging both the punt and two or three shoulder-guns on my way along the coast from the Meikle 
Perry to Tain, close in upon the sandy shore off Morangie and the mudflats stretching up towards the 
old-fashioned town that goes by the name of Tain*. There was only one complaint to be entered against 
these excellent birds— viz. that they had been living too sumptuously and were rather more coated” with 
fat in several parts than is necessary to improve their very delicate and delicious flavour. We did not, 
however, spare them on this account, but continued to follow the flocks for several days, giving them a turn 
whenever a chance occurred, as long as they remained in the district. On the 29th of August, 1872 I 
found a very tame flock of Golden Plovers on the sandy flats between Yarmouth and the mouth of the 
harbour, where the fishermen used to dry their nets stretched out on the links just to the south of the 
Nelson monument. Several were stopped with two or three doubles of my shoulder-gun just at dusk, as 
they circled round before taking their departure. 
It IS some years since I made a good bag of this species ; but so late as December the 8th, 1883, 
there is an entry in my notes recording the fact that “ Snow-Buntings, Golden Plover, and Pewits 
were very tame along the upper road between Shoreham and Brighton. I could only obtain one shot 
at the Plover, which stopped about three couple, as a number of carts passed and the birds rose and 
moved further into the open field, where it was impossible to drive within range.” 
Many years ago, during the hard winter of December 1863, when residing at Ferrygate, near North 
Berviick, m East Lothian, I met with a capital and most singular evening’s sport at this species, and the 
result has by no means faded from my memory after nearly five-and-twenty years. Wishing to procure 
a Mallard or two for our dinner the following day, I started for the ridge of rocks in a wild unfrequented 
bay on the shores of the Pirtli of Forth, immediately below our very comfortable quarters where I was then 
supposed to be rapidly picking up a knowledge of farming. The pursuit of the various species of wild birds 
was even then the object I had in view, and intended, if possible, to carry outf. The moon was shining brightly 
when the rocks in the bay were reached, and making my way in among the sJielter of sonTe of the 
large slabs, I awaited the course of events. One Mallard came over, a fine old drake, and was dropped 
ffimost on to my head, and then I noticed a number of smaller birds rising on wing, but alightino- again 
immediately on the damp and glistening sand below the light of the moon, which was shinino- bri-htly 
Crawling quietly among the very abundant shelter afforded by the slabs of rock, I soon came to the 
conclusion that the unknown were some kind of Plover, though the species I could not ascertain, as 
t ey uttered no sounds while running over the sands in pursuit of food, and dark rolling clouds occa- 
sionally obscured the moon, rendering my glasses useless. Both barrels of my ten-bore” breech-loader 
discharged into the thickest part of them revealed the fact that they were Golden Plover, and almost 
before I had collected the slain, the remainder of the flocks, for there were two or three lots about, 
were again circling round, anxious to he back on their feeding-ground and searching for food. About 
half a dozen double shots from the heavy ten-bore were fired into the densest parts of the flocks, and the 
* The natives of the locality al^vays used to call this place the “ toon of Tain.” 
^ t Revising this article the last week in 188(5 I find I have been able to carry out the object of my aspiration ; and as aU the risks incurred 
during Its pursuit were successfully overcome, I am sure I have good cause to he thankful. 
