98 
CHARADEIID^. 
stances, both in the same locality and elsewhere, and I have in every 
instance remarked, that until the young were hatched the female only 
appeared near the eggs, and that she never uttered any cry, even when 
she saw me in the act of removing some of her eggs. So soon, how- 
ever, as the young were excluded, both of the parents were in constant 
attendance, crying incessantly when there seemed to be the slightest 
cause for apprehension. If alarmed, when sitting on the eggs, the 
female invariably runs in silence for some distance from the nest, and 
she seldom returns to it without making various circuits on foot, run- 
ning a few yards quickly, and then standing motionless for a con- 
siderable length of time. 
“ The easiest method of finding the nest is to watch the suspected 
locality before coming too close to it, and whenever the bird is observed 
running, to search in the direction from which she proceeds. 
“ The young birds, until they are able to fly, crouch as closely as 
possible to the ground when approached, and lie, apparently lifeless, 
permitting themselves to be lifted in the hand, but they run very nimbly 
when not apprehensive of danger. 
‘‘ I have always found the eggs to be four in number (except in the 
instance first mentioned), and the smaller ends placed in the centre. 
“ Mr. Hewitson has given admirable representations of the eggs ; 
but, so far as my observations have gone, he has fallen into an error as 
to the habits of these birds wliiUt they have nests. He observes — 
‘ During the breeding season the ring dotterel is ever on the alert, and 
on wing long before you reach its eggs, making its circuits round you, 
and uttering its sweet plaintive whistle of alarm — a sure indication that 
you are in the near neighbourhood of its eggs or young.’* I would 
suggest, that the birds so observed were the parents of young broods 
previously hatched, and which were in the same neighbourhood as the 
eggs of other birds of the same species, who were silent spectators of 
the scene. 
‘‘ It may be observed, that the instinct which induces silence on the 
part of the female during incubation, is not peculiar to this species, 
Mr. Selby having recorded its existence in the common sand-piper 
{Totanus hypoleucos.) 
Mr. Francis Kankin informs me, that one of these birds placed 
its eggs on the bare ground, in one of his father’s fields near Kirk- 
* Egg’s Brit. Birds, p. 255. 
