their shyness, renders them ‘ much less profitable to the fowler than the Golden Plover ; and they are 
moreover a ^reat plague to the gunners by putting up other birds.’ He also adds that, although rarely 
congregating amongst themselves, ‘ they delight to consort with Dunlins, Knots, or, indeed, any birds of that 
kind.’ The Grey Plover differs also from the Golden in being essentially a bird of the coast, stragglers only, 
and those very rarely, being seen inland. . . . About the first week in May these Plovers again make their 
way northward, having at that time nearly completed their full summer dress; and in eold, backward seasons 
many beautifnl specimens are procured on Breydon, with Red Knots and Godwits, as late as the 20th or 24th 
of May. On the 20th of May, 1853, I purchased one of the most ])erfeet specimens I ever saw, in full 
nuptial plumage, the beautifully marbled appearance of the back and wing-coverts contrasting with the pure 
black on the neck and breast on either side as far as the point of the wing.” — Birds of Norfolk, vol. ii.p. 101. 
The Baron Droste-Hidshoff, in his work on the birds of Borkum, says the Grey Plover “ is a fine lively 
bird and carries its head and body erect, with the breast thrown forward. Before rising it always lifts the 
wings high above the head. Its flight is peculiarly swift, more so than that of most shore-birds. It flies off 
in a straight line, then approaching and then again leaving the ground in easy dips. It extends the wings far, 
and flies with powerful strokes. On the wing it appears thick-headed, slight in form, and with very pointed 
wings, apparently bowed into a sickle-shape, the black axillaries showing very conspicuously. Its call-note 
is a sharp whistle, llj-e-ili, which cannot he mistaken for the Tim of the Golden Plover ; the final note is 
very softly sounded. On the wing tliey repeat the note with long pauses ; and sitting, they call to each 
other, and repeat the latter portion when any of their own species settle down beside them. It is a very 
watchfid and shy bird, and earefully avoids every suspicious-looking mound, seldom approaching a place 
u’here the sportsman is hid ; it is therefore the sentinel of other shore-birds, which it warns by its 
sudden flight and loud alarm-note. In the autumn it frequents the shores only, going on the grass when 
driven by high tides ; but in the spring it frequents the meadows, and seldom visits the shore. On 
the edge of the water it seeks its food, in the foam, w'ading up to its belly in the water.” 
Von Middendorff, to whom we are indebted for our knowledge of the bird’s nesting-habits, gives the 
following account : — “ Earlier than the 25th of May none of these birds were observed on the Boganida ; 
and on the 20th of June the females were sitting on their nests (formed by collecting together dry leaves 
and grasses), in which were four eggs. In form they agree with those of the Lapwing (J^anellus cristatus^ 
and the Dotterel {Cliaradrius morinellus), but are larger than either, though in this respect they differ 
considerably. Sometimes the smallest eggs of the Grey Plover are exceeded in length by those of the 
Golden Plover ; hut the latter are invariably narrower ; nor does the colour offer any distinctive mark. 
The ground-colour is sometimes yellowish grey, at others brownish yellow, and the dark brown spots are 
distributed as on the eggs of the Golden Plover.” 
“ The egg of this cosmopolitan species,” says Professor Newton, when exhibiting an example at a 
meeting of the Zoological Society, “ has confessedly been one of the rarest and most sought for by 
collectors. The specimen I now have the ])leasure of exhibiting was sent me a few months ago by my 
friend Dr. Baldamus, who received it from Councillor Middendorff. This intrepid traveller states that the 
bird breeds on the Byi*ravga Mountains in lat. 74° N., as well as on the Boganida in lat. 71° N. He found 
a nest on June the 26th with four eggs. My specimen is, I believe, a good deal under the average size, 
yet it is more bulky than any Golden Plover’s I have, thereby confirming Von Middendorff.” 
Nilsson considers that the Grey Plover proceeds very far north to breed, returning through Sweden in 
August. It visits also Norway, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Greenland. Dr. Richardson states that it 
was found breeding on Melville Peninsula in June ; and Captain James Ross that it “ was found by us 
breeding near the margins of the marshes immediately to the south-west of Fury-Point in considerable 
numbers. Some specimens were also obtained near Felix Harbour.” — Appendix to the Narrative of the 
Second Voyage of Sir John Ross. 
Lord Lilford, in his valuable paper on the birds observed by him in the Ionian Islands, says “ this bird 
has a curious habit, which I do not recollect to have seen mentioned in any work on ornithology, of throwing 
somersaults in the air in the same manner as the Tumbler Pigeon and Roller. I noticed this particularly 
in March 1867, in the Gulf of Arta, where a few of this species are generally to be seen.” 
One of the accompanying Plates represents the bird in full summer dress ; the other the costumes of the 
first autumn and winter. The larger figures on these Plates are of the natural size. 
