the grey plover. 
I4I 
The romance attaching to the capture of the Grey Plover s 
e<ras is fast being dispelled, but for many years rt was con- 
sidered to be the aim and object of f ’'y 
Arctic Regions to discover the nesting habits of the bird._ 1 he 
first authentic eggs were taken by Von Middendorf in the 
Taimyr Peninsula^ (N. lat. 7 1'’-74'’), and afterwards eggs were 
also obtained in Arctic America by Mr. Macl'arlanc, but for om 
best information as to the breeding of the species, science is 
indebted to the expedition of Mr. Henry Seebohm and Mr. J. 
A Harvie-Brown, who found eleven nests on the tmidra 
the Petchora River. Since then Mr. Irevor-Battye has ob- 
tained eggs on Kolguev, and on the same island Mr. H. J. 1 ear- 
son and his brother, Mr. E. C. Pearson, found many nests in 
‘^TheTccouiit'tiven by Mr. Seebohm of the search for the 
nests is worthy of full quotation, did space but permit, it is 
told with all the fulness of detail and careful observation with 
which I have seen him write down the record of the day s 
work on the expeditions on which it has been my good for- 
tune to accompany him. He tells of the watching of each 
female bird on to the nest, and continues as follows the 
female generally comes first to the nest, but she comes less 
conspicuously than the male, generally making her appearance 
at a considerable distance, on some ridge of mossy land. 
When she has looked round, she runs quickly to the next 
ridge and looks round again, generally calling to the male with 
a single note. The male seldom replies ; but when he does 
so, it is generally with a double note. When the female has 
stopped and looked round many times, then the male thinks 
it worth while to move, but, more often than not, he joins the 
female by flying up to her. The female very seldom takes 
win" She is very cautious, and, if she is not satisfied that all 
is safe she will pass and repass the nest several times before 
she finally settles upon it. She rarely remains upon one post 
of observation long, but the male often remains for ten minutes 
or more, upon one tussock of a ridge, watching the movements 
of the female.” Another pair of birds was watched by the two 
English naturalists for two hours, but the birds flew about, 
without any nest being discovered, and Mr. Seebohm con- 
. “ At last the mosquitoes tired us out, and we gave 
