146 
allen’s naturalist's library. 
seems to me to be a very efficient rendering of the bird s voice 
on paper. It is a note somewhat easy to imitate, and I ha\e 
seen. T whole flock of birds lured to their death in He hgo- 
land by a skilful repetition of the cry. It can be heard a long 
way off and as most of the Heligolanders work m ‘ 1 '^ Potato- 
fields with a gun lying close handy, on the look out for any 
migrating birds, be they Plover or Hooded Crows, the familiar 
note of the Golden Plover out at sea is the signal for a score 
of answering whistles from the rock; and very soon the 1111- 
^isp^ting flVk is seen, like a little cj>ud skimming ov« 
the waves, heading straight for the rocky island. In a tew 
seconds they are overhead, in a few more seconds they have 
SsS on and far out to sea, leaving a tribute of some of 
Uieir number. The whistling re-doubles, and 
flock turns in its course and makes for the island, 01 y 
meet with the same hot reception; and these nvanceuvres 
are repeated till but a small remnant escapes. On Sandy 
Isknd about a mile and a half from Heligoland where the 
“bathing guests ” flock from all parts of Germany, I have seen 
the Golden Plovers running about quite tame, ^ 
yards of me, as if they knew that no gun was allowed to be fired 
before 2 p.m. During the afternoons, however, when we landed, 
intent on collecting, they soon became more shy. 
Even in the breeding-season the Golden Plover may be found 
in small parties, while in the winter large flocks collect together, 
anLt that time of year they are often met with inland on the 
open lands and fallow ground, searching for worms and grubs, 
wdiile on the shore various small marine animals form the staple 
"^'MfSebohm observes ;-“The Golden Plover makes itself 
one of the most conspicuous birds on the moors. No soonc 
does the observer set foot on one of I' ''J" 
than the birds rise here and there from different pa.rts 
heath and fly towards him, sometimes alighting within a lew 
Yards of him. Although to some extent a wary bird, much ot 
its shyness disappears in spring, and it may often be 
at this^ season running lightly amongst the heath, or standing 
nuSly, with head erect, on some tuft of grass intently watch- 
ing the intruder. In early spring the Golden ^ 
quently be observed in large flocks passing towards the moors. 
