l6o ALLEN’S naturalist’s LIliRARY. 
separated it as a distinct race under the name of Ai. major, but 
I have found that the size of individuals in this species varies 
greatly, and that it is impossible to recognise this larger race as 
distinct. Small specimens of Ringed Sand-Plovers often occur 
on our southern coasts, and are, doubtless, migrants from the 
continent of Europe. 
Range outside tie British Islands — The present species is spread 
over Europe generally, and extends very far north, having been 
found on Jan Mayen and to the north of Spitsbergen, while it 
also occurs in Greenland up to 70° N. lat., and in Cumberland 
Gulf on the opposite coast of America. It extends eastward 
as far as Lake Baikal, and breeds rarely in Turkestan. Strag- 
glers are found in North-western India, but the bulk of the 
individuals which migrate from northern latitudes visit Africa 
during our winter, and range even to the Cape of Good Hope. 
Occasional instances have been noted of the occurrences of 
the Ringed Sand- Plover in America, but a single record for 
Australia is not reliable. 
Habits A common local name for this species is the “ Sand 
Lark,” but near Sidlesham and Pagham, in my younger days, 
the favourite name was “ Widc-a-wake,” and the local gunners 
called this bird by the latter name on account of its exceed- 
ing wariness, and that this is its true quality must have been 
experienced by anyone who has tried to approach the bird in 
autumn. During the breeding season they are more easily 
obtained, on account of the great solicitude they evince for 
their nest, and more particularly for their young. Although in 
August and September they may be seen feeding on the 
mud-flats, cither singly or in pairs, they are often in company 
in flocks of Dunlins, especially vhen the latter resort to the 
sea-beach to rest during the time that the tide in the harbour is 
full. On these occasions if the collector tries to stalk the 
Dunlins he will see the flock engaged in quietly preening their 
feathers or dozing away the time until the tide recedes and 
the mud flats are uncovered. Should he come too near, the 
first sign of movement will be the active running of a little 
“Wide-a-wake,” who trots about near the quiescent Dunlins, 
uttering at times his piping note of alarm, and as a rule he suc- 
ceeds in arousing a whole flock, and leading them out to sea. 
