453 
Expedition to the Zambesi River. 
Chicowa; while the discovery of another nest subsequently 
enabled us to observe a remarkable example of breeding 
economy on the part of this Plover. The following extracts 
from my note-book will explain this :— 
“Sept. 27. Chicowa flats. Landed on a large island of 
sand in mid-stream to take up quarters and wait for arrival 
of paddlers to expedite further journey up river. Heat 
intense; thermometer in our tent registered to-day 118°. 
Belts of beautiful shady trees on the opposite bank of the 
river to gaze at. 
“ Oct. 9. At breakfast to-day Ramm mentioned that he 
had found a Kentish Plover’s nest not 300 yards from our 
tent.Went and inspected the nest. There were three 
eggs, covered over with sand, and so carefully that, had 
it not been for the maze of footprints round it, discovery 
would have been impossible. 
“ Oct. 11. Ramm told me to-day that he could never 
observe the Plovers near the nest ; the eggs seemed always 
to be covered up. In the afternoon I went to the nest : eggs 
covered up, the pair of birds feeding at the end of the island. 
For the first time it suddenly occurred to me : Might it not 
be possible that incubation is brought about throughout the 
day by the sun acting on the sand which covered up the 
eggs ? Shall watch this nest more closely in future. 
“Oct. 12. 5.30 a.m.: female bird ran from the nest; eggs 
warm. About 10 o’clock, eggs covered up ; about 3, eggs 
ditto. 
“ Oct. 13. Heat intense. 8 o’clock, eggs covered up. I 
lay down on the sand as flat as I could, with my glasses, 
in order to watch the two Plovers. After some time of 
searching, I discovered one of them feeding at the water’s 
edge some way off on my left. Soon it ran on to the sand 
and suddenly squatted down, and remained still for a long¬ 
time, its body looking like an excrescence on the flat muddy 
sand, an object easy to lose sight of, but I marked it by a 
small piece of drift-wood not far off. I watched this bird 
for over half an hour, but it never moved; so, tired of waiting 
any longer, my legs being terribly f rawed ’ by the sun, I 
SER. VII.—VOL. vi. 2 i 
