GOLDEN PLOYER. 
23 
who find an additional piquancy in those that are more wild. 
He that can say ‘My mind to me a kingdom is,’ is in no 
danger of being made melancholy by any sound in nature. 
In the evening and at night, you may hear it. It has at 
times a ventriloquistic power, and is very deceptive. A skilful 
imitation of their cry will decoy them to you. In the spring 
season a more varied note is used, during which the bird flies 
at a great elevation, and continues soaring about for a con¬ 
siderable time. Meyer likens the note to the words ‘tluwee, 
tluwee,’ uttered at a high pitch, and considerably loud. 
Nidification commences about the end of May, or beginning 
of June. The hen bird alone sits. Incubation lasts seventeen 
days. 
The nest, which I have never seen ‘in situ,’ is a very 
inartificial structure, being merely a few stems of grass and 
fibres laid together in some small hollow of the ground, only 
just large enough to contain them; what there is, is made 
the end of May or beginning of June. 
The eggs, four in number usually, are of a yellowish stone- 
colour, blotted and spotted with brownish black. They are 
placed quatrefoil—with the small ends pointed together 
inwards. 
The young ‘quit the nest as soon as hatched, and follow 
their parents till able to fly and support themselves, which 
is in the course of a month or five weeks.’ 
Male; weight, between seven and eight ounces; length, from 
ten and a half to eleven inches and a half; bill, black; iris,, 
dark brown, nearly black—the space between it and the eye, 
deep black—over it white. On the forehead is a band of 
nearly pure white in summer, which in winter is yellowish 
white, streaked and spotted with pale brown and grey. Head 
on the sides, greyish brown; on the crown, neck on the back, 
and nape, greyish or brownish black, with purple reflections 
of a paler shade, and large yellow angular spots on the whole 
edge and tip of each feather. Chin, neck on the sides, throat, 
and breast, deep velvet black, in the form of a list, in summer, 
with a band of white varying to yellow, and marbled with 
black and pale brown on the sides and below the wing, the 
feathers at the corner of which are also white below; in 
winter the chin and throat are whitish; the breast, dusky 
greyish white, tinged with dull yellow, and spotted and streaked 
with darker grey. Before and after the breeding-season the 
black and white plumages intermix. A bird has been seen 
