their shyness, renders them ‘ much less profitable to the fowler than the Golden Plover; and they are
moreover a great plague to the gunners by putting up other birds.’ He also adds that, although rarely
congregating amongst themselves, ‘ they delight to consort with Dunlins, Knots, or, indeed, any birds o f that
kind.’ The Grey Plover differs also from the Golden in being essentially a bird o f the coast, stragglers only,
and those very rarely, being seen inland. . . . About the first week in May these Plovers again make their
way northward, having at that time nearly completed their full summer d ress; and in cold, backward seasons
many beautiful specimens are procured on Breydon, with Red Knots and Godwits, as late as the 20th or 24th
o f May. On the 20th o f May, 1853, I purchased one o f the most perfect specimens I ever saw, in full
nuptial plumage, the beautifully marbled appearance of the back and wing-coverts contrasting with the pure
black on the neck and breast on either side as far as the point of the wing.”— Birds o f Norfolk, vol. ii. p. 101.
The Baron Droste-Hiilshoff, in his work on the birds o f Borkum, says the Grey Plover “ is a fine lively
bird and carries its head and body erect, with the breast thrown forward. Before rising it always lifts the
wings high above the head. Its flight is peculiarly swift, more so than that o f most shore-birds. I t flies off
in a straight line, then approaching and then again leaving the ground in easy dips. I t extends the wings far,
and flies with powerful strokes. On the wing it appears thick-headed, slight in form, and with very pointed
wings, apparently bowed into a sickle-shape, the black axillaries showing very conspicuously. Its call-note
is a sharp whistle, Tlj-e-ih, which cannot be mistaken for the Tliii o f the Golden Plover; the final note is
very softly sounded. On the wing they repeat the note with long p au ses; and sitting, they call to each
other, and repeat the latter portion when any of their own species settle down beside them. It is a very
watchful and shy bird, and carefully avoids every suspicious-looking mound, seldom approaching a place
where the sportsman is h id ; it is therefore the sentinel of other shore-birds, which it warns by its
sudden flight and loud alarm-note. In the autumn it frequents the shores only, going on the grass when
driven by high tides; but in the spring it frequents the meadows, and seldom visits the shore. On
the edge of the water it seeks its food, in the foam, wading up to its belly in the water.”
Von Middendorff, to whom we are indebted for our knowledge o f the bird’s nesting-habits, gives the
following account: “ Earlier than the 25th o f May none of these birds were observed on the Boganida;
and on the 20th o f June the females were sitting on their nests (formed by collecting together dry leaves
and grasses), in which were four eggs. In form they agree with those o f the Lapwing ( Vanellus cristatus)
and the Dotterel ( C/iaradrius morinellm), but are larger than either, though in this respect they differ
considerably. Sometimes the smallest eggs o f the Grey Plover are exceeded in length by those o f the
Golden Plover; but the latter are invariably narrower; nor does the colour offer any distinctive mark.
The ground-colour is sometimes yellowish grey, a t others brownish yellow, and the dark brown spots are
distributed as on the eggs of the Golden Plover.”
“ The egg o f this cosmopolitan species,” says Professor Newton,- when exhibiting an example a t a
meeting of, the Zoological Society, “ has confessedly been one o f the rarest and most sought for by
collectors. The specimen I now have the pleasure o f exhibiting was sent me a few months ago by my
friend Dr. Baldamus, who received it from Councillor Middendorff. This intrepid traveller states that the
bird breeds on the Byrravga Mountains in lat. 74° N., as well as on the Boganida in lat. 71" N. He found
a nest on June the 26th with four eggs. My specimen is, I believe, a good deal under the average size,
yet it is more bulky than any Golden Plover’s I have, thereby confirming Von Middendorff”
Nilsson considers that the Grey Plover proceeds very far north to breed, returning through Sweden in
August. It visits also Norway, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Greenland. Dr. Richardson states that it
was found breeding on Melville Peninsula in J u n e ; and Captain James Ross that it “ was found by us
breeding near the margins o f the marshes immediately to the south-west of Fury-Point in considerable
numbers. Some specimens were also obtained near Felix Harbour.”—Appendix to the Narratwe o f the
second Voyage o f Sir John Ross. ~
Lord Lilford, in his valuable paper on the birds observed by him in the Ionian Islands, says “ this bird
has a curious habit, which I d h h o t recollect to have seen mentioned in anywork on ornithology, o f throwing
somersaults in the air in the same manner as the Tumbler Pigeon and Roller. I noticed this particularly
m March 1867, m the Golf of Arta, where a few o f this species are generally to be seen.”
One o f the accompanying Plates represents the bird in full summer d r e s |> ih e other the costumes o f the
first autumn and winter. The larger figures on these Plates are o f the natural size.