profitable to the fowler than the Golden Plover; and they are s, renders them ‘ much less birds. He also adds that, although rarely to the gunners by putting up other ight to consort with Dunlins, Kuots, or, indeed, any birds of that their shynes moreover a great plague congregating amongst themselves, ‘ they del kind’ The Grey Plover differs also from the Golde About the first week in May these Plovers again make their ir full summer dress; and in cold, backward seasons n in being essentially a bird of the coast, stragglers only, and those very rarely, being seen inland. . ard, having at that time nearly completed the ns are procured on Breydon, with Red Knots and Godwits, as late as the 20th or 24th of the most perfect specimens I ever saw, in full way northw many beautiful specime of May. On the 20th of May, 1853, I purchased one the beautifully marbled appearance of the b either side as far as the point of the wing.’—Birds of Norfolk, vol. ii. p. 101. s work on the birds of Borkum, says the Grey Plover ‘‘is a fine lively erect, with the breast thrown forward. Before rising it always lifts the nuptial plumage ack and wing-coverts contrasting with the pure £ oe ¢ black on the neck and breast on The Baron Droste-Hiilshoff, in hi bird and carries its head and body Its flight is peculiarly swift, more so than that of most shore-birds. It flies off wings high above the head. in a straight line, then approaching and then again leaving t and flies with powerful strokes. On the wing it appears thick- the black axillaries showing very conspicuously. —_ Its call-note aken for the Zit of the Golden Plover; the final note is he ground in easy dips. It extends the wings far, headed, slight in formu, and with very pointed wings, apparently bowed into a sickle-shape, is a sharp whistle, 77-e-2h, which cannot be mist On the wing they repeat the note with long pauses; and sitting, they call to each very softly sounded. 1 any of their own species settle down beside them. It is a very other, and repeat the latter portion wher watchful and shy bird, and carefully av where the sportsman is hid; it is therefore t sudden flight and loud alarm-note. In the autumn it frequents the shores only, going on the grass when but in the spring it frequents the meadows, and seldom visits the shore. On oids every suspicious-looking mound, seldom approaching a place he sentinel of other shore-birds, which it warns by its y driven by high tides ; 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 of the bird’s nesting-habits, gives the following account :—‘ Earlier than the 25th of May none of these birds were observed on the Boganida; and on the 20th of 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 of the Lapwing (Vanellus cristatus) and the Dotterel (Charadrius morinellus), but are larger than either, though in this respect they differ considerably. Sometimes the smallest eggs of the Grey Plover are exceeded in length by those of the Golden Plover; but the latter are invariably narrower; nor does the colour offer any distinctive mark. The ground-colour is sometimes yellowish grey, at others brownish yellow, and the dark brown spots are distributed as on the eggs of the Golden Plover.” “The egg of this cosmopolitan species,” says Professor Newton, when exhibiting an example at a meeting of the Zoolugical Society, ‘bas confessedly been one of the rarest and most sought for by collectors. The specimen I now have the pleasure of exhibiting was sent mea few months ago by my friend Dr. Baldamus, who received it from Councillor Middendorff. This intrepid traveller states that the bird breeds on the Byrravgd 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 Plovers 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 foune breeding on Melville Peninsula in June; and Captain James Ross that it ‘‘ was found by us breeding near the margins of the marshes immediately to the south-west of Fury-Peint in considerable numbers. Some se ue ict also obtained near Felix Harbour.’—Appendix to the Narrative of the Second Voyage of Sir John Ross. ; Lord Lilford, a his valuable paper on the birds observed by him in the Tonian Islands, says ‘* this bird ae fe ae ae ee ae in any work on ornithology. of throwing ME air cracis sheet e ee Z igeon and Roller. I nounced this particularly in oh nn ; ew 0 HTS STRETES are generally to be seen. al ee oe ae a the bird in full summer dress ; the other the costumes of the ger figures on these Plates are of the natural size.