FORLORN PLOVER.
I saw during the last week of April a salient illustration of
one reason for the decrease—if there was a decrease—in numbers in the peewit or plover, now at last completely pro- tected by Act of Parliament. On a very level tilth stood up in curious distinctness four or five solitary plover well spaced out. They had a forlorn appearance ; and forlorn they were. The tilth was so smooth, and therefore the upstanding birds so distinct, because it had been carefully rolled, and the Jugger- naut roller had destroyed every nest. The birds looked in vain for their scoops and had found nothing, it is feared, be- yond crushed eggs. Perhaps in their poor muddled instincts they were considering whether or no to scoop another holloW and lay there another clutch. The use of the roller has increased, and its time of activity is any dry spell in the nesting season. Nevertheless, plover are in great number and the odds are that in the sequel almost every pair will nest successfully.
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