According to the London Bird Report for 1944 'The outstanding event of the year was undoubtedly the nesting of the Little Ringed Plover at a gravel-pit in Middlesex'. From the strictly scientific point of view the interest of such observations as this is rather slight. Indeed the fact that a rare bird is seen in England is more important to continental than to British zoologists. Certainly some of the habitats are unexpected. A number more of a large animal unknown to science animals have since been found. Zoologists are not, however, told whether this was the most important event of its year in Peruvian history. The late Major-General Hearsay made a collection of insects which passed to the British Museum on his death. While fording a river during a battle in India he was observed to catch several specimens which he pinned to his pith helmet and catalogued later.