230 THE JERSEY COAST. 



jaclc-curlcw, the noisy, larger yellow-legs or yelper, 

 and the smaller one, clown to the pretty simple- 

 hearted dowitcher, went to make np our morning's 

 bag. The scorching sun when it hung high over 

 our heads stopped the flight, and, aided by venomous 

 mosquitoes, drove us to the shelter of the house, and 

 turned our thoughts towards dinner. 



The stands being convenient to the tavern, we 

 had run in and snatched a hasty breakfast, but now 

 collected to clean guns, load cartridges, and talk 

 over results. The breech-loader being at that time 

 something of a novelty, attracted considerable at- 

 tention, and was accused of that defect popularly 

 attributed to it, of not shooting strongly. As there 

 were several expensive guns present — among them 

 one of William Moore— in all of which the owners 

 had great faith, the question was soon tested and 

 settled to the satisfaction of the most sceptical. 



That being concluded, black-breast, or bull-head 

 plover, was the occasion of a terrible contest over 

 the entire plover famil\ — some of the sportsmen 

 insisting there were three, others four or five well- 

 known kinds. They all agreed as to there being 

 the grass-plover, the bull-head, and the golden-plo- 

 ver ; but some claimed in addition, the frost bird 

 and the red-backed plover. At last one burst 

 forth : 



" There is Barnwell ; he ought to know : what 

 does he say ? " 



As they turned inquiringly, feeling the momentous 

 nature of the occasion, and that now was the chance 



