THE BARTRAM'S TATLER. 



151 



fcre very shy and cautious, but when once confused by the fall and 

 cries of any of their companions, great destruction may be made 

 among them before they recover from the delusion ; they thus make 

 repeated circuits round the wounded and complaining, and may also 

 be enticed within gunshot, by imitating their whistling call in the man- 

 ner of the Curlew. Indeed, without some contrivance of this kind, 

 they can seldom ever be approached. They are seen it appears, in 

 the Middle States as late as October, or November, but are not met 

 with on the Massachusetts coast beyond the close of St^ptember. 



BARTRAM S TATLER. 



babtram's tatleb. 



Bartram's Tatler, known here by the name of the Upland Plover, 

 ._-^.: _ 4,s>, so very distinct 



from the rest of 

 the tribe with 

 which it is asso- 

 ciated in the sys- 

 tems, is one of the 

 most common 

 birds along the 

 sea coast of Massa- 

 chusetts, making 

 its appearance 

 with its fat and 

 well-fed brood, as 

 early as the 20th 

 of July, becoming 

 more abundant to- 

 wards the middle 

 of August, when 

 the market of Boston is amply supplied with this dulicaie and justly 

 esteemed game. 



According to the season of the year, they are found throughout 

 the continent, many retiring south of the eijuator to pass the winter. 

 They are observed in May, already busily <^leaning coleopterous in- 

 sects on the remote boreal plains of the Saskatchewan, and abound 

 in the extensive prairies west of the Mississijipi. At tliis time, and 

 in June, they are seen common also, in Worcester county, (Mass.) and 

 are believed to breed there. They are equally frequent on the plains 

 of Long Island and New Jersey, and in similar bare and dry pastures ia 

 various parts of Massachusetts, particularly about Sekonk, and in 

 Bhode Island, near to the sea-coast, where they pass the greater pari 

 of the summer. Wilson, who first described the ppecies, met with il 

 in the meadows of the Schuylkill, pursuing insects among the grass 

 with great activity. As a straggler, it has been seen, though very 

 rarely, in Germany or Holland. 



The breeding range of this species, extends, in all probability 

 from Pennsylvania to the fur countries of Upper Canada, as well ai 



