BIRDS HUNTED FOR FOOD OR SPORT. 349 



History. 



Undoubtedly the Killdeer once bred commonly in suitable 

 localities throughout southern New England. Old people in 

 Berkshire, Hampden, Worcester, Middlesex and Barnstable 

 counties spoke of this bird years ago as nesting commonly 

 there in their youth, and it has bred not uncommonly in 

 Barnstable, Hampden and Dukes counties within the memory 

 of men now living. Dr. Townsend says that undoubtedly it 

 once bred in Essex County, and Brewster speaks of a nest 

 found long ago in what is now Back Bay Fens in Boston. 



The following abridged notes, showing the former abun- 

 dance and later decrease of this bird, are interesting: Ejiown 

 to almost every resident of the United States, being a common 

 and pretty constant resident (Wilson, 1813). Breeds in middle 

 and western States and farther north (Audubon, 1835). A 

 common bird; there is hardly any time when it is worth the 

 trouble of shooting (Peabody, Massachusetts, 1839). To 

 most persons residing in the country this species of Plover is 

 familiarly known as the Killdeer (Giraud, Long Island, N. Y., 

 1844). A rare summer resident; said to have been locally 

 common (]Maynard, eastern Massachusetts, 1870). Pretty 

 generally distributed through New England as a summer resi- 

 dent (Samuels, 1870). A not common summer resident (J. A. 

 Allen, 1879). Throughout New England general distribution, 

 nowhere common (Brewer, 1884). At one time not uncommon 

 in New England, but of late years quite rare (Chamberlain, 

 1891). A rare summer resident in southeastern Massachusetts 

 (Hoffmann, 1904). I have received no report of any increase 

 in this species in Massachusetts, while fifty-one of my Mas- 

 sachusetts correspondents report a decrease. 



In November, 1888, after a southern hurricane, great 

 numbers of these birds appeared on the New England coast. 

 Probably they were carried to sea on the edge of the cyclone, 

 and brought ashore here by an easterly wind, having been 

 swept around the circumference of the storm. They were 

 seen in numbers all over Nantucket, as well as on the main- 

 land near the coast. Many of them remained until they were 



