44 



ORXITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 14-Xo. n 



Remarkable Flight of Killdeer Plover. 



Ou Xovember 25th, the New England coast 

 was visited by one of the most severe north- 

 east storms that has occnrred for a nnmber of 

 years; when for more than sixty lunirs tlie 

 wind blew a gale from the east accompanied 

 with rain, sleet, and dense fogs. 



On the night of the 28th, the snrfmen, while 

 out on their patrol on the beach, heard the 

 pecnliar cry of a bird strange to them. 



From their description of it I thought it 

 that of the Killdeer, and during tlie early 

 morning I saw two near the station and suc- 

 ceeded in capturing one. On going out on the 

 beach soon after I found the birds very plenty, 

 sometimes singly, and in pairs, but oftener in 

 flocks from ten to twenty. They were very 

 tame and seemed to be tired out, and instead 

 of running out on the beaches looking for food 

 they wei'e in some sheltered place amcmg the 

 sand hills. 



I shot twelve of them, and could have killed 

 many more; those that 1 got were very poor in 

 flesh, but all were adult birds. 



They were very plenty on the beacli for 

 some four or five days, when tliey left as sud- 

 denly as they came ; and from reports I have 

 heard they were very plenty on all parts of the 

 Cape, at this time. On December 1st I had oc- 

 casion to go to the town of Harwich, and I 

 found the birds in every old field, and even in 

 tlie public roads, and without doubt tliey could 

 be found at this time back at the uplands, but 

 none were seen on the beaches after the fifth 

 day of their first making their appearance. 



The Killdeer is a very rare bird on this part 

 of the cape. I have hunted on the beaches, 

 flats and uplands for the past twenty-five years, 

 and never saw but one of them before, which I 

 .shot in August, 1SS6. 



While the Killdeer is somewhat irregular in 

 its migratory habits, it is certainly not a mari- 

 time bird, and just why an easterly gale should 

 bring them on the coast seems very strange, as 

 certainly everything in this case i^oints that 

 way, not only the lateness of the season and 

 the actions of the birds during their short 

 stay, but by their having never been here dur- 

 ing the past quarter of a century, in many 

 numbers, and then immediately after the 

 storm. Perhaps some of the many readers of 

 the O. & O. can give us some information, if 

 so, I should be pleased to see it in the columns 

 of that paper at some future time. 



On January 9th, I saw a pair on Monomoy 

 Island, and on January loth saw another pair 



in about the same place, possibly may have 

 been the same ones. On January 18th, saw a 

 pair on Morris Island; since that time have ru>t 

 seen any in this vicinity, or heard of any being 

 seen, and think tliem very rare if any. On 

 February 8d, saw a LeaM Tern; it came by me 

 within easy gun shot, and am very certain 

 I could not have been mistaken as I have had a 

 large experience with them, but never before 

 saw one at this season of the y^r. We ai'e 

 having very good shooting, and have had all 

 winter. N. E. Gould. 



Chatham Life Saving Station, Dec. 8, 1888. 



On November 27th, during the severe north- 

 east gale, twenty Killdeer Plover made their 

 appearance at Hampton Beach, where I saw 

 them nearly every day up to December 2.5th, 

 on which date the last one was seen. They 

 seemed to prefer tlie few acres of tillage land 

 lying between high water mark and the vast 

 extent of marsh, avoiding tlie latter place and 

 the sandy beach. Single birds were seen fre- 

 quently on the highway. On December 25th, 

 rode past a Killdeer, who merely moved a few 

 feet to one side in order to avoid the wheels of 

 the carriage. 



Four specimens that I secured were quite 

 fat, showing that they had not been deprived 

 of food for any length of time. In each in- 

 stance the stomach contained a few small red 

 beetles, sand fleas and a quantity of gravel. 



This species being very rare here attracted 

 considerable attention. One old fisherman re- 

 marked that he had not seen a flock of Killdeer 

 before for more than a dozen years. It would 

 be very interesting to know from whence they 

 came and the cause of their being here so late 

 in the season. I was glad to see reference 

 made to this in the December O. Sc O., and 

 think when the notes of observers in different 

 localities are brought together much liglit will 

 be shed on the subject. S. Alhert SJniw. 



Hamilton. X. H. 



European Thrush and Lawrences 

 Warbler. 



I have the honor to report the capture of 

 the European Thrush (Turdiix pilar is), which 

 was shot near this jjlace in March, 1888. I be- 

 lieve it is the first bird of this species recorded. 

 I also have the following list of Lawrence's 

 Warbler {Heli)iinthopha(/a Lawrencei), none of 

 wiiich have been reported: May 12th, 1880, $ ; 

 May28d, 1888. ?: May 25th, 1888, $. 



If'//*. //. Jloyf. 

 Stamford, Conn. 



