The Oologist. 



YOL. XIV.no. 8. 



ALBION, N. Y., AUGUST, 1897. 



Whole No. 135 



To the Plover. 



Ih few thoughts suggested to an Ornithologist 



upon being served with Plover at dinner. 



By Neil F. Posson, Medina, N. Y. 



Creature of the upland meadows, 

 Frequenter of field and fallow, 

 Poet of the brook and sea shore, 

 Innocent and lovely Plover,— 

 Unto you, in admiration, 

 These weak lines are dedicated. 



Pretty, winsome, stylish Plover: 

 Dignity in evei-y movement ; 

 Grace expressed in every motion. 

 Whether walking, running, flying ; 

 Thou, thyself, art Grace and Beauty,— 

 An adornment to the meadows. 



And thy innocence and shyness, 

 Thy confiding, trusting nature. 

 Are enough to make me love thee, 

 Simple, faithful, quiet creature. 

 You'r my friend and I'm your lover.— 

 Gentle, lisping, whispering Plover. 



But alas for man's rough nature \ 

 Seemingly wtihout a conscience. 

 He can hunt thee without pity. 

 ■Grace and purity count for nothing, 

 Innocence and beauty likewise. 

 When he's bent on going "a-gnnning." 



***** 

 Not of Plover by the seashore 

 Am I thinking of at present; 

 Not of Plover in the meadows. 

 Adding beauty unto Nature 

 By their life, and grace, and motion ; 

 But of Plovers hunted, slaughtered. 



What is this I have before me, 



Palatable In appearance, 



Well prepared, well cooked and garnished, 



Appetizing to the hungry? 



^'Plover on toast" the menu stated. — 



A dainty dish,— and so I ordered. 



Ordered Plover for my dinner! 

 Appetizing to the hungry,— 

 Yet I leave the dish untasted. 

 How can I partake of Plover, 

 Dearest friend of all the meadows, 

 "Trusting creature of the brookside? 



From the dish upon the table 

 None could now determine species, 

 "Whether Dominicus of Killdeer, 



Meloda or Squatarolo ,— 



But it matters not the species, — 



It's a Plover from the meadows. 



Appetite is taken from me 

 At the sight of that trim figure,— 

 Gentle, unsuspecting creature. 

 Hunted, slain for man's enjoyment, — 

 For my thoughts are in the meadows. 

 In the "open," by the sea shore. 



Oh, that man would show more mercy 

 Towards his friends, the feathered creat- 



[ures 

 Helpless, innocent, and hopeful. 

 They were made to lift us upward, 

 Make us better, point us God-ward,— 

 Let us try to learn to love them. 



These the thoughts that came unto me 

 As I tried to eat my dinner,— 

 Of the Plover's grace and beauty, 

 Of his winsome, trusting nature, 

 Of his charms when in "the open," 

 And how sad that nian should eat him. 



Creature of the upland meadows, 

 Frequenter of field and fallow. 

 Poet of the brook and sea shore. 

 Innocent and lovely Plover, — 

 Unto you, in admiration, 

 These weak lines are dedicated. 

 Boston, Mass.. April 11, 1897. 



Bird Skins— A Hint or Two. 



In skinning fat birds, keep many 

 pieces of bibulous paper at your elbow, 

 with which to absorb free fat. Leave 

 the fat layers about vent and rump, in 

 small birds, on skin until the skin is 

 turned over the head. Then remove 

 the fat layers with scalpel. Tie togeth- 

 er ends of the wing bones, left in, — one- 

 half inch to two inches apart. In pois- 

 oning skin, after dredging everywhere 

 thoroughly, including nose-cavity, go 

 again, all around edge of skin. When 

 skin is finished, use a U-shaped half cy- 

 linder of tin to mould the skin. 



P. B. Peabody. 



