138 



THE OOLOGIST. 



abundant migrant in the spring and 

 fall. It decoys well, and when flying 

 with other birds it generally leads the 

 flocks, for which reason it is often called 

 Pilot. 



Chnradri/is dominicus, American 

 Golden Plover. This Plover is cer- 

 tainly found 'in our salt marshes, dur- 

 ing its migration, still I have no record 

 of its occurrence. 



JEgialitis vociftra, Killdeer. Resident 

 except during very severe weather. 

 Found at times in the marshes, but 

 generally in wet pasture llelds and 

 meadows. 



Arenaris interprcs, Turnstone. Mi- 

 gratory; common in the marshes and 

 along the sea shore, where large num- 

 bers are killed over the decoys while 

 after better game. Commonly called 

 "Calico-backs." 



Bonasa umbcUus, Riift'ed Grouse, 

 Pheasant. This, the Partridge of the 

 northeru and eastern states, and com- 

 monly called Pheasant with us, is a 

 resident in the state. It is generally 

 found in rough hilly country, among 

 pines and laurel {Kalmia latifoUa). At 

 times, but n it often, they have been 

 found a long distance from their usual 

 haunts. In "American Partridge and 

 Pheasant Shooting," Frank Schley says: 

 "1 have come aero.ss single Pheasants 

 in the open fields, among covies of 

 Partridges, at least four miles distant 

 from any woods or thickets." 



They are verj'' swift of flight, and 

 when flushed fly ott' in a straight line, 

 generally for about one hundred yards, 

 then taking a short turn to either the 

 I'ight or the left they alight. 



A peculiar habit of the Kntt'ed Grouse 

 is its drumming. This is mostly'' done 

 about the mating season, although I 

 Ivive heard it in November. In trying 

 to locate the bird by this sound, it is 

 found to be very difficult to do so. 



Often in winter when the berries 

 'which form their principal food have 

 disappeared, they eat the buds and 



leaves of the laurel, wich is said to- 

 poison their flesh and render it unfit 

 for the table, indeed it is said that 

 death has resulted from eating them 

 under these conditions. 



Tympanuclms americamis, Prairie 

 Hen, Pinnated Grouse. The Prairie 

 Hen once ranged all through the east- 

 ern part of the United States, but was 

 extirpated many years ago. 



Some years siiu;e about a dozen birds 

 were brought from the west to this 

 state, and liberated in Kent county. 

 One or two were seen shortly after, but 

 what finally became of them I do not 

 know. 



Meleagri^ gallopavo. Wild Turkey. 

 This the largest and most noble of our 

 game birds, is still found in abundance 

 in some parts of the state; being migra- 

 tory in a degree according lo the sup- 

 ply of food. When on these journeys 

 if they come to a river, they will either 

 mount to the tops of the trees, or a 

 bank, before taking their flight across. 

 I am told they have frequently been 

 seen flying across the Potomac River 

 near Weverton, and on several occas- 

 ions have been seen to drop into the 

 swift vvater, being unable to reach the 

 Virginia shore. During the fall oft893, 

 a flock of ten or twelve T'U'keys ranged 

 the side of the mountain between Wev- 

 erton and Knoxville, Frederick county. 

 The Turkey has many enemies, one 

 of the worst being the Great Horned 

 Owl [Bubo virginianus). 



Mr.D.G. Elliott gives the following as 

 the manner in which this Owl is evaded. 

 He saj's: "As soon as the warning 

 cluck of some watchful Turkey has 

 placed the whole number on their 

 guard, they immediately stand upright 

 upon the limb and observe every move- 

 ment of their foe, who soon selecting 

 one of them for his prey, swoops upon 

 it with the velocity of an arrow, and it 

 would seem that the fate of that one- 

 was inevitable; but as rapid as was the 

 Owl's movement, stdl t]uicker is that of 



