THE LONG-TAILED TATTLERS. 269 



counties: Warwickshire, Cambridgeshire, Somersetshire, Corn- 

 wall (twice), Northumberland, and Lincolnshire, while one in- 

 stance of its capture in Ireland has been noted. The details 

 of these occurrences are fully given in the " Manual " of Mr. 

 Howard Saunders. 



Range outside the British Islands. — Bartram's Tattler has been 

 killed in Italy, and also on the Island of Malta. Its breeding 

 home is in temperate North America, where it ranges to 

 Alaska ; it seldom occurs on the Pacific coast on migra- 

 tion, but follows the line of the Central and Southern United 

 States to Central America and the West Indies, and thence 

 south to Buenos Ayres on the cast and to Chili on the western 

 side of South America. 



Habits. — Mr. D. G. Elliot, who writes of this species as the 

 "Upland Plover," gives the following note: — "It is a bird of the 

 plains and uplands, rarely seen near water, into which it seldom, 

 if ever, wades; and in its habits is more of a Plover than a Sand- 

 piper, frequenting grassy fields and prairie-like stretches, hunt- 

 ing with active steps the insects that form its chief means of 



subsistence It walks well and gracefully ; and 



when standing erect, as it watches some suspicious object, with 

 its slender neck stretched to its full extent and topped by the 

 well-shaped head, the bird seems much taller than it really is. 



"The note of the Upland Plover is a loud, long, yet soft 

 whistle, and can be heard for a considerable distance. As one 

 is walking over the grassy plain, there falls upon his ear this 

 distinct cry, coming from some unknown locality. He stops 

 and listens, and again, clear and soft, the note is borne to him, 

 this time distinguished as from above. He looks up, and sees 

 nothing but the interminable blue, spread all around. But 

 soon, as he continues gazing, a tiny speck is visible that floats 

 motionless along ; and from time to time, from out the very 

 heavens, there descends the soft note of the Plover's voice. 

 Descrying some suitable ground, the bird begins to lower, and 

 on fixed pinions, often at an acute angle, it sails downwards, 

 and alights, sometimes on the ground, or occasionally on a 

 fence or stake. It stands erect and motionless, with its wings 

 raised high above the back, exhibiting the beautiful markings 

 to the greatest advantage, and then slowly folds them into 



