1913 BIRDS OF THE FRESNO DISTRICT 31 



It seems possible that Nature has endowed some of her children with a sense 

 unknown to us by which certain creatures can detect the presence of others of 

 their kind at great distances. It seems that eyesight alone could hardly be suffi- 

 cient to reveal to a flock of birds poking about in the mud the approach of others 

 at a distance so great as to be almost undiscernible to human eyes, even when 

 their location had been fairly well determined by the splendid call notes. How- 

 ever, time and again I have heard this subdued piping and in every case a new 

 flock of birds appeared, although in some instances it was nearly a minute before 

 the newcomers could be located. The Sandhill Cranes sometimes fly at astonish- 

 ing heights during the spring migrations, but I think it not unlikely that many 

 flocks of curlews pass over so far above the earth as to be entirely invisible. 



There is a wild and not unmusical tone in the clamorings of a frightened 

 flock of these birds as they fly from a real or supposed danger, the big assemblag- 

 es breaking up into small squads that scatter in all directions. There is also a most 

 attractive quality in the inspiring whistle of a single individual as he takes flight 

 from a shallow slough where he has been feeding. To the writer there is nothing 

 in all the bird world so musical as the excited yet subdued whisperings of the 

 Hudsonian Curlews when a new company of fellow travellers have been sighted. 



It must not be supposed that these birds spend their entire time around 

 water; for small groups of from six to twelve or more individuals are often en- 

 countered out in dry fields or pastures some distance from any water. Yet the 

 trysting pond is sure to be not many miles away, and at any time the little groups 

 are liable to cease feeding operations and betake themselves to the place of 

 assembling. 



At first thought it seems regrettable that these birds should nest in the far 

 north and therefore be with us for onl)' a few weeks in spring on their north- 

 ward journey. Yet it is probably best that it is so : for there are many people in 

 California who assert that curlews make excellent birds for the table and no 

 doubt many would perish by the shotgun if the birds were to be found here 

 throughout the year. May their numbers never grow less and their marvelously 

 sweet voices never be hushed ! 



KiLLDEER. Oxyechus vocifems (Linnaeus). 



The Killdeer may be considered a common resident throughout the Fresno 

 district, and while it shows a decided preference for the vicinity of water it is 

 not confined to such places and is often met with in dry, open fields. In the early 

 spring it is often seen about puddles along the roads, and in the fall when the 

 birds become restless and fly from place to place, their call can often be heard at 

 night, especially in moonlight. 



The Killdeer is a very early nester with us and large young have been 

 seen as early as April 4. April 18, 1906, three eggs were found in a vineyard, 

 two on a narrow ridge left in plowing and a third in the furrow below. By som.e 

 chance this nest had been built exactly in line with the young vines so that in 

 plowing only one side of the nest was disturbed and two eggs remained almost 

 balanced on the knife-like ridge. The nest had been deserted for some time, 

 evidently, and as the eggs had been almost ready to hatch at the time they were 

 abandoned, it seemed like a case of early nesting. So the owner of the land was 

 hunted up to furnish, if possible, the date when the land was plowed. He in- 



