BAY-SNIPE SHOOTING. Ti 
The last four varieties are nearly similar in size 
and greatly exceed the following, but are far less 
desirable in an epicurean point of view. 
The golden plover is one of the finest birds that 
flies ; it associates in flocks of a thousand, stools well, 
is extremely fat, is delicious on the table, and has a 
peculiarly musical whistle. It frequents the uplands, 
and feeds on grasshoppers. Its back is marked with 
a greenish red that faintly resembles gold, and gives 
rise to its name. The young are quite different in 
plumage. 
The black-breast or bull-head is a shy and rather 
solitary bird—although it occasionally collects in 
large flocks—but it is quite fat, and frequently killed 
in the salt marshes over the stools used for the ordi- 
nary bay-birds. 
The yelper hasa strong, rapid, and often irregular 
flight, and a loud cry. It stools well, but escapes 
rapidly as soon as shot at, darting from side to side 
in a confusing way, and returns less confidently than 
the willet or marlin. It pursues its course generally 
high in the clouds, whence it will drop like a stone 
when coming to the stools. On Long Island it goes 
by the name of big yellow-legs ; its call can be heard 
at an immense distance, and is repeated continually 
as it flies. Gastronomically considered, it is passa- 
ble, and, when fat, really excellent. 
The yellow-legs, or little yellow-legs, as it is 
termed on Long Island, is similar in appearance to 
the yelper, but has a softer and more flute-like note, 
and congregates in larger flocks. It stools admi- 
