THE JERSEY COAST. 109 
jack-curlew, the noisy, larger yellow-legs or yelper, 
and the smaller one, down to the pretty simple- 
hearted dowitcher, went to make up our morning’s 
bag. The scorching sun when it hung high over 
our heads stopped the flight, and, aided by venomous 
mosquitoes, drove us to the shelter of the house, and 
turned our thoughts towards dinner. 
The stands being convenient to the tavern, we 
had run in and snatched a hasty breakfast, but now 
collected to ri guns, load cartridges, and talk 
over results. reech-loader being at that time 
something oe a nowelty, attracted considerable at- 
tention, and was Accused o fe defect popularly 
attributed to it, of a —_ ng strongly. As there 
were several expensive guns _present—among them 
one of William ia of which the owners 
had great faith, the question’ was soon tested and 
settled to the satisfaction he most sceptical. 
That being @oncluded, -black-breast, or bull-head 
plover, was the occasionof a terrible contest over 
the entire plover family—some of the sportsmen 
insisting | there were three, others four or five well- 
known kinds. They a agreed as to there being 
the gfass-plover, thexbull-head, and the golden-plo- 
ver; but some Claimed in addition, the frost bird 
and the red-backed plover. At last one burst 
forth : . 
‘“ There is Barnwell; he ought to know: what 
does he say ?” 
As they turned inquiringly, feeling the momentous 
nature of the occasion, and that now was the chance 
