42 DECEMBER OUT-OF-DOORS, 



fence, such as no rambler ever encountered 

 without at least a temptation to profanity, 

 we caught sight of a flock of about a dozen 

 of the same unknown plovers. This was 

 good fortune indeed. We had no firearms, 

 nor even a pinch of salt, and coining shortly 

 to a ditch, too wide for leaping and too deep 

 for cold-weather fording, we were obliged 

 to content ourselves with opera-glass inspec- 

 tion. Six of the birds were grouped in a 

 little plot of grass, standing motionless, like 

 so many robins. Their novelty and their 

 striking appearance, with two conspicuous 

 black bands across the breast, their loud 

 cries, and their curious movements and at- 

 titudes were enough to drive a pair of en- 

 thusiasts half crazy. We looked and looked, 

 and then reluctantly turned away. On get- 

 ting home we had no difficulty in determin- 

 ing their identity, and each at once sent off 

 to the other the same verdict, "killdeer 

 plover." 



This, as I say, was on the 28th of Novem- 

 ber. On the 3d of December we were again 

 at Nahant, eating our luncheon upon the 

 veranda of some rich man's deserted cottage, 



O 



and at the same time enjoying the sunshine 

 and the beautiful scene. 



