THE GOLDEN PLOVER. 20? 



their mode of flight is most favourable for per- 

 mitting the shot to tell ; and it is by no means 

 unusual to bring down a number. When disturbed 

 they frequently wheel back directly above the 

 fowler, and offer a tempting mark, if he should 

 have a barrel in reserve ; and even when too high 

 for the shot to take effect I have often thrown 

 away a random fire ; for the Plover, on hearing 

 the report, directly make a sweep downwards on 

 the wing, and I have by this means brought them 

 within range of the second barrel." * 



Thompson, in referring to this singular habit of 

 the Golden Plover, 2 gives an amusing anecdote on 

 the subject, as related to him by a friend. 



"In the winter of 1847 I went to some boggy 

 meadows in the neighbourhood of Belfast, for the 

 purpose of shooting Golden Plover, and took with 

 me a young lad who had never before been on such 

 an expedition. When returning home a flock, 

 consisting of about fifty of these birds, flew over- 

 head beyond reach of the shot ; but as I despaired 

 of getting nearer to them, I fired at the flock, 



1 Wild Sports of the West, vol. ii. p. 235. 



2 Nat. Hist, of Ireland "Birds," vol. ii. p. 88. 



