PLOVER SHOOTING. 195 



his powder, and this has generally the effect of causing 

 Lepus A. to pause in his wild career for a fatal moment 

 or two, which gives opportunity for the deadly pot. 



Prince Edward Island lies right in the line of flight of 

 the Charadriadse and Tringidse, whose breeding ground 

 is in Labrador, Newfoundland, and the countries still 

 farther north. About the 25th August, the golden 

 plover makes its appearance, closely followed by the 

 Hudsonian curlew, the Esquimaux curlew, and a great 

 number of plovers, sandpipers, and godwits. The pasture 

 lands of the island and low sandy beaches are favourite 

 resting places for these birds on their southern flight, 

 but, unlike the Anatidss, they make no stop in the 

 spring on their return journey to the north. They 

 always seem to take the same line of country in their 

 migrations, viz. across Prince Edward Island, from thence 

 across the isthmus that separates New Brunswick from 

 Nova Scotia, and so on down the shores of the Bay of 

 Fundy. They are not seen in any numbers either in 

 Lower Canada or in those parts of New Brunswick and 

 Nova Scotia that do not border on the Bay of Fundy. 

 After a nor'-easter in the early fall great flocks of these 

 birds are found on the island, and good bags are some- 

 times made by the gunners. It is not a very high order 

 of sport, but nevertheless the weather at this season is 

 charming, the labour is light, and last but not least the 

 birds are delicious eating. The plover shooter drives 

 along in his waggon until he sees flocks of plover wheeling 

 about in the air or feeding on the pastures. He then ties 

 his nag to a fence pole, sticks his decoys in a conspicuous 

 place, and hides himself within shot. If he has a com- 



