CURLEW. 197 



(N. Borealis) are only migratory visitors they are considered 

 fair game, sitting or flying, and the more especially as 

 they are delicious birds on the table, as much superior 

 to the English curlew as a Canadian wild goose is to 

 an English wild goose. A single curlew is often seen 

 flying with a flock of golden plover. I have seen two 

 curlews on a marsh and shot one, his companion took 

 a short flight and alighted beside the dead bird, quietly 

 waiting there till I had reloaded a muzzle-loader and 

 was ready for him. This simple pair had probably just 

 arrived from some remote region in the north, where 

 that cruel devouring monster, man, had never set foot. 

 A short stay in Prince Edward Island teaches these 

 birds a lesson. Amongst the other birds the plover 

 shooter will come across are the upland plover (Totanus 

 Bartramius), golden plover (Charadrius Marmoratus), 

 black - bellied plover (C. Helveticus), telltale godwit 

 (Totanus Melanoleucus), yellow shank (T. Flavipes) ; this 

 bird, I think, breeds on the island, at any rate it is to 

 be seen all the summer and fall. Marbled godwit (Limosa 

 Fedoa) ; I picked up one of these after a violent nor'-easter. 

 Solitary sandpiper (T. ISolitarius) ; this bird also pro- 

 bably breeds on the island. Piping plover (C. melodus), 

 sanderling (Tringa Arenaria), turnstone (Strepsilas In- 

 terpres), ring plover (C. Semipalmatus), and many other 

 varieties. I have on two different occasions shot one- 

 legged plover. These birds had just arrived from the 

 north, and must either have been born with one leg, or 

 must have lost one in their early youth. 



The numerous bays, rivers, creeks, and inlets with 

 which the island is indented are favourite feeding grounds 



