THE KILDEER PLOVER 83 



The Golden Plover is about ten and one-half 

 inches long, and in wing spread about twenty- 

 two inches. Weight from five and one-half to 

 six ounces. It may be needless to add that the 

 bird is a delicate morsel for the table. 



THE KILDEER PLOVER. ''KILDEE." 



(Oxyechus vociferus.) 



The chief of the small family of ''ring 

 plovers;" the largest and most beautiful of 

 these birds in our territory. He has named 

 himself and we have taken him at his word, 

 "Kildeer! Kildeer!" A noisy, active, restless 

 little bird, and not very common in New Eng- 

 land as compared with the numbers found in 

 the West. 



They are not so much given to gathering into 

 flocks nor are they so partial to the seashore 

 as are their smaller brethren. The Kildeer is 

 mostly found in the fields and high grounds, 

 ploughed lands or marshes rather than the 

 sea beaches. In the full plumage a beautiful 

 bird; above, brownish gray, with a greenish, 

 satiny gloss, and many feathers edged with 

 golden brown; rump and upper tail coverts of 



