212 FEATHERED GAME 



are countless numbers of them. Many go far- 

 ther on to the cattle ranges of Mexico, and some 

 go far down into South America, even to the 

 pampas of Argentina, leaving for their north- 

 ern summer homes about the end of March. 



There may be two minds as to the palate- 

 pleasing qualities of many a duck, quail, or 

 even grouse, for all these have some peculi- 

 arities which do not appeal to the uneducated 

 palate, but the man who can not appreciate the 

 tender flesh and delicate flavor of the Upland 

 Plover must be hard indeed to suit. To my 

 mind the Upland ranks equal to any game bird 

 of America as a table delicacy. They get sur- 

 prisingly fat in the fall, sometimes even to 

 splitting their skins upon striking the ground 

 when brought down by the gunner. 



Above, the Uj^land is mostly of dusky hue, 

 with a greenish, satiny sheen to the feathers, 

 mottled with tawny and whitish yellow, the 

 light colors mostly on the edges and tips of 

 the feathers ; the top of the head and back dark- 

 est and the yellow tones predominant on neck, 

 breast and wings. The rump dull blackish, this 

 color carried down over the central feathers of 

 the tail, with these barred as are the other 



