59 



that those which are there in winter have migrated also. It is 

 difficult to suppose that a species is not migratory at a particular 

 place, when it is migratory at other places, and when great 

 numbers do migrate from Iceland, Sweden, Lapland, and other 

 countries, where they breed and spread themselves over such 

 great tracts of country, and get so far south in winter. The 

 Golden Plover breeds on many of the high mossy grounds in 

 Northumberland. When the flocks first come to the lower 

 grounds, which they often do in July and August, they are some- 

 times not very wary; the flocks are then chiefly composed of 

 young birds, the old birds being then in the moult ; but, at that 

 season, they are not in very good condition. As a general rule, 

 birds of this tribe, when breeding, seem to get a plumage making 

 them less conspicious ; that is, more nearly approaching in colour 

 the ground on which the nests are. The reverse seems to be the 

 case with the Golden and Grey Plovers. Can anyone give a 

 reason why they get the beautiful black breasts, encircled with 

 a white border ? Can the male become so conspicuous in order to 

 divert attention fiorn the female whilst she is engaged with her 

 eggs or young ? In watching for Plovers in tha evening, when 

 they fly close to the ground, you may sometime*, by stooping, 

 get a shot at them by thus getting them between you and the 

 light. Audubon gives a most extraordinary account of a day's 

 Golden-Plover-shooting, which may perhaps be interesting to 

 some of our readers. It is as follows : " While at New Orleans, 

 on the 16th March, 1821, I was invited by some French gunners 

 to accompany them to the neighbourhood of Lake St. John, to 

 witness the passage of thousands of these birds, which were 

 coming from the north-east and continuing their course. At the 

 first appearance of the birds early in the morning, the gunners 

 had assembled in parties of from twenty to fifty, at different 

 places where they knew, from experience, the Plovers would 

 pass. There, stationed at nearly equal distances from each other, 

 they were sitting upon the ground. When a flock approached, 

 every individual whistled in imitation of the Plover's call-note, 



