OTHER BIRDS. 243 



They are most comical little fellows, with their long legs 

 and bills, and their disproportionately small bodies, covered 

 with soft, yellowish down. They are wonderful adepts 

 at hiding ; and a brood suddenly come upon, when on an 

 apparently bare prairie, will disappear as if they went 

 into the ground. Only the sharpest eyes may, after care- 

 ful search, be able to discover one or two. The young, 

 when newly fledged, give tolerably good sport to the 

 hunter. They will not lie to the dog, nor do I think 

 they possess any game scent ; at this time, however, their 

 flights are short, and they do not run, but walk delibe- 

 rately off after alighting, giving the sportsman opportunity 

 again to get within shot. Many persons esteem the curlew 

 very highly as food. To my taste he is a poor bird dry, 

 and without flavour. 



With, or soon after, the curlew come myriads of field 

 plover which, pairing and scattering in a somewhat similar 

 manner, occupy in incredible numbers the highest and 

 driest slopes of the third plain. I have said that they 

 pair. I am led to the belief by frequently seeing them 

 by twos in the nesting season, but I am by no means 

 positive of the fact. They come in flocks, and remain in 

 flocks throughout their stay on the plains. Some specially 

 favourable locality will be the nesting place of numbers ; 

 and in that vicinity numbers may always be found to- 

 gether, not in coveys like quail, or flocks like ducks, but 

 scattered, each independently seeking his food in his own 

 way, but keeping within call of his neighbours. If they 

 pair the females go off alone during the process of incu- 

 bation, while the males remain together. I have never 

 seen two old birds with the young, and therefore conclude 

 that the female has its sole charge and responsibility. 



The nest is made like that of the curlew. But two 

 eggs are laid, and the young follow the mother soon after 

 hatching. I have seen them running after her while yet 

 scarcely dry. Their appearance is most curious. A little 

 ball of soft white down, not larger than a pigeon's egg, 



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