PLOVER. 223 



Old peewits, as we all know, fly round a dog, in 

 order to mislead him from the nest ; and I have ob- 

 served, that the young ones, about July or August, fre- 

 quently do the same : perhaps in imitation of the parent 

 bird. With a dog, therefore, one, who agrees with the 

 French proverb *, as to their being such a delicacy, may 

 be able to kill several of these birds in the marshes 

 where they frequent. The afternoon is the best time, 

 as peewits prefer the uplands during the morning. 



GOLDEN PLOVER. Charadrius pluvialisLe pluvier dorc. 

 GRAY PLOVER. Tringa squatazola Le vanneau pluvier. 

 DOTTEREL. Charadrius morinellusLe guignard. 



RING DOTTEREL. RING PLOVER, or SEA LARK. Charadiius 

 hiaticula Le petit pluvier a collier. 



The gray plover, and ring dotterel, are coast birds : 

 the others chiefly frequent the marshes and fallows in- 

 land, where they feed on worms. 



The golden plovers and large dotterels are worth 

 more than all the others, either to shoot, or for the 

 table. The former, when in large flocks, are wild, and 

 must, therefore, be followed with caution ; the latter 

 are easier of access, though not so plentiful. Golden 

 plover were formerly killed in great plenty by means of 

 a stalking horse. If you fire at these birds as they fly 

 over you, they will dart down for the moment, and 

 spread in every direction ; so that, by taking a random 

 shot with your first barrel, you may often bring down 

 the birds to a fair one for your second. 



If admissible to bring together land and water birds, 

 we may add to this list, the 



* " Qui n'a pas mange de vanneau, ne sait pas ce que gibier 

 vaut." 



