THE ouRY PLOVER.] J5 T I-IKLD, WOOD, Ay^U W'ATEIl. 



[the Moon-nBK. 



.juills are dusky, slightly margined at the tip 

 with groy. The tail is alsu tliisky, spotted with 

 vellow, and of a white hue. The legs are blaek. 



The golden plover is very common in this 

 country, and is pretty generally distributed 

 over Europe. In America it is very numerous, 

 Vom Hudson's Eay as far as Carolina, migrating 

 from one locality to another, in accordance 

 with the seasons that produce its food. The 

 male and female are very nearly alike in size 

 and plumage. In young birds the yellow spots 

 are not very strongly marked, as the plumage, 

 during the time of their growth, inclines more 

 to a grey hue. 



These plovers were formerly taken in great 

 numbers by means of a stalking-horse. AV'hen 

 fired at, they fly over yon, darting down for 

 the moment, and separating in every direc- 

 tion ; so that by taking a random shot with 

 the first barrel, you may often bring them 

 down to get a fair shot with the second. 



THE GREY PLOVER. 

 This is the Tringa Squatarola of LinnsDUS, 

 lud is about eleven or twelve inches long, and 

 varying from twenty-four to twenty-five broad. 

 Its general weight is about seven ounces. The 

 bill is black : the head, back, and wing-coverts 

 are of a dull dusky brown, edged with greenish 

 nsh-colour, and some with white. The cheeks 

 aid throat are white, and marked with oblong 

 aisky spots. The belly, sides, and rump arc 

 white, the sides being marked with a few scat- 

 tered dusky spots. The outer web of the 

 quills is black ; and the lower parts of the 

 inner webs of the first four are white. The 

 feathers of the tail are marked with alternate 

 bars of black and white. The legs are of a dull 

 green hue, and the hind toe is small. 



This bird is not very common in Great Bri- 

 tain, but is occasionally met with in large 

 flocks on the sea-coast. Its flesh is esteemed 

 a great delicacy. In cold and frosty weather, 

 grey plovers seek their food on lands near 

 the sea-shore ; and when the sky is clear they 

 frequent ploughed fields, especially if sown with 

 grain. After feeding they make for some water, 

 in which they wasb their beaks and feet, and 

 seem to take great delight in so doing. In the 

 night they run up and down, feeding on worms, 

 which they devour in large numbers. The 

 bird is very common in Ireland, where it is 



found in immense numbers. Being a shy bird, 



it is difllcult to got near enough to shoot it. 



THE WATKll-llAlI.. 



Thia is the Jiiillus Aquaticus of LinnaeuB, 

 and ia a curious specimen of tho fen-bird. 

 It resembles the landrail in general appear.inco 

 and iiguro, but is quite distinct in habits and 

 instincts. Tho water-rail ia one day couched 

 in the long grass of a iiigh district, and in tho 

 next is squatted on, or flying about, tlic marshy 

 and boggy grounds. When hunted closely it 

 may bo readily 8])rung, and makes a passable 

 shot. Colonel Montague thus writes of it : — 

 " It seldom takes wing, but dives on the 

 least alarm, and will remain under water, 

 amongst the reeds or other aquatic plants, 

 with only its bill above, for respiration. Ita 

 nest is formed, like tho rest of tho grebes, 

 of a prodigious quantity of flags, or other 

 water-plants, but is generally fastened to the 

 reeds, or flags, in order to prevent its being 

 carried away by tho current. Temminck 

 gives a similar statement. The eggs are 

 five or six in number, of a dirty -white ; 

 the shape oblong, and less than those of the 

 pigeon. These are generally covered with 

 weeds, so that when the bird quits her nest 

 suddenly, they are not exposed to view. In 

 large rivers, these birds are frequently de- 

 voured by pike and trout while they are diving 

 in pursuit of small fish. We once took from 

 the stomach of the last, a water-rail weighing 

 fifteen ounces, the trout only weighing four 

 pounds. After the breeding season, the bird 

 is frequently found in some of our inlets of the 

 sea, where it is said to feed on shrimps." 



THE GALLINULE, OR MOOR-HEN. 



This is the Forlica Cliloropics of Linnaeup, 

 and in many of its habits, it is very like the 

 water-rail. It is not met with in any great 

 numbers ; but its species are scattered, here 

 and there, over almost every country. AVe be- 

 lieve it is not positively ascertained whether 

 they are migratory ; but it is well known that 

 they change their place according to the seasons 

 of the year; frequenting elevated tracts in 

 summer, and more sheltered parts in winter. 

 It is very common in Britain ; and sportsmen 

 fall in with it mostly on the borders of rivers 

 and ponds, where willows and sedges grow. 



