THE GRASS PLOVER. 121 



the uplands with their young, though occasion- 

 ally a bird or two may be found in an old stub- 

 ble or clover-field in a remote part of the farm, 

 as late as the middle of September. They are 

 then excessively fat and very delicate eating. 

 The market shooters kill many of them in Au- 

 gust and September, on the meadows bordering 

 upon the river Delaware below the city, resort- 

 ing to many stratagems to cover their approach, 

 such as wading ditches, or secreting themselves 

 behind cattle and fences, while their compa- 

 nions steal on the birds on their hands and 

 knees. Unlike the golden plover, or bull-head 

 of the river shooters, this species is never found 

 frequenting ponds, or the banks of ditches, and 

 is never seen in large flocks in the upland 

 country, unless driven inland by storms. 



The grass plover migrates in small bodies, and 

 almost every one has heard its whistle sounding 

 over the city, apparently from among the stars, 

 on a calm summer night. Both varieties some- 

 times sweep over the lower meadows in a long 

 extended line, flying low and with great swift- 

 ness. The grass plover is far superior in flavor 

 to all the other varieties, the golden plover per- 

 haps, excepted, and is much sought after by 

 epicures. 



