KILDEER PLOVER. 9 



196. CBARADSIUS rocirsRUs, LINN .as us AND \VILSOX. 



KILDEE& PLOVER. 



WILSON, PLATE LII. FIG. VI. 



EDINBURGH COLLEGE MUSEUM. 



THIS restless and noisy bird is known to almost 

 every inhabitant of the United States, being a common 

 and pretty constant resident. During the severity of 

 winter, when snow covers the ground, it retreats to 

 the sea shore, where it is found at all seasons; but no 

 sooner have the rivers broke up, than its shrill note is 

 again heard, either roaming about high in air, tracing 

 the shore of the river, or running amidst the watery 

 flats and meadows. As spring advances, it resorts to 

 the newly ploughed fields, or level plains bare of grass, 

 interspersed with shallow pools ; or, in the vicinity of 

 the sea, dry bare sandy fields. In some such situation 

 it generally chooses to breed, about the beginning of 

 May. The nest is usually slight, a mere hollow, with 

 such materials drawn in around it as happen to be 

 near, such as bits of sticks, straw, pebbles, or earth. In 

 one instance I found the nest of this bird paved Avith 

 fragments of clam and oyster shells, and very neatly 

 surrounded with a mound or border of the same, placed 

 in a very close and curious manner. In some cases 

 there is no vestige whatever of a nest. The eggs are 

 usually four, of a bright rich cream or yellowish clay 

 colour, thickly marked with blotches of black. They 

 are large for the size of the bird, measuring more than 

 an inch and a half in length, and a full inch in width, 

 tapering to a narrow point at the great end. 



Nothing can exceed the alarm and anxiety of these 

 birds during the breeding season. Their cries of kilde(.r> 

 kildeer, as they winnow the air overhead, dive, and 

 course around you, or run along the ground counter- 

 feiting lameness, are shrill and incessant. The moment 

 they see a person approach, they fly or run to attack 

 him with their harassing clamour, continuing it over 



