24 utye Harblrr 



wounded wings carried her like a bullet around a point of wooded land and 

 out of sight. She had accomplished her purpose, as I had hopelessly lost 

 the place from which she started. Search as I might, and did, I could not 

 find it. I surely think that Wilson's Plover would take the prize for fakers 

 of forlorn birds. 



After this incident I continued up the beach and chanced upon a mixed 

 flock of Sandpipers, among which was a Red-backed. I wanted him for a 

 specimen, so fired, and though at quite a distance managed to make my kill. 

 As the others flew I thought I saw that I had made a double, and ran to end 

 the misery of the wounded bird that was flopping about, only to find upon 

 reaching the spot that it was another female Wilson's Plover doing the 

 wounded act. This one I did not follow, for I knew that. almost certainly the 

 nest I wanted to photograph was near at hand, the report of my gun having 

 probably frightened her from it. A little glancing around showed near-by a 

 palmetto stub that had been ripped up, and this looked a likely spot. Sure 

 enough, searching revealed the three eggs snuggled closely to the stump, 

 resting in a small hole that had been scooped out in the sand and adorned 

 with a few twigs. While I was photographing the eggs the parent birds 

 kept up their calling, the female doing her best to lure me away. 



I walked further up the beach after securing the picture, as I wished 

 the mother to go back to Jier nest in order that I might observe how she 

 slipped off without being seen. Now that I had the nest located it would 

 be comparatively easy to watch that performance if, as I approached the 

 stump, I kept the site in view. Scattered here and there over the beach 

 were small flocks of Sandpipers, Least, Semi-palmated and occasional Spot- 

 ted and Red-backs. Of course, the various Herons were fishing in promising 

 tide pools, and several staid and solemn White or Wood Ibis lent dignity 

 and interest to the scene. 



Deciding that the Plover had had time to assure herself that no harm was 

 done to the eggs, I turned back to the nest. On nearing the spot I cautiously 

 approached the stump. As I got within a few yards the male, unobserved 

 before as he was facing me and was therefore practically invisible, piped 

 several notes. Swiftly and mouse-like the female glided from her treas- 

 ures, crouching low beside the stump and did not stand erect until she 

 reached the water's edge, where once more she performed her misleading 

 tricks. If I had not kept the nest in view I certainly would not have seen 

 her as she left it. 



Wilson's Plover certainly shows great ingenuity in hiding its nest, 

 and in the three months time I was on that beach I located only this one. 

 The birds were numerous there and many more nests were surely hidden in 

 the drift, but so well hidden that human eyes discovered them only by 

 accident. 



