58 Mr. E. Gibson on the Ornithology of [Ibis, 



February or the first week in March. It is most abmulaiit 

 with us iu dry seasons, and [)refers the open plains, though 

 it also may be found on marshy ground or in the vieinity of 

 laguuas. I have never seen the vast numbers alluded to by 

 Mr. Hudson, flocks of perhaps one to two hundred being the 

 limit of my experience. These are as a rule shj^, at least to 

 the man on foot. But on horseback I have approached 

 closely to one such large flock, which, on being disturbed, 

 only flew a short distance and settled down again close 

 together, allowing me to walk ray horse past at a very iew 

 yards' distance ; and on looking back, 1 was interested to 

 note that their similarity to the ground had made them 

 practically invisible. 



In former years I used to find the Esquimo Whimbrel 

 (^Numenius borealis Forst.) associated with this species. 



The wild clear cry of the American Golden Plover is 

 another of the familiar bird-notes connected with the 

 pampas, and is equally dear to the naturalist and the 

 sportsman. 



388. Eudromias modesta Licht. Winter Plover. 



The Winter Plover comes to us about the middle of April 

 and would seem occasionally to stay so late as the end of 

 Se[)tember. Whilst Claude Grant speaks of it as common 

 throughout the winter months, he adds : " usually singly." 

 My own experience, like that of Hudson, is of a collective 

 nature — in Hocks varying from a dozen up to a very 

 large number. AVith it is frequently associated the much 

 larger and richly-pluniaged Slender-billed Floxer {Oreojjhilus 

 rujicutlis Wagl.). Both these species are very shy, scatter 

 ranch in feeding, and run most rapidly, the latter bird 

 particularly. 



The sober garb and wild cry of the Winter Plover are in 

 harmony with the seasun when it visits us, and together 

 productive of a certain melancholy — the dull-coloured birds 

 seen often under a heavy sky and the cry or note which 

 speaks of the far-off and lonely Patagonian home. 



