. 906 Mr. Peabody on the 
the naked earth ; they are four in number, of a cream 
color, blotched with black ; the young run about as 
soon as they are hatched, and the parents are kept 
in perpetual agitation by fears for their safety. 
The food of the kildeer consists of grasshoppers, 
crickets, snails and earth worms. They often strike 
their bill into the ground, in search of their prey. 
In the meadow, they pat the ground, to force out 
the worms, and sometimes follow the ploughman, 
to seize those which he has turned out from the 
ground. 'They have a peculiar motion of the body, 
when about to pick up their food, in order to bring 
their bills to the earth to reach their prey. The 
flesh of this plover is often eaten in the fall, but 
at other seasons it is poor and ill flavored ; indeed, 
there is hardly any time when it is worth the trou- 
ble of shooting. 
E. 
The Semrpatmarep Prover, Charadrius semi- 
palmatus, is not an uncommon bird, and is seen on 
our coast in the spring, from the last of April till the 
end of May ; then it goes to high northern latitudes 
to spend the breeding season, at which time, Dr. 
Richardson assures us, they abound in the arctic - 
regions. As soon as the young have acquired 
strength for the journey, they set out on their re- 
turn, and early in August they again make their ap- 
pearance on our shores. They feed on land as well 
as marine insects, though they are generally seen 
playing before the waves on the beach. They are 
found in the markets of our cities at the close of 
summer, and are well esteemed for food. 
