624 GOLDEN PLOVER. 



pick up the object of their search by a peculiar bending movement of the 

 body. They are frequently observed to pat the moist earth with their 

 feet, to force worms from their burrows. In autumn they betake them- 

 selves to the higher grounds, where berries as well as insects are to be met 

 with, and where they find abundance of grasshoppers. 



When travelling to a considerable distance, the Golden Plover flies at 

 tlie height of from thirty to sixty feet, in a regular manner, with con- 

 siderable velocity, the flock, when large, forming an extended front, and 

 moving with regular flappings, an individual now and then uttering a 

 mellow note. Before alighting they often perform various evolutions, 

 now descending and flying swiftly over the ground, then curving upwards 

 or sidewise, closing and extending their ranks, until the sportsman is often 

 tired of watching them, and, after all, the flock, just when he expects it 

 to alight, may suddenly shoot off" and fly to a distance. When they alight 

 within shooting distance, the moment their feet touch the ground is the 

 critical one, for they are generally in a compact body, and almost imme- 

 diately afterwards they disperse. I have often observed them while flying 

 from one place to another, suddenly check their course for a moment or 

 two, as if to look at the objects below, in the manner of Curlews. 



While at New Orleans, on the 16th of March 1821, I was invited by 

 some French gunners to accomjiany them to the neighbourhood of Lake 

 St John, to witness the passage of thousands of these birds, which were 

 coming from the north-east, and continuing their course. At the first ap- 

 pearance of the birds early in the morning, the gunners had assembled in 

 parties of from twenty to fifty at different places, where they knew from 

 experience that the Plovers would pass. There stationed, at nearly equal 

 distances from each other, they were sitting on the ground. When a 

 flock approached, every individual whistled in imitation of the Plover's 

 call-note, on which the birds descended, wheeled, and passing within forty 

 or fifty yards, ran the gauntlet as it were. Every gun went off" in succes- 

 sion, and with such effect that I several times saw a flock of a hundred or 

 more reduced to a miserable remnant of five or six individuals. The 

 game was brought up after each volley by the dogs, while their masters 

 were charging their pieces anew. This sport was continued all day, and 

 at sunset, when I left one of these lines of gunners, they seemed as intent 

 on killing more as they were when I arrived. A man near the place where 

 I was seated had killed sixty-three dozens. I calculated the number in 



