restless, and noisy Killdeer is common throughout the 

 United States, in nearly all parts of which it is known 

 to breed, wintering, however, generally to the south of 

 Massachusetts. In the winter it is confined to the 

 coast ; but about the beginning of May it resorts to the 

 fields or level pastures \Ahicli happen to be diversified 

 with pools of water, or to the barren sandy downs in 

 the immediate vicinity of the sea, where it lays its eggs, 

 usually four in number, in a slight hollow lined with 

 such straw and dry weeds as come most convenient. 

 At all times noisy and querulous to a proverb, in the 

 breeding-season nothing can exceed the Killdeer's 

 anxiety and alarm ; and the incessant cry of killdeer, 

 killdeer, or te te de dit and te dit, as they waft them- 

 selves about overhead, or descend and fly around you, 

 is almost deafening." 



I gather that in general habits and food this bird 

 combines some of the characteristics of our " Peewit " 

 with those of the other species of the genus jEffialitis. 



