356 GAME BIRDS, WILD-FOWL AND SHORE BIRDS. 



lawful) recreation of shooting the solicitous parents, whose 

 anxiety for the little ones brought them within gunshot. Even 

 the half grown young were legitimate targets (and still are 

 in some States) . They are the game of boys and some foreign 

 gunners. 



This bird is said to raise two broods in a season, but I 

 never have seen any evidence of this except July and August 

 broods, which may have been the result of an attempt to raise 

 young after the first brood had been destroyed. The eggs are 

 laid in a mere hollow in the sand or pebbles of the lonely barren 

 beach, or among the scattering beach grass near the foot of 

 some sand dune. Sometimes they are washed away by an 

 unusually high tide and sea. The young are able to run about 

 as soon as they are hatched. Like their parents they match 

 the color of dry sand. On the approach of danger they squat, 

 close the eyes and remain motionless. I once saw one hide 

 in this way, and, keeping my eye upon it, walked to it and 

 took it in hand. I then let it go, thinking to see if it could 

 conceal itself effectually on the open beach. It ran a few steps, 

 then disappeared behind a little rise, and although I followed 

 it immediately I never saw it again. The parents, ordinarily 

 rather suspicious and shy, become emboldened by their solici- 

 tude for their young, and with cries of alarm follow the intruder 

 on their breeding grounds. The call of this Plover is wild and 

 pensive, but melodious withal. Dr. Townsend names it 

 "the call of a dying race." When alarmed on its breeding 

 grounds at night-fall, it follows the disturber of its peace until 

 daylight has faded, and, pillowed on the sand, I have been 

 lulled to sleep by its wild and mournful cries as they mingled 

 with the ceaseless roar of the pounding surf. 



This species feeds, according to Dr. Warren, on insects, 

 Crustacea, mollusks and the eggs of marine animals. Professor 

 Aughey found the stomachs of four birds from Nebraska 

 filled with insects, and two of them had eaten locusts. 



