154 THE SHOREBIRDS OR WADERS 



very abundant on the Western prairies, but, like the 

 prairie grouse, they have vanished absolutely from vast 

 regions and are never seen in many counties where they 

 once were most plentiful. Mr. Cooke says early in the 

 settlement of the Mississippi Valley much more than half 

 the upland plovers probably nested within the boundaries 

 of the United States. The center of abundance during 

 the breeding season was the prairie region from Kansas 

 to Manitoba. The numbers were not greatly diminished 

 so long as this region was used for stock purposes, but 

 recently the birds have rapidly decreased. 



When it pays to preserve the prairie grouse the upland 

 plover will be protected undoubtedly, and many of these 

 splendid food birds can be shot by those who go afield 

 for the grouse. The upland plover once were abundant 

 in New England and on Long Island, N. Y. They will 

 return in increasing numbers when some of their nesting 

 grounds are preserved. 



The three most valuable waders for sport are undoubt- 

 edly the woodcock, Wilson's snipe and the upland plover, 

 and it is fortunate that these birds can be saved and made 

 abundant within the limits of the United States. The 

 larger plovers, sandpipers and curlews for the most part 

 breed north of the United States, but these birds and 

 many of the smaller species, which are net interesting to 

 sportsmen, will be much benefitted when game preserves 

 within our borders become numerous. They will find 

 safe refuges from persecution upon their Southern migra- 

 tion, since they will not be shot in large numbers in 

 places where the grouse, ducks, quail and other more de- 

 sirable game birds are plentiful. Some years ago when I 

 used to shoot ducks in North Dakota the yellow-legs, 



