The Golden Plover 331 



country is concerned, passing northward in the 

 spring and returning southward bound in the 

 fall. While frequently seen in numbers along 

 the coast and about the shores of the Great 

 Lakes, especially during the spring flight, it 

 also is a common bird of the great plains, pas- 

 tures, and fields of the dry interior in early 

 autumn. It reaches Alaska and other north- 

 ern points during May. The nest is a roughly 

 lined hollow in any convenient growth of moss 

 or grass, and the usual number of eggs is four. 

 They are yellowish buff, spotted with reddish 

 brown. During average seasons, the golden 

 plover is apt to appear in the latitude of Illi- 

 nois, western Ontario, etc., between the 1st and 

 the 15th of October, but the time of arrival 

 is subject to considerable variation, as are the 

 yearly visits of the birds. I have seen thousands 

 of them one season, and perhaps a few scattering 

 specimens, or none at all, for several successive 

 years. When found thinly dispersed over big 

 pastures and fields, the golden plover frequently 

 affords capital sport, but when large flocks are 

 the rule, the quality of the sport is questionable 

 if that of the slain is not. Golden plover shoot- 

 ing at such times is not unlike what wild pigeon 

 shooting used to be, i.e. something closely akin 

 to mere butchery. A few years ago a huge flock 

 swept down upon me, and their unexpected ap- 



