74 THE BIRDS 
FAMILY CHARADRIIDAE.—PLOVERS. 
GENUS OXYECHUS. 
[273]. Oxyechus rociferus (Linneus). Killdeer. 
[Killdee}. 
Rayee.—North and South America. Breeds from 
central British Columbia, southern Mackenzie, central 
Keewatin, and central Quebec south to the Gulf Coast and 
central Mexico; winters from California, Arizona, Texas, 
Indiana, New Jersey, and Bermuda south to Venezuela 
and Pern; casual in Newfoundland, Paraguay, and Chile; 
accidental in Great Britain. 
There was a time some fifteen or eighteen years ago 
when this shore bird was one of the common breeding birds 
all over Virginia, but of late years it has become 
more scarce each season, until it has entirely disappeared 
on the James River Peninsula as a breeder, and but few 
pair still breed on the Eastern Shore, and in Princess 
Anne County. During the migrations a few pair are now 
seen in the plowed fields and pasture land, while now and 
then a small flock on the beaches and flats, a remnant of 
a once plentiful bird with us. The farmers tell me, 
“Many vears ago one could find two or three pair nesting 
in every field on their farms, but nowadays they seldom 
even hear one the vear round.” They do, however, 
migrate in greater numbers, and breed sparingly further 
inland. They are a pleasing, though noisy, bird to have 
around the farm, and they do a great deal of good by 
gathering worms and insects from the fields. They are 
