121 



shot; and according to Meyer (Taschenb. deutsch. Vogelk. iii. p. 156), one was shot on the 

 Dutch coast. Besides these six recorded instances of its occurrence, a seventh is recorded by 

 Mr. C. A. Wright, who states (Ibis, 1869, p. 247) that one was captured in Malta on the 17th 

 November 1865; and an eighth was, Count Salvadori saysr killed in Liguria in October 1859, 

 and is now in the collection of Sig. De Negri, in Genoa. According to Mr. Gould (Handb. B. 

 Austr. ii. p. 242) it has occurred once in Australia ; for a specimen was sent to him for examina- 

 tion, which was shot by an old sportsman during the Snipe-season of 1848 near the water-reservoir 

 in the vicinity of Sydney. 



I give below a series of notes on the range of the present species in America, and on its 

 habits, sent to me by Dr. Elliott Coues, and may remark that the only place where I have had 

 an opportunity of seeing this bird alive was in Texas. When travelling from Matamoras to San 

 Antonio de Bexar we had to toil several days through an arid sandy country where almost the 

 only Waders we saw were Curlews and Buff-breasted Sandpipers, both of which were numerous 

 in many parts ; but as soon as we reached the rich grass-prairies we found the present species 

 everywhere, and I shot numbers of them daily for the pot. They were not in flocks, but 

 scattered singly all over the grass-plains. I found them shy and difficult of approach if I tried 

 to stalk them on foot ; but by riding or driving towards them I could generally get within range, 

 and shot most of those I killed from the saddle, pulling up and firing as they rose from the 

 ground. They were exceedingly fat, and several burst on falling on the ground ; but the fat is 

 very sweet, and I rarely tasted so good a bird. We used to split them up, making a spatchcock 

 of them, and fry them in their own fat in the frying-pan ; and I can well imagine that when 

 prepared by a good cook they must make a most delicious morsel. I was told that, in New 

 Orleans and other large towns in the south, the Grass-Plover is held in high esteem by epicures, 

 and is supposed to renovate the wasted vigour of ancient roues ; but if this were the case, I am 

 afraid that the demand for it in other parts of the world would make it an article of export and 

 soon cause its extermination. 



When undisturbed this bird runs about among the grass with great swiftness, picking up 

 insects here and there ; and when frightened it will suddenly squat down, reminding one much 

 of the Stone-Curlew. When flying off, it utters a melodious whistle of three notes, from whicli 

 its local name of " Papabot " is derived. 



I am indebted to my friend Dr. E. Coues for the following notes : — " Bartram's Tattler, 

 better known to sportsmen as the ' Upland Plover ' or ' Field-Plover,' is a far-ranging bird in 

 America, inhabiting, at one or another season, the temperate or tropical portions of the western 

 hemisphere. To the north it sometimes pushes into Alaska, having been found on the Yukon 

 by Mr. Dall, while in the opposite direction the records attest its presence at least as far south 

 as Peru and Brazil. It is somewhat singular, considering its extensive dispersion in North 

 America, that it has never been noted from the United States west of the Rocky Mountains, a 

 circumstance the more remarkable from the fact that all through the great plains just east of 

 these it is more numerous than anywhere else in our country, migrating in immense flocks in 

 spring and fall, and breeding abundantly within our limits. I suspect that its apparent absence 

 from the Pacific side is simply a default of record, which will in time be supplied. 



" However this may be, time will decide. At present we may occupy ourselves with a sketch 



4d 



