The American Golden Plover 



sharply eastward to Labrador. Here they pause for a season to fatten 

 on berries, then move south to Nova Scotia, whence they set forth, about 

 August 25th, to accomplish by a single sustained effort an over-sea flight 

 of from 2000 to 2400 miles to the Lesser Antilles and South America. The 

 winter home is in southern Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. The return 

 journey is accomplished by an altogether different route, viz., one plotted 

 via Bolivia and northern Peru, thence by air to Texas, or, rarely, Yucatan, 

 and so "homeward" by a leisurely course up the Mississippi Valley and 

 through central British America. Spring shooting in the Mississippi 

 Valley, coupled with easterly storms on the Atlantic Coast, and, latterly, 

 the increased occupation of Argentina by agriculture, have conspired 

 together to reduce this once enormously abundant species to the verge of 

 extinction. The species is recovering somewhat under Federal protec- 

 tion, but will probably always require nursing. 



Taken near Santa Barbara Photo by the Author 



THE MER-FOLK 



EVIDENTLY THE GOLDEN PLOVERS HAVE BEEN FRIGHTENED FROM OUR SHORES BY SUCH APPARITIONS AS THESE. IN 



DEFAULT, THEN, OF PORTRAITS OF THE PLOVERS WE PRESENT THOSE OF THEIR PERSECUTORS 



I208 



