74 



KILDEER PLOVER 



winnow the air over head, dive and course around you, or run 

 along the ground counterfeiting lameness, are shrill and incessant. 

 The moment they see a person approach, they fly or run to attack 

 hijn with their harassing clamour, continuing it over so wide an 

 extent of ground, that they puzzle the pursuer as to the particular 

 spot where the nest or young are concealed; very much resembling, 

 in this respect, the Lapwing of Europe. During the evening, and 

 long after dusk, particularly in moonlight, their cries are frequent- 

 ly heard with equal violence, both in the Spring and Fall. From 

 this circumstance, and their flying about both after dusk and be- 

 fore dawn, it appears probable that they see better at such times 

 than most of their tribe. They are known to feed much on worms, 

 and many of these rise to the surface during the night. The prowl- 

 ing of Owls, may also alarm their fears for their young at those 

 hours ; but whatever may be the cause, the facts are so. 



The Kildeer is more abundant in the southern states in win- 

 ter than in summer. Among the rice fields, and even around the 

 planters^ yards in South Carolina, I observed them very numerous 

 in the months of February and March. There the negro boys fre- 

 quently practise the barbarous mode of catching them with a line, 

 at the extremity of which is a crooked pin with a worm on it. 

 Their flight is something like that of the Tern, but more vigorous ; 

 and they sometimes rise to a great height in the air. They are 

 fond of wading in pools of water ; and frequently bathe themselves 

 during the summer. They usually stand erect on their legs, and 

 run or walk with the body in a stiff horizontal position; they run 

 with great swiftness, and are also strong and vigorous in the 

 wings. Their flesh is eaten by some, but is not in general es- 

 teem; tho others say, that in the Fall, when they become very fat, 

 it is excellent. 



During the extreme droughts of summer, these birds resort 

 to the gravelly channel of brooks and shallow streams, where they 

 can wade about in search of aquatic insects : at the close of sum- 



