CLASS II. AVES: OEDER 7. GRALLATORES. 
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tliem remain through the winter in the southern parts of England, France, and Italy. They fre- 
quent moors, heaths, downs, and wide, open fields. Many also are seen along the sea-shores. 
The American Golden Plover, C. Virginicus^ is ten and a half inches long, mottled above 
with black and greenish-yellow ; beneath marked with large patches of black. On this conti- 
nent it ranges from 23° to 70° north, and is popularly known to sportsmen by the names of Frost- 
Bird and Green-Back. Nuttall says : " They arrive on the coast of the Middle and Northern 
States in spring and early autumn. Near to Nantasket and Chelsea Beach, they are seen, on 
their return from their inclement natal regions in the north, by the close of August, and. the 
young remain in the vicinity till the middle of October, or later, according to the state of the 
weather. They live principally upon land-insects, or the larvas and worms they meet with in the 
saline marshes, and appear very fond of grasshoppers. About the time of their departure they 
are, early in a morning, seen sometimes assembled by thousands, but they all begin to disperse as 
the sun rises, and at length disappear high in the air for the season. They usually associate, 
however, in small flocks and families, and when alarmed while on the wing, or giving their call to 
those who are feeding around them, they have a wild, shrill, and whistling note, and are at most 
times timid, watchful, and difficult to approach. Though they continue associated in numbers 
for common safety during the day, they disperse in the evening, and repose apart fi'om each other. 
At day-break, however, the feeling of solitude again returns, and the early sentinel no sooner 
gives the shrill and well-known call, than they all assemble in their usual company. At this time 
they are often caught in great numbers by the fowler, with the assistance of a clap-net, stretched 
before dawn in front of the place they have selected to pass the night. The fowlers, now sur- 
rounding the spot, prostrate themselves on the ground when the call is heard, and as soon as the 
birds are collected together, they rise up from ambush, and by shouts, and the throwing up of 
sticks in the air, succeed so far in intimidating the plovers that they lower their flight, and thus 
striking against the net, it falls upon them. In this and most other countries, their flesh in the 
autumn, and particularly that of the young birds, is esteemed a delicacy, and is often exposed for 
sale in the markets of our principal towns." This species has been supposed identical with the 
European Plover, but it is now generally regarded as distinct; it is supposed, however, to be iden- 
tical with the Asiatic Plover, known in India, the Asiatic Islands, and New Holland. 
The Dotterel, C. morinellus, is nine and a half inches long, varied above with brown, ash, 
buff", and white ; breast fawn, belly black. Its migrations resemble those of the C. pluvialis. 
They are regarded as silly birds, and hence a foolish person is in England called a dotterel. 
They are greatly esteemed for the table, and many are taken in nets. Drayton alludes to its 
habits, and to the popular idea that it imitates the actions of the fowler, as follows : 
" The Dotterel, which we think a very dainty dish, 
Wliose killing makes such sport as no man more can wish. 
For as you creep, or cower, or lie, or stoop, or go. 
So, mocking you with ease, the apish bird doth do ; 
And acting every thing, doth never mark the net, 
Till he be in the snare which men for him have set." 
Other foreign species of Plover are as follows : the Ringed Plover, G. hiaticula, eight inches 
long ; distributed throughout Europe, and for a long time erroneously considered as identical 
with our Ring- Neck : the Kentish Plover, G. Ga7itianus, seven inches long; common in Middle 
and Southern Europe: and the Little Ringed Plover, G. minor, resembling the G. hiaticula ; 
found throughout Europe. 
The American Ring Plover, G. semipalmatus — Aegialitis semijoahnatus of Bonaparte — is 
seven inches long ; brownish-ash above, beneath white ; frontlet and ring over the breast, black ; 
breeds as far north as Labrador, and is common on our shores from August to October, after 
which it migrates southward. Some, however, are stationary in the Southern States. It is often 
called Ring-Plover, and, as we have stated, has been supposed identical with the European 
Ringed-Plover. 
The Piping-Plover, G. melodus — A. melodus of Ord — is six and a half inches long ; found 
along the eastern coast of the United States, and is known among our fowlers by the names of 
Beach-Bird and Beach-Flea. It appears among us in April and disappears in October. 
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