142 
PRiECOCIAL GRALLATORES — LIMICOLiE. 
adds that this bird only visits Bermuda during its great southern migration, a few 
being met with by the 1st of September, or, rarely, a few days earlier. As a gen- 
eral rule, it passes over Bermuda in large and numerous flocks between the 10th and 
17th of September. If the weather is favorable, the flocks pass on, at a considerable 
elevation, in a southerly or southeasterly direction, the form of the flight being a 
leading cluster, from which extend three long lines in single file. They must have 
come over a distance of eight hundred miles, and have a still longer flight to accom- 
plish before they can reach terra firvia. 
Occasionally hurricanes originate in the West Indies, rage with great violence, 
and pass to the westward of Bermuda. It is impossible for the Plovers to proceed 
if they meet one of these terrific storms of wind and rain, and they take refuge in 
the Bermudas. It is very remarkable that they are always extremely fat, and they 
are in consequence much sought by the hunters. A few flocks — later arrivals — are 
met with up to the middle of October. Mr. Hurdis was informed by a friend long 
resident in Antigua that in September this island is annually visited by countless 
flocks of this bird. On one occasion, when the weather was stormy, this Plover made 
its appearance in such multitudes that in St. John’s the inhabitants in all directions 
shot them from their doors and windows, even the boys killing them with sticks and 
stones. Similar occurrences are narrated as having taken place in Martinique and 
Barbadoes. 
This bird is said to display great activity when on the ground, and it often runs 
with considerable rapidity before taking wing. It is not so timid as the Black-bellied 
Plover, and is easily decoyed by imitating its peculiarly mellow note, and is often 
observed, if thus enticed when passing in a certain direction, to check its course, 
turn round, and present itself as an easy mark. The stay of this species is short, 
and as the season advances it passes southward, always moving in flocks and in a 
very regular manner. 
In their wintry wanderings they alternately visit the West Indies, Central and 
South America, to Paraguay and Chili. Salvin noted their appearance in the open 
pasture-lands about Duenas, Guatemala, in the second week of April, where they 
were always seen in company with flocks of Bartram’s Tattler. This bird appears to 
be of accidental occurrence in Florida, where Mr. Moore saw but two individuals, one 
in the spring. Professor Alfred ISTewton refers to their autumnal migrations through 
St. Croix, where they often appear in large numbers. There they are usually seen 
after a gale from the south or southwest. From this he infers that they are arrested 
in their southern migration by the wind, and compelled to defer journeying farther 
until the weather has changed. To this Mr. Edward Newton adds, that their arrival 
is hailed with delight by the sportsmen, every one possessing a gun hastening to the 
pastures on the south side of the island, and there awaiting the long line of these 
birds as they fly up from the sea without exhibiting the least shyness. They were 
first noticed by the Newtons, August 31, and as all the birds seen had more or less 
traces of the black breast of the breeding-plumage, it was supposed that the young 
birds must have taken a different line from their parents in their migration. In 
Trinidad, according to Leotaucl, this species is a regular migratory visitant, arriving 
about the end of August and moving south in October, and is always found in flocks 
of considerable size, frequenting the sea-side, but being even more fond of the interior 
meadows, and especially of those freshly turned up, where it finds a great abundance 
of the worms on which it feeds. It is the most regular of the birds of passage, 
arrives in varying numbers, and is sought after by the local epicures ; although 
Leotaucl adds that this supposed excellence of its flesh is more imaginary than real. 
