THE BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER. 
523 
the sea-shores of the middle and eastern districts from the middle of April to the beginning of 
May ; whereas in autumn they range over the interior, and more especially the Western 
prairies. In the early part of May, they congregate in immense flocks, and commence their 
journey toward more northern regions, where they are said to breed. 
“This bird moves on the ground with sprightliness. When observed, it often runs with 
considerable rapidity to some distance, suddenly stops short, nods once or twice, vibrating its 
body at the same time, and if it should imagine itself unnoticed, it often lies down and remains 
crouched until the danger is over. At the time of their departure from the north, and while 
on the sands of mud- bars on the sea-shore, they often raise their wings as if to air them for a 
few moments. While searching for food, they move in a direct manner, often look sideways 
toward the ground, and pick up the object of their search by a peculiar bending movement of 
the body. They are frequently observed to pat the moist earth with their feet, to force worms 
from their burrows. In autumn they betake themselves to the higher grounds, where berries 
as well as insects are to be met with, and where they find abundance of grasshoppers. 
‘ ‘ When travelling to a considerable distance, the Golden Plover flies at the height of from 
thirty to sixty feet, in a regular manner, with considerable velocity, the flock, when large, 
forming an extended front, and moving with regular flappings, an individual now and then 
uttering a mellow note. Before alighting they often perform various evolutions, now descend- 
ing and flying swiftly over the ground, then curving upwards or sidewise, closing and extending 
their ranks, until the sportsman is often tired of watching them, and after all, the flock, just 
when he expects it to alight, may suddenly shoot off and fly to a distance. When they alight 
without shooting distance, the moment their feet touch the ground is the critical one, for they 
are generally in a compact body, and almost immediately afterwards they disperse. I have 
often observed them, while flying from one place to another, suddenly check their course for a 
moment or two, as if to look at the objects below, in the manner of Curlews. 
“ While at New Orleans, I was invited by some French gunners to accompany them to the 
neighborhood of Lake St. John, to witness the passage of thousands of these birds, which were 
coming from the northeast and continuing their course. At the first appearance of the birds 
early in the morning, the gunners had assembled in parties of from twenty to fifty at different 
places, where they knew from experience the Plovers would pass. There, stationed at nearly 
equal distances from each other, they were sitting on the ground. When a flock approached, 
every individual whistled in imitation of the Plover’s call-note, on which the birds descended, 
wheeled, and passing within forty or fifty yards, ran the gauntlet, as it were. Every gun 
went off in succession, and with such effect that I several times saw a flock of a hundred 
or more reduced to a miserable remnant of five or six individuals. The game was brought up 
after each volley by the dogs, while their masters were charging their pieces anew. This sport 
was continued all day, and at sunset, when I left one of these lines of gunners, they seemed as 
intent on killing more as they were when I arrived. A man near the place where I was seated 
had killed sixty-three dozens. I calculated the number in the field at two hundred, and sup- 
posing each to have shot twenty dozens, forty-eight thousand Golden Plovers would have 
fallen that day. 
“ On inquiring if these passages were of frequent occurrence, I was told that six years 
before, such another had occurred immediately after two or three days of very warm weather, 
when they came up with a breeze from the northeast. Only some of the birds were fat, the 
greater number of those which I examined being very lean ; scarcely any had food- in their 
stomach, and the eggs in the ovaries of the females were undeveloped. The next morning the 
markets were amply supplied with Plovers at a very low price.” 
According to Wilson, this bird is ten inches and a half long, and twenty-one inches in 
extent of wing. The sexes differ but little in color. 
The Black-bellied Plover ( Squatarola helvetius) is an American bird. In September 
it is abundant on Long Island, feeding on the great plains. It is known among the gunners 
here as Black-bellied Killdeer. It is especially fond of ploughed fields, where it constructs its 
nest,— a few coarse materials, slightly put together. The female frequently has two broods in 
