I'tiE SHARP-TAILED DOTTERELS. 
157 
T.angB outside the British Islands.— This species is found gener- 
ally over temperate North America in summer, migrating south 
in winter to Central America and the Antilles, and passing to 
South America as far as Peru and Chili. 
Hahits. — The common name of the Kill-deer Plover is derived 
from its note, kildeerox kildee. Mr. D.G. Elliott, in his recently 
published work on “ North American Shore Birds, writes: It 
passes nearly all its time on the ground, walks and runs with 
case and considerable grace, and is constantly in motion, utter- 
ing its plaintive cr)', which resembles syllables which form its 
trivial name. It likes to linger around pools and the banks of 
streams, and feeds upon worms, insects, larvx, and small Crus- 
tacea, and is often seen running over ploughed ground in search 
of whatever insects may have been disclosed in the upturned 
soil. While usually rather tame and gentle, it nevertheless re- 
sents man’s appearance on its territory, and continually’ utters 
its complaining note, running before him, stopping to take 
observations, or flying short distances. When on the wing it is 
a beautiful object, the clear, harmonious-contrasting colours of 
its plumage making it very attractive to watch, as on firm wings 
it circles around in easy flight. In autumn it is often most 
numerous near the sea-shore, but I do not remember ever to 
have seen it actually on the beach. Walking quietly over the 
meadows or fields thinking nothing of birds, and none being 
in sight, one is often startled by this Plover rising suddenly from 
almost beneath one’s feet, with frequent repetitions of its shrill 
cry. the last syllable sounded in rapid succession— (fee dee dee 
—as though it had no time, in its excitement, to utter the full 
sound, kill-dee. At such times it flies often in an erratic course 
for quite a distance, and low over the ground, as if to entice its 
disturber to follow it, and acts as if its nest was near, although 
the breeding season may have long since passed. It is a noisy 
bird, and serves on many occasions as a sentinel, and gives 
alarm to other species not so watchful of approaching danger. 
On this account it is not looked upon with fiivour by sports- 
men, who may be endeavouring, with well-executed whistling, 
to lure other waders to their ]>lace of concealment. Like the 
Golden Plover and others of the tribe, it frequently stands 
motionless watching the object of its suspicions, and then run- 
ning quietly aw’ay or rising with shrill cries, informing every 
