WADING BIRDS. 
164 
BARTRAMIAN ' SANDPIPER. 
UPLAND PLOVER. FIELD PLOVER. 
Bartramia longicauda. 
Char. Upper parts brown, varied with buff and black; crown dus y 
and divided by line of buff ; wings and rump dusky ; outer tail-feathers 
rich buff and with a subterrainal band of black and Bps of white ; under 
parts light buff, paler on chin ; breast streaked with dusky. Bill about 
as lone as the head ; legs rather long. Length about 12 inches. 
Mst. In an open pasture or old meadow, - a mere depression in the 
4; pale buff or creamy, marked with brown and lavender; 
1.80 X 1.25. 
Bartram’s I’atler, known here by the name of the Upland 
Plover, so very distinct from the rest of the tribe with which 
it is associated in the systems, is one of the most common 
birds along the sea-coast of Massachusetts, making its appear- 
ance, with its fat and well fed-brood, as early as the 20th of 
July, becoming more abundant towards the middle of August, 
when the market of Boston is amply supplied with this delicate 
and justly esteemed game. 
According to the season of the year, these birds are found 
throughout the continent, many retiring south of the equator 
to pass the winter. They are observed in May already busily 
gleaning coleopterous insects on the remote boreal plains of 
the Saskatchewan, and abound in the extensive prairies west 
of the Mississippi. At this time and in June they are seen 
common also in Worcester County (Mass.), and are believed 
to breed there. They are equally frequent on the plains of 
Long Island and New Jersey, and in similar bare and dry 
pastures in various parts of Massachusetts, particularly about 
Sekonk, and in Rhode Island near to the sea-coast, where 
they pass the greater part of the summer. Wilson, w'ho first 
described the species, met with it in the meadows of the 
Schuylkill, pursuing insects among the grass with great activity. 
The breeding-range of this species extends, in all probability, 
from Pennsylvania to the fur countries of Upper Canada, as 
