204 
AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER. 
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 or 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 sidewise 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 descending 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 within 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, on the 16th of March, 1821, I was invited by 
some French gunners to accompany them to the neighbourhood of Lake St. 
John, to witness the passage of thousands of these birds, which were coming 
from the north-east, 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 
that 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 
