Shore Bir da of Cape Cod. 
John C. Galloon. 
American Golden Plover, Charadrius domini- 
cus , (Mull.) ‘-Green Plover” on Cape Cod. A 
common summer and autumn migrant. This 
species is very rarely seen on the Cape in the 
spring, and I do not know of an instance of its 
being taken. The appearance of these birds on 
the Cape in the summer and fall is largely due 
to the weather and winds. Large numbers 
pass our coast from the 15th of August to the 
last of September and whenever we have an 
east or south-easterly storm during that period 
some of the flocks are certain to stop. The flrst 
flight is looked for by the old gunners from the 
-25th to the 29th of August. It bears a marked 
resemblance in color to its cousin, the Black- 
bellied Plover, but can always be distinguished 
by the absence of its hind toes. Its habits and 
food are the same as the Eskimo Curlew, with 
whom it associates. It is very fat in the au- 
tumn and, like other birds that feed on insects, 
berries and grains, it is in much demand for 
the table on account of its fine flavor. The 
most successful gunners get these birds in the 
following manner : Several weeks before the 
time for the flights to occur, they go to an old 
field or pasture that they know the birds usually 
come into and burn off the old grass and bushes 
for quite a space. Then a hole is dug large 
enough for one or two persons to sit in comfor- 
tably, with only the top of their heads above 
the surface. In a few weeks the grass springs 
up and the green patch is easily distinguished 
from its duller surroundings by the Plover fly- 
ing about, and they are sure to come to this 
place. The gunner, with his decoys out, sits in 
his pit with only the top of his head out, which 
is covered with a green cap. A flock, before 
alighting to the decoys, will usually circle 
about several times, often flying directly over 
the gunner’s head only a few yards away. 
An experienced gunner will not shoot when 
they are so near and scattered, as he could 
kill but one or two, but will wait for them 
to bunch at the right distance, which they 
are sure to do while turning, and seize that 
opportunity to fire, killing many at one shot. 
A friend of mine, “Dr. T.,” is considered a fine 
marksman and has shot Plover for many years, 
and this last season, in the manner I have de- 
scribed, he killed fourteen Plover out of a flock 
of nineteen at one discharge of his gun. 
o &0. XIII. Oct. 1688 p. 154-5 
