12 
SHORE BIRDS. 
now than they were forty years ago, when, as we are 
informed, the farmers in many places believed they de¬ 
voured a great part of the seed wheat, and poisonous 
grains were scattered for the purpose of destroying 
them. As the birds do not belong to the gizzard 
tribe—Gallina3—we doubt it the allegation can be sustained. 
They probably go to the freshly upturned fields in quest of 
larva3 and grubs that are injurious to the wheat crop, and are 
really friends and co-workers with the farmer, as are most of 
the feathered tribes, rather than his enemies. They do not, 
however, tarry many days, but proceed to their extreme bo¬ 
real breeding-grounds, nor do they, except a few youngsters 
—“pale bellies”—return by the valley route. Accompany¬ 
ing and mingling freely with the golden plover are the Es¬ 
quimaux curlew, or dough-birds, in great numbers. Their 
habits are very similar to those of their co-migrants, but they 
do not get as fat. Still they are slaughtered by thousands, 
barreled and shipped to Eastern markets. A few only of the 
young return. 
Upland plover (.Actiturus lartramius , Bon.) come paired, 
breed and retire early. In New England they rear their young 
on the grassy slopes of high hills, where they remain till the 
middle of July, when they retreat to the river bottoms, inter¬ 
vales, or dry salt marshes and plains, where they feed on 
grasshoppers and crickets till about the 15th of August, when 
they silently depart. Their line of march is not confined to 
the seaboard, and both old and young of this species travel 
in company. They are a very shy bird, as any one who has 
attempted to hunt them will vouch, taxing his utmost skill, 
and even then will most likely defeat the object of his ambi¬ 
tion. One of the most successful sportsmen and best shots 
in this section, Mr. T., informs us—and we insert this bit of 
secrecy here as a douceur to our disappointed brethren who 
have tried in vain to circumvent one of these wary creatures 
—that he hunts them “down wind,” and as soon as one rises 
on his wing, he (T.) drops close to the ground. The bird’s 
* ‘ bump” of curiosity is developed about equal to a black 
duck’s, and not seeing any one there apparently imagines he 
