BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER. 455 
who had charge of the conveyance and sat in the buggy, declared that every bird fell, 
I walked over the ground and picked up twelve dead birds; from the first to the last 
the distance was about twenty yards. The next day, on passing the place the dog came 
to a point; not expecting a repetition of the slaughter, I walked up, but no bird flushed 
I now moved some dead grass, and found the one I had winged the day before, and 
which was so badly wounded that I killed himas a kindness. Here the whole covey was 
exterminated; but as I felt sorry for the act, did not intend it, and would never_do it 
again, it should not be considered unpardonable. Experience, however, sustains the 
position taken by spertsmen, that the judicious use of the gun merely diminishes by 
drawing upon the yearly increase, and does not oppose the preservation and healthy 
propagation of these birds. 
Still, if unmolested, they would not, perhaps, under the most favorable circumstances, 
become in excess of their usefulness to the agriculturist. Yet, however plentiful they 
may be, it seems an inexcusable cruelty to take their lives either for gain or amusement, 
and I agree with Mr. Herbert: ‘were I a farmer, I would hang it over my kitchen fire- 
place, inscribed in goodly capitals—Spare the Quail! If you would have clean fields 
and goodly crops, spare the Quail! So shall you spare your laber.’”’ 
ORDER LIMICOLA. SHORE BIRDS. 
I AN ITT NC CBOIN TR A TOSS TL TLIB) 28) 5) TE) EO) \Y/ 18) 18% 
Legs moderate, Tarsus shorter than tail, reticulate. Hind toe wanting (except in 
Squatarola, where very small, and in Aphriza). Bill short, straight, not exceeding the 
head (generally shorter), shaped like a pigeon’s, with short, broad, soft nasal] fosse sep- 
arated by a constriction from the enlarged, obtuse, horny terminal part. Head’ large, 
globose, contracting suddenly to the bill. Neck short, 
Subfamily CHARADRIINA. True Plover. 
Size moderate or small; body plump; neck thick. Gape very short, reaching little 
beyond base of culmen. Tarsus reticulate, longer than middle toe. Tail of twelve 
feathers, nearly even, or rounded. 
GENUS SQUATAROLA. Cuvier. 
Hind tosrudimentary. Legs reticulated with elongated hexagons anteriorly, of which 
there are five or six in a transverse row, fewer behind. Tail slightly rounded. 
SQUATAROLA HELVETICA (L.) Brehm. 
ilack=bellied Plover. 
Charadrius helveticus, KIRTLAND, Ohio Geolog. Surv., 1838, 165, 185. 
Squartarola (error) helvetica, WHEATON, Ohio Agric. Rep. for 1860, 368; Reprint, 1861, 10. 
Squatarola helvetica, WHEATON, Food of Birds, etc., Ohio Agric. Rep. fer 1874, 572; Re- 
print, 1875, 12.—LaNGDOoN, Cat. Birds of Cin., 1877, 14; Revised List, Journ. Cin. 
Soc. Nat. Hist., i, 1879, 181; Reprint, 15.—Dury and FREEMAN, ib., iii, 1880, 104; 
Reprint, 5. 
Tringa helvetica, LINN=US, Syst. Nat., i, 1763, 259. 
Squatarola helvetica, BREHM, V. D., 554, 
