These Plovers keep together in broods or small companies,
and feed much upon grasshoppers. In the
pastures they familiarly follow and feed around the
cattle, and, though usually wary of man, can generally
be approached from a cart or wagon. In August these
birds approach the vicinity of the sea, but resort to feed
and roost in the contiguous dry fields. They run fast
and often skulk in high grass. On being alarmed they
utter three or four querulous whistling notes as they
mount to fly, and when travelling they have a short
warbling whistle. The author from whom I am quoting
states that about the middle of August the market of
Boston, Mass., is amply supplied with this “ delicate
and justly esteemed game.” In Yarrell, loc. supra tit.,
I find that the migrations of this species extend as far
southward as the West Indies, Brazil, Eastern Peru, and
Chile. In Europe Bartram’s Plover has been met with
certainly in Malta and in Northern Italy, and there are
also records of its occurrence in Sweden, Holland, and
Hesse. John Gould states that he examined a specimen
shot near Botany Bay.