222 Bird- Lore By simply walking past the eggs, without stopping, the desired informa- tion can be secured. After the young birds are hatched it will be extremely difficult to find them, by reason of their habit of squatting and remaining perfectly still, and also because they simulate their surroundings so perfectly. The student, by such field studies, can secure a great many interesting and valuable notes, and, if care is taken, without in the least harming either the old or young birds. The extreme watchfulness of the Killdeer at other seasons is portrayed by Audubon in one of his delightful descriptions of his own wanderings: " Reader, suppose yourself wandering over some extensive prairie, far beyond the western shores of the Mississippi. While your wearied limbs and drooping spirits remind you of the necessity of repose and food, you see the moon's silver rays glittering on the dews that have already clothed the tall grass around you. Wm£3BmaBmaB£BSm Your footsteps, be they ever so light, strike the ear of the watchful Kill- deer, who, with a velocity scarcely surpassed by that of any other bird, comes up, and is now passing and repassing swiftly around you. His clear notes indicate his alarm, and seem to demand why you are there. To see him now is impossible, for a cloud has shrouded the moon; but on your left and right, before and behind, his continued vociferations intimate how glad he would be to see you depart from his beloved hunting-grounds. Nay, be not surprised if he should follow you until his eyes, meeting the glaring light of a woodsman traveler, he will wheel off and bid you adieu." Having become acquainted with the Killdeer and its homelife, let us for a moment consider the relations of this bird to mankind. Unfortunately, it belongs to the class known as game-birds, but it is only so in name, for, owing to the small size of its body, it is worthless for food purposes. The appearance of the bird while in flight is very deceptive, its long wings mak- ing it appear much larger than it really is. Its home is on the ground, and all of its food is obtained there and consists very largely of insects that are extremely destructive, such as grasshoppers, crickets and coleoptera, including the boll-weevil, which is now doing such great damage in the NEST AND EGGS OF KILLDEER
