72 bulletin: museum of comparative zoology. 



This species visits various parts of northern South America in winter, and a 

 few birds are supposed to breed in northern Mexico, but the majority doubtless 

 nest north of the southern boundary of the United States. 



Aegialitis semipalmata (Bonap.). 



Semipalmated Plover. 



Aegialitis semipalmata Belding, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mas., VI. 1883, 351 (s. of lat. 

 24° 30'). Bryant, Froc. Calif. Acad. Sci., 2d ser., II. 1889, 274 (near La 

 Paz). 



Mr. Frazar found this Plover common at La Paz in February, at Carmen 

 Island in March, and at San Josd del Cabo from August 23 to the latter part 

 of October. Mr. Belding notes it as " moderately common " south of latitude 

 24° 30', and Mr. Bryant saw a flock of seven at Magdalena Bay on March 12, 

 1889, while Mr. Anthony reports it common at San Quintin Bay. 



The Semipalmated Plover breeds in the Arctic and Subarctic regions, and on 

 the west coast of America migrates as far south as Peru and Chili. 



Aegialitis nivosa Cass. 

 Snowy Plover. 



Aegialitis alexandrinus nivosus Belding, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., V. 1883, 545 (Cape 



Region). 

 Aegialitis iiivosa Bryant, Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., 2d ser., II. 1889, 274 (Cape 



Region). 



The numerous autumnal specimens of the Snowy Plover collected by Mr. 

 Frazar show surprisingly little variation except in respect to size. The adult 

 males are quite as ashy above as the young birds, from which they can be dis- 

 tinguished, however, by the much darker bars on the sides of their breasts and 

 by the presence of a few black feathers on that part of the forehead occupied 

 by a conspicuous black band in breeding males. 



Mr. Frazar saw a small flock of Snowy Plover in March on the island of San 

 Jose. He afterwards found them at San Josd del Cabo where they were com- 

 mon during September, October, and the first half of November, occurring 

 usually in flocks of not more than six or eight birds, although fully thirty 

 were seen together on one occasion. They w^ere very tame, but when pursued 

 attempted to elude observation by squatting in holes or depressions. At one 

 time all the birds of the large flock just mentioned concealed themselves in 

 footprints left by horses in the sand of the beach, showing only their heads 

 above the level of the surrounding surface. 



Mr. Belding makes only a nominal mention of this species in his papers 

 relating to the Cape Region. To the northward Mr. Bryant has found it common 



