CHARADRIID.E — THE PLOVERS — ^GIALITIS. 163 



the winter return in pairs. Audubon states that during the winter they are seen in 

 flocks of tAventy or thirty, and that they associate; with otlier species, particularly 

 the Turnstones. The same writer asserted that this species never proceeds far inland, 

 even along the sandy margins of our largest rivers ; but in this he was mistaken. 

 This Plover is found along the shores of our inland large lakes, especially Lake 

 Ontario; and it occurs both as a resident and as a migrant at Lake Koskonong, in 

 Wisconsin. It is probable that such exceptions as these will be found to be not 

 unfrequent Avherever favorable localities exist. Although during its summer resi- 

 dence it seems to prefer to run rather than to fly, yet in its migrations it is capable 

 of extremely rapid as well as protracted journeys — passing through the air by a 

 gliding course, close over the sand in its short flights, but high above the shore in its 

 long passages. 



According to Giraud, the Piping Plover is very abundant on the southern shore of 

 Long Island, preferring sandy beaches and shoals, where it feeds on the small bivalve 

 shells which are exposed at low Avater. It may also be seen near the edge of the 

 surf feeding on the deposit of the receding waves. It makes there no nest other 

 than a slight excavation in the sand. The eggs, four in number, that author describes 

 as being of a pale yellowish or cream-color, speckled with brownish black. When 

 pursued it is said to run rapidly, and if closely folloAved it takes Aving, giving utter- 

 ance to a note Avhich is more shrill than the ordinarily mellow one Avhich it sounds 

 when not disturbed. In autumn this bird is said to become very fat, and to be then 

 excellent eating. To the fishermen of Long Island it is knoAvn as the Beach-bird. 



The Piping Plover is thought to be of accidental occurrence in Bermuda, Avhere 

 both Mr. Hardis and Major Wedderburn have noted the occasional presence of 

 stragglers ; these Avere usually seen only after a storm. 



Tavo eggs in my collection (No. 535), from Provincetown, Mass., are of an oval 

 shape, much rounded at one end, and sharply tapering at the other. Their ground is 

 a light faAvn-colored drab, over Avhich are sparsely distributed small rounded markings 

 of a dark bistre, intensified almost to blackness. They measure 1.20 inches in length 

 by 1 inch in their greatest breadth. Except in their smaller size and their lighter 

 ground, they are similar to the eggs of Wilson's Plover. 



The habitat of var. circtcmcinctics is given by Mr. Ridgway (Am. jSTat. YIII. p. 109) 

 as between the Missouri Eiver and the Eocky Mountains. It is, hoAvever, found as 

 far eastAvavd as Lake Koskonong, in Southern Wisconsin, and occasionally even 

 along the Atlantic coast. Its habits appear to be identical Avith those of the melodus. 

 Mr. Nelson refers to this species as a very common summer resident on the borders 

 of the lake, Avhere it breeds on the flat pebbly beach betAveen the sand-dunes and 

 the shore. He obtained a perfect egg from an example shot at Waukegan, on the 24th 

 of April ; and there Avere appearances indicating that others Avere breeding in the 

 neighborhood. Some thirty pairs or more exhibited unmistakable signs of having their 

 nests on the beach at that place Avithin a space of two miles ; and he afterward found 

 these birds quite numerous at other points along the shore, although he was unable 

 to discover their nests. They Avere continually circling about, or standing at a short 

 distance uttering an occasional note of alarin. Dr. Yelie procured young of this 

 variety, only a few days old, near the same locality, on the 1st of July. All depart, 

 it is said, about the last of September. 



