PIPING RINGED PLOVER. 19 



from their southern hybernal retreats, towards the close of 

 April. It does not, however, proceed so far to the north, 

 but resides and breeds in the United States, from the shores 

 of New Jersey to Nova Scotia. Along the low, sandy, and 

 solitary borders of the sea, in small scattering flocks, they 

 are therefore seen throughout the summer, rapidly coursing 

 over the strand, either in quest of their food, or to elude the 

 search of the intruding spectator. After gliding swiftly 

 along for a little distance, they often stop for a short interval 

 to watch any approach, or pick up some insect, occasionally 

 bending forward, and jerking the head up in a balancing 

 attitude ; when still, their pale livery so nearly resembles 

 the color of the sand, that for the instant, they are rendered 

 nearly invisible. On approaching their nests, which are 

 mere shallow hollows in the sand and gravel, they usually 

 exhibit considerable emotion, running along with outspread 

 wings and tail, and fluttering as if lame, to attract attention 

 from their eggs and young. They will sometimes practise 

 this artifice at a considerable distance from their brood, and 

 often follow the spectator for a mile or two, making their 

 shrill, mournful, monotonous call, frequently alighting and 

 running, with a view to deception, near any place which 

 happens to be examined ; and by these reiterated feints and 

 fears it becomes often nearly impossible to discover their 

 breeding haunts. About the 20th of May, or later, as they 

 proceed to the north, they commence laying, the eggs, 

 being about 4, rather large, of a pale cream color, or nearly 

 white, irregularly spotted and blotched nearly all over with 

 blackish-brown, and many subdued tints of a much paler 

 color. 



The voice of this species, uttered while running along 

 the strand, is rather soft and musical, consisting chiefly of 

 a single, varied, and repeated, plaintive note. On approach- 

 ing the breeding spot, they wheel around in contracting 



