128 



North A:\ierican Birds Eggs. 



272a. Pacific Golden Plover. ('Iidradriiis (lomiiiicus fidvKJi. 



Range. — An Asiatic species, breeding in northern Asia and on the islands and 

 coast of Alaska. Very like the preceding, but more yellow. Nesting and eggs 

 the same. 



273. Killdeer. Oxyccluix nx-ifcrus. 



Range, 

 ward . N 



Temperate North America from the southern parts of Canada south- 

 ext to the Spotted Sandpiper, this bird is the most common of the shore 

 birds in the United States. It is rarely seen in 

 New England, but is common south of there and in 

 the interior of the country to Canada. 



They are very noisy birds, continuallj' uttering 

 their "kil-deer, kil-deer" from which they take 

 their name. They nest anywhere on the ground, 

 generally near water, placing their nests in fields, 

 cornfields or meadows. The eggs are drab or 

 greenish buff and profusely spotted with black. 

 Size 1.50 X 1.10. Data.— Refugio county, Texas, 

 May 11, 189!). 4 eggs in a depression in the ground, 

 lined with a few grasses. Collector, J. J. Carroll. 



274. Semipalmated Plover. Ju/idlitis scmipcdmata. 



Range. — North America, breeding in the interior 

 of Canada and w'intering south from the Gulf States. 



This "ringed" Plover is much smaller than the 

 Killdeer, being about 7 inches long. It has but 

 one black l)and across the breast, and as indicat- 

 ed by its name, there is a web between the inner 

 toes. The liirds habits and eggs are very similar 

 to those of the Killdeer, although of course the 

 eggs are smaller: size l.HO x .90. 



275. Ring Plover. yEijialitU hkdicula. 



Range. — A European bird that breeds abundantly 

 • in Greenland. It nests in great numbers on the banks 

 of streams and in fiekls, laying its eggs in hollows on 

 the ground, generally without any lining. Their 

 three or four eggs are practically not distinguishable 

 from those of the Semipalmated Plover, but they 

 average a trifle larger; size, 1.40 x 1.00. The bird, 

 too, is similar but the toes are not palmated, and 

 the black breast band is wider. 



[276.] Little Ring Plover. jEglaliti>i dubki. 



An Old World species, accidentally occuring on the Pacific coast. 

 last species but smaller. The eggs, too, are smaller; size 1.20 x .85. 



Like the 



^ 



