178 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Hah. Chiefly the Atlantic coast of the 

 United States, north to southern Labra- 

 dor ; West Indies in winter. 

 277. M. meloda (Ord). Piping Plover, 

 /t'''. Black patches on sides of chest more or less 

 completely coalesced. Eggs 1.27 X -93, 

 colored as in JE. meloda. Hah. Mississippi 

 Valley, and north to Lake "Winnipeg. 

 277a. JE,. meloda circumcincta Eidgw. 

 Belted Piping Plover. 

 e^. Bill much longer than middle toe (without claw), very slender, 

 wholly black. 



Summer adult : Above light brownish gray, the crown 

 and occiput often varying to light buff; forehead, 

 superciliary region, lores, and lower parts pure 

 white ; patch on fore-part of crown, ear-coverts, and 

 transverse patch on each side of chest black, usually 

 much duller, or dusky grayish, in female. Winter 

 plumage : Similar to summer dress, but black mark- 

 ings replaced by brownish gray. Young : Similar to 

 winter plumage, but feathers of upper parts distinctly 

 bordered terminally with whitish. Downy young : 

 Above pale grayish buff, interrupted by a white collar 

 across hind-neck, the whole colored portion mottled 

 with black ; forehead, hand-wing, and lower parts 

 white ; a dusky streak behind eye. Length 6.25-7.00, 

 wing 4.20-4.30, culmen about .60, tarsus .90-1.05, 

 middle toe .55-60. Eggs 1.21 X -87, pale dull buffy, 

 speckled with dark brown and black. Hah. Western 

 North America, south to Mexico, and, in winter, to 

 Chili ; western Cuba ? 



278. JE. nivosa Cass. Snowy Plover. 

 d'. Hind-neck without trace of white or dusky collar. 



e*. Bill very slender, the culmen equal to or longer than middle 

 toe (without claw). 

 Above grayish brown, the feathers with paler margins, 

 more or less tinged with rufous, especially on crown, 

 ear-coverts, and sides of neck ; forehead, cheeks, and 

 lower parts pure white, interrupted by a black band 

 across chest ; anterior half of crown and a distinct 

 loral stripe black. Young : Black of crown and lores 

 absent or barely indicated, and black chest-band nar- 

 rower or even interrupted in middle portion. Wing 

 3.70-4.15, culmen .60, depth of bill through base 

 .15-.17, tarsus 1.00-1.10, middle toe .50-.55. Hab. 



