WATER BIRDS. 209 



-instantly separated by examination of the feet, since the present species 

 has a distinct hind toe in addition to the three front toes, while the Golden 

 Plover lacks the hind toe altogether. In spring the black breast and belly 

 have given it the name of Black-breast, while the general gray color in the 

 fall is sufficient reason for the name Gray Plover. Of course the Golden 

 Plover is in very similar dress at corresponding seasons, but the Golden 

 Plover, as its name implies, shows many dots and markings of yellow in 

 the gray upper parts, especially on the top and back of the head and the 

 lower back. 



Distribution. — Nearly cosmopolitan, but chiefly in the Northern Hemis- 

 phere, breeding far north, and migrating south in winter, in America, to 

 the West Indies, Brazil, and Colombia. 



In Michigan this is not an uncommon species during the fall migration, 

 but there are few records for spring. Dr. Gibbs states that the late D. D. 

 Hughes took a single specimen in spring (presumably in Calhoun county) 

 many years ago, and Mr. Albert Hirzel, of Forestville, Sanilac county, 

 took an adult male there May 2, 1905, which is now in the Agricultural 

 College museum. The earhest record in the fall is that of a specimen 

 taken near Greenville, Michigan, August 10, 1893, and another August 16, 

 1897, by the late Percy Selous. A few have been taken in September 

 (Sept. 26, Bay county, N. A. Eddy), but the majority are found in Octo- 

 ber (Oct. 5, Bay City, Oct. 29, Kalamazoo, Oct. 5, Ann Arbor, and Oct. 

 1895, Greenville). Mr. N. A. Eddy found one in the market at Bay City, 

 November 25, 1893, an unusually late record. 



Norman A, Wood found this species fairly common on the Charity 

 Islands, at the mouth of Saginaw Bay, from Aug. 20 to Sep. 10, 1910. 

 Among the earliest to come from the north were five adults in almost per- 

 fect spring plumage (under parts black), while after Sep. 26, only young 

 birds, in the gray plumage, were seen. Some of these remained until Oct. 

 7, but the Hght-keeper said he shot some on Nov. 21, 1909. (Wilson Bul- 

 letin, XXIII, 1911, 91). 



The bird sometimes associates with the Golden Plover, but is often seen 

 in small flocks by itself. It has much the same habits as the Golden Plove'-, 

 but seems more inclined to frequent the lake shores and wet places generally, 

 while the latter bird is more often seen on the dryer uplands. Both species 

 feed largely on seeds, berries, grasshoppers and other insects, and their 

 flesh is much better after a season of such diet, while a ranker and even a 

 fishy taste may result from their feeding along the shore or on fresh water 

 mud flats. 



This species breeds in the far north, laying three or four "light buffy 

 olive eggs, spotted with brown and black, and averaging 2.04 by 1.43 

 inches" (Ridgway). 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 



,.' Toes three in front, one behind, the latter short but distinct. Bill shorter than head, 

 stout, acute, black. Adult in late spring and summer: Brownish black or dusky above, 

 darkest on crown and lower back, everywhere speckled or barred with white; lower parts 

 mainly clear black, including tlie sides of Iiead above the eyes, and the sides of the neck 

 to the middle line; only the sides of breast, the anal region, under tail-coverts, and thighs 

 white; black of the throat and neck sharply divided from the ^ray of the upper parts by a 

 white stripe along the sides of the neck, whicli gradually shaclcs into the gray; rump and 

 upper tail-coverts mostly white with a few dark bars; tail with numerous black and white 

 bars; axillarics plain black. Adult in autumn and winter: Upper parts much as in 

 summer, but lower parts without trace of black, the lower neck and sides of breast alone 

 streaked or mottled witli brownish or grayish ash, the rest of under parts nearly pure white, 

 27 



