THE UPLAND PLOVER. 461 



same greenish-brown as the back, with irregular and imperfect transverse bands of 

 black; outer feathers pale reddish-yellow, edged and tipped with white, and with 

 several irregular transverse bands and a large subterminal arrow-head of black; 

 bill greenish-yellow, with the under mandible more clear yellow towards its base, 

 tip brownish-black ; legs light-yellow; toes darker; iris hazel. 



Total length, about twelve inches ; wing, six and a half; tail, three and a half. 



Hab. — Eastern North America; South America, Europe. 



Everywhere in the interior of the States on the Atlantic, this is the most abun- 

 dant and best-known species of this group. Unlike nearly all others, this bird 

 prefers plains and cultivated fields, and is one of the species which has not decreased 

 in numbers on account of the extension of cultivation and the settlement of the 

 country. On the contrary, it appears to be quite at home in the farm lands, and 

 rears its young in the fields of grass and grain in the most populous rural districts 

 of the country. 



This bird, commonly known as the " Upland Plover," is 

 not abundant in New England as a summer resident. It 

 breeds sparingly in all these States, arriving in pairs about 

 the 10th of April. It is less aquatic than most of the 

 other species in this order, and frequents old pastures, 

 stubble-fields, and cornfields, in preference to meadows and 

 flats. It begins to nest about the first week in May. It is 

 quite shy at all times, and difficult of approach, and I have 

 spent half a day in one pasture before I could find the nest ; 

 both old birds keeping up their shrill whistle, and flying 

 about me always out of gunshot. The nest is placed in a 

 slight hollow in the ground, and is constructed of a few 

 loose straws and leaves, arranged in a circular manner. 

 The eggs are four in number, sometimes three. They are 

 more ovoidal in form than most of our other Waders' eggs, 

 and almost exactly resemble those of the Woodcock, but 

 average considerably larger ; varying from 1.92 by 1.31 inch 

 (from Wisconsin) to 1.70 by 1.25 (from Massachusetts). 

 The primary color of some specimens is a buff, while others 

 are of a creamy-drab: they are marked with spots of two 

 shades of brown, and obscure spots of lilac. 



By the middle of August, and from then until late in 

 September, these Plovers assemble in small flocks of eight 

 or ten individuals. They then frequent hilly pastures, both 

 on the seacoast and in the interior, where they feed on 



