458 EUDROMIAS MONTANUS, MOUNTAIN PLOVER. 



lu the desert region of New Mexico, between the Eio Grande and the 

 base of the mountains to the westward, I found these Plovers abundant, 

 late in June, together with the Long-billed Curlews, and i)resuine that 

 they breed there, although 1 found no nests. The old birds that I shot 

 were in poor condition and worn plumage. A few were seen in Arizona, 

 at various seasons, but they did not again occur to me in abundance 

 until I reached Southern California, in November of the following year. 

 In the vicinity of Los Angeles I found them in large tlocks on the dry 

 plain which stretches down to the ocean. They were not difficult of 

 approach, and 1 had no difficulty in securing as many as I desired. On 

 being disturbed by too near api)roach, they lower the head, run rapidly 

 a few steps in a light, easy way, and then stop abruptly', drawing them- 

 selves up to their full height and looking around with timid yet unsus- 

 ]ncious glances. Their notes are rather i)eculiar, as compared with those 

 of our other Plovers, and vary a good deal, according to circumstances. 

 When the birds are feeding at their leisure, and in no way apprehensive 

 of danger, they utter a low and rather pleasing whistle, though in a 

 somewhat drawling or rather lisping tone; but the note changes to a 

 louder and higher one, sometimes sounding harshly. When forced to 

 fly by persistent annoyance, they rise rapidly with quick wing-beats, 

 and then proceed with alternate sailing and flapping, during the former 

 action holding the wings decurved. They generally fly low over the 

 ground, and soon realight, taking a few mincing steps as they touch the 

 ground ; they then either squat low, in hopes of hiding, or stand on tip- 

 toe, as it were, for a better view of what alarmed them. 



The Mountain Plover's food consists principally, if not wholly, of in- 

 sects. I examined the stomachs of a great many with reference to this 

 matter, finding in them nothing whatever but insects, excepting, as usual, 

 a little sand or gravel. Grasshoppers, in their season, seem to be the 

 bird's main reliance, though numerous other insects, as crickets and 

 beetles, are also eaten; and I suppose that worms and small land-mol- 

 luscs would not come amiss. In the fall, when food is plenty, the birds 

 become very fat, tender and juicy, aftbrding excellent eating. 



No previous writer upon this bird has said anything of its nest and 

 eggs, which remained until lately unknown. In the Key I gave a brief 

 description of the eggs, which I can now make more extended, adding 

 an item regarding the nest. The two eggs I described were, as I am 

 informed by Mr. Stevenson, of Dr. Hayden's party, who took them him- 

 self, only half of the nest-complement, the other two having been acci- 

 dentally destroyed. They were discovered July 13, 1859, on the !North 

 Fork of the Platte, about one hundred and twenty miles west of Fort 

 Kearney, and contained large embryos. They difi'er in size and shape, 

 though from the same nest, one being more pointed and longer than 

 the other. The measurements are: 1.50 by 1.10, and 1.40 by 1.10. 

 The form is notably less pointed than usual in this genus, and alto- 

 gether the eggs are peculiar. In color they are about alike, olive-drab, 

 with a decided shade of brown, thickly marked all over, but especially 

 at the larger end, with blackish, very dark brown, and neutral tint. 

 All the spots are small — in fact, mere dots and specks — the largest 

 scarcely exceeding a pin's head. They show no tendency to aggregate 

 into splashes, and the edges of the markings are sharp. Mr. Stevenson 

 tells me that the nest was a mere depression in the bare ground, lined 

 with a few grass-blades. The eggs would probably have hatched in 

 another week. Another egg, in the Smithsonian, is nearly a duplicate 

 of these, but rather browner, with rather smaller and more numerous 

 markings. It is also more pointed; size, 1.48 by 1.12. Mr. Allen 



