CHARADRIID.E — THE PLOVERS. 31 



this place, within a space of two miles, and I afterwards found 

 the birds as numerous at several points along the shore. 

 Every effort was made to discover their nests but without suc- 

 cess, although the birds were continually circling about or 

 standing at a short distance uttering: an occasional note of 

 alarm. The first of July, the year previous, Dr. Velie obtained 

 young but a very few days old at this same locality, showing 

 that there is considerable variation in the time of breeding. 

 This was also shown by specimens obtained the last of May.— 

 which I think were later arrivals than those found breeding; in 

 April, — having- the ova just approaching maturity. 



"Departs the last of September. The larger portion of the 

 specimens examined show the complete ring of circumcincta, 

 while others exhibit but little more black than in meloda, or 

 have the complete ring of the former indicated by faint I thick 

 lips to the feathers across the breast." (Nelson.) 



