PIPING PLOVER. 59 



PIPING PLOVER. 



^GIALITIS MELODA. 



Char. Above, pale ash tinged with pale brown ; forehead and inter- 

 rupted ring about the neck black; below, white ; black patches on side of 

 chest; feet orange ; bill orange, tipped with black. In young birds the 

 black of the head and neck is replaced by brown. Length 6X to 7^^ 

 inches. 



Nest. Amid the shingle of a sea-beach ; a shallow depression in the 

 sand. 



Eggs. 2-4 (usually 4) ; pale buff or creamy, marked with fine spots of 

 blackish brown and a few spots of lavender ; 1.30 X i.oo. 



This species is a common inhabitant of our sea-coast, arriv- 

 ing in the Middle States from its Southern hibernal retreats 

 towards the close of April. It does not, however, proceed so far 

 to the north, but resides and breeds in the United States, from 

 the shores of New Jersey to Nova Scotia. Along the low, sandy, 

 and solitary borders of the sea, in small scattering flocks, the 

 Piping Plovers are therefore seen throughout the summer, rap- 

 idly coursing over the strand, either in quest of their food or 

 to elude the search of the intruding spectator. After gliding 

 swiftly along for a little distance, they often stop for a short 

 interval to watch any approach or pick up some insect, occasion- 

 ally bending forward and jerking the head up in a balancing 

 attitude ; when still, their pale livery so nearly resembles the 

 color of the sand that for the instant they are rendered nearly 

 invisible. On approaching their nests, which are mere shallow 

 hollows in the sand and gravel, they usually exhibit consider- 

 able emotion, running along with outspread wings and tail, 

 and fluttering as if lame, to attract attention from their eggs 

 and young. They will sometimes practise this artifice at a 

 considerable distance from their brood, and often follow the 

 spectator for a mile or two, making their shrill, mournful, 

 monotonous call, frequently alighting and running, with a view 

 to deception, near any place which happens to be examined ; 

 and by these reiterated feints and fears it becomes often 

 nearly impossible to discover their breeding-haunts. About 



