THE BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER. 633 



in Zi'iiitcr: W'ithout black below (except on axillars) — white instead; fore-neck 

 and chest streaked and spotted with dnsk)' ; dusky of upperparts lighter ; and 

 white replaced bv pale gray. Immature: Similar to adnlt in winter, but head and 

 neck streaked and back spotted with yellowish-buli. Length 10.50-12.00 (266.7- 

 304.8) ; wing 7.50 ( 190.5) : tail 3.00 (76.2) ; bill 1.18 (30) ; tarsus 1.85 (47). 



Recognition Marks. — Killdeer size or larger: black and white in broad de- 

 sign, and without distinct yellow above; below black (in summer) or nearly white 

 (in winter or young) ; a.villarics black at any season. Similar to succeeding spe- 

 cies, but larger; bill and head larger; presence of hind toe distinctive. 



Nesting. — Does not breed in Washington. Nest: on the ground. Eggs: 3 

 or 4, light or dark huffy olive, heavily speckled and spotted with dark browns or 

 blacks. Av. size, 2.04x1.43 (51.8x36.3). 



General Range. — Xearl\- 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. 



Range in Washington. — Regular during migrations; less common in the 

 interior. 



Authorities. — .V. Iiclz'Ctica (Linn.) Cuv., Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. 1858, 

 p. 698. C&S. B. E. 



Specimens. — Prov. B. E. 



PLOVERS of any sort are nut nearly so coninion with us rts tlie\' are in 

 the interior, especially the Alississippi \'alley, or u]ion the .\tlaniic Coast. 

 Birds of this species, however, occur regidarl}' during the migration.s, and 

 they even winter sparingly in fax'ored localities on Puget Sound. They fre- 

 quent both fresh and salt water, and are more often found on the open sand or 

 upon mud-flats than in the marshes or overflowed uplands. Flocks of from 

 three or four to a dozen are the rule, but single Ijirds are very likeh' to be seen 

 with flocks of the smaller Sandpipers. The little urchins troop at the heels of 

 their larger protector and dog his steps, when one would suppose that he would 

 far rather enjoy the compan_\- of his own kind. But the Beetle-head appears to 

 accept his responsibility good-naturedly, and it is probable that the schoolboy 

 rout and its chosen leader do ofl:" great distances together. 



Becatise of its large size the Beetle-head is a favorite with the gunners. 

 It is the wariest of the Plovers and does not often allow an approach within 

 gun range : but becatise of its social disposition it responds readilv io deco^•s. 

 and may be shot from well-constructed blinds. The bird has a beautiful liquid 

 wdiistle, is.'c-it-zve, descending to a lower pitch in the second note, and returning 

 with a softer utterance in the last. On the wing these call-notes are repeated 

 after long pauses: and when a ])ird is at rest, if another of the same species 

 alights beside it, the last s\dlable of the call is passed back and forth between 

 tlie two in lavish courtesy. Like the Killdeer these Plovers are rather unquiet 

 spirits, and their uneasiness increases with nightfall. At this time the\' shift 

 from place to place, calling C(Tntinually, and the\' sometimes carrv their com- 

 plaints far into the night. 



