THE KILLDEER. 635 



"The Golden Plover is the most abundant of the strictly migrant species 

 of the family. In April it usually appears in tiocks of from thirt^• to one hun- 

 dred birds in high meadows and pastures. Their flight is very swift, and the 

 flocks are very close. All movements, when on the wing, are performed with 

 wonderful rapidity and unanimit}-. They run Cjuickly in the grass, and, while 

 rather shy. exhibit considerable curiosity and some degree of confidence. 

 Their \-oice is a pleasant mellow whistle frequently repeated while on the wing. 

 During the spring migrations while with us they are changing from winter to 

 breeding plumage. Generally the colors of winter predominate, but sometimes 

 specimens are taken with the underparts nearly uniform black. In Septem- 

 ber they return in full winter ijluniage, and now frequent tlie gravellv and 

 muddy borders of streams, sometimes in large flocks and sometimes in pairs or 

 as single birds, solitary or in company with Tattlers and Sandpipers. At this 

 season their habits are less active than in spring. They are the onlv birds of 

 the famil}- whose size, abundance, and other qualities entitle them to anv 

 consideration as a game liird. As such they are generallv esteemed" 

 ( W'heaton ). 



The Golden Plover is to be accounted an abundant bird in manv parts of 

 the Arctic regions, especially on the Barren Grounds. McFarlane recorded 

 the finding of one hundred and fourteen sets of eggs during the passage of 

 his expedition from the edge of the northern woods across the Barren 

 Grounds to the shores of the .Arctic Ocean. During the breeding season 

 the male "is accustomed to utter a sweet melodious song, most frequentlv 

 heard during the brief hours of the .\rctic night." Nelson represents this 

 song by the syllables, "fcc-lcc-lcc. tii Ice Ice 7cit. 7cit. Tcif. Tt'cc-u 'wit. die Ice 

 II too lee-c." 



No. 254. 



KILLDEER. 



A. O. U. No. 2/^,. Oxyechus vociferus (Linn.). 



Synonyms. — Kildeer. Killdee Plover. Killdee. 



Description. — Adult: Crown, and occiput and back bright gravish brown, 

 the feathers edged or narrowly tipped with tawny : rump and upper tail-coverts 

 cinnamon-rufous or tawny: tail like back, crossed subterminally by broad black 

 band, and tipped with lighter brown, ochraceous, and white, the lateral feathers 

 irregularly dusky, white and tawny : primaries dusky, the outer with some white 

 on the inner webs, and the inner ones with white on the outer webs : two black 

 bands across chest, the anterior one nearly reaching around cervix : a band on 

 forehead, separating the white and brown, and another across cheek from bill, 

 inpure black : included spaces of head and neck, a ring around cervi.x, and re- 



