SEMIPALMATED PLOVER 217 



men in British Museum) ; and Colombia (specimen from Medellin 

 in the British Museum). 



This species has been taken or observed on a few occasions in 

 England and Scotland (Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, 1867, near Christ- 

 church, Hanto, April, 1857, Kent, April, 1908, Hampshire, April, 

 1859, and the Scilly Islands, January, 1885), and in Ireland (County 

 Dublin, January 12, 1928). 



Egg dates. — California: 73 records, March 15 to July 2; 37 rec- 

 ords, April 3 to May 13. Michigan and Wisconsin : 15 records, April 

 5 to July 6; 8 records, April 29 to June 13. Pennsylvania and New 

 Jersey: 29 records, April 1 to July 17; 15 records, May 2 to 29. 

 Florida : 11 records. May 3 to June 30 ; 6 records. May 22 to June 9. 

 Texas : 11 records, March 3 to June 2 ; 6 records, April 3 to June 1. 



CHARADRIUS SEMIPALMATUS Bonaparte 

 SEMIPALMATED PLOVER 



HABITS 



Contributed l>y Charles Wendell Tovmsend 



This charming little wader, familiarly known as ring-necked 

 plover or ringneck, is, during migrations, an abundant frequenter of 

 our seashores as well as of the shores of lakes and rivers. But 

 it was not as abundant in the latter part of the last century and 

 in the beginning of this, for, as William Brewster (1925) says: 

 " Both ringnecks and peeps began to diminish appreciably in num- 

 bers soon after 1890, and have since continued to do so, no doubt 

 because of the ever-multiplying gunners." Fortunately the Federal 

 law for migratory birds, passed in 1913 and extended to Canada 

 in 1916, enforced by the enabling act in 1918, has since protected the 

 ringneck at all times, and he has responded markedly. Flocks of 

 several hundred are now common where flocks of 30 or 40 were 

 becoming rare. Their confiding nature and handsome plumage make 

 them most interesting and attractive. 



Spriiig. — Like most of the shore birds, the semipalmated plover 

 seems to be in a great hurry to visit the breeding grounds. While, 

 in the region of Massachusetts he leisurely wends his way southward 

 from about July 12 to the end of October, a period of four months, 

 the spring flight rarely lasts little longer than a month, from 

 May 7 to June 14. Wells W. Cooke (1912) says: "At least four- 

 fifths of the dates on the spring migration of this species fall in 

 May, This is true for the entire district between the winter and 

 summer homes, and the dates indicate that the migration in the 

 United States occurs chiefly between May 10 and June 1." 



