FAMILY CHARADRIIDAE 385 



Migrant from the north. Locally common along the sea beaches ; 

 Isla Coiba ; Isla del Rey. A few nonbreeding birds remain through 

 the period of northern summer. 



The main migration arrives from the north in September and 

 early October, and most have left on return by April. I have seen 

 them mainly along the Pacific coast, particularly around the shores 

 of Parita Bay. Near Fort Amador, Canal Zone, and on the golf 

 links at Changuinola, Bocas del Toro, they often range on grass, like 

 golden plover. Eisenmann (Wilson Bull., 1951, p. 182) has re- 

 ported a few non-breeding individuals near Panama Viejo between 

 June 16 and July 17, from 1948 to 1951, with 13 individuals as 

 the maximum number seen at one time. 



In 1956 I found them regularly on the beaches at Isla Coiba, and 

 collected a female on January 12. Though they should be found 

 throughout the Gulf of Panama a report for Isla del Rey for 

 March 11, 1904 (Thayer and Bangs, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool, vol. 

 46, 1905, p. 146), is the only record for the Pearl Islands. 



PLUVIALIS DOMINICA DOMINICA (Miiller): American Golden Plover; 

 Chorlito Dorado 



Charadrius Domintcm P. L. S. Muller, Natursyst. Suppl., 1776, p. 116. 

 (Hispaniola.) 



Slightly smaller than the black-bellied plover, darker on the dorsal 

 surface, with pale gray axillars. 



Description. — Length, 245 to 260 mm. Sexes alike. Breeding dress, 

 entire undersurface, including side of head black; a broad band of 

 white from the forehead over the eye and down the side of the neck 

 to the side of the upper breast; dorsal surface dusky speckled with 

 buffy-yellow. 



Winter plumage, forehead, side of head, and under surface white, 

 streaked with dusky on the side of the head, and mottled with 

 brownish gray on breast and sides; under surface of wings and 

 axillars light gray ; upper surface brownish gray, spotted indistinctly 

 with black, white, and dull buff. 



Measurements (from Ridgway, I.e., p. 84). — Males, wing 159- 

 183.5 (176.4), tail 60-75 (67.9), culmen 20.5-24 (22.2), tarsus 38.5- 

 45 (41.9) mm. 



Females, wing 176-183 (180.8), tail 64-70 (66), culmen 22-23.5 

 (22.5), tarsus 41-44.5 (43) mm. 



Passage migrant. Locally, tolerably common; reported mainly on 

 the Pacific slope toward the end of the dry season when in north- 



