196 MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 



coast in great numbers from Nantucket to Cape Sable, being blown, it was 

 believed, from the South Atlantic coast, north of Florida. A flock of 25 was 

 seen at Essex, about November 29th, 1888, and they were common on Cape 

 Ann from November 26th until December 15th, being seen there according to 

 Chadbourne^ as late as January 18th, 1889. Bates ^ speaks of their being 

 killed on the south shore by the hundred. At Marblehead, a few remained all 

 winter, seven being observed there by Bradford Torrey^ until March 7th. 



Other years that I have records of single birds being seen or taken are : 

 1872, 1885, 1899, 1900, 1902, and 1903. In former years the Killdeer 

 undoubtedly bred in Essex County. 



127 [274] iEgialitis semipalmata Bonap. 



Semipalmated Plover ; Ring-neck. 



Abundant transient visitor in the autumn, not common in the spring ; May 

 7 to June 14 (June 26) ; July 16 to October 26. 



The Semipalmated Plover or Ring-neck as it is universally called, is one of 

 the abundant birds of the beach in flocks of from two or three up to forty or 

 fifty. They are found alone or associated with Peep or other shore birds. 

 They also visit the sloughs of the salt marshes, and are occasionally seen still 

 farther inland. Thus Dr. Phillips records one at Wenham Lake on September 

 1 2th, 1904. 



The flocks on the wing, although sometimes compact, are apt to fly in loose 

 order. On the sand, the birds at once spread out, not keeping together like 

 Sandpipers, so that the pot-hunter spends many anxious moments waiting for a 

 good combination, and often to his chagi'in misses them all as the frightened 

 birds take wing. Unlike the Sandpipers also, but in true plover fashion, instead 

 of moving along close to the wave line with heads down, diligently probing the 

 sand, they run rapidly about in different directions with heads up, often pausing 

 and standing still as if in thought, occasionally jerking or bobbing their heads and 

 necks nervously, and ever and anon dabbing quickly at some morsel of food. 



Like all shore birds, the Ring-neck often snatches moments of sleep in the 

 day, especially during high tide when their best feeding places are covered. At 

 these times it is not uncommon to see whole flocks huddled together fast asleep 



lA. P. Chadboume: Auk, vol. 6, p. 255, 1889. 



" F. A. Bates : Ornithologist and Oologist, vol. 13, p. 191, 1888. 



^Bradford Torrey : Auk, vol. 6, p. 274, 1889. 



