AMEEICAN GOLDEN PLOVER 459 



but with uuder surface distinctly brownish, rather than black, and wuth greater 

 admixture of white. Adults and immatures, both sexes, in (fall.''), winter and 

 early spring: Forehead, stripe over eye, sides of head, chin and throat, dull 

 white, more or less flecked with light brown; ear region light brown; entire 

 upper surface, wings and tail much as in summer adults but duller and less 

 mottled, apparently as a result of fading and wear; breast and sides, light 

 drab, faintly streaked with darker drab; rest of under surface dull white. 

 Males: Total length 10.12-10.75 inches (257-273 mm.) (three specimens); 

 folded wing 6.58-7.29 (167-185); bill along culmen 0.81-0.92 (20.6-23.4); tarsus 

 1.62-1.77 (41.0-44.8) (five specimens). Females: Total length 10.25-10.37 (260- 

 263.5) (two specimens); folded wing 6.93-7.17 (176-182); bill along culmen 

 0.83-0.93 (21.0-23.5); tarsus 1.58-1.76 (40.2-44.7) (four specimens); all from 

 interior Alaska and Yukon Territory. Juvenile plumage: Upper surface much 

 as in summer adults but ground color brownish black and yellow spotting more 

 extensive, to the exclusion of white; light areas on side of head suffused with 

 yellowish; wings and tail as in adults, except that lighter markings of tail are 

 strongly yellowish; throat and breast, iluU white, with fleckings of pale drab; 

 rest of under surface ashy white with obscure brownish bars. Natal plumage: 

 Top and sides of head, and whole back, marbled in fine pattern with black 

 upon a pale lemon yellow ground; lower surface and collar around hind neck, 

 white. 



Marks for field identification — Moderate size (somewhat larger than Kill- 

 deer), short black bill, thick appearing head, plain ashy brown under surface 

 of wing and axillars, and absence of white areas on rump and wings. In spring: 

 black on entire under surface, sharply set off against white band around head, 

 combined with sprinkling of bright golden yellow on upper surface. 



Voice — A clear melodious whistle of three notes: Coodle, coodle, coodle 

 (Mackay, 1891a, p. 19). 



Nest — A mere depression in the ground, generally lined with a few dry 

 leaves (Baird, Brewer and Ridgway, 1884, I, p, 143). 



Eggs — Usually 4, pear-shaped, measuring in inches, 1.84 to 2.00 by 1.25 to 

 1.35 (in millimeters, 46.7 to 50.8 by 31.7 to 34.3), and averaging 1.91 by 1.31 

 (48.3 by 33.2); ground color various shades of drab; superficial markings deep 

 umber brown almost black, in well defined spots and scattered about profusely, 

 slightly the more numerous about larger end (Baird, Brewer and Ridgway, 

 1884, I, p. 144) ; deeper-lying markings are also present. 



General distribution — North and South America. Breeds on Arctic coast 

 from Kotzebue Sound, Alaska, to Melville Peninsula, north of Hudson Bay, 

 and from Melville Island, south to Whale Point at northwestern corner of 

 Hudson Bay; winters chiefly on pampas of Argentina; fall migration route is 

 from breeding grounds to Labrador, thence to Nova Scotia, thence over the 

 Atlantic Ocean to the Lesser Antilles and northeastern coast of South America 

 and thence to the winter home; in spring the migration route is northward 

 from South America through the Mississippi Valley; some pass southward 

 through the Mississippi Valley in the fall; a few move south along the Pacific 

 coast (A. O. U. Check-list, 1910, p. 127; Cooke, 1910, pp. 80-85). 



Distribution in California — Rare migrant. The following specific instances 

 of occurrence are on record: Vallejo, Solano County; Santa Cruz, October 22, 

 1888; and San Diego near Coronado, January 12, 15, and 20, 1908. 



The American Golden Plover is a very rare species in California 

 to judge from the fewness of the records. The main migration route 



