460 GAME BIRDS OF CALIFORNIA 



in both spring and fall lies so far to the east that the birds which 

 reach California are evidently only infrequent stragglers. The fol- 

 lowing definite records of occurrence within the state are known : 

 Vallejo, Solano County (Kobbe in Bailey, 1902, p. 1) ; Santa Cruz, 

 October 22, 1888 (Cooke, 1910, p. 84); and San Diego Bay near 

 Coronado, one bird seen January 12, 15, and 20, 1908 (Torrey, 1909c, 

 p. 207). Newberry (1857, p. 97) thought that it occurred in the 

 northern part of the state in autumn, and Suckley {in Cooper and 

 Suckley, 1859, p. 230) states that in the San Francisco collections 

 he saw specimens which he supposed had been obtained in the public 

 markets of that city. Cooper {in Baird, Brewer and Ridgway, 1884, 

 I, p. 143) saw one specimen taken near San Francisco. The record 

 for Menlo Park on the authority of Hornung (Kobbe, loc. cit.) is 

 likely to refer to the Black-bellied Plover ; for a skull of the latter 

 species is contained in the collection of the Museum of Vertebrate 

 Zoology, with attached label in Hornung 's handwriting bearing the 

 name "Charadrius dominicus \ Menlo." 



From other shore birds the Golden Plover may be distinguished by 

 its moderate size (somewhat larger than that of Killdeer), short, 

 black bill, thick head, ashy brown axillars and wing lining, and by 

 the absence of white areas on its rump and wings. In spring the 

 combination of entire black under surface, sharply set off against the 

 white band around its head, and the yellow-spotted upper surface, 

 render identification easy. From the Black-bellied Plover, the Golden 

 may be distinguished by its somewhat smaller size, slenderer bill, and 

 light ashy brown instead of black axillars. Its note is said to be 

 softer than that of the Black-bellied Plover. The other plovers occur- 

 ring in California are distinguished from the Golden Plover by the 

 presence of black collars or other transverse bars on head or neck, 

 or of white axillars, or both. 



The habits of the American Golden Plover have been well described 

 by Mackay (1891f/, pp. 18-23), who observed the species in Massa- 

 chusetts and elsewhere on the Atlantic coast. He says : 



. . . they frequent the extensive marshes, . . . the long reach of sandy 

 hills, old fields where the grass is short and the vegetation scanty, sand flats 

 left by the receding tide, ploughed fields, and any burnt tracts which are clear 

 of trees and bushes. . . . When on the ground they run rapidly and gracefully, 

 and soon scatter on alighting. After running a few yards they suddenly stop, 

 hold the head erect, and look around, all the movements being very quick. In 

 feeding they seem to strike at the object with a motion that reminds one of a 

 Loon or Grebe commencing to dive. . . . When scattered over considerable 

 ground, as is usual after they have been any length of time on their feeding 

 ground, every bird apparently on its own hook, if alarmed, a note is sounded; 

 they then rise so as to meet as soon as possible at a common centre, which 

 gained, away they go in a compact body. When high up in the air, flying on 



