THE SEMIPALMATED RING PLOVER. 



^5ffN THEIR habits the Plovers are 

 usually active ; they run and 

 fly with equal facility, and 

 gJ M though they rarely attempt to 

 swim, are not altogether unsuc- 

 cessful in that particular. 



The Semipalmated Ring Plover 

 utters a plaintive whistle, and during 

 the nesting season can produce a few 

 connected pleasing notes. The three 

 or four pear-shaped, variagated eggs 

 are deposited in a slight hollow in the 

 ground, in which a few blades of grass 

 are occasionally placed. Both parents 

 assist in rearing the young. Worms, 

 small quadrupeds, and insects consti- 

 tute their food. Their flesh is regarded 

 as a delicacy, and they are therefore ob- 

 jects of great attraction to the sports- 

 man, although they often render them- 

 selves extremely troublesome by utter- 

 ingtheirshrillcryandthuswarningtheir 

 feathered companions of the approach 

 of danger. From this habit they have 

 received the name of "tell-tales." Dr. 

 Livingstone said of the African species: 

 "A most plaguey sort of public spirited 

 individual follows you everywhere, 

 flying overhead, and is most persever- 



ing in his attempts to give fair warn- 

 ing to all animals within hearing to 

 flee from the approach of danger." 



The American Ring Plover nests as 

 far north as Labrador, and is common 

 on our shores from August to October, 

 after which it migrates southward. 

 Some are stationary in the southern 

 states. It is often called the Ring- 

 Plover, and has been supposed to be 

 identical with the European Ringed 

 Plover. 



It is one of the commonest of shore 

 birds. It is found along the beaches 

 and easily identified by the complete 

 neck ring, white upon dark and dark 

 upon light. Like the Sandpipers the 

 Plovers dance along the shore in 

 rhythm with the wavelets, leaving 

 sharp half-webbed footprints on the 

 wet sand. Though usually found along 

 the seashore, Samuels says that on 

 their arrival in spring, small flocks 

 follow the courses of large rivers, like 

 the Connecticut. He also found a 

 single pair building on Muskeget, the 

 famous haunt of Gulls, off the shore of 

 Massachusetts. It has been found near 

 Chicago, Illinois, in July. 



