^ ' ' CHA RA DRl US FVL VUS. 



HABITS. 



TIk) Bluck-bellied Plovers do not make their appearance amid the swarms of south- 

 ward flying shore binls which sweep down the coast, until about the first of September, 

 Then their loud, clear notes may be heard in all directions, especially on tliose dull, I'c ggy 

 mornings which precede an easterly storm. At such times, they are comparatively tame, 

 for they are evidently wear}' with their long migration from the North and anxious to feed, 

 in order to de{»art before the coming storm sets in. 



Although the Black-bellies, or Beetle Heads as they are called when in their modest 

 autumnal dress, alight on the hills in search of gntsshoppers, they may often be found on 

 sandy beaches, feeding upon small crustaceans and other products of the sen, and occa- 

 sionally they visit the grassy marshes or pools on them. Their stay in Massachusetts is 

 prolonged until the latter part of October, when the majority has passed southward. lu 

 May, however, when they have assumed their dark-colored livery and are on their way to 

 their northern bi-eeding grounds, their visit to us is short, for they pass very quickly, often 

 remaining but a few days. 



In Florida, where I have found this species very common, not only on both coasts but 

 also on the Keys, they live wholly on the beaches. In the North, they are very wild, for 

 few birds are more hunted, but in the wilder sections, they loose this shyness in a great 

 measure, but still are never very unsuspicious. They moult late in April, before leaving 

 the South, and I have secured full plumaged adults in May. 



GENUS II. CIIARADRIUS. THE THREE-TOED PLOVERS. 



Ge.v. Cu. Bi//, rather slender, not as long as the head which is not strikin<jly large. Tail, nearly sc^uare. Hind toe, 

 absent. 



Members of this gonu<i, in the adult stage, are black below and dark above, banded with golden and marked witli> 

 white. Sexes, quite similar. There is but one species within our limits. 



CHARADRIUS FULVUS. 



Golden Plover. 



Charadrius fuhms G.h. Syst. Nat. 1, 1788, fi87. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. Ch. Form, robust. Size, large. Tongue, not very long, thin and horny, narrowing toward tip which is slight- 

 ty rounded- 



Adult in suinmrr. Bhick throughout, excepting primaries and tail, which are dark-brown, with a pur|.Ii^h luster, the 

 latter being narrowly tippeiJ with white and bandei wiih lig'iter an! the former having a central sp it of white on shafts 

 with the upper sarficri spotted and banded with gjlden and white, w'.iilea band of white passes acr.ws fjruhead, over eye,, 

 and broadening out extends down side of neck to upper breast. Under tail coverts, banded with white. Under winu-covT 

 erts and a.xillaries. as'iy-brown. ^ 



Adult in winter. Similar to the summe ■ dre<s al.i>ve, hut the black on lower surface is mi.\ed, to a greater or less ex- 

 tent, with wl;ite and as! y. 



Youn,/. Not unlike the winter adult but are paler above and ashy white helow, where the feathei-s are edged and .spot- 

 ted with dusky, esiiecially on the breast. Iris, brown, bill, and feet, black, in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 

 Known from the preceding species tjy the absence of the hind toe and ashy a.xiUaries and from all other Plovers by the 

 golden markings above. Distributed, as h summer resident, throughout Arctic America, wintering south of the United 

 States. 



