1|!0 



jEGIALITIS melodus. 



Tdp mcn:br;ine. not large. Sfernum, stout, the outer marginal indentation being but very liitle deeper llian inner. Tongno 

 sl.ort, Ile^hy, and rounded at tip. Sexes, very similar. 



Cor.on. Aflull. Aliove, very pale ashy-brown, becoming lighter on tail ■whieli is tipped witli wl.ite, and t'. e outoi 

 fcntliers are of the same olor, while all,excei)ting thesa, aro erosssd by a Imiad bandofdark-Ijrowu. Wings, i!ar!;-bro\vn. 

 witli line on inner web-*, elongated spot"; on outer webs cf inner primaries, central str'pes on ( ute", bas.-'and tp'^ . f- { n ' 

 arics, and bar across greater coverts, white. Forehead, widte, above which is a lunet <;f bi;!ci< Under par:«, r>-'.i:c, w i ' 

 extends in a collar b:'.ck of neck and below this isa band of black wliicli meets l:eland, liroadens on sid.s ani! is' ft' n ir.tc. 

 ruptod on b/ea.st, liut is sometiaics continuous. 



Young. Quite similar to the adult but the black mai kings of head and neck arc nearly, ir quite, i boli-te. T' cfcnr 

 are gencvally jialer tliau the males. 



Nestlmy.f. Are covered ab:^vewith ayellowish-ash down mixed with rufous. Beneath, white. Lis, brown, bill, lilac!; ^ 

 yellow at liase, and feet, yellow, in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 

 Known from all other Plovers having a single ring around nrck, by the ci-n'parailvcly fciall bi'l and to m- nibvrr. 0"= 

 well as pale Colors, they being the lighte-t cf the genus in our scctioti. Distribitt'd in suiin;:er along I'e las; -n ■ •-. 

 from the Carol inas as far nortli as the Gulf of Si. Lawrence. Winters on the Florida Keys and Bahamas. 



DIMENSIONS. 

 Average measurements of specimens from Eastern North America. Lengtli, 6'7o; -stretch, 14-45; \vin_'. 4'7.'); u;:! 2 7.'3; 

 bill, CC). tarsus, <)2. Longest specimen, T'SC; greatest extent < f wing, 15-'15; longest v.ing, 5 C3, tail. 2 65. lid 7t!. 

 tarsus, 03. Sliortest spcciaicn, G'30: smallest extent of wing, I3'50; shortest wing, 450; tail, I'J;); bid, £0; ta;-.u- , 85 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 

 Eijijs, placid 01 the gr.iua;l in a slight depression of the soil, on a few bits of shells, etc.; four or f v; in ci nibcr. pv- 

 riform in s! ape, pnL' ycUowish-r.sh in color, I'nely and thickly spjtted and dotted wit'.i b ack, yrll, w .s : and lllai l/imtu- 

 sions from -OOs I'lO to I'OOs l-'20. 



HABITS. 



There tire peenli;ir sections of .soti shore along our eastern cor.st, Vvhieh iirc ccvercd 

 with shii'ting sand that the high winds of autumn and winter tire consttmlly sweeping into 

 dunes which are of ever varying form; consequently, but little vegetation grows on them. 

 Those btirren tnicts are the cho.3en resort of the Piping Plovers ami t-ho p;;l'.id tints cf these 

 birds iire so netn-ly like the color of the sands on wliicli they live, lliat, when they tire mo- 

 tionless, it is tilmost impossible to delect one a short disttmce aw;;y, and on ;i figgv morn- 

 ing, when objects are only imlistinctly seen, the birds arc quite invisible twenty or tliirty 

 ytirds away, even while running At such times, especially curirg ihc Ivccdii g fc;:Fci:, 'hey 

 utter ii peculiar, long-drawn whistle whioh coming, as it does, out of the en:;hrou ling fog, 

 hiis ii singuLirly wihl and mournful effect. Besides tliis cry, the birds emit other ttnl more 

 lively notes which are more often given when their nesting places tire apprcat !;ed. The 

 eggs are hiid in ii simple hollow scratched in the sand and the birds, as if iiv.are that they 

 would be more conspicuous if pLiced on ;i smooth surfice, choose nesting pbices in the hol- 

 lows between the dunes, into which the edding winds htive swept bi!s (;f btirk, reels, a.ml 

 t)llier debris. 



When sitting, I think the female seldom flies unless disturbed l)ut simply runs to the 

 neighboring beach, in order to feed, without rising and returns the stimc way. Now a;i 

 the eggs are quite hard to find on account of the birds letiving them wlienever ■ liey per- 

 ceive an intruder, I would look ftr the track of ti Plover in the .sand tuid l)y following it 

 persistently, would fintdly come to the nest, the proximity to which could tilwtiysbe de- 

 termined by the incrciised number of tracks, crossing and recrossing the one which Vva^ 

 my guide. 



