126 NESTS AND EGGS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



ally diffused throughout the whole of North America, breeding in the far 

 north. It has, however, been recorded as breeding in Massachusets, and 

 both young and old birds have been taken near Chicago, Ills., in July. 

 Its habits resemble those of the Killdeer, and its note is a soft, mellow 

 whistle. Nesting the same as the Killdeer. 



520. Piping Plover — .egialites melodus. Clay or creamy-brown, 

 marked nearly uniformly all over, but sparsely, with small, blackish-brown 

 dots and specks, but no spots or irregular lines. The dottings are some- 

 times extremely fine, mere points, mingled with a few obscure shell- 

 markings of lilac and lavender ; the eggs are almost exactly like those of 

 Wilson's Plover but are smaller, averaging as Mr. Capin states in "Ool- 

 ogy of New England," about 1.28 by .92. Four is the usual number. 

 This species is abundant in summer along the Eastern coast of United 

 States, breeding from the Carolinas as far north as the Gulf of St. Law- 

 rence. The eggs are laid either upon the bare sand or upon a few pieces 

 of dry grass or sea-weed carelessly thrown together. 



Hab. United States and British Provinces, east of the Rocky Mountains. Abundant along the Atlantic 

 coast of U. S., breeding north to the St. Lawrence, and wintering from the Carolinas southward. 



521. Snowy Plover — ^gialites cantianus nivosus. The Snowy 

 Ring Plover inhabits the United States chiefly west of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains. It is a constant resident along the California coast, and a specimen 

 has been taken on the coast of Texas in the latter part of June. Mr. W. Otto 

 Emerson, of Haywards, California, informs me that it nests along the 

 sandy beaches of the ocean coast, and says he has no doubt that it breeds 

 along the bay beach, as he shot the young there in June. The eggs are 

 three in number, in ground color and markings they very much resemble 

 Wilson's Plover, but the markings are more numerous and scratchy; about 

 the size of the eggs of the Piping Plover, melodus, 1.20 by .90. 



522. Wilson's Plover — ochthodromus wilsonius. Wilson's Plover 

 is common along the sea-coast of the South Atlantic and Gulf States. It is 

 found along the P^.astern coast, but rarely beyond New Jersey. It is also 

 one of the "beach birds" and may be found in company with others of 

 the genus yEgialites. The eggs are deposited in a hollow of the loose 

 pebbles of the beach; they are usually three in number. The ground 

 color is a pale olive-drab or clay-colored, some have a greenish tint, marked 

 all over with blackish-brown, well defined spots, small splashes and fine 

 dots. Size from 1.30 to 1.45 long by i. to 1.05 broad. 



523. Mountain Plover — podasocys montanus. Olive-drab v.ith a 

 brown shade, finely and thickly dotted with very dark brown and black, 



