DIKECTOKY TO BIRDS OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA, 91 



from the middle of July to Nov. 1 ; winters from the Caroli- 

 nas and Bahamas south through the West Indies to Brazil 

 and Colombia; comes north in May ; common on the coast 

 but rather rare in the interior. Frequents beaches but is 

 sometimes seen on the mud flats. Note, a wild, sweet doub- 

 le whistle, also gives a chuckling note when alighting. 

 Flight, swift and strong with rapid wing beats. Occurs sin- 

 gly or in small flocks. 



c. Golden Plovers. Charadrius. 

 Smaller than in b ; bill more slender; legs as long as in 

 b, but more slender; hind toe, absent; axillaries, never 

 black, otherwise much as in b, fig. 107. 



1. GOLDEN PLOVER, C. Dominicus. 10.50; bill, .85; 

 sides of head, chin, and throat, and lower parts, dull black ; 

 above, dusky spotted with bright ochre yellow ; forehead, 

 line over eye, sides ef neck, and breast, pure white; axillar- 

 ies gray ; bill and feet, black. Winter, differs in being gray- 

 ish below obscurely marked with bands of spots across 

 breast, fig. 107. Young, similar to last but more yellowish 

 on breast. Breeds in Arctic America ; migrates south in 

 Aug. and Sep. at which time it is common on the coast of 

 the British Provinces and rare in N. E., where up to the ear- 

 ly seventies it was common, frequenting the hills along the 

 shore, now the greater number fly directly south from New- 

 foundland to the West Indies, on the way to their winter 

 quarters in southern S. A. ; comes north in May passing 

 through the interior and is then common in the Mississippi 

 Yalley and on the plains west of it. Note, a single mellow 

 whistle. Flight, about as in b, 1. 



2. GOLDEN PLOVER, C. apkicarius. Differs from 

 1 in having the axillaries and under wing coverts white. 

 Breeds in northern Europe and eastern Greenland. 



c. Double-ringed Plovers. Oxyechus. 

 Medium sized, slender plovers with very long, rounded 

 tails and moderately long bills; wings folding well within 

 the tip of tail ; a well defined ring crosses breast and another 

 broader one surrounds neck, fig. 108. 



