172 ^ PLOVERS. 



by Bill over -50. 



J3. A black or brownish band on the breast . 280. Wilson's Plover. 

 b^. No band on the breast ; back grayish brown, margined with rufous. 



281. Mountain Plover. 

 cK Bill under -50. 

 c'. A black line from the eye to the bill. 



274. Semipalmated Plover. 

 c*. No line from the eye to the bill. 



277. Piping Plover. 277a. Belted Piping Plover. 

 II. Toes four 270. Black-bellied Plover. 



The Lapwing {S69. Vanellus vanellus) is an Old- World species of acci- 

 dental occurrence in America. The only record for eastern North America 

 south of Greenland is based on a specimen shot at Merrick, L. I., in Decem- 

 ber, 1883 (Dutcher, Auk, iii, 1886, p. 438j. 



270. Charadrius squatarola {Linn.). Black-bellied Plover; 



Beetle-head. (See Fig. 25, c, 26, d.) Ad. in summer. — Upper parts black, 

 bordered with white ; tail white, barred with black ; basal half of the inner 

 web of the primaries white ; sides of the head and neck and entire under parts, 

 except the white lower belly and under tail-coverts, black. Im. — Upper parts 

 black, the head and neck streaked, the back spotted with buft'y yellow ; tail 

 and wings as in the adult ; under parts white, the breast and sides streaked 

 with brownish gray. Winter plumage. — Similar to the preceding, but upper 

 parts brownish gray, lightly margined with whitish. L., 11-00; W., 7'50 ; 

 Tar., 1-90 ; B., 1-10. 



Remarhs. — The rounded scales on the front of the tarsus and the presence 

 of a fourth, although very small, toe distinguish this bird. 



Range. — Nearly cosmopolitan; breeds in the arctic regions, and in Amer- 

 ica winters from Florida to Brazil. 



Long Island, common T. V., May 5 to June 5 ; Aug. 1 to Oct. 15. Sing 

 Sing, a". V. 



Eggs., three to four, light buffy olive, spotted and speckled with dark 

 brown and brownish black or deep black, 2-04 x 1-43 (Ridgw.). 



The following notes are abridged from Mr. Mackay's extended ac- 

 count of the habits of this species (Auk, ix, 1892, pp. 143-152). They 

 are in a great degree tide birds, and seek a large part of their food on 

 sand-flats left by the receding water. As the tide rises they resort to 

 adjoining marshes or uplands, beaches, or the exposed crests of sand- 

 bars. In migrating they fl.y in lines and also in ranks, like Ducks and 

 Geese. When on the ground they usually run very fast for four or five 

 yards, then stop, elevate the head, and look around. They strike at 

 the object they are going to pick up and eat with a very quick motion. 

 They have two calls : one of several notes, with the accent on the sec- 

 ond one, is mellow, clear, and far reaching ; the other is low, and is 

 uttered when thev are at ease and contented. 



