142 BAY-BIRDS 
well as the marlin or yellow-legs. It passes north 
early in May, when it is often called the black-bel- 
lied plover, and regarded from its plumage as a dis- 
tinct variety from the fall bird ; it is then quite shy. 
In August or September it returns, being more plen- 
tiful in the latter month, and is often found in great 
numbers especially at Montauk Point; and at that 
period the young, being quite fat, are regarded as 
delicious eating. It is then greyer in appearance 
and not so strongly colored as when in full plumage. 
Before the main flight arrives, scattering individuals 
are heard uttering their peculiar beautiful and shrill 
ery, and are seen shyly approaching the stools, or 
darting round not far off, and yet afraid to draw 
close to them. Its head is large and round, giving 
rise to the name of bull-head, which 1s common on 
the coast of New Jersey, although in New York it 
is generally known as black-breast. 
“ Specific Character.—Bill stout, along the gap 
one inch and five-sixteenths ; length of tarsi one inch 
and five-eighths. Adult male with the bill black, 
strong, shorter than the head; cheeks, loral space, 
throat, fore-neck, breast, with a large portion of the 
abdomen black; hind part of the abdomen and flanks 
white ; forehead, with a broad band passing down 
the sides of the neck and breast, white; crown, oc- 
ciput, and hind-neck greyish white, spotted with 
dusky ; upper parts blackish-brown, the feathers 
broadly tipped with white; eye encircled with white ; 
tail and upper tail-coverts white, barred with black, 
the former tipped with white; lower tail-coverts 
