192 THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



species now occurs only as a rare migrant. In places where it 

 is common it occurs in small bands and in fact in general habits 

 acts like the Semipalmated Plover. 



The call note however is different sounding much like the 

 syllables "keep, keep, keep-low". They feed on insects, crus- 

 taceans, worms and similar marine life which they glean along 

 the shores like the Semipalmated species does. Their three or 

 four eggs are laid in a mere hollow in the sand and are pale 

 buif or creamy white, spotted with chocolate, black and purplish 

 gray. The average measurement is about 1.29 x 0.95 (Davie). 



277a. ^gialitis meloda circumcincta Ridgw. Belted Piping 

 Plover. 



Plumage: the alleged difference between this and the preceding is that 

 the band across the chest is continuous, while in the preceding it is said to 

 be interrupted. The difference so alleged is however in the opinion of the 

 writer as well as others unworthy of the creation of a variety based upon 

 this alleged difference which is really only an indication of the most fully 

 matured phase of plumage of the Piping Plover. 



As this work is based upon the A. 0. U. Check-list we must accept things 

 which do not accord with oiu- best judgment on the subject and the so-called 

 subspecies is given here with the distinct understanding that the author 

 does not accept it. 



ALLEGED Geog. Dist. — Mississippi Valley, breeding from northern Illinois 

 north to Lake Winnipeg ; more or less frequent eastward to the Atlantic 

 coast. (A. 0. U. Check-list) ; breeding on Sable Island (Dwight). 



County Records. — Cumberland ; two specimens have been taken at Scar- 

 boro, (Allen, Auk. 3, p. 82). 



The habits of this alleged subspecies are not different from 

 those of the Piping Plover, neither does its range seem to strictly 

 accord with that which it is ordered to restrict itself to accord- 

 ing to the A. O. U. Check-list. It is high time that this dis- 

 tinction was relegated to the past to occupy a shelf along with 

 the discarded American Herring Gull and other similar relics. 

 There seems every reason for believing that birds with the 

 continuous band across the chest are only adults which have 

 reached the full ripeness of maturity. 



