78 FEATHERED GAME 



plumage, (the "pale-belly," as the shore gun- 

 ner then calls the bird in distinction from the 

 black-breast full dress) there is often a yel- 

 lowish tinge on the feathers of the back which 

 makes the resemblance to the golden plover still 

 greater. 



The length of this species varies from eleven 

 to twelve and one-half inches; the extent of 

 wings from twenty-two to twenty-four inches. 

 Weight from seven to nine ounces. 



THE AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER. 



(Charadrius dominicus.) 



The Golden Plover is somewhat smaller than 

 the last species, is three-toed, is of slenderer 

 figure and has a smaller and slimmer bill. 

 His coloration is darker, and in the full breed- 

 ing dress with the jet black breast is even less 

 often seen in the United States than is his 

 cousin, the beetlehead. As a rule he prefers 

 the inland country to the seashore, and is es- 

 pecially partial to barren and burnt ground. 

 A piece of newly plowed land offers great at- 

 tractions to the migrant flocks. In one place 

 where the writer often shoots, on the borders 



