484 THE AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER. 
distal portion of each quill white; tail dusky, barred irregularly with lighter gray- 
ish brown; entire under parts, except lining of wing, including sides of head, 
glossy, brownish black; bordered on head, neck, and breast with pure white ; lining 
of wings smoky gray or ashy; bill and legs black. Adult in winter: Usually less 
decidedly black on back; the spotting (streaking on hind neck) finer on upper 
parts ; the ochre-yellow brightest on upper tail-coverts ; elsewhere more or Jess dis- 
placed by paler yellow and whitish; below without black; throat and crissum dull 
white; elsewhere streaked and spotted with light brownish gray, a lighter shade 
of the same vaguely diffused over the plumage, or else under parts definitely 
brownish gray, finely spotted with white. Jmmature: Like adult in winter, but 
lighter below; only the breast tinged, and that uniformly, with light fuscous; pat- 
tern of neck all around blended. Length 9.50-11.00 (241.3-270.4) ; av. of nine Co- 
lumbus specimens: wing 0.83 (173.5) ; tail 2.56 (65.) ; bill 89 (22.6) ; tarsus 1.63 
(41.4). 
Recognition Marks.—kKilldeer size. “Golden” speckling of upper parts dis- 
tinctive. Somewhat smaller than preceding species ; bill decidedly smaller ; not so 
white below in fall plumage. 
Nesting.—Does not breed in Ohio. Nest, on the ground with a scanty lining 
of leaves and grass. Eggs, 3 or 4, buffy white to buffy brown, boldly spotted and 
blotched with brownish black. Av. size, 1.98 x 1.37 (50.3 x 34.8). 
General Range.—Arctic America except the coast of Behring Sea, migrating 
southward throughout North and South America to Patagonia. 
Range in Ohio.—Formerly reported as abundant during migrations; now 
much less common or rare. 
ALTHO the Golden Plover is commonly reported from various places 
in the interior during migrations, the great bulk of the migrants, especially 
in the fall, appear to pass along the Atlantic Coast, or at a considerable 
distance out at sea. During the later days of August enormous numbers 
push boldly out to sea from the southern shore of Nova Scotia, and are not 
seen again until they touch the West Indies, unless they be driven back 
against the Atlantic Coast by strong east winds, in which case the sports- 
men of Massachusetts and Long Island reap a rich harvest. 
But since we are concerned with the status of the species in Ohio, | 
quote nearly in full the account given by Dr. Wheaton, who had a better 
opportunity to study the bird than that afforded any recent observer: “The 
Golden Plover is the most abundant of the strictly migrant species of the 
family. In April it usually appears in flocks of from thirty to one hundred 
birds in high meadows and pastures. ‘Their flight is very swift, and the 
flocks are very close. All movements, when on the wing, are performed 
with wonderful rapidity and unanimity. They run quickly in the grass, 
and, while rather shy, exhibit considerable curiosity and some degree of 
confidence. Their voice is a pleasant mellow whistle frequently repeated 
while on the wing. During the spring migrations while with us they are 
changing from winter to breeding plumage. Generally the colors of winter 
predominate, but sometimes specimens are taken with the under parts nearly 
