736 Report of State Geologist. 



are abundant residents of the Louisiana coast, but do not breed. It 

 is probable that only those who are prepared for the reproduction of 

 their race make the whole migration. (See article by Mr. E. A. Mc- 

 Ilheniiy. The Auk, XIV, 1897, pp. 285-289.) 



Nest, a depression in the ground, lined with grass. Eggs, 3-4; olive- 

 buff, or brownish-drab, thickly and heavily marked with brownish- 

 black or deep black; 2.04 by 1.43. 



Rare migrant, more numerous in the northwestern part of the State. 

 In spring it visits us, going north from April 1st to June 1st, and re- 

 turns early in August, remaining through October. The spring mi- 

 gration is prolonged throughout the State, but in the fall they seem 

 to remain about Lake Michigan well into September before proceeding 

 southward. Those seen with us are generally solitary birds. Late in 

 May they are seen in pairs. The birds are generally in full breeding 

 plumage. Mr. Nelson says, in northern Illinois, "a few remain during 

 the summer, and undoubtedly breed." (Rnll. Essex Inst., Vol. VIII, 

 1876. p. 122.) 



The earliest arrival in spring was in Knox County, March 30, 1888 

 (Balmer). The latest record is near Indianapolis, where one was killed 

 May 30, 189i, by Mr. 0. W. Lambart (Noe). In the fall it has first 

 been noted on the shore of Lake^ Michigan, at Millers, August 8, 

 1897, where Mr. F. M. Woodruff took a fine adult male, and the latest 

 record for that vicinity, is November, 1891, when Mr. J. G. Parker, 

 Jr., observed three at Hyde Lake, 111. Prof. A. J. Cook reports it from 

 Michigan as late as October 20. The following are additional spring 

 records: Lake County, one killed in 1871 (Aiken), Lebanon; one. 

 May 3; another. May 5, 1894 (Beasley). A pair was taken at Davies' 

 Station, Starke County, May 15, 1884 (Coale). August 24, 1896, Mr. 

 F. ]\I. Woodruff took one on the beach at Miller's. Dury and Freeman 

 obtained a male near Cincinnati, September 21, 1879 (Jour. Cin. Soc. 

 Nat. Hist., July, 1880, p. 104). 



The Black-bellied Plover prefers to migrate by way of the sea coast. 

 It has usually been supposed it only bred far north in Arctic lands. 

 In America it has been found breeding on the Arctic coast, east of 

 the Anderson River. Dr. P. L. Hatch has given the first account of 

 its breeding in the United States. He says: "In the summer of 1875 

 a clutch of four eggs were sent me, ^v^th the female, which proved to 

 be a Black-bellied Plover. It was obtained in the vicinity of upper 

 Lake ]\Iinnetonka, in my own county. Since then several nests have 

 been reported by persons competent to determine them, and I accept 

 the conclusion that this species breeds to a limited extent in some 

 portions of the State." (Birds of Minn., p. 149.) 



