130 NESTS AND EGGS OF 



272. Charadrius dominicus Mull. [515.] 



American Golden Plover. 



Hab. North America at large, breeding in the Arctic regions. 



The Golden or Green Plover breeds in Arctic America east of the 

 coast of Bering Sea and Strait, migrating south in winter nearly 

 throughout the entire America as far south as Patagonia. In spring 

 and fall it is an abundant bird in the United States, and is generally 

 esteemed for the table on account of its large size and the flavor of its 

 flesh. Breeds abundantly on the coasts and islands of the Arctic Sea, 

 and on the Barren Lands, depositing four eggs in a depression of the 

 soil, which is usually slightly lined with bits of dry grass. Out of one 

 hundred and fourteen nests recorded by Mr. MacFarlane in the Arctic 

 regions, ninety-two contained four eggs each. They vary from pale 

 buffy-brown to dark grayish-bufi", spotted and blotched with brownish- 

 black, chiefly at the larger end. The spots are often confluent. The 

 average size is 1.98x1.37. 



A set of three eggs in the collection of Mr. J. Parker Norris were 

 taken July 2, 1864, by R. R. MacFarlane, at Franklin's Bay. The nest 

 was on the sea beach, and the parent bird was seen. They are ovate 

 pyriform in shape, quite pointed, and are of an ochraceus-bufF, heavily 

 blotched and spotted (chiefly at the larger ends, however,) with seal 

 brown and black. They measure 1.96x1.28; 1.92x1.32; 1.86x1.33. 

 The markings form an indistinct circle around the larger ends. 



Capt. B. F. Goss has a set of four eggs of the Golden Plover in his 

 collection, taken by Mr. MacFarlane on the Barren Grounds near the 

 Anderson River. These are buffy-drab, spotted and splashed with 

 dark brown, almost black ; they are pyriform in shape, quite pointed 

 at the small end, and blunt at the larger portion of the egg. 



212 a. Charadrlus dominicus fulvus (Gmel.) [515^:.] 



Pacific Golden Plover. 



Hab. Asia, and islands of the Pacific. In North America, the islands and coasts of Alaska. In 

 winter, south through India, China, etc., to Australia and Polynesia. 



The Asiatic Golden Plover is similar to C. dominicus., but is slightly 

 smaller and of a more golden color. It breeds in Northern Asia, the 

 Alaskan coasts of Bering Sea and Strait. Nesting and eggs similar to 

 those of the last. Average size of the eggs, 2.02 x 1.30. 



273. iEgialitis vocifera (Linn). [516.] 



Killdeer. 



Hab. Temperate North America, south in winter to the West Indies, Central and Northern South 

 America. 



This familiar bird whose notes, kil-deer^ kil-deer^ are heard in the 

 daytime, and often in moonlight nights, more frequently during the 

 breeding season than at any other time, is very abundant in North 



