332 Bowles, The Limicoloe of Washington. Yi\Ay 



Charadrius dominicus dominicus. Golden Plover. — It seems 

 more than possible that the Golden Plover are more numerous along the 

 coast than is generally supposed, although doubtless very far from being 

 common. I have only two records in which the dates and other items are 

 perfectly satisfactory. The first is a female taken at Dungeness on Novem- 

 ber 14, 1915, by Mr. F. P. Mclntyre, of Tacoma. The second was taken 

 by Mr. Lien at Westport on October 7, 1917. It was in the company of 

 four other plover, which may have all been Black-bellied as was one of 

 them that dropped with the same shot that killed the Golden Plover. 



Oxyechus vociferus. Killdeer. — Very abundant throughout the 

 state, though I am not certain whether it winters on the east side. West 

 of the mountains, in the Puget Sound Region, the Killdeer may be called a 

 fairly common resident the year around, although probably a considerable 

 proportion of them migrate southward in the fall. However this may be, 

 they are to be found regularly during the winter on such of the large tide 

 flats as the Nisqually, in Thurston County. Their numbers at this season 

 are largely dependent upon the extent to which the inland fresh water 

 swamps and marshes are frozen over. In January, 1916, one of the longest 

 spells of icy weather was experienced that has ever been known on Puget 

 Sound, during which practically all fresh water was frozen over. During 

 this period the Killdeer assembled in hundreds on the Nisqually, and also 

 on the Tacoma Flats in Pierce County. 



Nesting begins very early, as I have seen young a week old as early as 

 April 21, and extends well into June at least. 



iEgialitis semipalmata. Semipalmated Plover. — A regular spring 

 and fall migrant. Never abundant, but frequently seen in twos and threes, 

 either by themselves or in company with some of the smaller sandpipers. 

 Earliest fall record: two taken on the Tacoma Flats on August 8, 1916. 

 Latest spring record: two taken by Cantwell near Tacoma on May 18, 

 1910. 



.ZEgialitis nivosa. Snowy Plover.— Brown found these birds at 

 Willapa Harbor on May 16, 1914. There appeared to be a small colony of 

 them, and a few specimens taken showed beyond a doubt that they were 

 breeding at that time, although no nests were found. 



Aphriza virgata. Surf-bird. — These birds are probably not uncom- 

 mon along the coast as migrants and would appear to be resident in winter 

 to some extent, as shown by the observations of Mr. Lien. Specimens 

 were taken by him on the following dates: — July 20, 1915, November 27, 

 1916, December 3, 1916, January 14, 1917, and April 28, 1917. The first 

 specimens recorded were by Dr. A. K. Fisher, who took three from a small 

 flock at the Blakeley Rocks, near Seattle, on August 30, 1897. However, it 

 seems to me unlikely that they would be of frequent occurrence so far 

 inland. 



Arenaria interpres morinella. Ruddy Turnstone. — Mr. Gamble 

 found this species present in small numbers on his visit to Willapa Harbor 

 on May 11, 1913, when he collected a few specimens. They were still 



