THE BELTED PIPING PLOVER. 



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N the Missouri river region and 

 in contiguous parts of the 

 interior of the United States, 

 the Belted Piping Plover is a 

 common summer resident, and 

 is found along the shores of the great 

 lakes, breeding on the flat, pebbly 

 beach between the sand dunes and 

 shore. It is the second of the ring- 

 necked Plovers, and arrives in April 

 in scattering flocks, which separate 

 into pairs a month later. It strays at 

 times into the interior, and has been 

 known to breed on the borders of ponds 

 many miles from the coast. In New 

 England, however, it seldom wanders 

 far from the shore, and prefers sand 

 islands near the main land for its nest- 

 ing haunts. Nelson says, that some 

 thirty pairs, which were breeding 

 along the beach at Waukegan, within 

 a space of t\yo miles, successfully con- 

 cealed their nests, for which he made 

 diligent search, although the birds 

 were continually circling about or 

 standing at a short distance, uttering 

 an occasional note of alarm. 



These birds have a soft, low, piping 

 note, which they utter not only upon 

 the wing, but occasionally as they run 

 about upon the ground, and, during 

 the early nesting season, a peculiar, 

 loud, prolonged, musical call, that 

 readily attracts attention. In other 

 respects, their habits are not noticeably 

 differed from the Semi-palmated. (See 

 July BIRDS, p. 8.) 



Their nests are without lining, a 

 mere depression in the sand. The 

 eggs are usually four, light gray to 



creamy buff, finely and rather sparsely 

 speckled or dotted with blackish brown 

 and purplish gray. 



The female Belted Piping Plover is 

 similar to the male, but with the dark 

 colors lighter and less in extent. The 

 young have no black band in front, 

 while the collar around the neck is 

 ashy brown. 



These interesting and vahiable game 

 birds are found associated with various 

 beach birds and Sand-Pipers, and they 

 become exceedingly fat during the 

 latter part of the summer. 

 - All the Plovers have a singular 

 habit when alighting on the ground 

 in the nesting time ; they drop their 

 wings, stand with their legs half bent, 

 and tremble as if unable to support 

 their bodies. In this absurd position 

 they will stand, according to a well- 

 known observer, for several minutes, 

 uttering a curious sound, and then 

 seem to balance themselves with great 

 difficulty. This singular manoeuvre is 

 no doubt intended to produce a belief 

 that they may be easily caught, and 

 thus turn the attention of the egg- 

 gatherer from the pursuit of the eggs 

 to themselves, their eggs being 

 recognized the world over, as a great 

 delicacy. 



The Plover utters a piping sound 

 While on the wing or on the ground ; 

 All a tremble it drops its wings, 

 And, with legs half bent, it sings : 

 "My nest is near, come take the eggs, 

 And take me too, I'm off my legs." 

 In vain men search with eager eyes, 

 No nest is found, the Plover flies ! 



C. C. M 



174 



