BAY SNIPE. 35 



latter margined with white ; primary shafts, about two-thirds 

 from the base, white ; tips blackish-brown ; part of the inner 

 webs of the outer primaries white ; both webs of the inner pri- 

 maries partially white ; secondaiies white at the base, margined 

 with the same ; feet black ; toes connected by a membrane. 

 Female smaller. Young with the upper plumage grayish- 

 brown, the feathers spotted with white ; throat, fore-neck, and 

 upper part of the breast grayish- white, streaked with dusky ; 

 rest of the lower parts white. Length of adult male eleven 

 inches and three-quarters, wing seven and a half. 



" Early in the month of May the Black-bellied Plover arrives 

 among us from its winter quarters. After spending a few days 

 on the sand-bars and beaches, it leaves for the North. In the 

 month of August it returns with its young, which is so different 

 in plumage that by many it is considered a distinct species, 

 being called ' Bull or Beetle-headed Plover.' Though shy, it 

 is frequently enticed within gunshot by imitating its plaintive 

 note. In autumn, it is distributed along the seacoast, subsisting 

 on minute shell-fish and marine insects, on which it gets very 

 fat. It remains with us until the latter part of September, when 

 it moves southward, its migratory course extending to the 

 southernmost extremity of the Union. 



" Early in autumn this species is very abundant on Montauk, 

 During the month of September, I met with it throughout my 

 entii-e route across the hills ; but found it more numerous on a 

 large bald place, abounding with gi-ubs, worms, and insects of 

 various kinds, about four miles from the Light-house. On Mon- 

 tauk I also fell in with straggling parties of the Long-billed 

 Curlew, and found the Yellow-shanks — Totanus Jlavipes — and 

 Tell-tale — T. vociferus — quite abundant. These I found in 

 greater numbers in the valleys, along the margins of pools and 

 ponds." 



