38 FRANK forester's FIELD SPORTS. 



brown ; lateral toes connected by a membrane as far as the 

 first joint ; inner toes about half that distance. Adult male with 

 the bill flesh-color at base, anterior to the nostrils black ; a line 

 of black commences at the base of the upper mandible, passes 

 back to the eye, curving downward on the sides of the neck ; a 

 band on the fore part of the head pure white ; fore part of 

 crown black'; occiput wood-brown ; chin, throat, and fore-neck 

 passing round on the hind-neck, pure white ; directly below, on 

 the lower portion of the neck, a broad band of black ; upper 

 plumage wood-brown ; primaries blackish brown ; shafts white 

 —blackish-brown at their tips; secondaries slightly edged with 

 white on the inner webs ; outer webs nearest to the shafts an 

 elongated spot of white ; wing coverts wood-brown ; secondary 

 coverts broadly tipped with white ; breast, abdomen, sides and 

 lower tail coverts pure white ; tail browii, lighter at the base ; 

 outer feathers white — the rest broadly tipped with white, ex- 

 cepting the middle pair, which are slightly tipped with the 

 same. Female similar, with the upper part of the head and the 

 band on the neck brown. Length seven inches and a quarter, 

 vnng five. 



" This species, though smaller, resembles in plumage the 

 Ring Plover of Europe. In the month of May the American 

 or Semipalmated Ring Plover is seen pui-suing its annual jour- 

 ney to the North. It returns to us in the latter part of August. 

 It frequents similar situations with the Semipalmated Sandpiper, 

 with which it is often seen gleaning its fare — and like that bird, 

 admits of near approach. When alarmed it utters a sharp 

 note. Late in autumn it migrates to the South, and according 

 to Mr. Audubon, spends the winter in the Floridas." 



