CHARADRIID,E THE PLOVERS. 27 



" Young. Similar to adult, but feathers of the upper parts more or less conspicuously 

 margined with pale rusty or fulvous. 



"Downy Young. Upper parts generally, including pileum, light grayish brown, the two 

 areas of this color bounded all around by black, a wide collar of which crosses the jugulum, 

 and, extending across the nape beneath a broad white collar, completely encircles the 

 neck ; a broad bar of velvety black down the middle of the humeral region, and a narrow, 

 more interrupted stripe of the same down the rump. Forehead, throat, lower parts gener- 

 ally, "hand-wing, " and posterior border of the humerus, pure white, the flanks and crissum 

 more Isabella-color; a narrow black line running from the rictus to the eye. 



Total length, about 10 inches; extent of wings, 20.50; wing, 6.50; tail, 3.50. 



This common and well-known bird is found throughout the 

 State, and is decidedly the most numerous member of its fam- 

 ily except during the season of migration. It is a great nui- 

 sance to the gunner, being usually the first to take alarm at 

 his approach, and starting up all birds in the vicinity by its 

 loud cries. 



"Like most of its race, this Plover passes much of its time 

 on the ground, over which it moves with great rapidity. It 

 can run with such swiftness that according to Audubon to run 

 "like a Kildeer" has in some parts of the country passed into 

 a proverbial phrase. The bird is also equally active on the 

 wing, and mounts at pleasure to a great height in the air with 

 a strong and rapid flight, which can be continued for a long 

 distance. Sometimes it skims quite low over the ground, and 

 at other times mounts to a great height; and during the love 

 seasons it is said to perform various kinds of evolutions while 

 on the wing. 



"Its note consists of two syllables, resembling in sound kill- 

 dee^ rapidly enunciated ; and occasionally, when the bird is 

 much excited, only the last syllable is repeated after the first 

 utterance of the double note. Generally it is sounded in a loud, 

 clear tone, and as a signal of alarm. It not unfrequentlv 

 startles other birds and puts them on their guard, this habit 

 rendering the Kildeer an object of dislike to the gunner. Dur- 

 ing the summer especially when it is breeding, and afterward, 

 even when its young are fully grown the Kildeer is a noisy 

 and restless bird, and is disturbed by the near approach of 

 man. It will often squat until one is close upon it, and will 

 then suddenly fly up or run off, startling the unwary intruder 

 by a loud and clear cry. According to Audubon, during the 



