352 THE PLOVER. 



tone of a German flute which it utters while running along 

 the sand, with expanding tail, and hanging wings, endeavor- 

 ing to decoy you from its nest. 



The species called Wilson's Plover is a bird which very 

 much resembles the Ring Plovers, except in the length and 

 color of the bill, its size, and in wanting the yellow eyelids. The 

 males and females of this species differ in their markings, but 

 the Ring Plovers nearly agree. We, says Mr. Wilson, con- 

 versed with some sportsmen of Cape May, who asserted 

 that they were acquainted with these birds, and that they 

 sometimes made their appearance in flocks of considerable 

 numbers ; others had no knowledge of them. That the spe- 

 cies is rare, we were well convinced, as we had diligently ex- 

 plored the shore of a considerable part of Cape May, in the 

 vicinity of Great Egg-harbor, many times, at different sea- 

 sons, and had never seen them before. How long they remain 

 on our coast, and where they winter, we are unable to say. 

 From the circumstance of the oviduct of the female being 

 greatly enlarged, and containing an egg half grown, appa- 

 rently within a week of being ready for exclusion, we con- 

 cluded that they breed there. Their favorite places of resort 

 appear to be the dry sand flats on the seashore. They utter 

 an agreeable piping note ; and run swiftly. 



This species (see No. 1, Plate 44) is eight inches in length 

 and fifteen and a half in extent ; the bill is black, stout, and 

 an inch long, the upper mandible projecting considerably over 

 the lower ; front white, passing on each side to the middle of the 

 eye above, and bounded by a band of black of equal breadth ; 

 lores black : eyelids white ; eye large and dark ; from the 

 middle of the eye, backwards, the stripe of white becomes 

 duller, and extends for half an inch ; the crown, hind-head 

 and auriculars, are drab olive ; the chin, throat, and sides of 

 the neck for an inch, pure white, passing quite round the neck, 

 and narrowing to a point behind ; the upper breast below this 

 is marked with a broad band of jet black ; the rest of the 

 lower parts pure white ; upper parts pale olive drab ; along 

 the edges of the auriculars, and hind-head, the plumage, 



