SANDERLING. GRALLATORES. ARENARIA. 209 



Charadrius rubidus, GmeL Syst. 1. G88 Lath. Ind. Ornith. 2. 740. sp. 2. \ 



mis. Amer. Ornith. 7. 129. pi. 63. fig. 3. / Summer 



Ruddy Plover, Penn. Arct. Zool. 2. 4M.Lath. Syn. 5. 195. 2.- JFtfe. > Plumage. 

 Amer. Ornith. 7. 129. pL 63. fig. 3. ) 



PROVINCIAL, Curwillet, Towilly. 



THIS active little bird is a visitant to our shores during Periodical 

 the winter season, being one of the various species whose 

 polar migration extends far within the arctic circle. Its re- 

 sidence in those dreary northern climes appears, however, to 

 be confined to little beyond the time necessarily occupied by 

 the duties attendant on reproduction, as it is seen on our 

 coast sometimes as early as the month of August, at which 

 time I have killed several individuals upon the Northum- 

 brian strand. These have generally been the young of the 

 year, and are probably stragglers from flocks of the earliest 

 broods, whose destination is pointed to more southern lati- 

 tudes ; as the great body, that resorts to our shores, and 

 those of the opposite continent, seldom arrives before the 

 middle of September. Upon their first appearance, we find 

 few of them possessing the complete winter plumage, bearing 

 still strong indications of their summer clothing, varied, of 

 course, according to the advance in winter dress of each in- 

 dividual, and presenting much diversity of appearance. The 

 change, however, goes rapidly on, and, in October, they are 

 perfectly clad in the plain garb that distinguishes them till 

 the approach of spring, when it gives place to a gayer and 

 more attractive suit, appropriately styled by TEM MINCE, 

 " Plumage des Noces? This bird lives on the sandy shores 

 of the ocean, but does not frequent those of an oozy or slimy 

 nature ; in habits it strongly resembles the smaller species of 

 Charadrius, and sometimes associates with Charadrius hia- 

 ticula. It runs very swiftly, and its flight is strong and ra- 

 pid. It feeds on the smaller marine coleopterous insects and Food, 

 minute worms and larvae, which it finds on the beach. The 

 distribution of the species, during its migrations, is widely 

 spread, as it has been met with throughout the greater part 



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