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tail coverts white, the outer feathers spotted with black ; primaries 

 and their coverts blackish-brown, the 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 primaries partially white; secondaries 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 plu- 

 mage that by many it is considered a distinct species, being called 

 " Bull or Beatle-headed Plover." Though shy, it is frequently en- 

 ticed within gunshot by imitating its plaintive note. In autumn, it 

 is distributed along the sea coast, 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 migrato- 

 ry course extending to the southernmost extremity of the Union. 



Early in autumn this species is very abundant on Montauk. Du- 

 ring the month of September, I met with it throughout my entire 

 route across the hills ; but found it more numerous on a large bald 

 place, abounding with grubs, worms, and insects of various kinds, 

 about four miles from the Light-house. On Montauk I also fell in 

 with straggling parties of the Long-billed Curlew, and found the 

 Yellow-shanks, [Totanus flavipes,] and Tell-tale, [T. vociferus,] 

 quite abundant. These I found in greater numbers in the valleys 

 along the margins of pools and ponds. 



