DIRECTORY TO BIRDS OF EASTEKX NORTH AMERICA. 89 



in Aug. when was abundant on the coasts of the British 

 Provinces and rare further south ; formerly abundant on the 

 N. E. coast at this season, but has been gradually diminish- 

 ing since the early 70's and is now very rare; winters in 

 southern S. A. ; comes north in April, when it avoids the At- 

 lantic coast and is abundant in the Mississippi Valley and 

 westward on the Plains. Note, a soft, mellow whistle, given 

 as the bird flies. Moves in large, close flocks, sweeping 

 about much as sandpipers do ; flight, swift ; wing beats regu- 

 lar and not rapid. This species now appears to be very rare 

 everywhere even north of N. E. and in the Mississippi Valley 

 in spring. 



4. WHIMBREL, N. PHAEOPUS. Much like 2, but the 

 rump is plain white, and the axillaries are white banded 

 with grayish-brown. Northern parts of Old World; occa- 

 sional in Greenland. 



C. PLOVER. Charadriidae. 



Differ from B in being stouter in form, in having a short- 

 er, harder, bill, and in having the tarsus in front covered 

 with small hexagonal or irregular scales. Excepting in a 

 and b the hind toe is absent, figs. 106 to 110. 



a. Vanellus. Crested Plover. 



Head, crested ; upper plumage with metallic luster ; hind 

 toe, present. Plover-like birds found mostly in the Old 

 World. 



1. LAPWING, V. VANELLUS. 13.00; bill, 1.00; top 

 and fore part of head, chin, throat and breast, blue-black ; 

 back, metallic green, bluish and purple; upper tail coverts, 

 rufous; tail, black with basal half and tip, sides of head, 

 neck and belly, white ; lower tail coverts, rufous. Winter, 

 differs in having the chin and throat white and the sides and 

 head tinged with buff. Active, noisy birds. Northern parts 

 of the eastern hemisphere ; occasional in Greenland and on 

 Long Island, 



b. Four-toed Plover. Squatarola. 



Large plover with large heads, rather long bills, long 



