BIRDS OF KANSAS. 153 



in its range, chiefly from Colorado to Manitoba, Saskatchewan, 

 Utah and southeastern Oregon. 



SP. CHAK. "Wings (except secondaries, terminal half of greater coverts 

 and inner secondaries), inner scapulars and adjoining feathers of the back 

 brownish black; lower parts, rump, outer scapulars and middle of the back 

 white; tail ashy white or pale ashy. Adult, in summer: Head, neck and breast 

 light cinnamon, becoming white around the bill and fading gradually into the 

 white of the body; tertials brownish gray. Adult (and young), in winter: 

 Head, neck and breast white, more or less tinged with pale bluish gray, espe- 

 cially on crown and nape. Young: Primaries slightly tipped with whitish; scap- 

 ulars and feathers of back tipped or transversely mottled with pale fulvous or 

 buff; crown dull grayish; nape tinged with light rufous; bill deep biack; iris 

 umber brown; legs and feet ashy blue. 



"The intensity of the cinnamon color on the head and neck varies with the 

 individual; sometimes there is a dusky gray suffusion around the eye, this be- 

 ing especially characteristic of younger birds." 



Stretch of 

 Length. wing. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill. 



Male 17.75 30.50 9.00 3.65 3.70 3.75 



Female... 17.00 29.50 8.60 3.50 3.60 3.50 



This species inhabit the swales and edges of ponds, prefer- 

 ring the alkali marshes and pools of water. They move about 

 with easy motions, bowing the head at nearly every movement; 

 are perfectly at home on the land and float as lightly upon the 

 water as a Gull. 



Their usual feeding habits are peculiar, skimming the surface 

 of the water or land from side to side for minute forms of life, 

 and when so engaged upon the land sway the body at each step, 

 much like a person mowing or cradling. They also pick up the 

 larger forms, and are quite expert in chasing and catching insects. 

 They are social and usually found in small flocks; as a rule 

 rather shy, but at their nesting places, especially near the hatch- 

 ing time, often meet the intruder, circling around and scolding, 

 and when near try to scare him away by darting swift as an 

 arrow, sheering as they pass. On alighting, open their wings 

 high above their backs and close them, much like the Bartramian 

 Sandpiper (generally known as the Field or Upland Plover). 

 Their nests are placed on the ground, in the tall grass at or 

 near the edges of shallow ponds of water; made of the stems 

 of the old grass and lined w r ith the finer leaves of the upland 

 prairie grasses. Eggs three or four, 1.87x1.30; olivaceous 



