THE NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY. 79 



which is a rather unusual occurrence. Mr. E. W. Nelson says :* 

 "Not uncommon during the migrations. Arrives in full breeding 

 plumage the last of May and after lingering a few days the 

 majority pass north. A few remain during the summer and un- 

 doubtedly breed. Returning early in September in fall plumage, 

 they remain until well into October. While with us in the mi- 

 grations this species is generally solitary, sometimes a half dozen 

 individuals joining company, or a single specimen will be found 

 leading a miscellaneous company of sandpipers and small 

 plovers." 



While the Black-bellied Plover is nearly cosmopolitan in its 

 distribution, it is chiefly confined to the northern hemisphere 

 and breeds in the far north. In winter, in America, it migrates 

 as far southward as the West Indies, Brazil and Colombia. 



Genus CHARADRIUS Linnaeus, 1758. 



Charadrius dominicus Muller. American Golden Plover. 



Charadrius dominicus MULLEB, Syst. Nat. Suppl., 1776, 116. 

 Charadrius pluvialis WILSON, Amer. Orn., VII, 1813, 71 (nee Linnseus). 

 Charadrius mannoratus WAGL., Syst. Av., 1827, No. 42. 

 Charadrius fulvus var. virginicus COUES, Key, 1872, 243. 

 Popular synonyms: GREEN PLOVEB. BULL-HEAD. PBAIBIE PIGEON. 



A common migrant. The Golden Plovers are rarely seen 

 in their full breeding plumage unless taken in May. They arrive 

 within our limits about the middle of April and remain, frequent- 

 ing the wet prairies, during the remainder of the month, when the 

 majority pass on to their northern breeding grounds, a few stay- 

 ing with us during the first week in May. They return to us the 

 last of August and remain until some time in October. 



The range of this species includes both North and South 

 America; breeding in Arctic regions it migrates southward to 

 Patagonia. 



Genus OXYECHUS Keichenbach, 1853. 



Oxyechns vociferus (Linnsus). Killdeer. 



Charadrius vociferus LINNAEUS, S. N., ed. 10, I, 1758, 150. 

 jEgialitis vociferus BONAPARTE. Geog. & Comp. List, 1838, 45. 

 Oxyechus vociferus REICHENBACH, Syst. Av., 1853, XVIII. 

 sEgialitis vocifcra Amer. Orn. Union Check List, 1895, No. 273. 

 Popular synonyms: KILL-DEE. KILLDEEB PLOVEB. TELL-TALE. 



A common summer resident, arriving from the last of March 

 to the last of April and remaining with us until the cold weather 



*Birds of Northeastern Illinois, Bull, of the Essex Institute, Vol. VIII, 1876, 122. 



