102 BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



been observed by Dr. Treichler, of Elizabethtown. Stragglers have 

 been taken in the fall, after severe storms from the Atlantic coast, when 

 feeding- along the shoals and shores of the Delaware and Lehigh rivers, 

 by Dr. John W. Detwiller, of Northampton county, and Mr. T. L. Neff 

 has found it in Cumberland county. The food of the Piping Plover is 

 similar to that of previously mentioned species. 



-ffigialitis wilsonia (ORD.). 



Wilson's Plover. 



DESCRIPTION. 



"Bill large and stout, longer than middle toe. 



"Adult male. Frontal crescent, extending back on each side of the crown to beyond 

 the eye, ends of greater wing-coverts, shafts of primaries, and entire lower parts, 

 pure white ; crescentric patch covering fore part of the crown, lores, and wide band 

 across the jugulum, black ; occiput more or less strongly suffused with oceraceous, 

 especially laterally and posteriorly. Upper parts (except as described) uniiorm 

 brownish gray, the remiges (i. e. long wing feathers) darker. 



"A dull female. Similar to the male, but the black replaced by brownish gray, the 

 jugular collar tinged with oceraceous. (The young very similar to female.) Bill 

 black ; eyelids grayish ; iris brown ; legs and feet pale grayish flesh color. Total 

 length about 7.75 ; extent 16.00 ; culmen .80 ; tarsus 1.25 ; middle toe .75." B. B. and 

 It. B. of N. A. 



Habitat. Coasts of North and South America, from Long Island and Lower Cali- 

 fornia southward to Brazil and Peru, including the West Indies. Casual to Nova 

 Scotia. 



Wilson's Plover may readily be recognized from either of the two spe- 

 cies last mentioned, by the rather large head, black, large and heavy 

 bill. This species breeds in New Jersey and along the seacoast of some, 

 perhaps all, of the south Atlantic states, where, as well as about the 

 coasts of the gulf states, it is common, often being found, when migrat- 

 ing, in small flocks. I have never found this plover in Pennsylvania, 

 nor has it ever been seen about Lake Erie by Mr. George B. Sennett. 

 The late Judge Libhart, in his ornithological report of Lancaster county, 

 says Wilson's Plover is " frequent on the beach (Susquehanna) in au- 

 tumn," , A few stragglers have been captured about some of our larger 

 -migrations, and reported to me as follows : James Galen 

 t : A. : C. Treichler, both of Lancaster county; Hon. Gerard C. 

 Srcwn, 'York cchmfy ; W. W. Stoey, Dauphin county ; Dr. John W. Det- 

 willer, Northampton county, and Mr. T. L. Neff, of Carlisle, Cumberland 

 county. Their food is said to consist almost entirely of minute shell- 

 fish, worms and small insects. 



