PLOVERS 263 



and Geese at such times. They usually fly low after landing, sweeping 

 slowly over the ground, apparently looking it over, generally standing 

 motionless for quite a while after alighting, which, owing to their 

 general color approximating so closely to the withered grass, renders 

 it difficult at times to perceive them. . . . The only note I ever heard 

 them make is a kind of squeak, very much like one of the cries of 

 Wilson's Tern (Sterna hirundo), only finer in tone." (Mackay, Auk, 

 1892, 16-21, 1893, 79; 1894, 75; 1897, 212; 1899, 180.) The Eskimo 

 Curlew is now believed to be on the verge of extinction. The latest 

 records appear to be Newburyport, Mass., Aug. 27, 1908 (Thayer, J. E., 

 Auk, 1908, 77) and Waco, Nebr., Mch. 22, 1911, two females (Aug. Eiche). 



A specimen of the EUROPEAN CURLEW (Numenius arquatus) said to 

 have been taken on Long Island in 1853, is in the New York State Museum 

 at Albany. (Dutcher, Auk, IX, 1892, 390.) 



The WHIMBREL (267. Numenius phceopus), an Old- World species, is 

 of accidental occurrence in Greenland and has been once recorded from 

 Nova Scotia. 



27. FAMILY CHARADRIID^B. PLOVEKS. (Figs. 42c, d; 43e, d.) 



The seventy-five odd species contained in this family are, as a 

 whole, of less boreal distribution than the Snipes, and during the nest- 

 ing season are distributed throughout the world. Only eight species 

 are found in North America. Their habits in a general way resemble 

 those of the true Snipes, but their much shorter, stouter bills are not 

 fitted for probing, and they obtain their food from the surface. Probably 

 for this reason several species are as frequently found on the uplands 

 as near the shores. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES 



I. Toes three. 



A. Back spotted or streaked with black and white, rufous, or golden 



yellow 272. GOLDEN PLOVER. 



B. Back ashy, gray, brown, or brownish gray. 



a. Rump rufous 273. KILLDEER. 



6. Rump not rufous. 

 6 1 . Bill over '50. 



6 2 . A black or brownish band on the breast . 280. WILSON'S PLOVER. 



6 3 . No band on the breast; back grayish brown, margined with 



rufous 281. MOUNTAIN PLOVER. 



c 1 . Bill under '50. 



c 2 . A black line from the eye to the bill. 



274. SEMIPALMATED PLOVER. 



c 3 . No line from the eye to the bill. . . . 277. PIPING PLOVER. 

 II. Toes four 270. BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER. 



f 270. Squatarola squatarola (Linn.}. BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER. 

 (Fig. 42c, 43d.) Ads. in summer. Upperparts black, bordered with white; 

 tail white, barred with black; basal half of inner web of primaries white; 

 sides of head and neck and entire underparts, except white lower belly and 

 under tail-coverts, black. Juv. Upperparts black, head and neck streaked, 

 back spotted with whitish or buffy yellow ; tail and wings as in adult ; under- 

 parts white, breast and sides streaked with brownish gray. Ads. and Juv. in 



