358 CHARADRIUS FVLV US. 



HABITS. 



The Black -bellied Plovers do not make their appearance amid the swarms of south- 

 ward flying shore birds which sweep down the coast, until about the first of September. 

 Then their loud, clear notes may be heard in all directions, especially on those dull, foggy 

 mornings which precede an easterly storm. At such times, they are comparatively tame, 

 for they are evidently weary with their long migration from the North and anxious to feed, 

 in order to depart before the coming storm sets in. 



Although the Black-bellies, or Beetle Heads as they are called when in their modest 

 autumnal dress, alight on the hills in search of grasshoppers, they may often be found on 

 sandy beaches, feeding upon small crustaceans and other products of the sea, and occa- 

 sionally they visit the grassy marshes or pools on them. Their stay in Massachusetts is 

 prolonged until the latter part of October, when the majority has passed southward. In 

 May, however, when they have assumed their dark-colored livery and are on their way to 

 their northern breeding grounds, their visit to us is short, for they pass very quickly, often 

 remaining but a few days. 



In Florida, where I have found this species very common, not only on both coasts but 

 also on the Keys, they live wholly on the beaches. In the North, they are very wild, for 

 few birds are more hunted, but in the wilder sections, they loose this shyness in a great 

 measure, but still are never very unsuspicious. They moult late in April, before leaving 

 the South, and I have secured full plumaged adults in May. 



GENUS II. CHARADRIUS. THE THREE-TOED PLOVERS. 



GKV. CH. Bill, rather slender, not as long as the head which is not strikingly large. Tail, nearly square. Hind toe, 

 absent. 



Members of this genus, in the adult stage, are black below and dark above, banded with golden and marked with 

 white. Sexes, quite similar. There is but one species within our limits. 



CHARADRIUS FULVUS. 

 Golden Plover. 



Charadriusfulvus GH. Syst. Nat. 1, 1788, 687. 



DESCRIPTION. 



SP. CH. Form, robust. Size, large. Tongue, not very long, thin and horny, narrowing toward tip which is slight- 

 ly rounded. 



Adult in summer. Black throughout, excepting primaries and tail, which are dark-brown, with a purplish luster, tbe 

 latter being narrowly tipped with white and banded with lighter and the former having a central spot of white on shafts, 

 with the upper surface spotted and banded with golden and white, wliilea band of white passes across forehead, over eye, 

 and broadening out extends down side of neck to upper breast. Under tail coverts, banded with white. Under wing cov- 

 erts and axillaries, ashy-brown. , 



Adult in wtnter. Similar to the summer dress above, but the black on lower surface is mixed, to a greater or less ex- 

 tent, with white and ashy. 



Vouny. Not unlike the winter adult but are paler above and ashy white below, where the feathers are edged and spot- 

 ted with dusky, especially on the breast. Iris, brown, bill, and feet, black, in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Known from the preceding species ny the absence of the hind toe and ashy axillaries and from all other Plovers by the 

 golden markings above. Distributed, as summer resident, throughout Arctic America, wintering south of the United 

 States. 



