R1NGNECK PLOVER. 363 



giving their stuttering notes, while the females only uttered a hrisk whistle. I never found 

 Wilson's Plover much north of Key West during winter, but they migrate along the coast 

 early in April, some going as far north as New Jersey to breed. 



.S3GIALITIS SEMIPALMATUS. 



Ringneck Plover. 

 JEi/ialitis srmi/ia/malu.1 CAB., Journ.; 1H56, 425. 



DESCRIPTION. 



SP. Cn. Form, robust. Size, not large. Bill, short, not nearly as long iw head. Tail, short and rounded. Tertia- 

 ries. nut nearly reaching the tips of wings. Membrane between toes, large. Sternum, stunt, outer marginal indentations, 

 slightly deeper than inner. Tongue, not long, fleshy at base, thin, horny at extreme tip which is rounded. Sexes, similar. 



Color. Adult. Above, dark ashy-brown, becoming lighter on the tail which is narrowly tipped with white, while the 

 outer jmi r of feathers are entirely of this color nnd all hut these are crossed by abroad band of black. Wings dark-brown, 

 with tips bade and lines cm inner webs of secondaries, central elongated spots on primaries, ami tip- of greater coverts, white. 

 Forehead and top of head to eye, line below it extending over ear coverts, and broad ring on breast which rapidly narrows 

 behind, black. Beneath, white, which extends in a collar back of neck. Crescent on forehead, also white. 



Voung. Similar to fie adult but the black markings are replaced by some of ashy-brown and every feather above is 

 edged with yellowish-white. Bill, black, yellow at base, iris, brown, and legs, yellow, in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Readily known from all other Plovers by the. oomparatirely short bill and large webs between toes. Distributed in 

 summer, from Labrador, northward. Winters in the South. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of specimens from Eastern America. Length, 7*05; stretch, 14'05; wing, 5' 12; tail, 2 - I6; bill, 

 55; tarsus, !K). Longest specimen, 7'50; greatest extent of wing, 15'60; longest wing, 5'TO; tail, 2'30; bill, 'BO; tarsus, 

 1-00. Shortest specimen, 6 05; smallest extent of wing, H'50; shortest wing, 4'55; tail, 2'05; bill, '50; tarsus, -80. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Fjjy*, placed in a depression of the soil, four in number, rather pyriform in shape, creamy in color, spotted irregularly 

 and plentifully with brown of varying shades. Dimensions from '90x 1'35 to p i*5x 1'40. 



HABITS. 



The Ringnecks are among the first of the returning shore birds, to find their way 

 southward, some appearing early in August, while others continue to come until October, 

 when they suddenly disappear toward the South. The first that make their appearance, 

 are the young and females and later, the adult males follow. These Plovers have a loud, 

 though mellow, whistle, easily distinguished from that of other shore birds. They arc fond 

 of the beaches on the open sea, where they run nimbly along the sand, avoiding the in- 

 coming waves with great agility, then following them out, in order to pick up the small 

 crustaceans, etc., left by the water. They also visit the pools on the salt marshes, where 

 they eat aquatic insects, and I have even taken grasshoppers from their stomachs. I ful- 

 ly expected to find this species nesting on the Magdalen Islands as they breed plentifully 

 on the neighboring coast of Labrador, but was disappointed, and I do not think that they 

 even nest there, at least in any numbers. 



JEGIALITIS MELODUS. 



Piping Plover. 

 JEgialittt mclodus CAB., Journ. 1856, 424. 



DESCRIFFION. 

 SP CH. Form, robust. Size, small. Tertiaries, not nearly reaching the tips of the wings. Tail, short and rounded. 



