BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. 149 
four days before they disappear, and I supposed for many 
years that they all passed beyond the State line, but some 
time in the summer of 1875, a clutch of four eggs were sent me 
with the female, which proved to be a Black-bellied Plover. 
It was obtained in the vicinity of upper Lake Minnetonka, in 
my own county. Since then several nests have been reported 
by persons competent to determine them, and I accept the 
conclusion that this species breed to a limited extent in some 
portions of the State. The nest differs in no particular from 
those of the other species of the family. 
A natural depression in the ground, of about the size desired, 
is selected, or else one is scratched out by the female, and lined 
with a few leaves, blades of grass, or moss, in which are de- 
posited the orthodox four eggs. These are a creamy-buff color 
with spots and confluent blotches of umber and obscure touches 
of lilac, chiefly about the larger end. They reappear in mod- 
erate flocks about the middle of September and are frequently 
seen until the second week in October. They are offered in 
the market in autumn, and are regarded good eating. 
SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 
Bill and legs strong; wings long; a very small rudimentary 
hind toe; around the base of the bill to the eyes, neck before 
and under parts of body, black; upper white, nearly pure and 
unspotted on the forehead, sides of the neck and rump tinged 
with ashy, and having irregular transverse bars of brownish- 
black on the back, scapulars and wing coverts; the brownish- 
black frequently predominating on those parts, and the rump 
also frequently with transverse bars of the same. Lower 
part of the abdomen, tibia. and under tail coverts white. 
Quills brownish-black, lighter on their inner webs, with a 
middle portion of their shafts white, and a narrow longitudinal 
stripe of white frequently on the shorter primaries and secon- 
daries. Tail white, with transverse imperfect narrow bands 
of black. Bill and legs black, and black color of the under 
parts generally with a bronzed or coppery lustre, and present- 
ing a scarelike appearance; the brownish-black of the upper 
parts with a greenish lustre. 
Length, 11.50; wing, 7.50; tail, 3. 
Habitat, nearly cosmopolitan. 
CHARADRIUS DOMINICUS Mttter. (272.) 
AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER. 
- Avery abundant migrant, but a very uncertain one, sométimes 
reaching us in spring in considerable flocks, and at other seasons 
giving us the complete ‘‘go-by.””» They reach the State in the 
