170 PRjECOCIAL GRALLATORES — LIMICOLtE. 



Mr. Salvin met with Wilson's Plover on the coast of Honduras in the latter part 

 of April. It was then breeding, and he discovered two of its nests. He also found 

 that this species was very abundant at Chiapam, in Guatemala, where he met with it 

 in flocks in the company of ^E'. seifilpalmata. It occurred also and remained to 

 breed among the bays of Belize. It is also recorded from the northwestern coast of 

 Peru. 



According to Leotaud, this Plover is a migratory visitant of the Island of Trinidad, 

 arriving there about the end of July, and leaving in October. It frequents the bor- 

 ders of the sea, running on the sand in quest of the worms on which it feeds. As it 

 takes to flight it usually utters a peculiar cry, which is slightly rolling, and not un- 

 pleasant. These Ijirds occur sometimes by themselves, and sometimes mingled with 

 TrlngcB and other shore-birds ; and Dr. P>ryaut found this an abundant resident 

 species in the Bahamas. 



Giraud mentioned this among the liirds of Long Island, but as not common there. 

 When observed it was usually in company \\\t\\ the scjnipalmata, with the general 

 characteristics of which its own very closely correspond. Andubon states that while 

 in Plorida, near St. Augustine, in the months of December and January, he found 

 this species much more abundant than any other. There were few of the keys 

 having a sandy beach or a rocky shore without one or more pairs. The young birds 

 assembled in the fall and spent the winter months apart from the old ones. 



Dr. Coues, who had an excellent opportunity for watching this species in North 

 Carolina, has given (Am. Nat. III. 340) a full and minute account of its habits 

 during the summer months. He regards it as eminently characteristic of the shores 

 of the South Atlantic States. It moves northward along the coast in April, collecting 

 in small flocks of from six to twenty or more, and passing at once to their chosen 

 places, there to explore the sea-beaches and the muddy flats in search of food. They 

 are gentle and unsuspicious. Their note is described as being half a whistle and 

 half a chirp, and as very different from the clear mellow piping of the other species. 

 After a short interval following their first arrival, they separate in pairs and resort 

 to the sand-hills near the coast to breed. When their nest is approached they flit 

 to and fro, near the ground, at a little distance, in anxious groups of three or four, 

 uttering indescribably touching appeals, now alighting, as if in hopes their trea- 

 sures may remain undiscovered, and then running swiftly along, too frightened for a 

 moment's rest. 



Wilson's Plover deposits its eggs in a hollow in the sand about four inches in 

 diameter, but so shallow as to be hardly noticealjle as a depression. Sometimes it 

 lays its eggs in a scanty tuft of grass, but in no instance has it been noticed as using 

 any lining for its nests. The number of eggs is said to be invariably three ; but that 

 occasionally it may lay four is inferred from finding in the oviduct of a female just 

 killed one egg ready for deposition, and three others in a highly develojied state. It 

 begins to lay about the middle of May, but differs as to the time so much that, early 

 in June, eggs quite fresh, otliers nearly hatched, and newly fledged young, may all 

 be observed. The nestlings are described as being curious-looking and very pretty. 

 They are able to run as soon as they are fairly dry from the egg, and are difficult to 

 find, as they squat so closely to the sand, which they resemble in color. ' 



Their eggs are somewhat like those of the Least Tern, but are larger, and in some 

 other respects different. The variations of the eggs of the Plovers, both in size and 

 shape, are considerable, one measuring 1.45 inches by 1.05, and another- only 1.22 

 inches by 1.00 ; they also differ very materially in shape from each other. Their 

 ground-color when fresh is described as a pale olive-drab, inclining to a greenish hue 



