CHARADKIIDJ'; — THE T LOVERS. 31 



this place, within a space of two miles, and I afterwards found 

 the birds aw numerous at several points alonf^ the shore. 

 Every effort was made to discover their nests but without suc- 

 cess, although the birds were continually circling about or 

 standing at a short distance uttering an occasional note of 

 alarm. The first of July, the year pi-evious, Dr. Velie obtained 

 young but a very few days old at this same locality, showing 

 that there is considerable variation in the time of breeding. 

 This was also shown by specimens obtained the last of May, — 

 which I think were later arrivals than those found breeding in 

 April, — having the ova just approaching maturity. 



"Departs the last of September. The larger portion of the 

 specimens examined show the complete ring of clrcumcmcta^ 

 while others exhibit but little more black than in meloda, or 

 have the complete ring of the former indicated by faint black 

 tips to the feathers across the breast." (Nelson.) 



