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ROCK Y-MOUNTAIN PLOVER. 
CHARADRIUS MONTANUS, TOWNSEND. 
PLATE CCCL. FeEmate. 
For the following brief account of this bird, I am indebted to my 
jearned and obliging friend, T'Homas Nutra. 
“« This remarkable species, so much allied to the Charadrius Wil- 
soni, was scarcely seen by us for more than one or two days, and then 
on the central table-land of the Rocky Mountains, in the plains near 
the last of the streams of the Platte, pursued in our western and north- 
ern route. It being the month of July when we saw it, there is little 
doubt but that it was breeding in this subalpine region. The only in- 
dividual shot, was seen skulking and running through the wormwood 
bushes which so generally clothe those arid and dry wastes. After 
running some time, it would remain perfectly still, as if conscious of 
the difficulty of distinguishing it from the colour of the grey soil on 
which it stood. All that we saw were similar to the present indivi- 
dual, and none, however flushed, took to the wing. We do not re- 
collect hearing from it the slightest complaint or note of any kind, 
being intent probably on concealing its young or eggs by a perfect 
silence.” 
The skin from which I made my drawing was that of a female ; 
and it is my opinion, that the male, when found, will have as distinct 
markings as those exhibited by Charadrius melodus or Ch. semipalmatus. 
CHARADRIUS MONTANUS, Rocky-MounTAIN Piover. Townsend, Journ. Acad. of 
Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, vol. vii. p. 192. 
Adult Female. Plate CCCL. 
Bill shorter than the head, straight, somewhat cylindrical. Upper 
mandible with the dorsal line straight to beyond the middle, then bulg- 
ing a little and curving to the rather acute tip, which projects beyond 
that of the lower mandible, the sides flat and sloping at the base, con- 
vex towards the end. Nasal groove extended to the middle of the bill; 
AR eso t 12 
