SHORE BIRDS OF NOVA SCOTIA — GILPIN. 379 



colour of body, size and colour of legs,and not having semi-palmated 

 feet. In colour it was white below, and pale bluish ash above, 

 with no brown or olive tint. The signs of black or of ring about 

 the neck were very slight, and light dusky. The middle tail 

 feathers were black, tipped white at the end, and there was a 

 white stripe through primaries, secondaries and tertiaries. The 

 bill and feet black and shorter than in the true ring plover, and 

 the whole bird smaller. On searching for these birds I found 

 they went by themselves, were scarcer, and hard to get. I have 

 classed them, with some doubts, with the charadius melodus of 

 Nuttall and Wilson, and ^Egialitis melodus, Coues, thinking the 

 difference of leg,bill and colour were from imperfect or young birds. 

 We may generally conclude that the semi-palmated variety is 

 very common, and individually found in brightest colour of olive 

 brown, yellow feet and red ring about the eye ; that he always 

 assorts with the peeps ; is found at high water, emarginating the 

 shores, waiting for the ebb to bare the flats, over which he 

 spreads himself ; and that he appears sparingly in July, numer- 

 ously in August, and leaves in September. Of the second spe- 

 cies you think them plenty ; but searching for them, you find 

 them scarce — though found in company with the peeps. All 

 these birds have doubtless lived at the north, and are passing 

 our shores with their females and young. As I saw a few breed- 

 ing on Sable Island with the peeps and terns, though not deter- 

 mining their species, I think that increasing population, and not 

 choice, may send them so far north. All due allowance must be 

 made for imperfect moult and young birds. 



After writing a description of these Fall birds I have had an 

 opportunity of examining three specimens of this plover, Egiali- 

 tis melodus (Coues), shot April 24th, 1882, at Digby, 1ST. S., and 

 in full nuptial plumage. Mr. Downs also has a group of the 

 adult birds and young, shot near Halifax, proving that it breeds 

 with us, though the greater numbers that appear in Fall must 

 prove it also to be migratory. 



Extreme length, 6 6-10 inch. 



Wing spread, 14 inch. 



Length of bill, h inch. 



Length of tarsi 10 inch. 



