M. MELODA VAB. CIRCUMCINCTA, PIPING PLOVER. 455 



marked specimens resembling the egg of JS. meloda. Compared with 

 Killdeer's eggs, the markings are more detiuite, axeraging larger and 

 bolder, with little of the scratchiness observable in the latter. The 

 largest Eingneck's egg does not equal the smallest Killdeer's, being only 

 1.40 by 0.95, and thence running down to 1.20 by 0.90. A few obscure 

 shell-markings may usually be observed. 



iEGIALITIS MELODA var. OIECUMCmCTA, Eidgw. 

 Fiplng Plover; Ring Plorer. 



a. meloda. 



Charadrius MaticuJa var., Wii,s., Am. Oru. v, 1812, 30, pi. 37, f. 2. 



Chamdriiismelodus, Ord, ed. Wils. vii, 1824, 71.— Bp., Am. Orn. iv, 1832, 74, pi. 24.— 

 NUTT., Man. ii, 1834, 18.— AuD., Orn. Biog. iii, 1835, 154; v, 1839, 578; pi. 220; 

 B. Am. V, 1842, 223, pi. 321.— PUTN., Pr. Ess. Inst, i, 1856, 216.— SCHL., M. P.-B. 

 1865, Cm-sores, 29.— Gkay, Haud-list, 1871 , 16, No. 10010.— FiNSCH, Abh. Nat. lu, 

 1872, 62 (Alaska). 



Charadrius (MgialiHs) melodiis, Eidgw., Ann. Lye. N. Y. x, 1874, 333 (Illinois). 



Mgialitis melodns. Bp., Comp. List, 1838, 45.— Cab., J. f. 0. iv, IS.'iG, 424 (Cuba).— Bd., 

 B. N. A. 1858, 695.— Bkyant, Pr. Bost. Soc. vii, 1859 (Bahamas).- ScL., P. Z. S. 

 1861, 80 (Jamaica).— Hayd., Rep. 1862, 173.— Wheat., Ohio Agric. Rep. 1860, 

 No. 194.— Vkrr., Pr. Ess. Inst, iii, 1862, 22 (coast of Maine, breeding).— Boardji., 

 Pr. Bost. Soc. ix, 1862, 123 (breeds).— CoTTES, Pr. Bost. Soc. 1868, 122.— McIlwr., 

 Pr. Ess. Inst, v, 1866, 92.— COUES, ibid, v, 1868, 292.— TuRNB., B. E. Pa. 1869, 

 29.— Mayn., Nat. Guide, 1870, 39.— Allen, BuU. M. C. Z. ii, 1871, 355.— CouBS, 

 Pr. Phila. Acad. 1871, 28.— Snow, B. Kans. 1873, 10.— CouES, Key, 1872, 244. 



jBSgialens melodus, Allen, Pr. Ess. Inst, iv, 1864, 86. 



Charadrius okeni, Wagl., Syst. Av. 1827. 



b. circumcincta. 



Mgialitis melodus var. circumoinctus, Ridgw., Am. Nat. viii, 1874, 109. — CouES, Check- 

 list, App. p. 133, No. 400'>. 



Sal). — United States and British Provinces, east of the Rocky Mountains (beyond 

 which apparently replaced by ^. cantiana). Abundant along the Atlantic coast of 

 the United States, breeding north to the St. Lawrence, and wintering from the Caro- 

 linas southward. Cuba. Bahamas. Jamaica. Var. circumcincta from the Missouri 

 region. 



Lieutenant Warren's Expedition.— 90^8, 9034-5, 9038-9, Fork of the Platte (types of 

 var. circumcincta). 



Not obtained by Captain Raynolds' Expedition or the later ones. 



As observed sometime since by Mr. Cassin, Dr. Hayden's specimens are in full breed- 

 ing dress, with the black pectoral band complete, instead of forming, as in most in- 

 stances, an area on either side of the breast. This is the basis of Mr. Ridgway's new 

 variety. This condition, and the date of collection (July 8), warrant the inference 

 that the species breeds in Nebraska — a surmise not yet confirmed, but strengthened by 

 the general facts of the distribution of the species. For, unlike its near relative (JE. 

 semipalmata), the Piping Plover does not proceed to high latitudes to breed, being 

 quite unknown in the fur countries, and, indeed, in British America, excepting the 

 portions immediately bordering the United States. It is content to find its summer 

 home in the northern half of the United States, especially along the Atlantic coast 

 from New Jersey to the St. Lawrence. I think that though some breed so far south 

 as the Carolinas, the fact escaped me during the two years I spent on the coast, 

 at Fort Macon, paying much attention to the ornithology of the locality. There the 

 Piping Plovers were chieiJy migrants, coming and going with the Semipalinated, 

 and were not nearly so abundant. It is noted as a common summer bird of the New 

 England coast, and is said to breed in abundance along the shores of Maine. The 

 nest, which I have not myself observed, is stated to be made preferably along the sea- 

 beach of the main land and adjoining islands, and to be merely a slight hollow of 

 the sand, lined or not -with a few grasses or bits of sea-weed. This is somewhat dif- 

 ferent from the nidification of the Semipalmated Plover, which selects a mossy or 

 grassy spot away from the beach; and entirely like the Wilsonian Plover. 



The eggs of the Piping Plover may be distinguished at a glance from those of the 

 Kingneck by their light color and fine, sparse speckling. The ground is clay-color, or 

 palest possible creamy-brown, marked nearly uniformly all over, but sparsely, with 



