58 Contributions from the Charleston Museum. 



The Eskimo Curlew is now considered by most ornithologists 

 to be on the verge of extinction. It formerly bred in enormous 

 numbers in the Anderson River region of Arctic America, where 

 the eggs have been taken by R. MacFarlane, Esq. In winter 

 it is found as far south as Patagonia. It may now even breed 

 in the Antarctic regions for, having been slaughtered by thou- 

 sands for more than a hundred years while en route from its breed- 

 ing grounds to the Labrador coast, as well as during the return 

 migrations through the Mississippi valley, it may have been 

 forced to seek new breeding grounds. 



FAMILY CHARADRIIME: PLOVERS. 



117. Squatarola squatarola (Linn.). Black-bellied Plover. 



This plover is a permanent resident as it occurs during every 

 month of the year, yet it does not breed. The birds that are 

 found in June and the early part of July are generally in winter 

 or immature plumage, though a few adults in full nuptial plumage 

 are occasionally to be noted during these months. I mention a 

 few dates upon which I have observed these birds in June, 

 namely— 22nd, 1895; 26th, 1896; 18th, 1901; 11th, 1902, and 

 19th, 1905. About the middle of March, or towards the last of 

 that month, the birds begin their spring moult, which is very 

 gradual and is not entirely completed until about May 15 or 

 22, there being numbers of undeveloped feathers in all stages of 

 growth. I have never seen one of these birds in full breeding 

 plumage after October 15. 



The Black-bellied Plover is very shy when it has acquired its 

 nuptial plumage so that it is almost impossible to approach it 

 nearer than a few hundred yards. During the winter months, 

 however, it is comparatively tame, and, as a rule, is easily ap- 

 proached. This fine species is a bird of the tidal flats and feeds as 

 soon as the mud is exposed, but resorts to the beaches when the 

 tide rises and covers the oyster banks. When the wind is from 

 the south and the tide is low in the afternoon, these birds migrate 

 in small flocks in a northwesterly direction to their breeding 

 grounds and form a beautiful sight, especially if the sun is shining. 

 The whole time a flock is migrating each individual whistles con- 

 stantly as long as there is light. 



In North America, the Black-bellied Plover has been found breed- 

 ing in the Anderson River region and in Melville Peninsula. Eggs 



